It's spring in Vorbarr Sultana, and a young person's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love . . .
. . . money . . . bio-genetics . . . love . . . lack of money . . . incompatible planetary sexual mores . . . love . . . District succession scandals . . . the Emperor's wedding . . . and, of course, love . . .
Lord Miles Vorkosigan, youngest Imperial Auditor to be appointed by the Emperor since the Time of Isolation, has a problem all his new power can't solve: unrequited love for the beautiful Vor widow Ekaterin Vorsoisson. Ekaterin is violently allergic to marriage as a result of her first exposure. But as Miles learned from his late career in galactic covert ops, if a frontal assault won't do, go to subterfuge. He has a cunning plan . . .
Lord Mark Vorkosigan has a problem: his love for the sunny Kareen, daughter of Commodore Koudelka, has just become unrequited again. But if all his new money can't solve their dilemma, perhaps a judicious blending of science and entrepreneurial scheming might. He has a cunning plan . . .
"It's another winner with all kinds of unexpected adventures . . . Georgette Heyer has met her match for intrigue and STYLE! A sprightly conducted romance with twists and turns that could only happen in a Vorkosigan-inspired novel. . . . Boy, can she write!" —Anne McCaffrey
"Bujold successfully mixes quirky humor with just enough action, a dab of feminist social commentary and her usual superb character development in a sprightly SF romance . . . enormously satisfying."
—Publishers Weekly
TOURISTS RUSH IN WHERE
DREA MERS FEAR TO TREAD . . .
Where does your mind go when you fall asleep
To the Dreamland, where seven Sleepers dream the ever-changing landscape drawn by the trillions of sleeping minds from the Waking World. Where form follows function, so a hovel today may be a castle or a cave tomorrow. Where the people battle nightmares with only the strength of their will and sanity.
Chuck Meadows is a Visitor from the Waking World, on an astral vision quest around the Dreamland. He has come on this arduous and dangerous journey to the Dreamland in hope of discovering the reason for the deep misery of his soul. With the aid of his spirit guide, Keir, the other members of the group, and the Dreamlanders he will meet along the way, he has to solve the puzzle before it literally tears him apart.
But not all Dreamlanders are eager to assist Chuck on his quest. There is an element lurking throughout the land that resents the Visitors and all they stand for. They hate the intrusion by Waking minds into their realm. They are furious that Visitors wield almost limitless influence while they have nothing. They intend to send a message back to the Waking world to leave them alone forever. The leader of the conspiracy is waiting only for the right moment to strike. He has a secret weapon that no one, Dreamlanders or Waking Worlders, can withstand. Chuck and his companions are unaware of the doom that awaits them—but they have unseen allies as well as enemies. Chuck must learn the truth about them and about himself before it is too late.
"There's plenty of entertaining satire throughout . . . [with] humor and unusual setting."
—Locus
"The entire premise is fun . . . reads a lot like Piers Anthony's Xanth series. Nye . . . is an author to watch." —Kliatt
Sitting on a bed, he didn't know where he was. He had the strange feeling that the walls around him were just stage props, with nothing behind. He turned as a man came through the door and said, "Good monring, Joe. How are you feeling today " So his name was Joe
Where was he
With his garden tools, he prepared to plant a vegetable patch. But when he turned over the first fork of soil, there was nothing underneath—just empty blackness. . .
What was he
He looked in the mirror and his jaw fell. He was twelve years younger and much leaner. This was insane. . . .
"No one is more adept at combining the techno-thriller format with sophisticated science fictional concepts than James P. Hogan." —Rave Reviews
