POD 49 Marune: Alastor 933 The Connatic rules the three thousand inhabited planets of the Alastor Cluster from his palace Lusz on the world Numenes. Though his military force can bring considerable might to bear where necessary, the Connatic often wanders among his subjects incognito, intervening to right a wrong, or leaving well enough alone. A young man knows nothing of his origins or his name. He is identified at the Connatic’s hospital as a Rhune, one of the ruling class of Marune. On Marune he resumes his identity as Efraim, Kaiark of Scharrode, and must relearn the pomp and protocol of the Rhunes, then determine who was responsible for his amnesia—and the death of his father. The mystery leads to the realm of the inscrutable Fwai-chi. Marune is Book III in the Alastor sequence, and Volume 49 of the Spatterlight Press Signature Series. Released in the centenary of the author's birth, this handsome new collection is based upon the prestigious Vance Integral Edition. Select volumes enjoy up-to-date maps, and many are graced with freshly-written forewords contributed by a distinguished group of authors. Each book bears a facsimile of the author's signature and a previously-unpublished photograph, chosen from family archives for the period the book was written. These unique features will be appreciated by all, from seasoned Vance collector to new reader sampling the spectrum of this author's influential work for the first time. – John Vance II
Wake the living Galleons at your peril... The Elder Race once ruled the entire Alastor cluster. Fierce predators, they tore suns from the sky, leaving the worlds of their enemies to freeze in the dark. Now only the Galleons are left: living ships that sail the world river which girds Phaedra: Alastor 824. After the death of his father, Gunnar arrives on that ancient world, trying to find a new home. Having two girlfriends sounds like a good start, but Lavoine is the deeply tricky daughter of the last Voodoo queen, and Semele a fierce huntress who has sworn never to kiss a boy until she Walks with the Galleons. And now Lavoine is trying to wake up the Galleons and bring back the Elders... On the Paladins of Vance label, Spatterlight publishes original works by authors who have given their own imagination free rein in the many wonderful worlds of the Grandmaster of fantasy & sci-fi. Tais Teng is a Dutch fantasy and science fiction writer, illustrator and sculptor. Tais has written over a hundred novels for both adults and children. He has won the Paul Harland Award, the Dutch Hugo, four times. With Phaedra: Alastor 824 , Tais has written a personal homage to Vance, his guiding star.