The first novel in "Solar Queen" series, followed by Plague Ship, Postmarked the Stars and others. The novel follows Dane Thorson, a newbie apprentice cargo master on board of a Free Trader spaceship Solar Queen, and his adventures on a recently discovered planet

"From between the two shuffling dancers padded something on four feet. The canine-feline creature was more than just a head; it was a loose-limbed, graceful body fully eight feet in length, and the red eyes in the prick-eared head were those of a killer.... Words issued from between those curved fangs, words which Dane might not understand.... "Dane slid his blade out surreptitiously, setting its point against the palm of his hand and jabbing painfully; but the terrible creature continued to advance.... There was no blurring of its lines...." Dane Thorson of the space-ship Solar Queen knew there was only one way to win out over this hideous thing — a battle to the end between his rational mind and the hypnotic witchcraft of Lumbrilo, the mental wizard of the planet Khatka

The first new Solar Queen novel in 23 years. This fast-paced adventure launches Captain Jellico and the crew of the Solar Queen--whose previous thrilling exploits include such sf classics as Postmarked the Stars and Sargasso of Space--on their most treacherous expedition yet

The "Solar Queen" is in real trouble. They've just saved thousands of lives in a near disaster and are on the way to cash in on their newfound hero status with some profitable trade. But when they drop out of hyperspace and almost crash into a deserted ship, it's all they can do not to become a wreck like the one they've stumbled across. Luckily, the derelict "Scavenger" has just enough fuel to get both ships to the nearest port, a space habitat that is home to humans and two other races. Unfortunately, when they attempt to file for scavenger rights, a crooked syndicate of bureaucrats takes an interest and threatens to scuttle Captain Jellico's crew and their claim to the derelict