
In a glittering future where interstellar travel and sentient robots are routine, Anson Drake is a name that rings fear across half a hundred worlds. A seasoned Earthman with a taste for danger, he finds himself in the opulent Flamebird Room of Thizar’s Royal Gandyll Hotel, watching a native orchestra while plotting his next move. He’s there because Viron Belgezad—a proud Thizarian magnate—has just acquired the legendary Necklace of Algol, a prize Drake intends to reclaim.
The necklace will be displayed at the upcoming coronation of the Shan, drawing the galaxy’s elite and the most desperate thieves. Drake must navigate a web of hostile officials, a jealous rival, and a lethal assassin who tries to slip a poison into his vein—all while staying one step ahead of the law. The stage is set for a high‑octane heist that will test his cunning, combat skill, and the razor‑thin line between luck and betrayal.
Language
en
Duration
~25 minutes (24K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2008-04-10
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1927–1987
A prolific mid-century science fiction and fantasy writer, he became especially well known for the Lord Darcy stories, where detective fiction meets an alternate world shaped by magic. He also wrote heavily for the pulp magazines of the 1950s and 1960s and collaborated with other major SF writers.
View all books
by Randall Garrett

by Randall Garrett

by Randall Garrett

by Randall Garrett

by Randall Garrett, Laurence M. Janifer

by Randall Garrett

by Randall Garrett, Laurence M. Janifer

by Randall Garrett