
A harsh, glittering world orbits a cluster of suns, where the ruling barons treat the Baemae as prey in brutal spectacles. In the vaulted arena, Lady Vydys revels in cruelty while Lord Zenaor plots a power grab, turning blood‑sport into a political weapon. The tension crackles as a terrified girl is forced into the deadly “roller” contest, watched by a thousand hungry eyes.
Into this savage tableau arrives an outsider, a star‑pilot named Craig Nesom, drawn by rumors of a galaxy‑wide threat. He discovers a society where loyalty is bought with fear and rebellion flickers in the shadows of the arena. As Craig navigates the treacherous court, he must decide whether to intervene directly or find a subtler way to undermine the barons before the violence spirals out of control.
Language
en
Duration
~2 hours (133K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2021-09-17
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1915–1992
Best known for practical, no-nonsense advice on storytelling, this American writer built a career across pulp fiction, novels, and teaching. His work still speaks to aspiring authors who want clear tools for writing stronger fiction.
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