Fleet of Worlds (at last)

[Edward M. Lerner]

If you're a longtime subscriber to this newsletter, Fleet of Worlds
may not be new to you. But if you joined the list in the past four
years, today's topic may be of interest.

To wit: Tor Books (Larry NIven's and my publisher) has just re-
released Fleet of Worlds as a trade paperback.

What's Fleet of Worlds about? In short, it's a star-spanning, teeming-
with-aliens, science-fictional epic in the grand tradition. In a few
more words:

Kirsten Quinn-Kovacs is among the best and brightest of her people.
She gratefully serves the gentle race that rescued her ancestors from
a dying starship, gave them a world, and nurtures them still. If only
the Citizens knew where Kirsten’s people came from ….

A chain reaction of supernovae at the galaxy’s core has unleashed a
wave of lethal radiation that will sterilize the galaxy. The Citizens
flee, taking their planets, the Fleet of Worlds, with them.

Someone must scout ahead, and Kirsten and her crew eagerly volunteer.
Under the guiding eye of Nessus, their Citizen mentor, they explore
for any possible dangers in the Fleet’s path—and uncover long-hidden
truths that will shake the foundations of worlds.

Fleet of Worlds was a featured alternate selection of the Science
Fiction Book Club, a "Sci Fi Essential" selection of (what was then
called) the Sci Fi Channel, and a finalist for the Prometheus Award.
FOW has been translated (so far) into eight languages. This being the
21st century, FOW has long been available in several formats of ebook
and audio book.

And FOW has been quite favorably received. Here are a few of my
favorite comments from reviews:

"Needs recommending within the science fiction community about as much
as a new Harry Potter novel does – well, anywhere." — Locus Magazine

"As we have long expected from Niven, it’s a great read, and Lerner—as
Analog readers know—has the knack as well. You’ll enjoy this one."
— Analog Science Fiction and Fact

"Let's see: Great series, grand scope and a seamless prequel with
characters and politics, and ethical issues. Who the hell wouldn't
read that?" — San Diego Union-Tribune

"… Delivers a very strong hard science fiction experience. It is a
great novel that is not to be missed." — SF Signal

Fleet of World became a series, but Larry and I set out to write a
single novel. This novel. (We didn't say "no" when the publisher
expressed interest in a second book. Or to another after that. Or
after that .... it can be hard to make "The end" stick.) So: if
you're not in the mood for a series, that's okay. Fleet of Worlds
stands alone.

There's more on my blog about the novel, the series to which it gave
birth, and the overarching fictional milieu of Known Space. If you're
curious, you might start at:

http://edward-m-lerner.blogspot.com/2011/02/of-fleet-fleets-and-known-space.html.

Cheers,

- Ed