Part of Lord Valentine
First published 1996
Lord Valentine wakes from another nightmare of blizzards and earthquakes devastating Majipoor. He believes these visions warn of coming war with the Shapeshifters, the planet's original inhabitants who lost their world centuries ago. The Shapeshifters have infiltrated the royal court, taking human form to work toward reclaiming their stolen realm. Valentine has tried to make peace with them since becoming ruler, but his diplomatic efforts have backfired. Members of his own court now question whether he can be trusted to defend humanity. They want to promote him to Pontifex, a ceremonial position that would strip away his real authority. Valentine faces an impossible choice. He can accept the promotion and let someone else handle the Shapeshifter crisis, but history will remember him as a leader who abandoned his people when they needed him most. Or he can fight to keep his throne and risk civil war just as an ancient enemy prepares to strike. Eight thousand years of peace hang in the balance.
Genres: science-fiction, adventure, fantasy, epic-fantasy, political-thriller
Vibes: epic, high-stakes, political-intrigue, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: impossible-choice, infiltration, peace-vs-war, political-power-struggle
Setting: Majipoor
496 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Eos
Content warnings: colonialism, war