FREE: The Starmen of Llyrdis by Leigh Brackett [Mass Market Paperback Book]

The listing, The Starmen of Llyrdis by Leigh Brackett [Mass Market Paperback Book] has ended.

ISBN-10: 0345246683.

Leigh Brackett was a prolific writer for pulp science fiction magazines, especially Planet Stories, in the 40's and 50's. The Starmen of Llyrdis reads like an expanded pulp tale. To a generation used to 500 page novels, it's a quick read. Character development takes a back seat to action, and scientific details are brushed over in favor of adventure and G-rated romance. But Action and Adventure are good things, and Brackett keeps the reader entertained as the tightly constructed story moves along.

The gist of the story is that an Earthman, Michael Trehearne, discovers that there are human-looking aliens from the planet Llyrdis trading on Earth. They are the only race genetically capable of withstanding space flight, thanks to a mutation engineered 1000 years ago by a Llyrdian named Orthis. Michael for some reason has the same mutation, though, so he returns with the aliens to Llyrdis. He learns that Orthis had intended to share the mutation with all races, but was chased off Llyrdis so that his home planet could maintain a monopoly on interstellar trade. As Michael experiences the star trade first hand, he becomes sympathetic to Orthis' point of view, and he and a band of others set out to fulfill Orthis' dream to make spaceflight available to all.

This mass market paperback is in decent condition with heavy wear, a cover tear (visible in the lower left corner of the pic), and a store stamp on the inside cover.

Free USPS Media Mail shipping in the USA.

I'll be taking a hiatus from Listia during the Christmas season (will be back in January), so in the meantime win what you can!