New Releases by Sean Williams

The dark side could not seduce him. The Empire could not control him. Death could not defeat him. And now, nothing can stop him from seizing his destiny. As ruthless apprentice to Darth Vader, Starkiller was mercilessly schooled in the ways of the dark side, commanded to exterminate the last of the purged Jedi Order, and groomed for the ultimate Sith power play: assassination of the Emperor. He served without question, killed without remorse, and lost his heart without warning to beautiful Imperial fighter pilot Juno Eclipse, never suspecting that he was just a tool in the schemes of his masters—until it was too late to escape their lethal betrayal. Juno mourned Starkiller as dead . . . but now he is back, purged of all memories and programmed to kill. And as fate brings Juno and Starkiller closer to reuniting, with Darth Vader determined not to lose his assassin a second time, they will both have to make a stand. The prize is freedom. The punishment for failing will be eternal enslavement to the dark side of the Force. . . .

Darth Vader’s young Sith apprentice will forge an unlikely alliance with a ruined Jedi Master seeking redemption as he ventures to destroy Emperor Palpatine. “The Sith always betray one another. . . . I’m sure you’ll learn that soon enough.” The overthrow of the Republic is complete. Absolute power now rests in the iron fist of Darth Sidious–the cunning Sith Lord better known as Emperor Palpatine.But more remains to be done. Pockets of resistance in the galaxy must still be defeated and missing Jedi accounted for . . . and dealt with. These crucial tasks fall to the Emperor’s ruthless enforcer, Darth Vader, who in turn has groomed a lethal, nameless Sith apprentice to secretly dispatch the last of his masters’ enemies. Since childhood, Vader''s nameless agent has known only the cold, mercenary creed of the Sith. His past is a void; his present, the carrying out of his deadly orders. But his future beckons like a glistening black jewel with the ultimate promise: to stand beside the only father he has ever known, with the galaxy at their feet. But there is one, in control of his master, that stands in the way. This acolyte’s journey will take him across the far reaches of the galaxy and test him with shattering revelations that strike at the very heart of all he believes, stirring within him long-forgotten hopes of reclaiming his name . . . and changing his destiny.

Siden tvillingeparret Jack og Jaide Shield flyttede til Portland, er der sket mange mærkelige ting for dem. Tvillingerne har opdaget deres egne magiske kræfter – og har set, hvor grueligt galt det kan gå, når de bruger dem. De har mødt katte, der kan tale, og mennesker med dybe, mørke hemmeligheder. Og de har indledt deres kamp mod en dødelig kraft, bedre kendt som Ondskaben. Men Jack og Jaide har ikke mødt Portlands særeste indbygger endnu. Det er et væsen, som kun kommer frem om natten, et uhyre, som overgår enhver menneskelig fantasi. Jaide og Jack har aldrig set det før ... men det kommer de til nu. Og når de gør, lurer ødelæggelse og ulykke lige i nærheden. Bogen udkom første gang i 2011 og er anden del af historien om Jaide og Jack. Kaostvillinger Kaostvillinger - Monsteret er andet bind i de anerkendte forfattere Garth Nix og Sean Williams hæsblæsende fantasyserie. Den australske forfatter Garth Nix (f. 1963) er kendt og elsket for sine fantasifulde universer. Han har vundet flere priser, blandt andet The Aurealis Award for bedste fantasyroman i 1995. Han er oversat til 28 sprog og ligger på bestsellerlisterne i flere lande. Nix står bag de store fantasyserier Det gamle rige (også kendt som Abhorsentrilogien) samt Rigets nøgler. Sean Williams (f. 1967) regnes ligesom Nix for en af Australiens mest originale science fiction- og fantasyforfattere. Han har vundet adskillige priser for sit forfatterskab, blandt andet The Aurealis Award for bedste novellesamling i 2007. Kaostvillinger er hans debut på dansk.

"”Der er noget på vej op af havet,” advarede han sin søster. ”Noget rigtig stort.” Jaide så ud. Til at starte med kunne hun ikke se noget, men så kom strålen fra fyrtårnet fejende forbi og oplyste kortvarigt en enorm, monstrøs form, der var ved at trække sig selv op af det frådende hav for at komme op ad klippen. Tredive meter lange tentakler blev fulgt af en enorm oval krop på størrelse med en fisketrawler." Tvillingeparret Jack og Jaide er to helt almindelige børn i en helt almindelig forstad. Da deres far en dag vender hjem fra en af sine mange forretningsrejser, rører de ved et tilfælde en mystisk genstand i hans kuffert. Pludselig er der noget efter dem. Noget ondt. Og fra den dag er intet, som det var engang. Børnene er nødt til at flytte hjem til deres mystiske bedstemor i den lille kystby Portland. Her går det op for dem, at de ikke er som alle andre. Deres familie tilhører en hemmelig orden, der beskytter vores verden mod en ældgammel ondskab, og de to tvillinger besidder utæmmede magiske kræfter. Dem får de brug for nu, for ondskaben er fulgt efter dem til den lille by. "Kaostvillinger" udkom oprindeligt i 2011. Kaostvillinger Kaostvillinger er første bind i de anerkendte forfattere Garth Nix og Sean Williams hæsblæsende nye fantasyserie. Den australske forfatter Garth Nix (f. 1963) er kendt og elsket for sine fantasifulde universer. Han har vundet flere priser, blandt andet The Aurealis Award for bedste fantasyroman i 1995. Han er oversat til 28 sprog og ligger på bestsellerlisterne i flere lande. Nix står bag de store fantasyserier Det gamle rige (også kendt som Abhorsentrilogien) samt Rigets nøgler. Sean Williams (f. 1967) regnes ligesom Nix for en af Australiens mest originale science fiction- og fantasyforfattere. Han har vundet adskillige priser for sit forfatterskab, blandt andet The Aurealis Award for bedste novellesamling i 2007. Kaostvillinger er hans debut på dansk.

The first book in internationally bestselling author Sean Williams'' Broken Land trilogy. Set in the same dark fantasy world as his award-winning Books of the Change series, where the deserts are red, the coastlines long and, as young Ros finds, families sacrifice their own children for water. Escape is his only option, and he manages it on a stolen camel-but what next? If he can learn to control the force known as ''the Change'', he might have a chance... ''In a smashed and parched land so reminiscent of the back-slopes of the Mt Lofty Ranges in summer, the beautifully grim and driving narrative had me hooked, deeply anxious to learn Ros'' fate. Sean Williams is an acknowledged master of adult stories, and in The Changeling he proves that wonderful and terrible tales for younger folk are well within the ambit of his prodigiously talented and prolific pen.'' - David Cornish First published in 2008, The Changeling was shortlisted for an Aurealis Award for Excellence in Australian Speculative Fiction that same year.

The practical English grammar guide for perfect writing. Gone are the days when you worry about embarrassing yourself with pesky misplaced modifiers or dreaded double negatives. Next time you have a nagging grammar question, pick up this practical guide and write with clarity and confidence. English Grammar spares you the lessons and cuts right to the answers. Designed for fast reference, this book makes it easy to avoid the most cringe-worthy mistakes in the English language—and maybe even make your grade school grammar teacher proud. Inside English Grammar: English Grammar goofs—Avoid falling into the most common traps with guidelines for incomplete sentences, possessive pronouns with gerunds, dangling modifiers and more. Word mix-ups—Learn the difference between common word misuses like sex vs. gender, its and it''s, whose and who''s, the list goes on... Write with style—Make a good (and grammatically correct) impression with every sentence you pen using these easy writing hacks and suggestions. Everyone makes mistakes—but with this English grammar guide you''ll make a lot fewer of them. Period.

From New York Times bestselling authors Garth Nix and Sean Williams comes this funny, exciting fantasy adventure about two friends and a couple of swords with attitude.

The Future Is Ourselves The world is rapidly changing. We surf future-shock every day, as the progress of technology races ever on. Increasingly we are asking: how do we change to live in the world to come? Whether it’s climate change, inundated coastlines and drowned cities; the cramped confines of a tin can hurtling through space to the outer reaches of our Solar System; or the rush of being uploaded into cyberspace, our minds and bodies are going to have to drastically alter. Multi-award winning editor Jonathan Strahan brings us another incredible volume in his much praised science-fiction anthology series, featuring stories by Madeline Ashby, John Barnes, James S.A. Corey, Gregory Benford, Benjanun Sriduangkaew, Simon Ings, Kameron Hurley, Nancy Kress, Gwyneth Jones, Yoon Ha Lee, Bruce Sterling, Sean Williams, Aliette de Bodard, Ramez Naam, An Owomoyela and Ian McDonald.

I Erdas råder balans och det finns en särskild länk mellan den mänskliga världen och den djuriska. Conor, Abeke, Meilin och Rollan har speciella gåvor som de kan använda för att bevara länken mellan människor och djur. Men erövrarna försöker förstöra balansen i Erdas och de har redan förstört flera städer - bland annat Meilins hem. Nu vill Meilin hämnas och hon ger sig av, in i fiendeland, tillsammans med sitt andedjur, en panda som heter Jhi. Hennes vänner är inte de enda som försöker hitta henne, fienden finns överallt. Blodsband är tredje delen i bokserien Spirit Animals. De tidigare titlarna är Vild och Jagad.

Plus que jamais, les quatre élus, Conor, Abéké, Meilin et Rollan doivent s''entraîner ensemble et consolider leur lien avec leur animal totem pour devenir plus forts. Car le Dévoreur et son armée de Conquérants ont commencé à envahir le monde d''Erdas, et ils gagnent petit à petit du terrain. Aidés de Tarik, le fidèle Cape-Verte qui les accompagne dans leur quête, ils partent vers le Kho Kensit, une région reculée du Zhong. Leur but : convaincre Dinesh l''éléphant, une nouvelle Bête Suprême, de leur confier son talisman. Seulement, les Conquérants les talonnent, et il devient difficile de circuler sans se faire repérer...

Spirit Animals aneb máš také své spirituální zvíře?Conor, Abeke, Mej-lin a Rolan patří k hrstce vyvolených, kteří ho mají. S tímto výjimečným poutem získali nadlidské schopnosti, ale i velkou zodpovědnost.Roky, kdy v Erdasu vládla rovnováha, jsou minulostí. Dobyvatelé se snaží Erdas zničit. Rozpoutali válku a obsazují celá města a země – a s nimi i Mej-linin domov. Dívka už nechce jen čekat a cvičit se v boji, a tak se společně se svým spirituálním zvířetem, pandou Dží, vydává na území sužované válkou. Přátelé jí budou na blízku – ale nejen oni. Nepřítel totiž číhá všude...

M. T. Anderson meets Cory Doctorow in the exciting sequel to Twinmaker, from #1 New York Times bestseller Sean Williams, who also coauthors the Troubletwisters series with Garth Nix. Clair and Jesse have barely been reunited when the world is plunged into its biggest crisis since the Water Wars. The d-mat network is broken. The world has ground to a halt. People are trapped, injured, dying. It''s the end of the world as Clair knows it—and it''s partly her fault. Now she''s been enlisted to track down her friend Q, the rogue AI who repeatedly saved her life—and who is the key to fixing the system. Targeted by dupes, abandoned by her friends, and caught in a web of lies that strike at the very essence of who she is, Clair quickly finds powerful and dangerous allies. But if she helps them, will she be leading her friend straight into a trap? Caught between pro- and anti-d-mat philosophies, in a world on the brink of all-out war, Clair must decide where she stands—and who she stands with, at the end.

Mit Jaide und Jack auf tolldreister Monster-Jagd Seit die Zwillinge Jaide und Jack bei ihrer exzentrischen Großmutter in Portland wohnen, ist jeder Tag ein unglaubliches Abenteuer. Denn Jaide und Jack sind Troubletwisters. Sie haben magische Fähigkeiten – und müssen eine abgrundtief böse Macht besiegen! Doch das BÖSE hat viele fürchterliche Gesichter. In Portland geistert es als fiese Kreatur ausschließlich nachts herum. Jaide und Jack haben das Monster noch nie gesehen, aber sie wissen, dass es da ist. Und dass sie ihm begegnen werden. Doch sind sie schon stark genug, sich dem Grauen zu widersetzen?

Sal and his friend Shilly have been joined by a third refugee, Skendar, by the time they make their way to the remote island that is the home of the famous, feared Haunted City, home of the Sky Wardens. Sal''s great aunt, the Syndic, is also there, and she is determined to keep Sal under control, even if she has to imprison him to do it. But there are greater threats even than that. The ghosts that live behind the ancient glass of the City are restless. No one can say why they are stirred up and no one has any idea what they can do if they act. The golem is determined to make Sal do its bidding and will not stop short of murder to obtain his obedience. It appears that the Weavers have plans as well, yet no one knows, or will admit knowing, whether the legendary Weavers even exist or what they are. Beset on all sides by dangerous powers and controlling agendas, Sal must find a way to choose his own path . . . or submit to a fate not of his own making.

Sal''s life has been thrown into turmoil and he is on the run, from more than one pursuer, it appears. He is accompanied by his newfound friend Shilly and he is not entirely sure where he wants to go—but Shilly is. She wants to find her teacher Lodo''s old teacher, the Mage Van Haasteren, which means they must head north to the Interior, where Sal''s mother was born. The journey is over rugged, mountainous country on the Old Line and it is dangerous. The Sky Warden Shom Behenna is after them and they must risk all to reach the Divide and get across to the other side, not even knowing if the Stone Mages will help them.

"The Troubletwisters are back and the stakes are higher than they''ve ever been" in this fantasy adventure by the New York Times–bestselling authors! ( School Library Journal) Jack and Jaide Shield have defended themselves against The Evil before—but it''s never been as dangerous as this. It isn''t just the town of Portland that''s threatened, it''s the whole Earth . . . and certain dimensions beyond. The Wardens have devised a plan to get rid of The Evil once and for all. The only problem is that destroying The Evil may also mean abandoning some innocent people—including one of the twins. The battle against The Evil is going to places it''s never been—places Jack and Jaide would have never even imagined possible. Their mission is clear: survive the storm that''s coming, and save the ones who are missing . . .

Clarkesworld is a Hugo Award-winning science fiction and fantasy magazine. Each month we bring you a mix of fiction (new and classic works), articles, interviews and art. Our April 2014 issue contains: Original Fiction by Michael Swanwick ("Passage of Earth"), Benjanun Sriduangkaew ("Autodidact"), Kali Wallace ("Water in Springtime") and Sean Williams ("The Cuckoo"). Classic stories by Susan Palwick ("Going After Bobo") and Dominic Green ("Shining Armor"). Non-fiction by Julie Novakova ("Realms of Dark, Deep and Cold"), an interview with Ben Tanzer, an Another Word column by Daniel Abraham, and an editorial by Neil Clarke

Morgan Roche, commander in the intelligence arm of the Commonwealth Empires, has been charged with protecting the AI known as The Box on a secret voyage across the galaxy. But en route her ship is ambushed by the Dato Bloc, and she is forced to crash-land on a nearby prison planet. MAROONED ON SCIACCA''S WORLD: Battling deadly inmates and treacherous guards, she fights her way through a hostile environment toward her only hope of escape, the mysterious Adoni Cane at her side. A genetically enhanced warrior with a past not even he can fathom, he could be the savior of the human race, or its downfall--but either way, Morgan Roche won''t survive without him... "THE PRODIGAL SUN is a close-knit personal story told on a galaxy-sized canvas. Filled with action as well as intriguing ideas." --Kevin J Anderson "With echoes of vintage Jack Williamson and Poul Anderson, as well as Niven, Asimov and Vinge, Williams and Dix proudly continue a vital tradition, proving SF as diverse a field as ever." --Asimov''s "[A] very satisfying classic Golden Age-style yarn.... strongly recommended" --Locus "Space opera of the ambitious, galaxy-spanning sort... fast and furious action." --New York Review of SF

The ruins of Sol System have been empty for thousands of years. A place of death and mystery, it is shunned by all--until now. DEADLINE TO DESTRUCTION: Renegade intelligence agent Morgan Roche arrives hot on the heels of the clone warriors--enemies she has been charged by the High Humans to stop before they destroy everything. What she finds--the largest fleet assembled in half a million years, with no central authority, no-one in charge--threatens to stretch her resources beyond their limit. There, under the light of the star called Sol, Morgan Roche will uncover the final truth about the AI called The Box, about the man called Adoni Cane, and about the High Human called the Crescend. That truth will cost her dearly... "Space opera of the ambitious, galaxy-spanning sort" --New York Review of SF "Space opera, like its grand musical cousin, couldn''t exist without duplicity, ambition, lust, stupidity, and greed, and by the time the fat lady sings, whole worlds can be laid waste - and, oddly enough, it''s this recognition of pain and evil as the generating forces of adventure that make A Dark Imbalance so satisfying." --Locus "A story that twists and turns back on itself and keeps the reader always off-balance. There is danger, adventure and a labyrinth of loyalties. Excellent." --SF Site Winner of the Aurealis Award. (Formerly published as A DARK IMBALANCE)

Morgan Roche is a renegade, fleeing the agents she used to work for in the Commonwealth of Empires. Her quest to understand Adoni Cane has led her to a terrible truth. He is one of a breed of genetically enhanced warriors that once terrorized the galaxy. And there might be more of them, waking up to begin fighting anew. AN INTERSTELLAR TRAP: A whole solar system has disappeared, wiped from the universe in an attempt to snare just one super-soldier like Cane. In an attempt to come to grips with her enemy, Morgan Roche and The Box travel willingly into the trap, but find themselves ensnared in ever-thicker tangles of deception and intrigue. Who is The Box, and is what its agenda, really? The answer will rock Roche''s world right down to the foundations. "I''m not sure what an Evergence is, but finding out promises to provide hours of fun." --Locus "Genre-savvy and capably written, full of adventure and Asimovian imperial vistas" --Asimov''s "Full of adventure of Asimovian imperial vistas. Delivers tons of action...Offers wide-screen baroque plotting never out-of-control. With echoes of vintage Jack Williamson and Poul Anderson, as well as Niven, Asimov, and Vinge, Williams and Dix proudly continue a vital tradition in SF." --Analog Nominated for the Aurealis Award

On the brink of extinction, a suicide mission is humanity''s last hope. The Gifts of an alien race called the Spinners gave Peter Alander hope for the future of humanity. All the Gifts did, though, was draw down the wrath of the Starfish, another alien race apparently intent on wiping out all forms of competition. Caught between the two, humanity faces the hard decision of evolving into something else entirely simply to survive. As their new alien allies prepare to leave human space forever, a handful of survivors band together to make one last attempt to communicate with their enemies. A single ship will leap into the very heart of the Starfish fleet, attempting to find reason where none exists... "Space opera can be a very comforting, cozy mode, with its interstellar empires and royalty and guilds. But when dramatic Darwinian forces are brought into play, as here, space opera can become a kind of bracing, near-apocalyptic tale." —Paul di Filippo "A melodramatic (or space-operatic) take on Stapledon, a grittier, bleaker take on Clarke.... a vision very different from the triumphalism of traditional SF adventure, but its darkness seems entirely appropriate to the twenty-first century we actually inhabit." —Locus Nominated for the Aurealis Award.

The sole survivors of the human race... and their time is running out. In the wake of Earth''s fall, Peter Alander has just one choice: to use the alien Gifts left behind on his distant colony world to warn other missions of their impending demise, a second wave of alien ships, this time intent on destroying everything in their path. Without the Gifts, humanity would have no hope at all--although no one truly understands them, and it is becoming increasingly certain that the very use of them is what draws the enemy on. Out of the dark comes help from an entirely unexpected quarter. Peter Alander and his fellow survivors are not the only victims of the terrible Starfish. But what if the cost of that help is too high? What if the price is humanity itself? "This book shines" —Cinescape "High adventure in deep space for fans of far-future SF." —Library Journal Nominated for the Aurealis and Ditmar Awards.

In this "dazzling adventure" from the New York Times–bestselling author, a man adrift in space finds himself facing the edge of madness (Jack McDevitt). The Frank Tipler is just one of a thousand survey vessels sent out into the bubble of space surrounding Earth, seeking habitable worlds and signs of advanced life. Its crew has stumbled across artifacts left behind by a benevolent trader species, but the decision to study them is fraught with danger and uncertainty. The Tipler''s crew consists of forty flawed electronic copies of human beings, some of them profoundly damaged—and Earth stopped responding to signals over a century ago. Caught between madness and political machinations, Alander stands on the brink of what might be the greatest discovery humanity has ever made—and a gift that humanity can''t afford to accept. "ECHOES OF EARTH is a dazzling adventure, sweeping the reader along from marvel to wonder, and it includes one of the most heart-stopping moments I''ve encountered in a novel in years." —Jack McDevitt "[The] book can''t be discussed or even described without spoiling some of the surprises, which are mutually reinforcing as well as juicy in themselves. I will, however, give in to the temptation to drop a few more of the names that came to mind as I was reading: the Three Gregs (Bear, Benford, Egan), Linda Nagata, and Frederik Pohl.... As the first of a series... ECHOES promises to rev its Ideas right past the red-line and drive them hard." —Locus "The science in Dix and Williams''s work shines, entrancing with its glitter and innovation... and you won''t find any of their novels without fully-fleshed out characters, complex plots, vivid settings and thoughtful exploration of issues." —SF Site "The authors have already made a name for themselves as writers of intelligent space opera, and ECHOES OF EARTH is sure to further bolster that reputation. The book is chock full of marvelous events, cosmic significance, mysterious alien motivations, and the wonder of outer space." —Science Fiction Chronicle Winner of the Ditmar Award.

The adventure continues in this third book in the New York Times bestselling series. Erdas is a land of balance. A rare link, the spirit animal bond, bridges the human and animal worlds. Conor, Abeke, Meilin, and Rollan each have this gift-and the grave responsibility that comes with it.But the Conquerors are trying to destroy this balance. They''re swallowing whole cities in their rush for power-including Meilin''s home. Fed up with waiting and ready to fight, Meilin has set off into enemy territory with her spirit animal, a panda named Jhi. Her friends aren''t far behind . . . but they''re not the only ones.The enemy is everywhere.

M. T. Anderson meets Cory Doctorow in this teen debut from #1 New York Times bestseller Sean Williams, who also coauthors the Troubletwisters series with Garth Nix. When a coded note promises improvement—the chance to change your body any way you want, making it stronger, taller, more beautiful—Clair thinks it''s too good to be true, but her best friend, Libby, falls into a deadly trap. With the help of the school freak and a mysterious stranger, Clair races against the clock and around the world to save Libby, even as every step draws her deeper into a deadly world of cover-ups and conspiracies. Action and danger fuel this near-future tale of technology, identity, and the lengths one girl will go to save her best friend.

Named one of New York Times Top-20 Cookbooks of 2006. Have you ever wanted to host a full evening of Indian food, culture, and music? How about preparing a traditional Balinese banquet? Or take a trip to Cairo and enjoy an Egyptian feast? The Ethnomusicologists'' Cookbook takes you around the world on a culinary journey that is also a cultural and social odyssey. Many cookbooks offer a snapshot of individual recipes from different parts of the world, but do nothing to tell the reader how different foods are presented together, or how to relate these foods to other cultural practices. For years, ethnomusicologists have visited the four corners of the earth to collect the music and culture of native peoples, from Africa to the Azores, from Zanzibar to New Zealand. Along the way, they''ve observed how music is an integral part of social interaction, particularly when it''s time for a lavish banquet or celebration. Foodways and cultural expression are not separate; this book emphasizes this connection through offering over thirty-five complete meals, from appetizers to entrees to side dishes to desserts and drinks. A list of recommended CDs fills out the culinary experience, along with hints on how to present each dish and to organize the overall meal. The Ethnomusicologists'' Cookbook combines scholarship with a unique and fun approach to the study of the world''s foods, musics, and cultures. More than just a cookbook, it is an excellent companion for anyone embarking on a cultural-culinary journey.

New York Times–Bestselling Authors: Magically gifted twins must find a treasure before it falls into the wrong hands in a tale with "plot twists aplenty" ( Booklist). Jack and Jaide Shield are troubletwisters—gifted with magic and cursed by The Evil, a force that will stop at nothing to destroy their world. Now an old man in an even older house has died mysteriously. The house holds something very important to The Evil—and Jack and Jaide must race to find it, even though they don''t know what it looks like or where it is. But Jack and Jaide aren''t the only ones searching for the treasure. And as the mystery gets bigger and bigger, they''re not sure who they can trust. Even friends are beginning to act suspicious. And their father, who should be their strongest ally, is leading them into treacherous territory. At the heart of all magic is mystery, and at the heart of this mystery is nothing less than the key to controlling magic. It''s going to take the two troubletwisters to the edge of their Gifts in order to figure this one out. "Exploring the ideas of secrets, self-identity, and trust, and with plot twists aplenty and intriguing new characters, this one delivers." — Booklist

Si la vitesse de la lumière constitue une barrière infranchissable, il est fort possible que les immenses distances qui séparent les étoiles et autres contraintes physiques, biologiques et psychologiques rendront impraticables les voyages interstellaires par des êtres en chair et en os. Dans cette nouvelle, l''auteur envisage une autre solution : l''envoi des versions numérisées de personnalités humaines capables de survivre pendant des décennies pour arriver à destination. Ces « engrammes », stockés dans des unités informatiques à bord des sondes relativement petites, passent le temps du parcours dans des environnements virtuels. Malheureusement, suite à une collision avec un grain de poussière à haute vitesse, l''une de ces sondes se retrouve avec le moteur en panne, sur un mauvais cap et coupé de tout contact avec la Terre. Mais la pire menace à laquelle les membres de l''équipage doivent faire face est logée au coeur même de leur programmation : l''ennui existentiel. Une ébauche intéressante d''une idée que Sean Williams a développé par la suite avec Shane Dix dans leur trilogie, Les Orphelins de la Terre.