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The City Among the Stars

Translated by Judith Sullivan and M. Schiff
Published by Flame Tree Press
Distributed by Simon & Schuster
LIST PRICE $14.95

About The Book

First English translation of the celebrated Golden Age Science Fiction Classic.

"This stunning classic stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Arthur C. Clarke, Asimov, and Heinlein." – New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors W. Michael Gear and Kathleen O'Neal Gear

Tankar Holroy, Lieutenant in the Stellar Guard of earth’s Empire, floats in space after his spaceship is sabotaged. Rescued by an enormous, unknown ship, he awakes to discover himself saved by the People of the Stars who are born and live in space with minimal contact with planets and their occupants whom they call, with contempt, planetaries.

The chilly welcome he receives from the ship’s leader, the Teknor, is followed by overt hostility from the other inhabitants of the Tilsin. Only a woman named Orena reaches out to him.

Tankar soon realizes that he was rescued for his knowledge of tracers, the technology that allows Empire ships to track others through hyperspace, a technology the People of the Stars lack. Out of spite, he refuses to deliver the one piece of knowledge that can protect the people who saved but now spurn him - and the consequences will be catastrophic.

FLAME TREE PRESS is the new fiction imprint of Flame Tree Publishing. Launched in 2018 the list brings together brilliant new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices.

About The Author

Francis Carsac, pseudonym for world-renowned French scientist, geologist, and archaeologist Francois Bordes, published six novels during the golden age of science fiction. Never published in English, these novels resonate with timely issues ranging from climate control to racism and greed and tell the stories of characters whose challenges and triumphs clearly relate to the problems we encounter today.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Flame Tree Press (May 21, 2020)
  • Length: 240 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781787584228

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Raves and Reviews

"Most of the world knew Francois Bordes as one of the world's leading paleoanthropologists. His The Old Stone Age was required reading for generations of archaeologists. Long considered one of France's giants of science fiction, and writing under the pen name Francis Carsac, his The City of the Stars is now available in English translation. This stunning classic stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Arthur C. Clarke, Asimov, and Heinlein." – New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors W. Michael Gear and Kathleen O'Neal Gear

"A dramatic exploration of belonging and the weight of unintended consequences set within twin wars, The City Among the Stars revives the golden age of science fiction for a new audience."

"Devotees of classic sci-fi will appreciate this translation."

“Riveting and introspective, The City among the Stars is a novel that readers will devour in one sitting, anticipating the turn of every page.”

“Reminiscent of Poul Anderson, Gordon Dickson, and Leigh Brackett, Carsac is a good storyteller and The City Among the Stars is a fun tale set in an interesting culture. We can only hope that more translations of Carsac’s work are in the pipeline.”

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