This is the first volume of the Nexus Empire series, the writing style of this book harks back to the 1950's, honoring those who inspired the author to set off on the saga to follow. Back when Andre Norton had Witch World and The Beastmaster out on the shelves (among others), when such luminaries as Sturgeon and Dick were playing games on poor Campbell's adamantine head to get their smaller pieces published, and the sainted Hugo Gernsback was a name yet fresh in the memories of Science Fiction fans everywhere.