It all starts when a man comes to deliver a message to Frank Compton--only to fall dead at his feet. What follows is a suspenseful thriller that only Timothy Zahn, a master of hard SF adventure, could have written. More than two hundred years from now, the Quadrail transportation system run by the enigmatic Spiders connects civilizations throughout the galaxy. But someone is threatening the entire system and the worlds it serves with a military force that could wreak interstellar havoc. Worse yet, a more subtle and sinister threat lurks: the Modhri, whose unique coral is prized throughout the galaxy, but which has properties that may create addiction--or worse. Compton, a sharp investigator, lost his job with Earth's security forces when he exposed a corrupt scheme that had roots in high places. Enlisted by the Spiders to find out who's trying to take over the Quadrail, he's got his hands full, because he's got beings of many races gunning for him to keep him from discovering a far-flung conspiracy that could destroy every civilization in the galaxy. The result is one of Zahn's most memorable and compelling novels in years. Zahn's latest is a highly readable thriller in space-opera trappings, set a few hundred years from now. The myriad worlds hosting intelligent life are tied together by the Quadrail, an interstellar transport system run by the enigmatic Spiders. Transport of weapons or military equipment isn't allowed, but someone, somewhere, appears to have found a way around the prohibition. The Spiders hire cashiered government investigator Frank Compton (he uncovered a few too many skeletons) to discover how and what threat it constitutes. By the third chapter, beings of a number of species are gunning for Compton from all directions. Zahn's ingenuity, a steady resource during a writing career now a generation long, makes it easy for him to come up with reader-rewarding demonstrations of his characters' similar quality. A great read. Roland Green Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved "The direction Manta's Gift ultimately takes is inventive and unexpected . . . Zahn plays out his suspense as deftly as always, building a tense situation and ultimately defusing it in believable and pleasing ways." -- Locus "Through in-depth characterization, as well as toothsome scientific and political mysteries, Zahn unfold an intricate tale of adventure sure to please his many fans." -- Publishers Weekly on Angelmass "Mixes fantasy and contemporary adventure very well, creating something both entertaining and interesting. A very enjoyable read." --Fantastica Daily on The Green and the Gray "Recently I was asked if anyone was still writing the kind of grand space adventure like Heinlein's juveniles or Andre Norton's tales that enticed so many people into science fiction fandom. Now I have the answer and it is a resounding yes! Zahn rocks!" --Genrefluent on Dragon and Soldier Timothy Zahn has written more than twenty SF novels and six Star Wars tie-in novels, including the all-time bestselling Heir to the Empire . His YA novel Dragon and Thief was named an ALA Best Book for Young Adults. Zahn won a Hugo Award for his novella "Cascade Point." He resides in coastal Oregon.