Birthright Series by Mike Resnick, Josepha Sherman, Ralph Roberts

Galactic killer! Nicobar Lane, cold-blooded killer, total professional, a man who will - if the price is right - travel wherever the hunt may take him, riding the space lanes from planet to planet to track down any creature a collector could possibly desire. Yet there is one being Lane won't pursue for any fee - the Soul Eater. The Soul Eater, Dreamwish Beast, Starduster - it is known by many different names throughout the galaxy... moreGalactic killer! Nicobar Lane, cold-blooded killer, total professional, a man who will - if the price is right - travel wherever the hunt may take him, riding the space lanes from planet to planet to track down any creature a collector could possibly desire. Yet there is one being Lane won't pursue for any fee - the Soul Eater. The Soul Eater, Dreamwish Beast, Starduster - it is known by many different names throughout the galaxy. But who has actually met this living legend? No - as far as Lane is concerned, the Soul Eater is a myth chased after by fools and madmen. Then Lane himself encounters the Soul Eater in the depths of space, and suddenly there is no turning back. For how can the greatest hunter in the galaxy ignore the challenge of overcoming the one creature than no one has ever been able to trap? And so the hunt is on - but before long even Lane can't tell who is the pursued and who the pursuer... less

14 years ago, Mike Resnick created a carefully constructed blueprint of Mankind's history -- social, political, economic, scientific, and religious -- for the next 18,000 years! A new foreword by best-selling author Raymond E. Feist and a chronology of Resnick's "Birthright Universe."

The Hugo Award-winning author of Santiago offers a classic tale of good versus evil in deep space. Deadly underworld assassin Jericho travels to the savage world of Walpurgis III to kill a sadistic Satan incarnate--a creature capable of destroying all life if he isn't stopped.

The first in the 4-book "Tales of the Galactic Midway" series, SIDESHOW is the story of alien visitors who are kidnapped and put on display by a traveling carnival, and the bond that develops between captor and captives. It went through 4 quick printings when it was published in 1982, and has appeared in many countries and languages.

Traveling carnival owner Thaddeus Flint expands his tour from the American Northeast out to the stars, only to discover that some of the attractions don't quite hold the audience like they did back on Earth. Realizing that his strip show has no more appeal to an alien audience than watching a saddle come off a horse, he re-assigns his girls to work the game booths on the midway. When one of the girls can't make the transition, he improvises an alien solution.

The third volume in the 4-book Tales of the Galactic Midway series. The carnival tries a typical carny scam that backfires when their animal trainer and his sentient "animal" go to war every night in the big cage.

The 4th and final volume of the Tales of the Galactic Midway. The carny's star sharpshooter is tired of targets that don't shoot back, and a robot Doc Holliday is created for a duel to the death...and, as always with the carny, things start to go wrong.Cover Artist: Tom Hallman

Book One of the Velvet Comet--the enormous, exclusive, elaborate, and infamous orbiting brothel: As a field accountant for the Vainmill Syndicate, Harry Redwine is assigned to the Velvet Comet for the delicate task of financial sabotage. By inserting 'errors' in the accounting logs, the Syndicate intends to expose a phony embezzlement scheme as an excuse to shut down the troublesome orbiting pleasure palace... moreBook One of the Velvet Comet--the enormous, exclusive, elaborate, and infamous orbiting brothel: As a field accountant for the Vainmill Syndicate, Harry Redwine is assigned to the Velvet Comet for the delicate task of financial sabotage. By inserting 'errors' in the accounting logs, the Syndicate intends to expose a phony embezzlement scheme as an excuse to shut down the troublesome orbiting pleasure palace. When the reclusive Redwine falls in love with the madam, he begins a tricky double-cross that threatens more than the financial well-being of the Comet. less

The orbiting Velvet Comet is the most luxurious and expensive brothel in the galaxy. It boasts casinos, elegant restaurants, a 2-mile-long upscale shopping mall, and highly-trained prostitutes of both sexes. As a huge moneymaker, it is also the object or corporate manipulations. Everything is going along smoothly -- until a murder is committed aboardthe Comet.

The orbiting Velvet Comet is the most luxurious and expensive brothel in the galaxy. It boasts casinos, elegant restaurants, a 2-mile-long upscale shopping mall, and highly-trained prostitutes of both sexes. And it has its share of enemies, including a leading religious figure who finds himself the center of a moral conflict he never imagined possible.

Mike Resnick's THE VELVET COMET is the most luxurious brothel in the galaxy. Created in orbit, equipped with a casino, 5-star restaurants, and a two-mile-long shopping mall, it is the most expensive and sought-after pleasure in the galaxy. Here are the four novels of the Velvet Comet, complete and unabridged.

Sebastian Nightingale Cain: Bounty hunter. You can call him the Songbird – but only once. He's after Santiago.Virtue Mackenzie: Freelance reporter. She never gives up. She wants an interview... with Santiago.The Swagman: He collects art – at gun point. He wants a few pieces currently in the hands of Santiago.Santiago: Bandit, murderer, known to all, seen by none.. moreSebastian Nightingale Cain: Bounty hunter. You can call him the Songbird – but only once. He's after Santiago.Virtue Mackenzie: Freelance reporter. She never gives up. She wants an interview... with Santiago.The Swagman: He collects art – at gun point. He wants a few pieces currently in the hands of Santiago.Santiago: Bandit, murderer, known to all, seen by none... has he killed a thousand men? Has he saved a dozen worlds? His legend is as large as the Rim itself, his trail as elusive as a wisp of starlight in the empty realms of space. The reward for him is the largest in history.Santiago: Do you dare chase him? less

BANDIT, OUTLAW, KNOWN TO ALL, SEEN BY NONE, HAS HE KILLED A THOUSAND MEN. MURDERER, MADMAN, MYTH.

Book Four of the Velvet Comet--the enormous, exclusive, elaborate, and infamous orbiting brothel: Screenwriter and novelist Nate Page arrives aboard the empty Velvet Comet twenty-three years after it is decommissioned by the Vainmill Syndicate. The light-topic musical holographic production that Nate is writing is based on the Velvet Comet in its prime, and requires research available only through Cupid, the ship's still-functioning and nearly-self-aware onboard computer... moreBook Four of the Velvet Comet--the enormous, exclusive, elaborate, and infamous orbiting brothel: Screenwriter and novelist Nate Page arrives aboard the empty Velvet Comet twenty-three years after it is decommissioned by the Vainmill Syndicate. The light-topic musical holographic production that Nate is writing is based on the Velvet Comet in its prime, and requires research available only through Cupid, the ship's still-functioning and nearly-self-aware onboard computer. As the cynical screenwriter and the unemotionally truthful computer struggle to create a work of fiction true to the reality of life aboard the Comet, Nate's agent makes it clear that prostituting your art is not any different from prostituting your body. less

The Dark Lady remains forever young, an enigma of the eternal night. She calls men to great deeds--and to their deaths. But to the alien art historian Leonardo, she's much more--she's the key to his salvation.

In the year 6303, when earth is bare of anything larger than an insect or a mouse and most people have left for the stars, Duncan Rojas receives a most unusual visitor. His name is Bukoba Mandaka, and he is the last of the Maasai.Mandaka wants Rojas, senior researcher for Braxton's Records of Big Game, to find the tusks of the Kilimanjaro Elephant, tusks that weigh over 200 lb. each. Why? Mandaka will not say, but he will pay enormous sums for them... moreIn the year 6303, when earth is bare of anything larger than an insect or a mouse and most people have left for the stars, Duncan Rojas receives a most unusual visitor. His name is Bukoba Mandaka, and he is the last of the Maasai.Mandaka wants Rojas, senior researcher for Braxton's Records of Big Game, to find the tusks of the Kilimanjaro Elephant, tusks that weigh over 200 lb. each. Why? Mandaka will not say, but he will pay enormous sums for them. And Rojas cannot resist the challenge of tracing something lost for 3000 years.Back and forth through time, in card games, wars, and rivalries, Rojas searches. But as he begins to glimpse the elusive, lost power of ancient Africa, he is seduced, and before long the quest has become his own.With Ivory, Mike Resnick has created a powerful novel spanning worlds and centuries, an exploration of the nature of history and legend, and a riveting parable for our times. less

Peponi, a distant world rich in wildlife and populated by a people without a high degree of technology, is "discovered" by mankind. Men arrive on the planet, then reap its riches. After years of subjugation, the natives finally begin to push for independence. While armed rebellion is put down, from its ashes a native leader, Bukon Pepon, is able to forge the various tribes together and gain independence from the Human government... morePeponi, a distant world rich in wildlife and populated by a people without a high degree of technology, is "discovered" by mankind. Men arrive on the planet, then reap its riches. After years of subjugation, the natives finally begin to push for independence. While armed rebellion is put down, from its ashes a native leader, Bukon Pepon, is able to forge the various tribes together and gain independence from the Human government. Upon independence, most Men leave the planet for distant shores and dream their dreams of the paradise that Peponi once was. Other Men stay to create a new dream. But both Men and Pepons watch their economy and resources dwindle away as overpopulation, hunting, tribal factionalism, and the introduction of non-native species take their toll. less

Mouse, a hard-bitten, cynical woman and professional thief, finds herself in deep trouble when her attempt to rescue a seemingly helpless little girl has potentially deadly consequences in this brilliant and haunting installment of Santiago-inspired adventure. Young Penelope has long had a price on her head, and Carlos Mendoza now knows how she has outwitted her captors—and the awesome powers behind her success... moreMouse, a hard-bitten, cynical woman and professional thief, finds herself in deep trouble when her attempt to rescue a seemingly helpless little girl has potentially deadly consequences in this brilliant and haunting installment of Santiago-inspired adventure. Young Penelope has long had a price on her head, and Carlos Mendoza now knows how she has outwitted her captors—and the awesome powers behind her success. As Carlos moves in for the kill, Mouse is hard-pressed to preserve her life, defend Penelope, and in so doing, save humanity. For Carlos "Iceman" Mendoza, only one thing becomes clear: in a universe of giant men, ruthless bounty hunters, and interstellar war, his greatest fear is this one girl. less

Since she was a little girl, all humanity has been frightened by Penelope Bailey's awesome psychic talent and her ability to bend events—and men—to her will. Now a grown woman and living on the planet Hades, Penelope is caught in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse with a bounty hunter, a government agent, and an out-for-profit, outlaw cyborg—none of who suspect the true depths of her power.

On the planet Karimon lives a race of intelligent beings descended from reptiles. Like most intelligent beings in the galaxy, they had not yet evolved beyond their stone-age villages when the first shiploads of Men arrived to stake a claim on a virgin planet.But on Karimon there is a strong, brilliant leader, a chief who is able to understand that the new arrivals are not gods or demons, but mortal beings... moreOn the planet Karimon lives a race of intelligent beings descended from reptiles. Like most intelligent beings in the galaxy, they had not yet evolved beyond their stone-age villages when the first shiploads of Men arrived to stake a claim on a virgin planet.But on Karimon there is a strong, brilliant leader, a chief who is able to understand that the new arrivals are not gods or demons, but mortal beings. And unlike the inhabitants of most primitive planets, this leader also understood that Men had enemies too, and that those enemies could be used to gain some measure of control over the human colonization of Karimon. If only for a few short years. less

This is the final volume of a trilogy which started with "Soothsayer" and "Oracle". In this volume, the Ice Man is beseiged by people trying to kill him, five in one month. As he sends the Gravedancer to find out who wants him dead, what he really wants to know is why the Prophet has allowed him to live.

The story of the planet Faligor, which has much in common with Uganda, from colonization to independence.

On the planet called Medina, Xavier William Lennox met with disaster. Lennox became fascinated by the secretive golden-skinned natives of Medina. But on his first visit, he was caught by a high priest while spying on a sacred ritual in a village forbidden to all aliens. Now, Lennox is determined to find out what the aliens want so much to hide.

One of the major voices in science fiction, Mike Resnick presents the first volume in a bold new trilogy.Jefferson Nighthawk--known and feared by many as the Widowmaker, the consummate bounty hunter--has been frozen for a century in order to defeat a deadly disease. Only now the cost of his care has risen, so the Widowmaker is called out of retirement for one special commission, and a very large chunk of cash... moreOne of the major voices in science fiction, Mike Resnick presents the first volume in a bold new trilogy.Jefferson Nighthawk--known and feared by many as the Widowmaker, the consummate bounty hunter--has been frozen for a century in order to defeat a deadly disease. Only now the cost of his care has risen, so the Widowmaker is called out of retirement for one special commission, and a very large chunk of cash. A notorious assassin has been wrecking havoc on the Frontier; who better but the Widowmaker to defeat him? less

Jefferson Nighthawk, once the galaxy's most feared killer, is cloned again and given a new mission. This time he is not only armed with the Widowmaker's killing skills, but also with his lifetime of knowledge. Nighthawk's new mission involves the rescue of a corrupt politician's daughter, and the assassination of the rebel leader who holds her captive. But the daughter puts a wrinkle in the plan when she offers her father's fortune if Nighthawk kills her father instead... moreJefferson Nighthawk, once the galaxy's most feared killer, is cloned again and given a new mission. This time he is not only armed with the Widowmaker's killing skills, but also with his lifetime of knowledge. Nighthawk's new mission involves the rescue of a corrupt politician's daughter, and the assassination of the rebel leader who holds her captive. But the daughter puts a wrinkle in the plan when she offers her father's fortune if Nighthawk kills her father instead. While the odds are overwhelming, the price may be right. less

Mike Resnick is the author of over 200 novels and has won the Hugo Award five tims and the Nebula once. This omnibus contains three of his titles.

Adventurer Robert Markham is determined to find Dr. Michael Drake, a medical researcher who has disapppered into the jungle on the unexplored planet of Bushveld, because the doctor is needed to combat a new plague in the human-settled galaxy.

He was the most feared bounty hunter in the galaxy, the consummate killing machine, a man known only as the Widowmaker. Now, after a century of being cryogenically frozen, Jefferson Nighthawk has a new lease on life--and new enemies who want him dead....Jefferson Nighthawk has been awakened from his frozen sleep, his deadly disease cured. But although he still has the experience and instincts of the legendary Widowmaker, Nighthawk is now biologically in his sixties... moreHe was the most feared bounty hunter in the galaxy, the consummate killing machine, a man known only as the Widowmaker. Now, after a century of being cryogenically frozen, Jefferson Nighthawk has a new lease on life--and new enemies who want him dead....Jefferson Nighthawk has been awakened from his frozen sleep, his deadly disease cured. But although he still has the experience and instincts of the legendary Widowmaker, Nighthawk is now biologically in his sixties. His reflexes slowed by age, looking only to live out his days in peace, he decides on a quiet retirement on a Frontier world.Easier said than done. For while Nighthawk lay in cryogenic sleep, his two clones were killing in his name, leaving a trail of vengeful enemies in their wake. Nighthawk has one advantage: no one knows who he is just yet. But once word gets out that he's back, every assassin on the Frontier will be out to make a rep by gunning him down. Suddenly the Widowmaker has only two choices: pick up his weapons...or face death again--and this time for keeps. less

Award-winning writer Mike Resnick takes us back to his wild and wooly Inner Frontier in this tall-tale of an adventure novel.On the planet Henry II, orbiting the twin suns of Plantagenet and Tudor, at the very edge of the great black hole at the center of the Milky Way, there is a tavern called The Outpost. Through the doors of The Outpost have come the greatest heroes, villains, and adventurers of the galaxy - to drink, to brag, and to swap tales... moreAward-winning writer Mike Resnick takes us back to his wild and wooly Inner Frontier in this tall-tale of an adventure novel.On the planet Henry II, orbiting the twin suns of Plantagenet and Tudor, at the very edge of the great black hole at the center of the Milky Way, there is a tavern called The Outpost. Through the doors of The Outpost have come the greatest heroes, villains, and adventurers of the galaxy - to drink, to brag, and to swap tales.The Outpost is neutral territory where fighting is forbidden and blood enemies can have a drink together and tell stories of battles past. After all bounty hunters, con men, itinerant preachers, thieves, and assassins have more in common with each other than they do with the rest of the mundane galaxy.But their pleasant life of recalling murder and mayhem is interrupted by an alien invasion, and to save their way of life these rugged individualists must try to work together for a change. less

They say his father was a comet and his mother a cosmic wind, that he juggled planets as if they were feathers and wrestled with black holes just to work up an appetite. They say he never slept, that his eyes burned brighter than a nova, that his shout could level mountains. That he killed a thousand men, and saved a hundred worlds.They called him Santiago.Bandit, assassin, rebel, thief, he strode across the galactic rim, blazing a legend as rich and wild as the Inner Frontier itself... moreThey say his father was a comet and his mother a cosmic wind, that he juggled planets as if they were feathers and wrestled with black holes just to work up an appetite. They say he never slept, that his eyes burned brighter than a nova, that his shout could level mountains. That he killed a thousand men, and saved a hundred worlds.They called him Santiago.Bandit, assassin, rebel, thief, he strode across the galactic rim, blazing a legend as rich and wild as the Inner Frontier itself. Then, at the height of his glory, he vanished, leaving behind a trail as elusive as starlight in the empty realms of space.Now, a century later, the name of Santiago is once again whispered along the Galactic Rim... less

The starship Theodore Roosevelt is fighting on the far outskirts of a galactic war, its crew made up of retreads and raw recruits. A new first officer reports, Wilson Cole, a man with a reputation for exceeding his orders (but getting results). He's been banished to the Teddy R. for his actions, but once there he again ignores his orders. ...This is the first of five novels about the starship Theodore Roosevelt. The next four will be, in order, Pirate, Mercenary, Rebel, and Flagship.

There is only one thing that Jefferson Nighthawk, the original Widowmaker, really wanted to do and that was retire on a far away planet and raise a garden. There were still two clones of him to keep the peace and carry on his legend. Unfortunately for him, his two clones have come to a disagreement. When a widowmaker takes on a Widowmaker everyone runs for cover. There is only one man who can stand up to the clones of the Widowmaker...the Widowmaker himself.

The date is 1967 of the Galactic Era, almost three thousand years from now. The Republic, created by the human race but not yet dominated by it, is in the midst of an all-out war with the Teroni Federation. After his latest exploit saved millions of lives but embarrassed his superiors, Captain Wilson Cole, a man with a reputation for exceeding orders but getting results, found himself the victim of the media feeding frenzy, a political scapegoat despite years of dedicated military service... moreThe date is 1967 of the Galactic Era, almost three thousand years from now. The Republic, created by the human race but not yet dominated by it, is in the midst of an all-out war with the Teroni Federation. After his latest exploit saved millions of lives but embarrassed his superiors, Captain Wilson Cole, a man with a reputation for exceeding orders but getting results, found himself the victim of the media feeding frenzy, a political scapegoat despite years of dedicated military service. Faced with a court martial, he was rescued by the loyal crew of his ship, the Theodore Roosevelt. Now branded mutineers, the crew of the Teddy R. has quit the Republic, never to return.Seeking to find a new life for themselves, Wilson Cole and comrades remake the Teddy R. as a pirate ship and set sail for the lawless Inner Frontier. Here, powerful warlords, cut-throat pirates, and struggling colonies compete for survival in a game where you rarely get a second chance to learn the rules.But military discipline is poor preparation for a life of pillaging and plundering, and Cole's principles naturally limit his targets. Seeking an education on the nature of piracy, Cole hunts more knowledgeable players. Enter the beautiful but deadly Valkyrie, Val for short, and the enigmatic alien fence known as David Copperfield. But hanging over everything is the fearsome alien pirate — the Hammerhead Shark.With Starship: Pirate, five-time Hugo winner Mike Resnick continues the story begun in his very first military SF. Will the galaxy ever be the same?This second book in the Starship series includes diagrams of the Teddy R., plus rules for two Starship board games. less

The date is 1968 of the Galactic Era, almost three thousand years from now. The Republic, created by the human race but not yet dominated by it, is in the midst of an all-out war with the Teroni Federation. Captain Wilson Cole, a man with a reputation for exceeding orders but getting results, found himself the victim of a media feeding frenzy, a political scapegoat despite years of dedicated military service... moreThe date is 1968 of the Galactic Era, almost three thousand years from now. The Republic, created by the human race but not yet dominated by it, is in the midst of an all-out war with the Teroni Federation. Captain Wilson Cole, a man with a reputation for exceeding orders but getting results, found himself the victim of a media feeding frenzy, a political scapegoat despite years of dedicated military service. Faced with a court martial, he was rescued by the loyal crew of his ship, the Theodore Roosevelt. Branded mutineers, the Teddy R. has quit the Republic, never to return.Seeking to find a new life, Wilson Cole first remade the Teddy R. as a pirate ship plying the spaceways of the lawless Inner Frontier. But military discipline and honor were a poor match for a life of pillaging and plundering, and Cole's principles naturally limited his targets. Taking on a new role, the Teddy R. becomes a mercenary ship, hiring out to the highest bidder. Whether it's evacuating a hospital before war can reach it, freeing a client from an alien prison, or stopping a criminal cartel from extorting money from a terrified planet, the crew of the Teddy R. proves equal to the task. Along the way they form a partnership with the once human Platinum Duke, team up with a former enemy, and make the unique Singapore Station their headquarters.But the life of a mercenary is not always predictable, and eventually circumstance pits Cole and the Teddy R. against his right-hand woman, the former Pirate Queen known as the Valkyrie. Soon the fragile trust that has grown between these two legends is put to the test as they find themselves on opposite sides of a job. less

The date is 1968 of the Galactic Era, almost three thousand years from now. The Republic, dominated by the human race, is in the midst of an all-out war with the Teroni Federation. Almost a year has passed since the events of Starship: Mercenary. Captain Wilson Cole now commands a fleet of almost fifty ships, and he has become the single greatest military force on the Inner Frontier. With one exception... moreThe date is 1968 of the Galactic Era, almost three thousand years from now. The Republic, dominated by the human race, is in the midst of an all-out war with the Teroni Federation. Almost a year has passed since the events of Starship: Mercenary. Captain Wilson Cole now commands a fleet of almost fifty ships, and he has become the single greatest military force on the Inner Frontier. With one exception. The Republic still comes and goes as it pleases, taking what it wants, conscripting men, and extorting taxes, even though the Frontier worlds receive nothing in exchange. And, of course, the government still wants Wilson Cole and the starship Theodore Roosevelt. He has no interest in confronting such an overwhelming force, and constantly steers clear of them. Then an incident occurs that changes everything, and Cole declares war on the Republic. Outnumbered and always outgunned, his fleet is no match for the Republic's millions of military vessels, even after he forges alliances with the warlords he previously hunted down. It's a hopeless cause...but that's just what Wilson Cole and the Teddy R. are best at. less

The date is 1970 of the Galactic Era, almost three thousand years from now, and the Republic, created by the human race but not yet dominated by it, finds itself in an all-out war against the Teroni Federation, an alliance of races that resent Man’s growing military and economic power. The rebel starship, the Theodore Roosevelt, under the command of Wilson Cole, is preparing to lead Cole’s ragtag armada into the Republic, even though he is outnumbered thousands to one... moreThe date is 1970 of the Galactic Era, almost three thousand years from now, and the Republic, created by the human race but not yet dominated by it, finds itself in an all-out war against the Teroni Federation, an alliance of races that resent Man’s growing military and economic power. The rebel starship, the Theodore Roosevelt, under the command of Wilson Cole, is preparing to lead Cole’s ragtag armada into the Republic, even though he is outnumbered thousands to one. Cole is convinced that the government has become an arrogant and unfeeling political entity and must be overthrown. The trick is to avoid armed conflict with the vast array of ships, numbering in the millions, in the Republic’s Navy. For a time Cole’s forces strike from cover and race off to safety, but he soon sees that is no way to conquer the mightiest political and military machine in the history of the galaxy. He realizes that he must reach Deluros VIII, the headquarters world of the Republic (and of the race of Man), in order to have any effect on the government at all – but Deluros VIII is the best-protected world in the Republic. But a new threat looms on the horizon. Cole, the Valkyrie, David Copperfield, Sharon Blacksmith, Jacovic, and the rest of the crew of the Teddy R face their greatest challenge yet, and the outcome will determine the fate of the entire galaxy. less