Sword and Planet Fiction at its best. Fast-paced entertaining reads. Rereading this series nearly 50 years after the first book's publication, I was surprised at how well they held up and at the erudition and learning of the author. For "pulp" fiction, the vocabulary is rich and rewarding to logophiles like myself. I purchased the ebook omnibus editions for my reread of the series to facilitate dictionary and web access to definitions and references to 19th century history and the Age of Sail -- since I am a student of history as well. However, this is not necessary for the causal reader who desires only the pleasure of the experience, just as enjoying a delicious meal does not require knowing the precise recipe. The marvelous interior illustrations are the added seasoning (and only present in these original paperback editions). ( )

In this volume we are at last surrounded by a myriad of Dray's closest followers, comrades and friends. I always thought there was still room for the likes of characters like Seg and Inch and especially the plains crew and finally here they are, albeit briefly altogether under 2 Suns destroying all that stands in the way of Dray and Delia. I'm very excited at the prospects of the 6th book, as Dray was not immediately pulled off the ground by that irritating blue light and scorpion figure, however I'm sure as soon as the book opens Dray'll be pulled at the whim of the Star Lords to once again do their bidding. ( )