Drowning World (Humanx Commonwealth)

“A fast, fun read for fans of Foster’s fantastic alien worlds . . . Driven by political intrigue and wilderness adventure, this is SF of noble vintage.”—Booklist

Fluva, the Drowning World, is a rain-drenched planet on the fringes of the Commonwealth whose indigenous species, the warlike Sakuntala, and its immigrant species, the hardworking Deyzara, stand on the brink of civil war. The wettest place on Fluva is Viisiiviisii, an immense jungle thriving with exotic plants and deadly predators. Endless rains have made the jungle a treasure trove of rare and valuable botanicals. A man can get rich there. Or die trying.

Bio-prospector Shadrach Hasselemoga has come to seek his fortune—if he survives the terrain once his sabotaged ship goes down. When a Sakuntala and a Deyzara are dispatched to rescue the unfortunate soul, their ship crashes, too. Now, in order to survive, the three unlikely allies must do something that no one has ever done before: escape the Viisiiviisii before it consumes them. . . .

“[A] rousing SF adventure packed with action, intriguing human and alien characters, and a message of strength through diversity.”—Library Journal

“Surefire entertainment . . . The author’s mastery of his exotic setting cannot be denied.”—Publishers Weekly

Alan Dean Foster has written in a variety of genres. He is the author of the Star Wars novel The Approaching Storm. He is also the author of numerous nonfiction articles on film, science, and scuba diving, as well as novel versions of several films, including Star Wars. His novel Cyber Way won the Southwest Book Award for Fiction in 1990, the first science fiction work ever to do so.

Foster’s love of the faraway and exotic has led him to travel extensively. He’s lived in Tahiti and French Polynesia, traveled to Europe, Asia, and throughout the Pacific, and has explored the back roads of Tanzania and Kenya. Foster and his wife, JoAnn Oxley, reside in Prescott, Arizona, in a house built of brick that was salvaged from a turn-of-the-century miner’s brothel. He is presently at work on several new novels and media projects.

Visit the author online at www.alandeanfoster.com.