Fallen Dragon

Born in a colony world in 2310, Lawrence Newton hankered after the golden era of starships exploring the galaxy. But the age of human starflight was drawing to a close, so this hot-heated teenager ran away from home in search of adventure. Twenty years later, he's the sergeant of a washed-out platoon taking part in the bungled invasion of another world. The giant corporations euphemistically call such campaigns 'asset realization', but in practice it's simple piracy. While he's on the ground, being shot at and firebombed by local resistance forces, Lawrence hears stories about the Temple of the Fallen Dragon - and a sect devoted to the worship of a mythical creature that fell to the ground millennia ago.More importantly, its priests are said to guard a hoard of treasure large enough to buy lifelong happiness - which information prompts him to mount a private-enterprise operation of his own. For Lawrence, such wealth would allow him one last chance to put right the mistakes of his past - and finally go home. But, unfortunately, treasure isn't always measured in monetary terms. And just because something is called mythical doesn't mean it isn't real...

Peter F. Hamilton began writing in 1987 and sold his first short story to Fear magazine in 1988. His previous novels are the Greg Mandel series: Mindstar Rising (1993), A Quantum Murder (1994) and The Nano Flower (1995); and the three novels in his bestselling 'Night's Dawn Trilogy': The Reality Dysfunction. The Neutronium Alchemist and The Naked God. Also recently published are his collection of stories. A Second Chance at Eden, and The Confederation Handbook (a vital guide to the 'Night's Dawn Trilogy').