"Fantastic space opera"

In the far distant future, the Free Traders are the only group that provides order within the chaotic Empire, which is in trouble due to the fighting of the Emperor and the Empress. Cyn Lystris is not interested in interstellar politics but in keeping himself safe which is why he transferred out of Free Trade to take a job with OVERSTARS MAIL. He believes that he will not be shot at, kidnapped or left for dead on a route that has had no causalities in years.

Of course now three mail ships have disappeared without a trace and the powers that be send a security agent on Cyn's ship to find out whether he knows what is going on, which he doesn't. On the trip he has six passengers, one of whom is going to challenge the emperor for his position. Neither Cyn nor the security agent knows who that person is but they realize someone knows that person is on the ship and wants to blast it out of the "air" before a challenge can be made.

No matter what genre she writes in be it historical fiction, romance, fantasy or science fiction, Roberta Gellis always produces an exciting original bestseller. Between action scenes, there is a sex kitten who is always trying to get a man in bed even if he is not willing; this makes for many amusing moments. OVERSTARS MAIL is the first in what looks to be a fantastic space opera series.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted August 14, 2004

Summary

Cyn Lystris leaves Free Trade because he is tired of making deliveries with the goods in one hand and his blaster in the other. Overstars Mail offers him a mail delivery job on a government-approved route. Life as a mailman, however, proves no less exciting when Cyn finds himself embroiled in Imperial politics. The younger son of the Mother Empress intends to challenge his corrupt brother for the throne. The Imperial Challenger boards Cyn's ship in disguise, followed by agents who want to capture or kill him. The trouble is that Cyn has no idea which of his six passengers is the Imperial, which the anti-Imperial agents, and which (if any) are just innocent bystanders along for the ride. Beside that, one of the passengers, Aimie, is particularly intriguing in an entirely different way. However pleasant, romantic adventures only add to the confusion. Foiling one attempt at sabotage and diversion from his route after another, Cyn manages to deliver the mail and the Imperial Challenger in a quick-witted, hair-raising ride through the galaxy.