"An excellent space opera!"

Roberta Gellis has proven over and over again that she can write in any genre and have her readers avidly want more. Her work is sheer brilliance. Such is the case with this book. This space opera clearly showcases Ms. Gellis' genius.

Cyn had more than enough with excitement and fear that he might be murdered or even eaten by a beastie as a Free Trader. That's when he decides to become an interstellar mail carrier.

He's saved just enough money for a mini-vacation to the Garden at Healtha with nymph Myrrha. They have three glorious days together and then he has to go back to work. When he checks in he finds out that two ships have been pirated but no one knows why.

He also finds out that not only does he have to make several mail stops this time but he also has quite a number of passengers to deliver on his trusty 'Piss Pot' which is what he calls his ship.

He soon finds out that all is not as it seems. He quickly becomes embroiled in quite a brouhaha before all is said and done. Now can he figure out exactly what is going on before things go too far?

As much as I enjoyed this fine quirky tale, I'm hoping that Ms. Gellis will see fit to give her eager fans the story of Niais the nymph and why she is so insistent about getting to Ingong in a cage to deliver a package that seems to be attached to her.

Reviewed by Kathy Boswell
Posted August 22, 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.