The story begins on the planet Sargon, where a young slave named Thorby is purchased at auction by Baslim the Cripple. Baslim, secret agent for the Hegemonic Guard, raises Thorby as his son while teaching him languages, mathematics, and tradecraft within a subterranean beggar’s network. After Baslim’s death, Thorby escapes aboard the starship Sisu, joining the Free Traders, a matriarchal society of space-faring merchants with rigid clan hierarchies. His search for his origins eventually leads him to Earth, where he discovers his identity as the heir to an enormous industrial conglomerate and must navigate corporate legal battles to dismantle the interplanetary slave trade.
This book serves readers interested in the intersection of cultural anthropology and political science within space opera. It attracts those who value detailed world-building regarding how different social structures—from desert feudalism to nomadic capitalism—function and conflict. The reader gains an understanding of how individual identity is shaped by varying legal systems and economic status. By documenting Thorby’s transitions through different castes, the narrative provides a concrete look at the mechanisms of personal liberty and the bureaucratic requirements of maintaining a galactic civilization.
- Published
- 1957
- Language
- EN
