In the Flux, visions of the mind converge with reality:
The currents of hyperspace become dreamscapes of land and sea and sky.
But visions can be perilous…
That’s the essence of the Star Rigger Universe.
A star rigger is a pilot—of starships. But not just any kind of pilot. A rigger flies her ship through a hyperdimensional layer of space called the Flux—a realm where space moves in rivers and currents, where the objective reality of the course can be mapped only through the imagination and intuition of the human (or at least sentient) rigger.
Riggers tend to be sensitive, empathic dreamers. Sometimes, the sensitivity that makes them good riggers also gets them into trouble. Eventually a Guild is formed, to protect them from abuse.
The Star Rigger Universe is told through a series of six novels and a couple of short stories, to date. One of the novels, Eternity’s End, was a finalist for the Nebula Award. You can read them in any order, though the two dragon books are best read in the sequence below. Here’s the list, in the chronological order of the future history:
- Panglor — A prequel, set just prior to the discovery of rigging.
- Dragons in the Stars — Rigging before the time of the Guild.
- Dragon Rigger — Sequel novel in the dragon realm.
- Dragon Space: A Star Rigger Omnibus — the two dragon novels in one volume.
- Star Rigger’s Way — Coming of age of an inexperienced young rigger.
- Eternity’s End — Search for the lost ship Impris, Flying Dutchman of the stars; also, pirates.
- Seas of Ernathe — Far in the future, after the art has been lost.
Also, Going Alien, a story collection. (Two of the stories were seeds for two of the novels.)
For some recollections on how some of these tales came about, see my essay Of Consoles & Dragon Claws.