WARRIOR OF SCORPIO

Orbit paperback, 1975. Cover by Chris Achilleos.

SOUL OF A ROBOT

"At the far end of the hall a tall door swung open. Through it strode Gogra: a giant of a robot, twelve foot tall and broad to match. Gogra was coal-black. In his right hand he carried a massive sledge-hammer that in a few blows could have crushed Jasperodus to junk, tough as he was. Pausing in the doorway, the terrifying robot surveyed the hall. As soon as he caught sight of Jasperodus he lunged forward, lifting the hammer with evident purpose. Jasperodus backed away. Gogra's appearance was frightening; his head was thrust forward on his neck, reminiscent of an ape-man; and the face was a mask of ugliness as to arouse both terror and pity: Gogra's designer had sought to give his massive frame sufficient agility by filling his interior with oil under pressure; the safety valve for that oil was his grotesque grilled mouth, from which green ichor dribbled copiously and continuously."

Orbit paperback, 1977. Cover by Bob Layzell.

Rear cover/synopsis.

A HOLE IN SPACE

Orbit paperback, 1980. Cover painting by Peter Jones.

Rear cover/synopsis.

THE LONG ARM OF GIL HAMILTON

Orbit paperback, 1980. Cover artwork by Peter Jones.

Rear cover and synopsis.

JERRY POURNELLE: THE MERCENARY

Orbit paperback, 1977. Cover artwork by Tony Roberts, thanks to all
who left comments identifying the artist!

Back cover fluff: 

"The Co-Dominium Navy . . . shipping prisoner colonists by the hundreds of thousands to strange worlds for a corrupt alliance of Earth nations. 

The Co-Dominium Marines . . . keeping uneasy peace on dozens of planets as their resources are robbed for the benefits of Earth. 

The Mercenaries . . . using their own methods to end the fighting as raging riots of independence explode into open warfare. 

And Falkenberg . . . a legend in his own time, a man who gave up a brilliant military career to fight on his own, a mastermind to his soldiers, an enigma to the politicians who buy his services - and the cause of turmoil on a dozen planets."

THE WORLD OF PTAVVS

Orbit paperback, 1982 .Cover painting by Peter Jones.

Rear cover synopsis: 

"Larry Greenberg's telepathic tendencies had been trained and developed to a critical level. The trouble was that if these psychic interchanges were strong enough, a man could end up not knowing who he really was. And when Larry's mind is taken over by a sinister alien force, he has to fight to retain his sanity - and divert a disaster that threatens all mankind."

MANIFEST DESTINY

Orbit paperback, 1986. Cover painting by Peter Elson.

"The United States of Earth will become The United States of the Universe...

If.... 

They can survive Baalphor of the Shikazu, where the warriors who can never be conquered stalk the conquerors who can never win... 

They can absorb Draco, a planet of pale reptilians, which most humans can't stand - and some can't leave... 

They can defeat Rhana, last of the rebel worlds, where the final battle is to protect man from his worst enemy - himself..."

ROADMARKS

Orbit paperback, 1981. Cover painting by Tim White.

"Somewhere in New York State is a road, which few know how to find, which goes not to any particular destination but backwards and forwards in time. The traveller on the road can turn off to all times and places, even alternate histories which never happened. 

Red Dorakeen has been travelling the Road as far back as he or anyone can remember. A long time ago he walked it as an old man - now, much younger, he is driving his old Dodge pick-up truck, running guns to the Greeks fighting Persian invaders at ancient Marathon. 

But someone has put out a contract on Red. His hidden enemy has searched the past and future for a band of assassins to pursue Red wherever the Road may take him."

FUTURES PAST

Orbit paperback, 1988. Cover artist uncredited.

"FUTURES PAST - a superb new collection of science fiction stories from the bestselling author of the famous Sector General series. 

Custom Fitting - For George L. Hewlitt, a law-abiding and traditional tailor, things will never be the same again. Approached be the Foreign Office, he's given a most unusual task; to clothe Scrennagle of Dutha, a centaur-like alien, for presentation at Court. But will Hewlitt's skill stand up to the challenge? 

Commuter - Mr Smith is arrested for loitering with intent to rob an old lady. But when Inspector Michaelson discovers that Smith avoids red tape, sells stamps - but apparently never buys any, copies sheet music over and over again, and collects old street maps, his investigations take a different turn. Who is Smith, what is he doing and where does he come from? 

Curtain Call - Mitchell is alone on the moon - well almost alone. A deeply-respected news reporter, Mitchell is about to witness the Earth's most spectacular fireworks display ever - Operation Last Blast, Earth's attempt to rid itself of all weapons simultaneously. But it could go disastrously, irrevocably wrong... 

Plus eight more compelling stories from master storyteller, James White."

Contents:

Custom Fitting

Commuter

Assisted Passage

Curtain Call

Boarding Party

Patrol

Fast Trip

Question of Cruelty

False Alarm

Dynasty of One

Outrider

LIMITS

Orbit paperback, 1988 reprint. Cover artist uncredited.

"LIMITS. Two aliens fascinated by Man's fondness for defining boundaries decide to make sure he doesn't get out of the habit. 

THE LION IN HIS ATTIC. Seventy-six years after Atlantis drowned, a sorceress and a prince learn to their dismay that not all lions eat red meat. 

TABLE MANNERS. When the proprietor of the Draco Tavern is invited to dine with some carnivorous etees, he brings along a xenobiologist to coach him in alien etiquette. But he forgets that he is already outfitted with the oldest guide of all. 

A TEARDROP FALLS. In his youth, Hilary Gage had fought men and studied the ravages of Berserkers. As a machine, he terraformed planets and lay in wait. 

YET ANOTHER MODEST PROPOSAL. At last, a solution to the problem of radioactive wastes that costs nothing and yields an immodest profit."

Contents:

The Lion In His Attic

Spirals (written with Jerry Pournelle)

A Teardrop Falls

Talisman (written with Dian Girard)

Flare Time

The Locust (written with Steve Barnes)

Yet Another Modest Proposal: The Roentgen Standard

More Tales From The Draco Tavern...

Table Manners

The Gren Marauder

War Movie

The Real Thing

Limits

THE JESUS INCIDENT

Orbit paperback, 1980. Cover by Tim White.

"A small group of human colonists are engaged in a desperate struggle for survival. 

Ranged against them, the planet PANDORA, its native life-forms as malevolent and savage as they are murderous. And SHIP, their ship-board computer, who knows that it is a GOD, and - on pain of destruction - demands their worship."

THE PRIESTS OF PSI

Orbit paperback, 1981. Cover by Tim White.

"A PSYCHIC PARASITE WHO HIJACKS PERSONALITIES. 

A COUPLE WHO DISCOVER THE HOUSE OF THEIR DREAMS...IN THE WRONG DIMENSION. 

THE PRIESTS OF PSI, CUSTODIANS OF A FORGOTTEN WISDOM WHICH MAY EXALT OR DAMN MANKIND COMPLETELY. 

Frank Herbert needs no introduction to the million readers of the DUNE trilogy, THE DOSADI EXPERIMENT and THE JESUS INCIDENT. In this, the first collection of short stories for some time, the inventive genius of the novels is powerfully evident."

Contents:

Try To Remember

Old Rambling House

Murder Will In

Mindfield

The Priests of Psi

PLANET OF THE DAMNED

Orbit paperback, 1980. Cover artwork by Alan Craddock.

"DIS! 

was a planet, a wasteland, a world of death where living was dying and dying was better than living. 

DIS! 

was a scorching desert, its people crude, barbaric, backward and miserable - and they would become seven million blackened corpses unless Ihjel stopped the H-bombs. But Ihjel had foreseen his sudden death, and only one man could take his place - Brion Brandd, Champion of Champions and master of a secret power..."

STAR SMASHERS OF THE GALAXY RANGERS

Orbit paperback, 1980 reprint. Cover art by Alan Craddock.

"INTER-GALACTIC MAYHEM 

Chuck and Jerry, two fun-loving students at an American College, discover a faster-than-light space drive and smuggle it into the football team's plane. They, together with the lovely Sally Goodfellow, crusty Pop and loveable old John view with horror a practical joke gone awry as the plane screams off to Titan, a frozen moon of Saturn. But that's only the beginning. When loveable old John's true and awful identity becomes known, a wild battle across the Universe and through centuries ensues, catapulting friends and deadly foes into the midst of a yarn spun from the grandest tradition of the classic 'Space Opera'."

GODS OF THE GREATAWAY

Orbit paperback, 1986. Cover artist uncredited.

"'The story I will tell...is perhaps the most famous in the whole Song of Earth, and it tells of three simple human beings involved in a quest who unwittingly became involved in events concerning the almighty Starquin himself...a story of heroism and love, and it ends in triumph - and it will remind the humans among you of the greatness that was once yours.' 

Thus Allan-Blue-Cloud, immortal extension of Earth's great computer, the Rainbow, describing how the Triad - Manuel, Zogula and the Girl - go forth to do battle with the dreaded Bale Wolves, to remove the Hate Bombs from the portals of the galaxy and free Starquin the Omnipotent (the Five-in-One) from the prison that has held him for half a million years."

LEVIATHAN'S DEEP

Orbit paperback, 1981. Cover artist uncredited.

"The Delyene may learn Terre words, but they don't understand the Terrene. There are so many differences; their 'technology', their 'wars', their males unnaturally the rulers, their lack of all female virtues, especially honour. 

But the Delyene are outgunned, outmanned and outscienced; worse, they are contemptuous of dangers they cannot understand and will not see. The Kimassu Lady alone finally comes to appreciate the danger these Terrene 'guests' pose. They must be driven from Delyafam's shores."

DREAM PARK

Orbit paperback, 1983. Cover painting by Peter Jones.

"They were all playing games...but one of them was playing for keeps. 

Chet Henderson was playing at revenge, and to boost his flagging reputation as a Lore-master. 

Richard Lopez was playing to prove that his earlier successes as a Gamesmaster were no fluke. 

Ollie and Gwen and Mary-em and Tony were playing because it made them feel alive. 

Alex Griffin was palying to protect Dream Park's darkest secret. 

In Dream Park, everyone plays. But if some win, some have to lose. And losing can be a matter of life or death."

THE RINGWORLD ENGINEERS

Orbit paperback, 1981. Cover painting by Peter Jones.

In the decade since its first appearance, RINGWORLD has become the most talk-about locale in Known Space and made the name of Larry Niven synonymous with ingenious, inimitable SF. 

THE RINGWORLD ENGINEERS sees the return of Louis Wu (now hooked on electrical ecstasy as a wirehead) and the aging kzin warrior Speaker-To-Animals, while introducing the Hindmost, puppeteer mate of made Nessus: Together the bizarre crew seek to avert tragic cataclysm in the Ringworld System."

THE MAGIC GOES AWAY

Orbit paperback, 1982. Cover painting by Peter Jones.

"Once there was magic in the world. But hordes of selfish, short-sighted magicians have used up the mana which moved the world and even the most powerful spells are becoming futile. Soon all the creatures of spirit, the unicorns and centaurs, will have disappeared, and unless Orolandes with half a sword succeeds in his quest for the lost power, those stupid barbarians with their stupid swords will win after all..."

THE PATCHWORK GIRL

Orbit paperback, 1982. Cover painting by Peter Jones.

"Only the most beautiful woman on Luna could have sent a near fatal laser into the chest of the Fourth Speaker for the Asteroids. And with the evidence stacked against her she may be destined for the organ bank where criminals wait to 'repay society' with their bodies. Investigator Gil Hamilton will need to move fast to save her from becoming a nicely arranged stack of spare parts."