More feared than the deadly green snakes, the hideous red beetles of that outpost of Earth Empire, was the winged dragon-queen of Jupiter and her white Legions of Doom. Leigh Brackett was the undisputed Queen of Space Opera and the first women to be nominated for the coveted Hugo Award. She wrote short stories, novels, and scripts for Hollywood. She wrote the first draft of the Empire Strikes Back shortly before her death in 1978.

Attempting to make Venus safe for colonists turns out to be a very dangerous job for Tex and his partner Breska.excerptTex stirred uneasily where he lay on the parapet, staring into the heavy, Venusian fog. The greasy moisture ran down the fort wall, lay rank on his lips. With a sigh for the hot, dry air of Texas, and a curse for the adventure-thirst that made him leave it, he shifted his short, steel-hard body and wrinkled his sandy-red brows in the never-ending effort to see.A stifled cough turned his head. He whispered, "Hi, Breska."The Martian grinned and lay down beside him. His skin was wind-burned like Tex's, his black eyes nested in wrinkles caused by squinting against sun and blowing dust.For a second they were silent, feeling the desert like a bond between them. Then Breska, mastering his cough, grunted: "They're an hour late now. What's the matter with 'em?"Tex was worried, too. The regular dawn attack of the swamp-dwellers was long overdue."Reckon they're thinking up some new tricks," he said. "I sure wish our relief would get here. I could use a vacation."Breska's teeth showed a cynical flash of white."If they don't come soon, it won't matter. At that, starving is pleasanter than beetle-bombs, or green snakes. Hey, Tex. Here comes the Skipper."Captain John Smith-Smith was a common name in the Volunteer Legion-crawled along the catwalk. There were new lines of strain on the officer's gaunt face, and Tex's uneasiness grew.He knew that supplies were running low. Repairs were urgently needed. Wasn't the relief goin' to come at all?But Captain Smith's pleasant English voice was as calm as though he were discussing cricket-scores in a comfortable London club."Any sign of the beggars, Tex?""No, sir. But I got a feeling. . . .""H'm. Yes. We all have. Well, keep a sharp. . . ."

Erik John Stark is sent on a perilous mission into the Valkis and encounters the Queen of the Martian Catacombs.ExcerptThe leader of the four men rode slowly toward the tor, his right arm raised.His voice carried clearly on the wind. "Eric John Stark!" he called, and the dark man tensed in the shadows.The rider stopped. He spoke again, but this time in a different tongue. It was no dialect of Earth, Mars or Venus, but a strange speech, as harsh and vital as the blazing Mercurian valleys that bred it."Oh N'Chaka, oh Man-without-a-tribe, I call you!"There was a long silence. The rider and his mount were motionless under the low moons, waiting.Eric John Stark stepped slowly out from the pool of blackness under the tor."Who calls me N'Chaka?"The rider relaxed somewhat. He answered in English, "You know perfectly well who I am, Eric. May we meet in peace?" Stark shrugged. "Of course."He walked on to meet the rider, who had dismounted, leaving his beast behind. He was a slight, wiry man, this EPC officer, with the rawhide look of the frontiers still on him. His hair was grizzled and his sun-blackened skin was deeply lined, but there was nothing in the least aged about his hard good-humored face nor his remarkably keen dark eyes."It's been a long time, Eric," he said.Stark nodded. "Sixteen years." The two men studied each other for a moment, and then Stark said, "I thought you were still on Mercury, Ashton.""They've called all us experienced hands in to Mars." He held out cigarettes. "Smoke?"Stark took one. They bent over Ashton's lighter, and then stood there smoking while the wind blew red dust over their feet and the three men of the patrol waited quietly beside the Banning. Ashton was taking no chances. The electro-beam could stun without injury.Presently Ashton said, "I'm going to be crude, Eric. I'm going to remind you of some things.""Save it," Stark retorted. "You've got me. There's no need to talk about it.""Yes," said Ashton, "I've got you, and a damned hard time I've had doing it. That's why I'm going to talk about it."His dark eyes met Stark's cold stare and held it.

Discover the golden age of science fiction with some of the best stories of intergalactic battles, space adventures and alien contact in this Leigh Brackett collection of selected planet stories: Black Amazon of Mars Child of the Sun Citadel of Lost Ships Enchantress of Venus Last Call From Sector 9G Outpost on Io Queen of the Martian Catacombs Shannach Terror Out of Space The Beast-Jewel of Mars The Blue Behemoth The Dragon-Queen of Jupiter The Jewel of Bas The Stellar Legion The Vanishing Venusians Thralls of the Endless Night

Good Press presents to you this meticulously edited and formatted collection of space adventures, alien contacts and intergalactic wars stories written by some of the greatest masters of the Sci-Fi genre: Ray Bradbury: Jonah of the Jove-Run Zero Hour Rocket Summer Lorelei of the Red Mist The Creatures That Time Forgot Asleep in Armageddon Defense Mech Lazarus Come Forth Morgue Ship The Monster Maker A Little Journey Leigh Brackett: Black Amazon of Mars Child of the Sun Citadel of Lost Ships Enchantress of Venus Last Call From Sector 9G Outpost on Io Queen of the Martian Catacombs Shannach Terror Out of Space The Beast-Jewel of Mars The Blue Behemoth The Dragon-Queen of Jupiter The Jewel of Bas The Stellar Legion The Vanishing Venusians Thralls of the Endless Night Poul Anderson: Captive of the Centaurianess Lord of a Thousand Sun Out of the Iron Womb Sargasso of Lost Starships Star Ship Swordsman of Lost Terra The Virgin of Valkarion Tiger by the Tail Witch of the Demon Seas Jerome Bixby: Cargo to Callisto Tubemonkey The Crowded Colony Vengeance on Mars Clifford D. Simak: Message From Mars Mr. Meek Plays Polo Mr. Meek—Musketeer The Shipshape Miracle Damon Knight The Star Beast Doorway to Kal-Jmar The Third Little Green Man The Avenger Frederik Pohl: Asteroid of the Damned Conspiracy on Callisto Double-Cross Let the Ants Try Gardner F. Fox: When Kohonnes Screamed The Warlock of Sharrador Werwile of the Crystal Crypt Sword of the Seven Suns Vassals of the Lode-Star Engines of the Gods by Gardner Tonight the Stars Revolt! The Last Monster Man nth The Man the Sun-Gods Made

Discover the golden age of science fiction with some of the best stories of intergalactic wars, space adventures and alien contact:_x000D_ Ray Bradbury:_x000D_ Jonah of the Jove-Run _x000D_ Zero Hour _x000D_ Rocket Summer _x000D_ Lorelei of the Red Mist _x000D_ The Creatures That Time Forgot _x000D_ Asleep in Armageddon _x000D_ Defense Mech _x000D_ Lazarus Come Forth _x000D_ Morgue Ship _x000D_ The Monster Maker _x000D_ A Little Journey _x000D_ Leigh Brackett:_x000D_ Black Amazon of Mars _x000D_ Child of the Sun _x000D_ Citadel of Lost Ships _x000D_ Enchantress of Venus _x000D_ Last Call From Sector 9G _x000D_ Outpost on Io _x000D_ Queen of the Martian Catacombs _x000D_ Shannach _x000D_ Terror Out of Space _x000D_ The Beast-Jewel of Mars _x000D_ The Blue Behemoth _x000D_ The Dragon-Queen of Jupiter _x000D_ The Jewel of Bas _x000D_ The Stellar Legion _x000D_ The Vanishing Venusians _x000D_ Thralls of the Endless Night _x000D_ Poul Anderson:_x000D_ Captive of the Centaurianess _x000D_ Lord of a Thousand Sun _x000D_ Out of the Iron Womb _x000D_ Sargasso of Lost Starships _x000D_ Star Ship _x000D_ Swordsman of Lost Terra _x000D_ The Virgin of Valkarion _x000D_ Tiger by the Tail _x000D_ Witch of the Demon Seas _x000D_ Jerome Bixby:_x000D_ Cargo to Callisto _x000D_ Tubemonkey _x000D_ The Crowded Colony _x000D_ Vengeance on Mars _x000D_ Clifford D. Simak:_x000D_ Message From Mars _x000D_ Mr. Meek Plays Polo _x000D_ Mr. Meek—Musketeer _x000D_ The Shipshape Miracle _x000D_ Damon Knight_x000D_ The Star Beast _x000D_ Doorway to Kal-Jmar _x000D_ The Third Little Green Man _x000D_ The Avenger _x000D_ Frederik Pohl:_x000D_ Asteroid of the Damned _x000D_ Conspiracy on Callisto _x000D_ Double-Cross _x000D_ Let the Ants Try _x000D_ Gardner F. Fox:_x000D_ When Kohonnes Screamed _x000D_ The Warlock of Sharrador_x000D_ Werwile of the Crystal Crypt_x000D_ Sword of the Seven Suns_x000D_ Vassals of the Lode-Star_x000D_ Engines of the Gods by Gardner_x000D_ Tonight the Stars Revolt!_x000D_ The Last Monster_x000D_ Man nth_x000D_ The Man the Sun-Gods Made

Discover the golden age of science fiction with some of the best stories of intergalactic wars, space adventures and alien contact: Ray Bradbury: Jonah of the Jove-Run Zero Hour Rocket Summer Lorelei of the Red Mist The Creatures That Time Forgot Asleep in Armageddon Defense Mech Lazarus Come Forth Morgue Ship The Monster Maker A Little Journey Leigh Brackett: Black Amazon of Mars Child of the Sun Citadel of Lost Ships Enchantress of Venus Last Call From Sector 9G Outpost on Io Queen of the Martian Catacombs Shannach Terror Out of Space The Beast-Jewel of Mars The Blue Behemoth The Dragon-Queen of Jupiter The Jewel of Bas The Stellar Legion The Vanishing Venusians Thralls of the Endless Night Poul Anderson: Captive of the Centaurianess Lord of a Thousand Sun Out of the Iron Womb Sargasso of Lost Starships Star Ship Swordsman of Lost Terra The Virgin of Valkarion Tiger by the Tail Witch of the Demon Seas Jerome Bixby: Cargo to Callisto Tubemonkey The Crowded Colony Vengeance on Mars Clifford D. Simak: Message From Mars Mr. Meek Plays Polo Mr. Meek—Musketeer The Shipshape Miracle Damon Knight The Star Beast Doorway to Kal-Jmar The Third Little Green Man The Avenger Frederik Pohl: Asteroid of the Damned Conspiracy on Callisto Double-Cross Let the Ants Try Gardner F. Fox: When Kohonnes Screamed The Warlock of Sharrador Werwile of the Crystal Crypt Sword of the Seven Suns Vassals of the Lode-Star Engines of the Gods by Gardner Tonight the Stars Revolt! The Last Monster Man nth The Man the Sun-Gods Made