Virga: Cities of the Air

Virga

Karl Schroeder

Tor Books

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It is the distant future. The world known as Virga is a fullerene balloon three thousand kilometers in diameter, filled with air, water, and floating chunks of rock. The humans who live in this vast environment must build their own fusion suns and “towns” —enormous wood and rope wheels that are spun for centripetal gravity.

This complex and fascinating world is the setting for the novels of Virga, Karl Schroeder’s interstellar far-future space habitat sealed off from contamination by the rest of the inhabited universe. These books have set a high standard for hard SF adventure in the last decade, and now the first two novels, Sun of Suns and Queen of Candesce, are brought out for the first time in one trade paper omnibus.

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Book Excerpts

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1

HAYDEN GRIFFIN WAS plucking a fish when the gravity bell rang. The dull clang penetrated even the thick wooden walls of the corporation inn; it was designed to be heard all over town. Hayden paused, frowned, and experimentally let go of the fish. Four tumbling feathers flashed like candle flames in an errant beam of sunlight shooting between the floorboards. The fish landed three feet to his left. Hayden watched the feathers dip in a slow arc to settle next to it.

“A bit early for a spin-up, ain’t it?” said Hayden.

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Reviews

Praise for Virga: Cities of the Air

Praise for the novels of V irga:

“Outrageously brilliant and absolutely not to be missed."
—Kirkus Reviews, starred review on Sun of Suns, a Kirkus pick for the Best of 2006

“A classic space opera…full of feudal castles and wooden ships, ancient compasses, old revolvers, and frothing beakers on one hand, and flying bikes, space travel, and cyborgs on the other.”
—Toronto Globe and Mail on Sun of Suns

“I loved it. It never slowed down. The background is fascinating and the characters held my attention. It reminded me a little of The Integral Trees, with technology a little more advanced.”
—Larry Niven on Sun of Suns

“Karl Schroeder…is proving to be one of our most ingenious devisers of exotic, fantastic settings as well as a spinner of ripping yarns.… Schroeder’s world-building, storytelling, and character-drawing chops seem strong enough to have given even Known Space run for its money.”
—Locus on Queen of Candesce

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About the Author

Karl Schroeder

Karl Schroeder lives in Toronto, Ontario.

Karl Schroeder

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Available Formats and Book Details

Virga: Cities of the Air
Virga
Karl Schroeder

Trade Paperback

Trade Paperback
Tom Doherty Associates
Tor Books
July 2010
Trade Paperback
ISBN: 9780765326706
ISBN10: 0765326701
5 1/2 x 8 1/4 inches, 592 pages
$17.99
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e-Book Agency
Tom Doherty Associates
Tor Books
July 2010
e-Book Agency
ISBN: 9781429983433
ISBN10: 1429983434
592 pages
$9.99
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