HELLHOLE

Tor, New York, 2011, 1^st US ed/pr.  ISBN 978-0-7653-2269-2.  Hard cover, 532 pages including Appendices and Glossary.  Black boards with gold lettering on spine; some marks on boards, wear and bumping to corners with lower rear corner board exposed; spine ends lightly bumped; binding sound with headbands; light soil on outer page block; remainder dot on bottom edge.  Dust jacket with price intact has light edge and cover wear, some crinkling/creasing at spine ends and corners where bumped; light rubs on rear panel, strip over bar code on rear.  Interior clean and unmarked; light creases to upper fore-edge corners probably from bumped cover corners.  ‘The human interstellar government, the Constellation, consists of twenty allied “old guard” worlds.  The society is wealthy, with a decadent upper class ruled by the dowager Diadem Michella Duchenet.  But as the population of the core worlds has grown, pressures increase for change and for new territory.  After the failure of a devastating revolution, the Diadem realizes she must open the wild frontier of unexplored planets.  Thus begins a large-scale expansion as ambitious risk-takers rush out to claim fifty-four newly opened planets in the Deep Zone.  The most infamous of the new planets is Hallholme, named “Hellhole” by the miserable settlers.  Tortured by horrific storms and volcanic eruptions, the planet is a dumping ground for undesirables… but also a haven for dreamers and independent pioneers.’ (from front flap)