Prototypes -- HIDDEN FIRES cover and "back blurb"

[alfreda89]

Cover painting by Don Dixon of http://www.cosmographica.com

Note: This is version 2 October 27, 2010

He had spent a hundred years seeking the woman called Silver; he still didn’t know if he was going to kill her.

Garth Kristinsson’s parents were free-traders, the aristocracy of con artists, able to fleece the dishonest with their own greed. But his father’s last scam went horribly wrong, and at the last, both his parents were dead. Garth wanted answers no authority could give him, so he searched six solar systems for any clue, any lead on his father’s partners-in-crime. One of them still lived – he would find her on the mysterious planet Nuala.

Nuala . . . planet of deadly radiation levels, humans who heal by touch, and the rarest platinum group metal in the known galaxy.

“Silver” is Darame Daviddottir, a famous free-trader who is now a citizen of Nuala – her husband, Sheel Atare, leads one of the planet’s most powerful tribes. Together they have brought an uneasy peace to a world racked by sterility, intrigue, and unimaginable wealth. For the first time in countless generations, Nualans are actually working together, their council a voice for interstellar trade and a sounding board for inter-tribal cooperation.

But the new ruler of Atare’s ancient enemy is a spoiled and arrogant genius named Rex Dielaan. When off-worlder Garth meets aristocrat Rex, it is a meeting of two con artists ripe for mischief...and maybe murder. Two misplaced quests explode into a conspiracy of death, treason, and abduction. There’s a plan afoot leading toward war, and it threatens Nuala’s peace, Atare’s prosperity . . . and Silver’s life.

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So . . . what do you think? Would you pick up this book? Is the back intriguing? Is it too subtle? I'm wondering if the lettering on the cover is too dark, or just right. It looks great here, but the little LJ icon looks a bit dark. But since it's shown at a decent size at BVC and eventually (sigh) Amazon, that darkness might not matter much.

If I can get stuff turned in on time this week, there will be a free offering of this e-book at Library Thing next month.