Nectar of Heaven

Earl Dumarest continues to follows false trails as he searches to find the legendary and long lost planet called Earth.This is the 24th book in the 'Dumarest of Terra' series of science fiction novels. The planet in this book possessed two unique elements. One was it produced the galaxy’s most desirable hallucinatory drug. The other was it was a stock broker’s paradise.The world was split into affluent men’s holdings – and every hour, every minute these were being traded on a continuous stock-market. Up and down went values as men plotted to seize others’ properties, to force prices down and costs up. Their money game controlled everything else – the common people, workers, farmers, homes, lives, poverty and luxury.Dumarest goes there to find his next stake. Find the drug-gem or manipulate the market – two possibilities. But behind the scenes stood the advisors of the inhuman Cyclan, determined to fix the odds against Dumarest.Another good pulp science fiction story in the long running saga.

Twenty fourth volume in the 'Dumarest of Terra' series of science fiction novels. These are good old fashioned pulp science fiction stories about Earl Dumarest. Interstellar traveller on a quest for the legendary and long lost planet called Earth.They are usually self contained books, with enough exposition to get casual readers up to speed. But narrative progression through the series, and a fair bit of continuity this far in, does make it better to read it in order to get the most out of it.This one runs for one hundred and sixty pages and is divided into fourteen chapters.It sees Earl learn about the planet Sacaweena. The source of a legendary golden pearl. Which produces a powerful hallucinatory drug. The perfect thing to bring comfort to a dying person. Heading to the planet along with a man called Vardoon in order to procure the valuable pearls, little does he know that it's a rich person's paradise. Because at every minute, the ruling elite are trading sectors for gain.And of course, the Cyclan are waiting in the shadows...A pretty good one, this. It doesn't do anything that the series hasn't done before. As with some, it starts with a lot of action on another world before he gets to the main one of the story. Which features desperate travellers and dangerous work. But it's all, as with the best of these, pretty readable. Vardoon is one of the stronger male supporting characters of the series, who like the best of them ends up being a good sidekick for Earl.Fiona, the lady of the story, is interestingly narcissistic. But becomes a very three dimensional creation.The setting does also come to life very well in the final third.With, as ever, some good plot developments and action and very astute thinking from Earl at the end, as well. There's just a slight hint of narrative progression also.A very readable and decent read in a good series.