Lord Valentine's Castle

Author: Robert Silverberg

First novel in the 'Majipoor' series, comprising a total of 11 novels and novellas. Majipoor is, one might argue, direct offspring of Vance's Big Planet (#3 in this list); a large planet with Earth gravity, settled by a whole bunch of alien races and humans for millennia. (Looks like there's a lot of alien species needing exactly the same atmospheric composition as human do. Strange, that.) There's also the indigenes, who were invaded several times, didn't like it much and still don't. Who can blame them? Unlike Big Planet, Majipoor has a governmental structure, combining an uneasy arrangement between the various races. That, and the various characteristics and abilitiessometimes psychicof the inhabitants, make for a colorful matrix of interactions and potential and real conflicts. Valentine is a wandering amnesiac, who only knows his name, finally starts to recall that he is the Coronal Valentine, the supreme executive ruler of Majipoor. So, why is he where he is, and who put him there? Why it's on the list: Silverberg is one of the better world-building authors, and this series is his magnum opus. Awards: Hugo nominated 1981; Locus 1981. Read if you like: Seriously complex worldbuilding SF with a good underpinning plot. Large series, that keep you reading for a while.