Only the mysterious Starmen can cross the immense distances between worlds-but Michael Trehearne is determined to uncover the secret that keeps ordinary humanity confined to the stars it already knows. For generations, the Vardda have controlled interstellar travel and guarded their knowledge with ruthless determination. Trehearne, an ambitious and resourceful Earthman, refuses to accept humanity's confinement. His search draws him into a dangerous struggle involving hidden identities, ancient bloodlines, political conspiracies, and worlds where outsiders are forbidden to tread. First published in the early 1950s and later reissued as The Starmen of Llyrdis, The Starmen is a vigorous space opera filled with galactic intrigue, exotic planets, and the restless desire to break humanity's boundaries. Leigh Brackett combines pulp adventure with questions of identity, power, evolution, and who has the right to inherit the stars.