Big Planet is populated by an odd assortment of splinter societies, where beauty and evil dwell in uneasy proximity. The self-styled Bajarnum of Beaujolais seeks to rule the planet; Claude Glystra leads a commission from Earth to investigate, but his ship is sabotaged in orbit and crashes far from safety. Glystra must trek 40,000 miles across the vast surface of Big Planet to Earth Enclave if he is to succeed - but his first challenge is to survive. Big Planet is Volume 4 of the Spatterlight Press Signature Series. Released in the centenary of the author's birth, this handsome new collection is based upon the prestigious Vance Integral Edition. Select volumes enjoy up-to-date maps, and many are graced with freshly-written forewords contributed by a distinguished group of authors. Each book bears a facsimile of the author's signature and a previously-unpublished photograph, chosen from family archives for the period the book was written. These unique features will be appreciated by all, from seasoned Vance collector to new reader sampling the spectrum of this author's influential work for the first time. - John Vance II