Thousands of years after the Unsettling of Old Earth, when the rich and powerful fled that murdered planet, mankind inhabits new worlds around a volatile star called Coronam. Technologically stunted and socially regressed, their society is one of space-faring steam-punk feudalism, patriarchy, aristocracy, and exploitation—old poisons with new infections.

On Enskari, with the help of her advisors, Queen Zabel strives to hold her position as the first and only female monarch in Coronam’s history. She is an icon of hope for social evolution, however incremental.
Recognizing the slippery slope of a female regent to tradition, and driven by his own ambition, Brandon of Hyrax, sends his mighty armada to subdue Enskari, dethrone the usurper and become Emperor over all mankind. But fate is against him and his plans are undone by a terrible solar storm and the wit of Zabel’s champion lover Sir Ethan Sommerled.

On the slave planet of Slaafaw a revolution rises, plantations burn, and a new idea emerges.

On the Holy planet of Temple, the prophet maintains tradition and fears the coming of a danger greater than a female monarch.

And then there is Tirgwenin, or Jareth’s World, colonized hundreds of years before the Unsettling by a different breed of people. It stands now distant, unknown and waiting to be dominated. Upon that world a colony of Enskaran separatists are betrayed and marooned, but the survivors, led by young Millicent Dagney, find hope through a stingless alien insect that enters the mind and transcends knowledge and memory—linking all to everything for unknown reasons. The bees are what the prophet fears, the bees are what sparked the unrest and revolution. The bees are the danger. The bees are a threat greater than anything mankind has every faced.

Johnny Worthen is an award-winning, multi-genre, tie-dye-wearing author, voyager, and damn fine human being! Trained in literary criticism and cultural studies he earned his Bachelors and Masters degrees from the University of Utah. Beyond English on a good day, he speaks Danish and reads Latin. He is a Utah Writer of the Year.

An avowed Deconstructionist, Johnny writes up-market stories from the inside out, beginning with theme and pursuing an idea through whatever genre will best serve it. So far he has published fiction novels as mystery, young adult, comedy, urban fantasy, horror and science fiction, both traditionally and indie.

A frequent presenter and panelist at writing conferences and fan conventions, he is active in local communities of artists and writers. A long-time volunteer for the League of Utah Writers, the state’s oldest and largest writing organization, he has served several high positions of leadership including President from 2018-2020.

When not writing his own stuff, Johnny edits professionally for a small dark fiction press in Los Angeles and teaches Creative Writing at the University of Utah as an Associate Instructor. He lives in Sandy Utah with his wife, sons and cats. There’s also a lawn. You can visit his website here.