The laws of physics have been repealed in the countless custom-made "pocket universes" of a strange new cosmos. Reality is variable and bottled time is as essential as oxygen. But a mysterious stasis enshrouds two of these universes, threatening to spread to others. Inside, time has stopped. Who—or what—could be altering the pocket dimensions? And why? Only Rene Korda, the retired planet sculptor and terraformer, understands artificial universes well enough to untangle the mystery. To find answers, Korda and his ship's meddlesome computer, Jester, must embark on a journey that will hurl them headlong into bizarre and dangerous dimensions unlike anything known before. About the Author Jane Lindskold is the author of Marks of Our Brothers, The Pipes of Orpheus, and Brother of Dragons, Companion to Owls. She lives in New Mexico.