The Sentimentalists

On a lonely colony world, Lon Simpson is squeezed between a ruthless trading company and a future with Cathy, the woman he loves. A failing generator, crushing debt, and even the cost of food are all part of a system designed to keep settlers trapped, dependent, and one disaster away from ruin. When Lon stumbles into a startling invention—a device that can turn local plant matter into usable Earth-like food—his misery suddenly becomes a breakthrough that could change the fate of the colony, if the company doesn't crush him first. Above this human struggle, the alien newlyweds Rhadampsicus and Nodalictha watch with affectionate, amused curiosity from their bizarre temporary refuge on Cetis Gamma. Their tender, highly unhuman honeymoon provides a whimsical counterpoint to the harsh frontier life below, as they wonder whether they should intervene in the affairs of the primitive beings they observe. Blending romantic science fiction, corporate satire, and inventive speculation, the story builds from hardship and courtship to a dangerous discovery that may alter both love and civilization. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.