Three thousand years after Earth's colonisation of the planet Borthan, stories of self-serving hypocrisy that occured among the first arrivals have bred a culture that forbids emotional sharing and denies the naturally human concept of 'self'. The result is a lasting peace, but at a terrible price. For it is a peace without love, without self, where even the mention of the word 'I' is taboo.
Spurred on by the arrival of an Earthman with a self-baring drug, Kinnall Darival breaks the strict code of the Covenant to record the sordid details of his rebelious life from the days of his royal youth to self-appointed prophet of love. He begins his account with the greatest of heresies:
'I am Kinnall Darival and I mean to tell you all about myself.'
Winner of the Nebula Award for best novel.
- ISBN10 0586039953
- ISBN13 9780586039953
- Publish Date 20 February 1975 (first published 1 January 1971)
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 16 August 1991
- Publish Country GB
- Imprint HarperCollins Distribution Services
- Edition New edition
- Format Paperback
- Pages 208
- Language English