New Celebrations — Alexei Panshin

Many books have been hailed as “in the tradition of” The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy -- not this one; it came first. It may, however, be something of a precursor. A space-operatic comedy of manners and meditation on life, a cheerful noir thriller, New Celebrations comprises the first three, and so far only, novels about the enigmatic Anthony Villiers, a young man who trails both a mysterious past and a six-foot furred toad companion whose papers are not in order. From a space-station gambling resort, to a nice camping venue in a nature reserve, to the masquerade on Delbalso where arboreal peels grunt like clockwork, Villiers tours many odd social circles of the interstellar Nashuite Empire. Hounded by want of cash, by assassins and, worse, bureaucrats, he remains polite, has fun, and makes an impression. Meet him and see.

New Celebrations, which features cover art by Cory and Catska Ench, includes the first three books of the Anthony Villiers series: Star Well, with an Introduction by Samuel R. Delany (1968); The Thurb Revolution (1968); and Masque World (1969).