Space travel is tough. No air, cosmic radiation, absolute lack of other life-sustaining essentials.

What better way to deal with space travel than to man ships with creatures that regenerate, or don't need air, or are immune to various maladies?

In a future world where zombies, vampires and werewolves co-exist with "normal" humans on Earth, these ships are staffed by a motley crew of various types of undead, or near-dead, creatures.

Of course, no one really knows what happens when zombies and vampires are squeezed together in the close confines of a spaceship.

Don't you love surprises?

Mercedes Lackey is a New York Times best-selling author with over 80 books in print. She is well known for creating complex multi-cultural worlds, inhabited by human and non-human characters. Her acclaimed and best-selling series of books related to the Valdemar saga takes place in the intricately woven world of Velgarth. To date, there are 27 novels and six anthologies set in this world, and many of these books have become New York Times best sellers.