Majipoor Series

The Majipoor series is a series of novels and stories by Robert Silverberg, set on the planet Majipoor. The setting is a mixture of elements of science fiction and fantasy. The works in the series are as follows, in internal chronological order, with first publication dates in parentheses:

• "The Book of Changes" (novella, 2003)
• Sorcerers of Majipoor (1997)
• Lord Prestimion (1999)
• King of Dreams (2000)
• "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" ('novelette,' 2004)
• Lord Valentine's Castle (1980)
  • Locus Award winner, 1981
  • Hugo Award nominee, 1981
• Majipoor Chronicles (story collection, 1982)
• Valentine Pontifex (1983)
• "The Seventh Shrine" (novella, 1998)
• The Mountains of Majipoor (1995)

Majipoor is a planet much larger, though far less dense, than the Earth. It has been settled by humans, Ghayrogs, Skandars, Vroons, Liimen, Hjorts and other alien races for many thousands of years. These races live in an unstable truce with the shape-changing aboriginal inhabitants of the planet, the Piurivar. The planet is ruled by an unusual tetrarchy: an adoptive Coronal rules in a highly visible and symbolic manner from his palace atop Castle Mount; the previous Coronal retires to become the Pontifex, the head of the bureaucracy in an underground Labyrinth; the Coronal's mother becomes the Lady of the Isle of Sleep, promoting the morals of Majipoor by sending dreams to its inhabitants; while a hereditary King of Dreams on the distant continent of Suvrael punishes wrongdoers by visiting them with nightmares. The post of King of Dreams is created at the end of King of Dreams, while Valentine Pontifex ends with the creation of a fifth Power, representing the Piurivar.

It is referenced that Majipoor receives the occasional starship, but is generally considered a backwater planet. Metals of all sorts are scarce, since the planet has a very light crust. Technology is both pervasive and rare at the same time. For example, draft animals are used for farming and transport, but the animals used (called "mounts") were genetically created in the distant past. Many great engineering works are referenced, but these were created in the past also. Many modern technologies, such as TV and radio, seem to be nonexistent or of very limited use. The average Majipooran lives a peasant lifestyle, and agriculture is a common occupation.