If I may paraphrase:

...when in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the stars, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of natures God entitles them...

This is such a story. It’s the kind that hooked me on science fiction so may years ago. An epic tale of our future, of technological advancement, world building across 74 star systems and of alien first contact; but human nature itself hasn’t changed much, power and wealth still concentrate and corrupt. The old empire ruled by its dowager empress has imposed crippling taxes on 54 deep zone planets. Their resources are drained to feed the desires of the empires decadent aristocracy but there are those who dream to live free to develop what they sought when they traveled to the stars. This is their story. If you try it I think you’ll get hooked just as I did.

Towards that, Tor Books is releasing the first 100 pages of Herbert and Anderson's original novel, Hellhole, right here on Tor.com.

Tom Doherty is the publisher of Tor Books.