For 60,000 years, the worlds of the Galactic Milieu have observed Earth, waiting for humanity to evolve sufficiently to join them. Now, humanity is almost ready for Intervention. Across the world, children with unusual mental powers are being born, known as operants. One such is Rogi Remillard, humble book dealer. Helped by an entity he labels the family ghost, Rogi will inadvertently steer his family – and so all mankind – into the future. Rogi's journey starts with his nephew Denis, as he guides his strong metapsychic abilities. The young man's irresponsible father certainly isn't interested, focusing instead on his volatile son Victor. Yet Victor's own emerging powers make him increasingly dangerous. Events take a dark turn when Victor starts consorting with criminals, eventually setting his sights on undermining society itself. Only his family can bring him down, but Denis may be forced to call to the stars for help. 'Has irrevocably placed herself among the great of fantasy and science fiction' Azimov's Science Fiction, 'Excellent ... a host of interesting characters and incidents' InfinityPlus.co.uk

Born in 1931, Julian May sold her first short story to John W. Campbell's Astounding magazine in 1951. But she didn't return to genre fiction until the 1980s. May then wrote the phenomenally successful Saga of the Exiles, followed by the Galactic Milieu series. The Many-Coloured Land won the Locus Best Novel Award and was shortlisted for numerous other high-profile genre awards.