Catherine Asaro's Saga of the Skolian Empire may be the most important and entertaining science fiction series to originate in the 1990s. However, its novels have not always been published in chronological order, and they share a vast cast. Newcomers should start with the ninth novel, Skyfall (2003); it takes place a generation earlier than, and sets the stage for, the previous novels. Roca Skolia is not only the imperial heiress; she's one of the exceedingly rare Rhon psions, gifted with great telepathic and empathic powers. She's been traveling alone and incognito through the galaxy, but now she must return home. She's the Skolian Empire's sole hope of preventing interstellar war with the Eubian Concord. Traveling the galactic backwaters has its risks, however, and Roca finds herself on Skyfall, a primitive, isolated planet. Skyfall isn't connected to the interstellar information network, so Roca can't contact Skolia; and if she misses the next starship, there won't be another for months--or years. Roca is abducted from the tiny starport by a barbaric local lord, Eldrinson Althor Valdoria--a man who, against all odds, may be another Rhon psion. Roca finds herself trapped in Eldrinson's remote mountain castle as blizzards pile the blue alien snow high...and the army of Eldrinson's barbarian rival surrounds the castle. --Cynthia Ward