Captive of the Centaurianess

"Captive of the Centaurianess" by Poul Anderson is a science fiction novel that drops the reader into a future where space travel is ordinary. Ray Ballantyne, a nuclear engineer fleeing the law, barely escapes Earth before finding himself on a ship filled with strange passengers. Among them is the formidable Dyann Korlas, a warrior from Alpha Centauri and she brings a new twist to power dynamics. Ballantyne quickly learns that escaping Earth was just the beginning, as he now faces the Jovian Confederacy and all sorts of dangerous conflicts which build the rising tension. The initial escape from the Ecuador Spaceport, introduces the characters and Ray's new and thrilling reality. Facing threats at every turn, Ballantyne is about to experience adventures and suspense that hint at a much larger conflict in the galaxy.