The Dream Vessel

Postapocalyptic rebels embark on a dangerous sea voyage in the second Merquan Chronicles novel from “a writer to watch closely” (Roger Zelazny).

An enticing new world awaits—but getting there is half the battle. Destroying a ruthless dictator, it turns out, was easy by comparison. Merqua’s revolutionaries find themselves landlocked, and the only hope for civilization lies beyond a wild and perilous ocean. Only one shipyard can produce a vessel that is up to the crossing. But how do you negotiate with—or trust—slavers, powder-snorting pirates, and cannibals? To complicate matters, the Rasta mystic Pec-Pec lurks in the background. The power of a world-changing mission has captured his attention. How will this inscrutable magic man, with allegiance to no one, twist the mission to serve his own dark plans?

Jeff Bredenberg spent the first two decades of his publishing career working for newspapers, primarily writing and editing in Chicago, Denver, St. Louis, and four other cities. He published three science fiction novels—The Dream Compass, The Dream Vessel, and The Man in the Moon Must Die—plus several short stories in magazines and anthologies.

In his “day job,” Bredenberg was an independent writer and editor specializing in how-to and health topics. He wrote, edited, or contributed to more than twenty-five books. He was a frequent contributor to home-oriented magazines, as well. Bredenberg made frequent media appearances, including spots on The Late Show With David Letterman, The Rachael Ray Show, and the CBS Early Show. Bredenberg lived in the suburbs of Philadelphia with his wife and two sons.

Jeff Bredenberg died on March 2, 2010, of glioblastoma, a brain tumor. He was fifty-six. Learn more about Jeff at jeffbredenberg.com and howtocheatbooks.com.