In the Courts of the Crimson Kings

Infobox Book
name = In the Courts of the Crimson Kings
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption =
author = S. M. Stirling
illustrator =
cover_artist =
country = United States
language = English
series =
genre = alternate history, science fiction
publisher = Tor Books
release_date = 2008
media_type = Print
pages = 304 (hardcover)
isbn = 978-0765314895
preceded_by = The Sky People
followed_by =

"In the Courts of the Crimson Kings" is a 2008 alternate history, science fiction novel by American writer S. M. Stirling.

Plot introduction

The story takes place on the planet Mars in an alternate solar system where probes from the United States of America and the Soviet Union, find intelligent life and civilizations on both Venus and Mars. The book is heavily influenced by the works of writers such as Edgar Rice Burroughs, Ray Bradbury, and Leigh Brackett, among others. The prequel, "The Sky People", is set on Venus.

Plot summary

The novel begins in 1962 where several famous science fiction authors are watching an American space probe as it lands on an inhabited Mars. They watch as human-like Martians arrive in a "land ship" and take the probe with them.

In 2000, both the US and Sino-Soviet "Eastbloc" have bases on the planet. The US has their base off in the wilderness away from the major cities while the Eastbloc have placed their base inside the remnants of the Tollamune emperor's realm within Olympus Mons, a ruling dynasty that once ruled all Mars. Although in decline, Martian civilization is somewhat older than that of Earth and has considerable expertise in genetic engineering.

Archeologist Jeremy Wainman is sent by the U.S. Aero-Space Force to explore the lost city of Rema-Dza out in the "Great Beyond", or the Martian desert. The USASF also hires a female Martian mercenary, Teyud za-Zhalt, who leads the expedition to the city. While fighting a pack of feral engines under the city, Jeremy and Teyud fall in love.

It becomes apparent that there is more to Teyud than she initially recounts. When the expedition discovers the lost "Invisible Crown" of the Tollamune emperors, a symbol of authority that gives the wearer immense power, everyone is startled to find that Teyud can wear it even though only someone from the Tollamune dynasty is capable of doing so. Teyud admits that she is the illegitimate daughter of the current emperor. Now the former mercenary commands the power of an ancient technological artifact allegedly created by the aliens that terraformed Mars and Venus, and seeded them with life from Earth.

Jeremy and Teyud soon discover that there are Tollamune dynastic factions who know of Teyud's ancestry and are looking to either kill or capture her. Jeremy himself is captured while attempting to protect Teyud. This forces her, with the help of her father's soldiers, to attempt to rescue him from the fortress of a potential usurper, who had been displaced from the imperial succession after the Emperor recognises his daughter's legitimacy. The Crown Prince is later defeated after playing a game of Martian chess using people as the pieces, including Teyud and Jeremy. Teyud's father also dies passing the title of emperor to her.

With the Crown Prince dead and a Tollamune once again ruling all of Mars, Teyud takes Jeremy as her prince consort. The couple are visited by an ancient alien computer program which cryptically announces that they will proceed to the next stage. Though both are unsure what this means, but they soon discover that three interdimensional "Gates" have opened up on Earth, Venus and Mars, each leading to another world. The book ends with Teyud and Jeremy visiting "Vow'da" (Moon World) the new colony on the other side of the Martian gate.