Sparks leaves for the Winter town of Carbuncle where Arienrhod rules, and once the queen hears that her clone’s cousin is there, she uses him to draw Moon near. While Moon passes the test, Sparks does not which causes a rift between them, particularly as it is known that to love a sybil is death. Ever since they were young, Moon and Sparks have dreamed of becoming sybils, whom the Summers respect for their ability to enter into a trance and answer questions posed to them truly. Moon and her cousin Sparks grew up together – and grew to love each other. Only one of these doubles grows up to be a possibility for Arienrhod’s successor, Moon Dawntreader Summer. The reign of the Winter Queen, Arienrhod, is drawing to an end after 150 years during which she has been kept young by the “water of life.” Reluctant to lose her important position, Arienrhod secretly had several clones created and raised as Summers in the hopes that one will survive and succeed her as queen. The Winters enjoy the technological benefits of the offworlders who visit during their time in power, but the Summers are a more spiritual people who do not share the Winters’ interest in technology and are considered to be a rather primitive people by the Winters. Once the gate closes and the foreigners leave, the Winter Queen is removed in favor of a Summer Queen.

For about 150 years, the Stargate to other worlds remains open and during this time Tiamat is ruled by a Winter Queen. The planet Tiamat is divided into two peoples, the Winters and the Summers. The story of The Snow Queen is loosely based on Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale sharing the same title.

Unfortunately, The Snow Queen and World’s End are both out of print now. The most recent novel set in this universe, Tangled Up In Blue, is a stand-alone about BZ Gundhalinu that takes place during the earlier part of The Snow Queen. The Summer Queen is the direct sequel to The Snow Queen and was nominated for a Hugo Award in 1992.

This science fiction novel was followed by a shorter novel, World’s End, which is the story of what happened to BZ Gundhalinu after the first novel ended.

Vinge won the Hugo Award in 1981 and was also nominated for a Nebula Award.

Joan vinge the snow queen