Night Train to Rigel, Timothy Zahn
Night Train to Rigel, Timothy Zahn
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Night Train to Rigel

Author: Timothy Zahn

Series: Quadrail

Narrator: Kevin T. Collins

Unabridged: 12 hr 19 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 01/28/2025


Synopsis

A secret agent aboard a galactic railroad must derail a sinister conspiracy in this "rip-roaring" thriller by the author of Star Wars: Thrawn (Publishers Weekly).

The universe is a dangerous place, a fact violently brought home to Frank Compton for perhaps the thousandth time when a stranger delivering a message dies right in front of him. An operative for Western Alliance Intelligence until his whistle-blowing activities got him fired, Compton is now being sought out by the Spiders, the robotic alien beings responsible for the upkeep and operation of the Quadrail transportation system, which connects the galaxy's twelve inhabited empires. The discovery of a sinister plot to use the Quadrail for ill has brought the Spiders to Compton—for only someone possessing the former agent's unique skills can stop the scheme for good.

But when Compton leaves Earth behind—joining forces with Bayta, the Spiders' beautiful, half-human representative aboard the Quadrail—the terrifying scope of a vast, galaxy-wide conspiracy begins to reveal itself. Targeted on all sides by alien assassins of every shape and species, Compton and his enigmatic new partner are suddenly in a race against a clock ticking down to an irreversible doomsday, one in which the galactic night train will derail, carrying all members of humanity screaming to their deaths.

About Timothy Zahn

It is not often that you hear of someone going through several years of postgraduate education, who ends up turning a hobby into their life's, paying, productive work. Such is the unusual story of American author, Timothy Zahn, who was born in 1951, grew up in Lombard, IL and graduated with a B.S. Degree in physics from Michigan State University. He then proceeded to the University of IL where he received his M.S. Degree in 1975. After beginning his doctorate in physics, his advisor passed away, and he never did complete the studies.

Zahn had started writing as a hobby, so when his plans changed, he took his writing of science fiction to a higher level. Zahn is best known for his Thrawn Star Wars series of novels. He has also had other novels of fantasy and science fiction. There are also many works that he has penned in short story fiction.

Zahn and his wife Anna live in Bandon, Oregon and have one son, Corwin Zahn.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Dirk on January 19, 2023

Okay, so I am just going to throw the maximum number of stars at this. It is always the ones you don't expect it from, that crawl under your skin. Night Train To Rigel is a deceptively fun, sprawling space adventure in the James Bond mould. It also happens to centre around an intriguing concept, name......more

Goodreads review by Katy on June 15, 2011

This book is not meant to be thought-provoking; its characters are not meant to be great thinkers nor are they meant to be overly developed; it is not written to become the next Great American Novel. No - it is meant to be a fun romp, an homage to the spy flicks that it constantly references. The ol......more

This is the first of a five book “Quadrail” series. And, my GR friends are likely aware that I know how it ends because I have previous reviewed books #3,4, and 5. I liked this series so much that I have gone back to book #1 to see how it all began. Frank Compton, the best trouble-shooter/private eye......more

Goodreads review by Sadie on March 15, 2018

2.5 I think it took me a lifetime to read this book. Ok, maybe it just felt that way because I was bored for so much of it. Honestly, it's not a bad book. But I felt it went on longer than it needed to, considering the plot was just a guy riding a galactic train back and forwards, following handily l......more

Goodreads review by Emma on February 13, 2021

If the first half had been as good as the second half this book would have earned an extra star. The story took too long to really kick in and there was a real disconnect for me with the main characters. I enjoyed the concept of the Modhri.......more