A time when robots and romen carry out the tasks. A time when man gets along with man. In the skies float the R.S.P.C.R. men - Royal Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Robots - and there seems to be little that can disturb the calm of 22nd Century man. That is, until a strange manuscript finds its way onto Birdlip's, the publisher's, desk. Javlin is preparing for his bout in the arena. He is in a strange world of insect captors, watching the Games for their amusement. And he does not know that his partner against the dreaded yillibeeths is to be - a woman. These are just two of the creations from the intergalactic pen of Brian Aldiss.