Once upon a time, and a very long time ago, a community of amphibious creatures lived in a lake on a very faraway planet. Their lives were serene, without fear, or threats, or problems; until, that is, the climate of their world changed and the lake began to dry up. And so they moved onto dry land. Here they were easy prey for various predatory animals, and they very nearly became extinct. However, they learnt how to use sticks to defend themselves and to move about. Eventually they developed crude exoskeletons. Thousands of years went by.

Whereas before they had no particular name, they now called themselves ‘croans’, meaning ‘those who came out of the water’. They equipped themselves with very sophisticated humanoid shaped exoskeletons. They were very, very clever. They were also very curious. They went into space and travelled to other worlds. One day a crew of seven set out on a three-planet mission. The first they visited was a place of dreams, legends and fantasy. The second was a world dominated by technology and power struggles, where war and peace alternated. In the third, conflict and catastrophe had destroyed most of its civilization. The survivors lived on the edge of great deserts, in which they excavated, trying to piece together life as it had once been.

The stories of the croans’ mission are recounted in the three novels: The Wishing Tree, Earthlight, and The Dream Hunters. I invite you to read and enjoy.