Sci-fi legend Alan Dean Foster on his new futuristic adventure 'Lost On Paradise': 'It's paradise until you get there, and then maybe you mess it up' (interview)

Few names in the science fiction literary world carry as much weight and respect as author Alan Dean Foster.

His award-winning 55-year career as a grandmaster of the genre continues with his latest novel from Blackstone Publishing, " Lost on Paradise ", and we have an exclusive excerpt to share with our readers ahead of its release this week.

Foster famously ghost-wrote the first " Star Wars " novelization for George Lucas in 1976 and "Splinter of the Mind’s Eye" in 1978, which was intended to be a low-budget Star Wars sequel should the space opera not become a hit.

He’s been a mainstay for go-to fantastic adventures featuring engaging characters, dynamic plotlines, and imaginative worlds for six decades.

In addition to crafting the screen story for " Star Trek: The Motion Picture ," Foster also wrote the novelizations for the first three "Alien" films , Disney's " The Black Hole ," John Carpenter's "The Thing," "The Last Starfighter," "Star Trek," "Transformers," "Terminator: Salvation", and many more.

Lost on Paradise by Alan Dean Foster: $19.99 New York Times bestselling author Alan Dean Foster, master of both action and emotion, reveals a world where everything is perfect, but nothing is as it seems… View Deal The near-future, off-world escapades of "Lost On Paradise" are the latest addition to Foster’s acclaimed bounty of bestselling standalone novels and series, including the popular "Spellsinger" series.

"Earth is crowded, polluted, and dismal," states the novel's synopsis.

"Like millions of others, Jonos and Liina scrape by on her poorly paying job and what little money he gets selling items scavenged from rich people’s trash.

Like millions of others, Jonos and Liina dream of Paradise.

A brilliant cover design heralds the arrival of Alan Dean Foster's latest novel (Image credit: Blackstone Publishing) "Paradise: a beautiful, clean, verdant world where three races live in harmony—at least, according to the videos sent back to Earth.

There are the Eiquan, masters of astonishing technology; the Lusanata, hunters and farmers; and humans, who may be restricted to a few scattered settlements, but still live a life ten times better than those on Earth.

"On the run after a criminal act, Jonos and Liina finally escape to Paradise.

It's everything they hoped for.

Until tragedy strikes." The genesis of Foster's "Lost on Paradise" is something that’s been percolating in his fertile mind for many years.