Eden Chisholm is the project leader for the planned colonization of New Savannah. She and her all female crew have spent fifteen years in space reaching their destination.  They plan on using “frozen pops” to build the population.

But when the crew arrives, they find that the planet they plan to inhabit is already inhabited, by a group of men from the planet Xtania.  These men are part of a “brood” that has been banished because their queen failed to produce a female heir.

Baen is the leader of the Xtanians.  The men see the female colonists as queens to be worshipped and adored.  Each queen is expected to have a harem and produce their own brood.  The females have been without male company for fifteen years, and the Xtanians are very much like human males.  But not every female agrees that the men are harmless, which makes for some tense situations.

The Ninth Orb is an entertaining and well-written tale that held me captive.  I loved watching the colonists and the Xtanians try to overcome language and cultural differences and come to terms with how to live together.

Lovers of science fiction will enjoy The Ninth Orb. I know that I did.