Book 53: "Fire Sanctuary" by Katharine Eliska Kimbriel

[kittiwake]

Nuala is a radioactive planet, whose inhabitants are descended from a scientific expedition who were unable to leave after the radioactivity damaged their ships beyond repair and have struggled with their species' fertility ever since. They are ruled by a hereditary monarchy, with a brother and sister of the Atare family ruling in each generation and the titles of Atare and Ragaree passing down the female line. Nominally part of the Axis (a federation of planets currently at war with two other groups), and close to the front line, they are abandoned to their fate when the front line shifts. After the bombs have rained down on Nuala, the Atares have to re-build their city and make a deal with the desert tribes to help them become self-sufficient in food, whilst also dealing with a rival aristocrat's treachery.

I have never heard of this author before, but I really enjoyed this book. Apparently there are a couple of sequels, but looking at Amazon it seems that her books might not be published in the UK (this copy came from America). "Fire Sanctuary" reminded me of the Darkover novels and is the sort of thing I used to read when I was a teenager, so even though I hadn't read it before, reading it made me feel somewhat nostalgic.