Edge Lords of Universe: Valerian and Laureline, Volume 19

 At the Edge of the Great Void is the nineteenth volume of the Valerian and Laureline series, the midmost part of a trilogy of volumes. The change from an almost purely terrestrial view in the previous volume to an exclusively celestial and cosmic one in the current volume could come across as jarring. I suspect, however, that those who read this volume when it was new were already heavily invested in the peripatetic scene changes of the series. Valerian and Laureline, having wrapped up affairs as best they could on twentieth century Earth, are now making their way to the titular edge of the Great Void in search of their old headquarters, before they offended the false gods of Earth. Since their support system from before is gone, they must rely on overtly dubious means to survive (their former bosses were not above underhanded moves). The antagonists, of course, use even more dubious means and are far less concerned about the welfare of individuals. On an economically shattered planet, Laureline recruits an woman, Ky Lai, a human by all exterior signs, from space Indochina. Laureline is very much the lead in this volume. After a brief stop on a "cemetery planet" to interrogate filthy thieving space scavengers, Valerian and Laureline and Indochinese Mrs. Kato arrive at Roubanis, the planet at the edge of the Great Void. Valerian is then sidelined for the most of the rest of the story so that Laureline and Ky Lai can use their powers of persuasion, deception, and textile manufacture to overthrow an unjust regime, a common plot in the Valerian and Laureline universe. There is a comedic subplot about the ridiculously violent way the space pirate captain chooses her crew for the voyage into the Great Void. Valerian and Laureline join the crew, while Ky Lai remains behind with her space Indochina people to make textiles.

This volume has a strong "middle book" feeling to it. It can be read on its own, but all the components of the story are pieces that need to be setup for the following volume.  Valerian and Laureline, like many long-running series, developed increasingly longer narrative rather than one-off stories connected by the series' theme.  The scale became grander, which is saying something when the first volume started with an galactic agent traveling through space and time in medieval Earth. The real question is what happens when our heroes meet the Lords of All the Cosmos - what could possibly happen in the following volume!?