There are many elements to the world of the Books of Lightness. The following page includes brief descriptions, and pronunciations where appropriate, of some of those important terms that you may encounter.

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ADELA RICE (ah-DELL-uh RYEss) - a member of the Advanced Party.

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ALTABOREA (AL-tuh-bore-RAY-uh) - a minor Unity colony world.

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ANNA BENNETT - Lieutenant, commander of the Essegena colony's Advanced Party.

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ARVILA (arr-VIE-luh) - a colony world of the Unity.

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BELABORAS (beh-LA-bore-us) - the Unity homeworld.

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BESSELIE AND MAIVEN (BESS-ill-ee and MAY-ven) - lovers of legend.

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BESSILY EDWARDS (BESS-ill-ee EDD-woods) - a stablehand on Essegena.

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BOOKS OF LIGHTNESS, THE - the collected texts that form the basis of the Unity's pre-eminent religion, the Church of Lightness.

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BORROWOOD DYNASTY - led by Chris Ballard, a group of childhood friends from the town of Borrowood, Belaboras, with ambitions of securing significant power within the Unity.

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CARAX (cah-RAX) - two Unity colonies in a dual-system.

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CAROLINE BALLARD (cah-roe-LINE BALL-ard) - Chief Doctor and wife of the Governor of the Essegena colony.

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CHRIS BALLARD (CRISS BALL-ard) - the Governor of the Essegena colony.

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CHURCH OF LIGHTNESS - the Unity's pre-eminent religion.

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COBA (COE-buh) - a colony world of the Unity.

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CORRACK (coh-RACK) - the second-in-command of a Unity colony.

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DANI CARRIGAN - a member of the Borrowood Dynasty, whose death precipitated the Dynasty's dissolution.

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DAVID CLIFFORD - the Expeditionary Captain of the Essegena colony's armed forces.

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ESSEGENA (ESS-jeh-nuh) - the newest of the Unity's many colonies.

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GEORGE PRENDERGAST - the Speaker of the Essegena colony's Council.

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IAN FITZHENRY - the Corrack of the Essegena colony.

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JENATÉ (jeh-NA-tay) - a colony world of the Unity.

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KELSIERN (KELL-see-ern) - a colony world of the Unity.

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MACEL DONEA (MAY-sell DOH-nee-uh) - a member of the Essegena Colony armed forces.

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MARK BRADSHAW - General of the Armed Forces of Essegena.

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MENEGES (men-EDGE) - the red moon of Arvila.

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OLIVER WRACK - Master of Supply and one of the Reeves of Essegena.

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OPTERIS (op-TEHR-iss) - one of the Unity's oldest colonies.

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RESSENIN (RESS-sen-in) - a colony world of the Unity.

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RICHIE MANNAM (rich-EE MANN-um) - the Lord Constable of the Essegena colony.

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SAM PRESTON (SAM PRESS-tun) - a member of the Advanced Party.

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SESALA ROE (seh-SAY-luh ROW) - Tasha Wrack's Ladiesmaid

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TAVACK (TA-vack) - an abandoned colony world of the Unity.

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TAM PEULION (TAM PYOU-lee-un) - the High Commissioner of the Unity.

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TASHA WRACK (TASH-uh RACK) - wife of Oliver Wrack; sister of Tema Caerlin

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TEMA CAERLIN (TAY-muh CAY-er-lin) - one of the senior doctors of the Essegena colony.

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TOL MANASE (tol muh-NAH-say) - a colony world of the Unity.

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UNITY - the omniplanetary government of all humanity, derived from the colonial aspirations of old Belaboras.

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UTA (OO-tuh) - a colony world of the Unity.

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VILSA (VILL-suh) - an exotic fruit.