Uma luz diferente
Este romance de Elizabeth Lynn foi originalmente publicado em 1978, o que torna o cronograma certo. A descrição na Amazon é uma combinação perfeita para os detalhes mencionados na pergunta:
In the future, cancer has been eliminated on Earth. Despite his diagnosis, celebrated artist Jimson Alleca can live peacefully for another twenty years if he stays on the planet to receive his medication. But Jimson does not want peace; he wants love. Even though it will shorten his lifespan, giving him one single year more, Jimson leaves space-normal to enter “the Hype,” a shimmering space outside of space. He goes in search of his former lover, the star captain Russell O’Neill. What he finds is enough adventure and freedom to fill a lifetime.
O número de "vinte anos" não é mencionado no livro, embora os números na sinopse correspondam exatamente à descrição (talvez esteja na contracapa), mas é verdade que viajar para outros planetas acelerará a morte de Jimson:
"Nothing’s changed. The mutation rate of cancers sent through Hyperspace is still 96%. Jim—why can’t you forget it? There’s a whole world for you here."
"Because I’ve stopped working." He tried to be precise. "I’m a rat in a cage: an illustrious rat, and it’s a plush cage, but I can still see bars." His left leg began to ache and he cursed it silently. "I think the bars would dissolve in my head if I could get off New Terrain. See something new. I’m tired of what I can see. I want to see something different. And it’s been fourteen years since I’ve wanted anything as badly."
"You can go," Raina said evenly. "You can go off-world as soon as you get a renewable drug disc. And you can go through the Hype, and it will kill you."
A Different Light
Ele é empregado para roubar algumas máscaras raras. Ele escolhe desenhar as máscaras, em vez de roubá-las, e vender os esboços ao seu cliente:
“Give me a night, Russell.”
“Why?”
“Give me a night, and you won’t need to take De Vala a Mask. I can bring them back for you. Last time I looked, my name was good for something. I’ll draw them. The Crystal Masks, by Jimson Alleca. De Vala’s a collector. He’ll know what they’re worth. It’s a better bargain for him, more things to hang on his walls. If he isn’t a telepath, he won’t mind the substitution. He’ll pay you for them. And if he is a telepath—well, maybe he shouldn’t have a Mask.”
A Different Light