The following version of this book was used to create this study guide: Mezieres, J.C.; Christin, P.; Tranle, E. Valerian and Laureline: The Land Without Stars; Cinebook, Cantebury, Kent, 2012. Kindle AZW file.

Mezieres and Christin's Valerian and Laureline: The Land Without Stars, is one of a series of graphic novels about the adventures of Valerian and Laureline. Valerian is the typical space hero and Laureline is his sidekick. As agents of the Spatio-Temporal Agency, they go on a series of missions. In this installment of the series, they are visiting the Ukbar, which is a very small solar system at the very edge of the explored universe. During their visit to the four planets of this solar system, Valerian becomes drunk on the local forms of beer. Laureline is furious with him but he is shaken from his drunken stupor when they discover that a planet is hurtling toward the Ukbar system.

Valerian and Laureline travel to the planet, identified as Zahir, and discover they can drive through the planet's surface. Inside Zahir, they discover a sun, a moon, and an entire civilization with three distinct tribes of people. They soon meet Mutahar, a member of the Lemm people, who explains the basics of how the planet's civilization operates. The Lemm people gather an explosive mineral called Flogum and sell it to the people of the two powerful cities of Zahir – Valsennar and Malka. Those people use it to wage war on each other. Valerian and Laureline soon realize that the constant explosions of this war are the reason Zahir is no longer in a safe orbit but is hurtling through space and about to strike the planets of Ukbar. Valerian tries to explain that to Mutahar, but he refuses to believe it.

Mutahar says “only men may go to Malka and only women are allowed into Valsennar” (17). He cannot explain why, only that it is a rule and that Valerian and Laureline must obey it. Valerian agrees. They soon discover that the men of Malka are treated as lowly slaves. They are servants who feel they are unworthy of anything other than fighting the war waged by their leader, Queen Klopka, and the women in power. Almost the exact opposite is true in Valsennar. Emperor Alzafrar is in control and the men do not participate in the war at all. They watch from a distance and view it as entertainment.

Valerian catches the eye of Queen Klopka by attacking Emperor Alazfrar. Laureline catches the emperor's attention by shooting down the flying bug Valerian is riding during the attack. With the attention of the leaders, they reveal the truth about the universe and the impending doom of Zahir, all because of the war they have been waging.

Valerian comes up with a plan to set off a series of carefully timed and placed explosions, and he successfully puts Zahir into orbit with the other planets of Ukbar. As the three societies of the planet come together to stop their destruction, they become allies. That alliance stretches past the emergency and Laureline reveals a “veritable epidemic of marriages,” including Queen Klopka and Emperor Alazfrar (48).