The novel takes place at Rubicon, a fictional science fiction convention being held in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, DC, and at which the guests of honor are Appin Dungannon, a fantasy author noted for his books about hero Tratyn Runewind, and Dr. James O. Mega, an electrical engineering professor at Virginia Tech, who, under the pen name Jay Omega, has written one novel.

That novel, a hard science fiction book about a space station crew whose female members are affected by radiation from a dying star (which causes them to become less intelligent), was retitled Bimbos of the Death Sun and given an R-rated cover by the publisher.

Mega is somewhat lost in the world of hardcore SF and fantasy fans at the con, but his companion, Marion, a professor of English literature, is more familiar with these events, and she guides him through it.

Jay and Marion begin investigating and discover many things about Dungannon - he was working on what was to be the last Runewind book, while revealing the depths of his hatred for the character, and that someone had tried to erase the last chapter that depicted Tratyn's humiliating death.

Dave Langford reviewed Bimbos of the Death Sun for White Dwarf #99, and stated that "McCrumb deploys her research with kitchen-sink enthusiasm, neatly caricaturing several SF fan stereotypes but striking an unconvincing note when all these wildly different and often mutually intolerant types sit down to play D&D together.