Tales of the Terran Republic

Series · 10 books · 2013-2023

By Kacey Ezell, Griffin Barber, Charles E. Gannon, and more

Books in series

Fire with Fire

2013

An agent for a spy organization uncovers an alien alliance in nearby interstellar space—an alliance that will soon involve humanity in politics and war on a galactic scale. 2105, September: Intelligence Analyst Caine Riordan uncovers a conspiracy on Earth’s Moon—a history-changing clandestine project—and ends up involuntarily cryocelled for his troubles. Twelve years later, Riordan awakens to a changed world. Humanity has achieved faster-than-light travel and is pioneering nearby star systems. And now, Riordan is compelled to become an inadvertent agent of conspiracy himself. Riordan’s mission: travel to a newly settled world and investigate whether a primitive local species was once sentient—enough so to have built a lost civilization. However, arriving on site in the Delta Pavonis system, Caine discovers that the job he’s been given is anything but secret or safe. With assassins and saboteurs dogging his every step, it's clear that someone doesn't want his mission to succeed. In the end, it takes the broad-based insights of an intelligence analyst and a matching instinct for intrigue to ferret out the truth: that humanity is neither alone in the cosmos nor safe. Earth is revealed to be the lynchpin planet in an impending struggle for interstellar dominance, a struggle into which it is being irresistibly dragged. Discovering new dangers at every turn, Riordan must now convince the powers-that-be that the only way for humanity to survive as a free species is to face the perils directly—and to fight fire with fire.

Trial by Fire

2014

When reluctant interstellar diplomat and intelligence operative Caine Riordan returns from humanity's first encounter with alien races, sudden war clouds burst. With Earth's fleet shattered by a sneak attack and its survivors fighting for their lives, Caine must rely upon both his first contact and weaponry skills to contend with the non-humanoid enemy. And when the technologically-superior attackers sweep aside the solar system's last defenses, and traitorous corporations invite the invaders to land 'security forces,' humanity fights back with its best weapons: cunning, inventiveness, and guts. But as Earth hurtles towards a final trial by fire that is certain to scar its collective memory, Caine discovers that there may also be large and disturbing gaps in that memory. Clues point to a much earlier inter-species apocalypse, buried in humanity's own prehistory. Which raises a terrifying possibility: what if the aliens' invasion of Earth is not one of conquest, but preemption? And what if their harrowing memories of a long-past cataclysmic war makes them willing to do anything to keep it from reigniting? Even if that means exterminating the human race.

Raising Caine

2015

Book Three in the Nebula award nominated and Compton Crook award winning series. Science fiction adventure on a grand scale. Caine Riordan, reluctant diplomatic and military intelligence operative, has just finished playing his part repulsing the Arat Kur’s and Hkh’Rkh’s joint invasion of Earth. But scant hours after the attackers surrender, the mysterious but potentially helpful Slaasriithi appeal to Caine to shepherd a diplomatic mission on a visit to their very alien worlds. The possible prize: a crucial alliance in a universe where the fledgling Consolidated Terran Republic has very few friends. But Caine and his legation aren’t the only ones journeying into the unknown reaches of Slaasriithi space. A group of renegade K’tor are following them, intending to destroy humanity’s hopes for a quick alliance. And that means finding and killing Caine Riordan. Assuming that the bizarre and dangerous Slaasriithi lifeforms don’t do it first. About Trial by Fire: “I seriously enjoyed Trial by Fire. This one’s a tidal wave—can’t put it down. An excellent book.” —Jack McDevitt on the prequel "Gannon's whiz-bang second Tales of the Terran Republic interstellar adventure delivers on the promise of the first (Fire with Fire)... The charm of Caine's harrowing adventure lies in Gannon's attention to detail, which keeps the layers of political intrigue and military action from getting too dense. The dozens of key characters, multiple theaters of operations, and various alien cultures all receive the appropriate amount of attention. The satisfying resolution is enhanced by the promise of more excitement to come in this fascinating far-future universe."—Publishers Weekly Starred Review ". . . definitely one to appeal to the adventure fans. Riordan is a smart hero, up against enormous obstacles and surrounded by enemies. Author Gannon does a good job of managing action and tension to keep the story moving, and the details of the worlds Riordan visits are interesting in their own right.."—Analog " . . . offers the type of hard science-fiction those familiar with the John Campbell era of Analog Science Fiction will remember. Gannon throws his readers into an action-packed adventure. A sequel to Fire With Fire, it is a nonstop tale filled with military science-fiction action." —Daily News of Galveston County About Compton Crook award winner for best first novel, Fire with Fire: “Chuck Gannon is one of those marvelous finds—someone as comfortable with characters as he is with technology, and equally adept at providing those characters with problems to solve. Imaginative, fun, and not afraid to step on the occasional toe or gore the occasional sacred cow, his stories do not disappoint.”—David Weber "If we meet strong aliens out there, will we suffer the fate of the Aztecs and Incas, or find the agility to survive? Gannon fizzes with ideas about the dangerous politics of first contact.”—David Brin "The plot is intriguing and then some. Well-developed and self-consistent; intelligent readers are going to like it."—Jerry Pournelle "[T]he intersecting plot threads, action and well-conceived science kept those pages turning."—SF Crowsnest About Starfire series hit, Extremis, coauthored by Charles E. Gannon: “Vivid. . . Battle sequences mingle with thought-provoking exegesis . . .”—Publishers Weekly "It’s a grand, fun series of battles and campaigns, worthy of anything Dale Brown or Larry Bond ever wrote." —Analog About Charles E. Gannon: "[A] strong [writer of] . . . military SF. . .[much] action going on in his work, with a lot of physics behind it. There is a real sense of the urgency of war and the sacrifices it demands." —Locus

Caine's Mutiny

2017

A new entry in the critically acclaimed Caine Riordan science fiction series by three-time Nebula nominee Charles E. Gannon! Science fiction on a grand scale. Prequels Raising Caine, Trial by Fire and Fire with Fire were all Nebula Award finalists. Charles E. Gannon is also the winner of the Compton Crook Award. Caine Riordan, fresh from serving as envoy to the aliens known as the Slaasriithi, has been given yet another daunting task: apprehend raiders that are terrorizing a distant planet. As difficulties mount, Caine becomes aware that the mission his superiors sent him to perform may not be the one they actually hope he will achieve. Which means Caine may be forced to choose between honoring a promise to friends or following orders—a choice that could ultimately put him in front of a board of inquiry. Or a firing squad. At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). About Raising Caine: "Raising Caine unveils a lot of thought-provoking ideas but ultimately this is a space opera adventure. There are space battles, daring emergency landings, desperate quests, hand-to-hand combat, and double-and-triple crosses. It’s an engrossing read. You owe it to yourself to read the two previous books in order. Then enjoy Raising Caine. It’s an intergalactic thrill-ride."—Fantasy and Science Ficton Book and Audiobook Reviews "This is science-fiction adventure on a grand scale."—Kirkus "Gannon’s harrowing . . . military space opera (following Trial by Fire) builds well on his established setting . . . Gannon’s signature attention to developing realistic alien worlds makes this installment satisfying."—Publishers Weekly “. . . an incredibly active book . . . as our protagonists are confronted by the beautiful, terrible, and sometimes lethal variety of the universe and its inhabitants... a whole mess of fun . . . that manages to be scientifically accurate while refraining from excessive wonkiness. Those who value meticulous world-building . . . will certainly have their needs met.”—BN Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog About Nebula-nominated second entry, Trial by Fire: “I seriously enjoyed Trial by Fire. This one’s a tidal wave—can’t put it down. An excellent book.” —Jack McDevitt on the prequel "Gannon's whiz-bang second Tales of the Terran Republic interstellar adventure delivers on the promise of the first (Fire with Fire) . . . The charm of Caine's harrowing adventure lies in Gannon's attention to detail, which keeps the layers of political intrigue and military action from getting too dense. The dozens of key characters, multiple theaters of operations, and various alien cultures all receive the appropriate amount of attention. The satisfying resolution is enhanced by the promise of more excitement to come in this fascinating far-future universe."—Publishers Weekly Starred Review " . . . definitely one to appeal to the adventure fans. Riordan is a smart hero, up against enormous obstacles and surrounded by enemies. Author Gannon does a good job of managing action and tension to keep the story moving, and the details of the worlds Riordan visits are interesting in their own right.."—Analog " . . .

Marque of Caine

2019

Book 5 in the critically acclaimed Caine Riordan science fiction series by three-time Nebula nominee Charles E. Gannon. Science fiction on a grand scale. Prequels Raising Caine, Trial by Fire and Fire with Fire were all Nebula Award finalists. Charles E. Gannon is also the winner of the Compton Crook Award and a Dragon Award nominee. BLAZE A TRAIL THROUGH DANGEROUS WORLDS It’s been two years since Caine Riordan was relieved of his command for following both his orders and his conscience. Now he’s finally received the message he’s been waiting a summons to visit the ancient and enigmatic Dornaani. And this time, making direct contact is not just professional, but the Dornaani still have his mortally wounded love, Elena Corcoran, in their unthinkably advanced medical facilities. But instead of arranging a swift reunion, Riordan’s new Dornaani hosts have lost track of Elena’s surgical cryocell. Riordan must blaze his own trail through dying and dangerous worlds to find the mother of his child, her fate as uncertain as the true agenda of the Dornaani leaders. However, as new clues and new threats push Caine’s quest beyond the edge of known space, he discovers that the Dornaani empire is not merely decaying; there are subtle signs that its decline is being accelerated from without. Which means that rescuing Elena is just half the mission. Riordan must report that the Dornaani collapse is not only being engineered, but that it is the prelude to a far more malign To clear a path for a foe bent on destroying Earth. About Caine's "This is military Science Fiction the way it’s supposed to be written... All in all, a highly satisfying tale of the Terran Republic that moves the story forward and setting us up for the next chapter, which promises to be interesting at worst and explosive at best." — SF Crowsnest About Raising Caine : "Raising Caine unveils a lot of thought-provoking ideas but ultimately this is a space opera adventure. There are space battles, daring emergency landings, desperate quests, hand-to-hand combat, and double-and-triple crosses. It’s an engrossing read. You owe it to yourself to read the two previous books in order. Then enjoy Raising Caine . It’s an intergalactic thrill-ride." — Fantasy and Science Fiction Book and Audiobook Reviews "This is science-fiction adventure on a grand scale." — Kirkus "Gannon’s harrowing . . . military space opera (following Trial by Fire ) builds well on his established setting . . . Gannon’s signature attention to developing realistic alien worlds makes this installment satisfying." — Publishers Weekly “ . . . an incredibly active book . . . as our protagonists are confronted by the beautiful, terrible, and sometimes lethal variety of the universe and its inhabitants... a whole mess of fun . . . that manages to be scientifically accurate while refraining from excessive wonkiness. Those who value meticulous world-building . . . will certainly have their needs met.” — BN Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog About Nebula-nominated second entry, Trial by “I seriously enjoyed Trial by Fire. This one’s a tidal wave—can’t put it down. An excellent book.” —Jack McDevitt "Gannon's whiz-bang second Tales of the Terran Republic interstellar adventure delivers on the promise of the first ( Fire with Fire ) . . . The charm of Caine's harrowing adventure lies in Gannon's attention to detail, which keeps the layers of political intrigue and military action from getting too dense. The dozens of key characters, multiple theaters of operations, and various alien cultures all receive the appropriate amount of attention. The satisfying resolution is enhanced by the promise of more excitement to come in this fascinating far-future universe." — Publishers Weekly, starred review " . . . definitely one to appeal to the adventure fans. Riordan is a smart hero, up against enormous obstacles and surrounded by enemies. Author Gannon does a good job of managing action and tension to keep the story moving, and the details of the worlds Riordan visits are interesting in their own right." — Analog " . . . offers the type of hard science-fiction those familiar with the John Campbell era of Analog Science Fiction will remember. Gannon throws his readers into an action-packed adventure. A sequel to Fire With Fire, it is a nonstop tale filled with military science-fiction action." — Daily News of Galveston County About Compton Crook Award-winner for best first novel, Fire with “Chuck Gannon is one of those marvelous finds—someone as comfortable with characters as he is with technology, and equally adept at providing those characters with problems to solve. Imaginative, fun, and not afraid to step on the occasional toe or gore the occasional sacred cow, his stories do not disappoint.” —David Weber "If we meet strong aliens out there, will we suffer the fate of the Aztecs and Incas, or find the agility to survive? Gannon fizzes with ideas about the dangerous politics of first contact.” —David Brin "The plot is intriguing and then some. Well-developed and self-consistent; intelligent readers are going to like it." —Jerry Pournelle "[T]he intersecting plot threads, action and well-conceived science kept those pages turning." — SF Crowsnest About Starfire series hit, Extremis, coauthored by Charles E. “Vivid . . . Battle sequences mingle with thought-provoking exegesis . . . ” — Publishers Weekly "It’s a grand, fun series of battles and campaigns, worthy of anything Dale Brown or Larry Bond ever wrote." — Analog About Charles E. "Chuck Gannon writes the kind of science fiction we all grew up rousing, mind-expanding, pulse-pounding sagas of spaceships and aliens. He's a terrific writer, and we're lucky to have him." —Robert J. Sawyer "[A] strong [writer of] . . . military SF . . . [much] action going on in his work, with a lot of physics behind it. There is a real sense of the urgency of war and the sacrifices it demands." — Locus

Endangered Species

2023

CAINE RIORDAN RETURNS . . . AND FACES DOWN HIS BIGGEST CHALLENGE YET! Caine Riordan has faced many crises in his unintended career as diplomat, soldier, and first contact specialist, but none more challenging than the one he faces now. He and twelve of his crew are adrift in uncharted space, so far beyond Earth that the starfield is unrecognizable. And with the controls and computer destroyed, they have no way to calculate their position or call for rescue. Instead, trapped on a derelict alien ship, they have only forty-eight hours before its decaying orbit causes it to burn up in the atmosphere of the strange planet beneath them. It’s a silent and forbidding world of bleak deserts and turbulent seas, without any sign of life and dominated by violent storms. But since the ship's lander is also useless, they've got only one way to reach the flimsy, foam-inflating cargo drop pods never intended for human use, let alone an emergency planet-fall. And even if they live through the fiery plummet from low orbit, they have almost no portable gear with which to survive in an arid alien wilderness. However, those who make it to the surface discover that the dangers they couldn’t see from space are by far the most deadly. A variety of bizarre, carnivorous species roam the barren wastes, desperate for food. Their primary competition? Deeply devolved transgen humans that are as uncommunicative as they are primitive and ferocious. Even more ominous, the world’s blasted cities have tell-tale signs which indicate its original masters were none other than humanity's most dangerous the Ktor. And worst of all, they may still be here. About Caine's "This is military Science Fiction the way it’s supposed to be written... All in all, a highly satisfying tale of the Terran Republic that moves the story forward and setting us up for the next chapter, which promises to be interesting at worst and explosive at best."—SFcrowsnest About Raising Caine: "Raising Caine unveils a lot of thought-provoking ideas, but ultimately this is a space opera adventure. There are space battles, daring emergency landings, desperate quests, hand-to-hand combat, and double-and-triple crosses. It’s an engrossing read. You owe it to yourself to read the two previous books in order. Then enjoy Raising Caine. It’s an intergalactic thrill-ride." —Fantasy and Science Fiction Book and Audiobook Reviews "This is science-fiction adventure on a grand scale." —Kirkus "Gannon’s harrowing . . . military space opera (following Trial by Fire) builds well on his established setting . . . Gannon’s signature attention to developing realistic alien worlds makes this installment satisfying." —Publishers Weekly “\[A\]n incredibly active book . . . as our protagonists are confronted by the beautiful, terrible, and sometimes lethal variety of the universe and its inhabitants... A whole mess of fun . . . that manages to be scientifically accurate while refraining from excessive wonkiness. Those who value meticulous worldbuilding . . . will certainly have their needs met.” —BN Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog About Nebula-nominated second entry Trial by “I seriously enjoyed Trial by Fire. This one’s a tidal wave—can’t put it down. An excellent book.” —Jack McDevitt "Gannon's whiz-bang second Tales of the Terran Republic interstellar adventure delivers on the promise of the first (Fire with Fire) . . . The charm of Caine's harrowing adventure lies in Gannon's attention to detail, which keeps the layers of political intrigue and military action from getting too dense. The dozens of key characters, multiple theaters of operations, and various alien cultures all receive the appropriate amount of attention. The satisfying resolution is enhanced by the promise of more excitement to come in this fascinating far-future universe." —Publishers Weekly, starred review "\[D\]efinitely one to appeal to the adventure fans. Riordan is a smart hero, up against enormous obstacles and surrounded by enemies. Author Gannon does a good job of managing action and tension to keep the story moving, and the details of the worlds Riordan visits are interesting in their own right." —Analog " \[O\]ffers the type of hard science-fiction those familiar with the John Campbell era of Analog Science Fiction will remember. Gannon throws his readers into an action-packed adventure. A sequel to Fire With Fire, it is a nonstop tale filled with military science-fiction action." —The Galveston County Daily News About Compton Crook Award-winner for best first novel Fire with “Chuck Gannon is one of those marvelous finds—someone as comfortable with ch...

Protected Species

2023

BEST-SELLING CAINE RIORDAN SERIES CONTINUES Caine Riordan and his self-styled “Crewe” have survived their first months on the planet they call Bactradgaria. They’ve overcome floods, dust storms, tornadoes, searing heat, bitter cold, desperate battles, and attacks by various strange species. However, their most desperate struggles have been against the wildly ferocious x’qao, for whom the pursuit and genocide of other beings is as much a sport as it is a strategy. Accordingly, Caine and his friends realize that if they are to endure, they must not merely survive but thrive. So far, they’ve done just that and made friends along the way. But a few scattered tribes and towns can't defeat the x’qao and their vassals. To do that, humans must claw higher up the food chain . . . before they tumble off into extinction. At the publisher’s request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). Praise for the Caine Riordan “This is military Science Fiction the way it’s supposed to be written... All in all, a highly satisfying tale of the Terran Republic that moves the story forward and setting us up for the next chapter, which promises to be interesting at worst and explosive at best.” — SFcrowsnest “ Raising Caine unveils a lot of thought-provoking ideas, but ultimately this is a space opera adventure. There are space battles, daring emergency landings, desperate quests, hand-to-hand combat, and double-and-triple crosses. It’s an engrossing read. You owe it to yourself to read the two previous books in order. Then enjoy Raising Caine. It’s an intergalactic thrill-ride.” — Fantasy and Science Ficton Book and Audiobook Reviews “This is science-fiction adventure on a grand scale.” — Kirkus “Gannon’s harrowing . . . military space opera (following Trial by Fire ) builds well on his established setting . . . Gannon’s signature attention to developing realistic alien worlds makes this installment satisfying.” — Publishers Weekly “\[A\]n incredibly active book . . . as our protagonists are confronted by the beautiful, terrible, and sometimes lethal variety of the universe and its inhabitants... A whole mess of fun . . . that manages to be scientifically accurate while refraining from excessive wonkiness. Those who value meticulous worldbuilding . . . will certainly have their needs met.” — BN Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog “Gannon’s whiz-bang second Tales of the Terran Republic interstellar adventure delivers on the promise of the first ( Fire with Fire ) . . . The charm of Caine’s harrowing adventure lies in Gannon’s attention to detail, which keeps the layers of political intrigue and military action from getting too dense. The dozens of key characters, multiple theaters of operations, and various alien cultures all receive the appropriate amount of attention. The satisfying resolution is enhanced by the promise of more excitement to come in this fascinating far-future universe.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review “\[D\]efinitely one to appeal to the adventure fans. Riordan is a smart hero, up against enormous obstacles and surrounded by enemies. Author Gannon does a good job of managing action and tension to keep the story moving, and the details of the worlds Riordan visits are interesting in their own right.” — Analog Charles E. Gannon is the author of the Compton Crook Award-winning, Nebula-nominated Caine Riordan series, as well as two novels in John Ringo’s Black Tide Rising series. With best seller Steve White, Gannon is the coauthor of several entries in the Starfire series. With Eric Flint, he has written several novels in the best-selling Ring of Fire series.

Lost Signals of the Terran Republic

2019

Welcome to the 22nd century where humanity has just reached out to the stars and now finds itself challenged by contact by five (or is that four?) very different (yet very realistic) alien species whose motivations are as unusual and arresting as their physical forms. Of course, planet Earth still has plenty of problems, injustice, and inequities of its own to deal with. The novels of the Terran Republic series are a deep dive into the high-stakes exploration, statecraft, and warfare—both with other species and among ourselves—that churn and change our post-contact world. The title character—Caine Riordan—is part of a diverse cohort that has been tasked with juggling these rapidly shifting challenges, often at odds with their superiors as they bring fresh solutions to these novel situations. However, no world is defined by a mere handful of experts and heroes. Rather, just as our own world is full of different people and perspectives, Lost Signals expands the universe of the Terran Republic by bringing together new voices and new stories in a unique format that intentionally blurs the line between fact and fiction. The first part of Lost Signals is faux wire copy, features, and brief articles from the world of 2122 AD. But just as there is always the truth behind the news, the stories in the anthology then reveal what was really going on behind those sanitized accounts of Earth's most desperate hours. The untold stories revealed in Lost Signals \* Delta Parvonis Three is home to primitive aliens, 20,000-year-old mosaics, and quasi-Greek ruins. Will a cultural archaeologist's work strengthen the link between Earth and this distant planet, or spark a destructive panic among her fellow humans? \* The crew of a lone frigate, having drawn the tedious job of picketing a nowhere system—just a way-point between here and there—laments the lack of action. Until an enemy shift carrier brings the war to them. \* When Indonesia’s corporate clone-soldiers are ordered to slaughter civilians, many of them resist—and rediscover an ancient every slave rebellion gives rise to a Spartacus. \* When N’Erkversh, First Voice of the First Family, realizes that his invasion of Earth is crumbling, he does the only thing a noble Hkh’Rkh can fight to the death. But there are others, eager for him to live, who fight to ensure his safety. \* "Follow the money" takes on a whole new meaning for reporter Della Monroe when she decides to track down thirty-six missing Space Fleet sailors and Marines. \* On a contested world of scant resources, the Arat Kur stumble upon a gift to offer humanity, even though it may permanently upset the balance of power in the Accord. But only if humanity can cooperate in turn.

Murphy's Lawless

A Terran Republic Novel

2020

Major Rodger Y. Murphy should have died when his helicopter crashed off the coast of Mogadishu in November, 1993. Instead, he woke up in August, 2125, in a binary star system 152 light years from home. Without any memory of the otherworldly abductors who spirited them away in cold sleep, Murphy and 100 other “Lost Soldiers” have been retrieved and awakened by officers of the Consolidated Terran Republic. Promising to return to the 55 Tauri B system after completing a distant mission, they leave the twentieth century castaways with a daunting objective: establish a base of operations on the main world, using local allies they have yet to recruit and enemy equipment they have yet to seize. If that weren’t hard enough, 55 Tauri A, the system’s primary star, is rapidly approaching, and the technologically superior powers from that neighboring system always visit during the close approach . . . to raid, pillage, and cull the locals. Worse, the Lost Soldiers left behind with Murphy were the losers and ne’er-do-wells deemed “sub-optimal” for inclusion on the rescue mission. Defiant and determined to live down that judgment, they have given themselves a different, more suitable label: Murphy’s Lawless

#11

Watch the Skies

A Terran Republic Novel

2021

The Price of Survival! In the six months since the raid that destroyed the makeshift transmitter, the Lost Soldiers have scratched out a permanent base on the world of R’Bak. But life in an often surprising and very alien binary system has not become any easier. Major Mara “Bruce” Lee’s pregnancy becomes a powerful reminder of that: without special indigenous plants, she might lose both her unborn child and her life. And, in the process of securing enough of that rare compound, her friend and crew chief Elroy Frazier will have to risk life, limb, and mind. Meanwhile, under the guidance of Major Bo Moorefield, the Lost Soldiers are now spearheading the offensive of their indigenous allies throughout the wastelands known as the Hamain, even as the Sear approaches with its seven years of intense radiation and heat. Before it arrives, Colonel Rodger Young Murphy has laid plans for securing the information, weapons, and human capital necessary for the critical spaceside operations that will occur after the Kulsians’ pioneer teams—the surveyors—arrive. The key to the success of the dirtside operations is to seize and hold Imsurmik, a major J’Stull-allied power center, thereby paving the way for Lieutenant Tyree Cutter and his specially trained team to search for the high value targets—citizens with knowledge of the soon-to-arrive Harvesters—that possess the information that will make it possible for Murphy’s Lawless to surprise and overcome the approaching Kulsian invaders. Charged with identifying those high-value targets, newly-promoted Lieutenant Aliza Turan has been embedded with a group of locals inside Imsurmik’s walls, where the risk of discovery is constant, and trouble lurks around every corner. Her mission—to find the necessary intel without attracting the attention of a fearsome warlord—may be the most dangerous of all. But all the risks, and all the dangers, facing El, Bo, Aliza, and Tyree are not just the price of success; they are the price of survival. Because if each piece doesn’t fall into place, and at just the right time, there will be no way to survive the onslaught of the Kulsians—who will surely hunt down and exterminate every last one of the time-stranded refugees known as Murphy’s Lawless.

Authors

Dr. Charles E. Gannon is a Distinguished Professor of English (St. Bonaventure U.) & Fulbright Senior Specialist (American Lit & Culture). He has had novellas in Analog and the War World series. His nonfiction book "Rumors of War and Infernal Machines" won the 2006 ALA Outstanding Text Award. He also worked as author and editor for GDW, and was a routine contributor to both the scientific/technical content and story-line in the award-winning games "Traveller," and "2300 AD." He has been awarded Fulbrights to England, Scotland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Netherlands, and worked 8 years as scriptwriter/producer in NYC.

A Webster Award winner and three-time Dragon Award finalist, Chris Kennedy is a Science Fiction/Fantasy author, speaker, and small-press publisher who has written over 50 books and published more than 400 others. Get his free book, “Shattered Crucible,” at his website, https://chriskennedypublishing.com. Called “fantastic” and “a great speaker,” he has coached hundreds of beginning authors and budding novelists on how to self-publish their stories at a variety of conferences, conventions, and writing guild presentations. He is the author of the award-winning #1 bestseller, “Self-Publishing for Profit: How to Get Your Book Out of Your Head and Into the Stores.” Chris lives in Coinjock, North Carolina, with his wife. Follow Chris on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ckpublishing/.

Alex Shvartsman

Author · 22 books

Alex Shvartsman is a writer, editor, and translator from Brooklyn, NY. He's the author of The Middling Affliction (2022) and Eridani's Crown (2019) fantasy novels. Kakistocracy, a sequel to The Middling Affliction, is forthcoming in 2023. Over 120 of his stories have been published in Analog, Nature, Strange Horizons, and many other venues. He won the 2014 WSFA Small Press Award for Short Fiction and was a two-time finalist (2015 and 2017) for the Canopus Award for Excellence in Interstellar Fiction. His collection, Explaining Cthulhu to Grandma and Other Stories and his steampunk humor novella H. G. Wells, Secret Agent were published in 2015. His second collection, The Golem of Deneb Seven and Other Stories followed in 2018. Alex is the editor of over a dozen anthologies, including the Unidentified Funny Objects annual anthology series of humorous SF/F.

Kevin’s head has been in the clouds since he was old enough to read. Ask him and he’ll tell you that he still wants to be an astronaut. Kevin has a diverse background in space and space science education. As an adult, he's managed the world-renowned U.S. Space Camp program and operated two Challenger Learning Centers. A retired Army officer, Kevin continues to work with space every day. Kevin is the author of the science fiction novel SLEEPER PROTOCOL (2016) which Publisher's Weekly called "an emotionally powerful debut." His military science fiction novel RUNS IN THE FAMILY (2016) has gained a growing legion of fans. He continues to work on sequels for both novels as well as short fiction and an alternate history novel.

William Alan Webb

Author · 28 books

Winner of the 2021 Imadjinn Award! Finalist for a second 2021 Imadjinn Award! Winner of the 2020 Darrell Award! Finalist for a second 2020 Darrell Award! Winner of the 2019 Imadjinn Award! Winner of the 2018 Darrell Award! I started out as a child. After I was grown, I realized being a kid was a lot more fun. Not a little kid, mind you, because then you can't drive yourself to buy cheeseburgers whenever you want. A little older but still a kid. That's when I decided to stay 17. If you want to travel the world to admire creation and absorb the awesome cultures, I'm your guy. If you want to discuss history, drop me a line. If books are closer to you than some of your family, we might be related. If you want to tell other people what to do or how to live, find somebody else. That's not my thing. Give me a beach and a book and I'm good. Pull up a chair and stick your toes in the sand. Awards: I'm thrilled to announce that my novella "The Hairy Man" won the 2019 Imadjinn Award, and my novella, "A Night at the Quay", won the 2018 Darrell Award, given out by Midsouthcon.

Jean Marie Ward

Author · 1 books

Jean Marie Ward writes fiction, nonfiction and everything in between. Her first novel, With Nine You Get Vanyr (written with the late Teri Smith), finaled in two categories of the 2008 Indie Book Awards. Her short stories appear in numerous anthologies, including the award-winning Hellebore and Rue, The Modern Fae’s Guide to Surviving Humanity, and Tales from the Vatican Vaults. Her short story “Lord Bai’s Discovery”, which appeared in the Eppie-nominated anthology Dragon’s Lure, was shortlisted for the Washington Science Fiction Association’s Small Press Award. She is also known for her art books, Illumina: The Art of J.P. Targete and Fantasy Art Templates. She edited the web magazine Crescent Blues for eight years and now writes for other online venues, including BuzzyMag.com. Ms. Ward has written for daily and weekly newspapers, and published government journals. She served as the public relations officer for the Defense Finance and Accounting Service for five years, and managed the development of some of the first Department of Defense web sites. Her resume also includes a stint as an assistant producer for the local access cable program Mystery Readers Corner. A Washington DC native, Ms. Ward now lives in Virginia with her cartoonist husband Greg Uchrin (creator of Intravenous Caffeine), a very gracious cat and hordes of ninja squirrels. More information, links and free fiction can be found at her website: JeanMarieWard.com),

Mike Massa has lived an adventurous life including stints as naval officer (1130), an investment banker, an entrepreneur, a corporate security specialist and a university researcher. In addition to the usual military deployments, he has lived outside the US for several years as a civilian, mostly in South American and Europe. Mike's last major trip was to Bolivia, evaluating the resiliency of large scale industrial activity to natural disasters. Mike gets out to several Science Fiction and Fantasy conventions annually, including Libertycon in Chattanooga, RavenCon in Colonial Williamsburg and DragonCon in Atlanta. First published in 2016, Mike is continuing to write novels and contribute to anthologies. His debut novel, cowritten with John Ringo, became a National Bestseller. Mike is married and enjoys the challenges that three sons and a growing cohort of grandsons bring. They check daily to see if today is the day they can pull down the old lion. Not yet... Mike can be followed at https://www.facebook.com/MassaWrites and http://thegeniuswar.com

Lawrence M. Schoen

Author · 30 books

Lawrence M. Schoen holds a Ph.D. in cognitive psychology, is a past Astounding, Hugo, and Nebula, nominee, twice won the Cóyotl award for best novel, founded the Klingon Language Institute, and occasionally does work as a hypnotherapist specializing in authors’ issues. He is a chimeric cancer survivor. His science fiction includes many light and humorous adventures of a space-faring stage hypnotist and his alien animal companion. Other works take a very different tone, exploring aspects of determinism and free will, generally redefining the continua between life and death. Sometimes he blurs the funny and the serious. Lawrence lives near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with his wife and their dog.

Tom Doyle is the author of Border Crosser and the AMERICAN CRAFT trilogy. He writes science fiction and fantasy in Washington, DC. He has won the WSFA Small Press Award.

Joelle Presby

Author · 2 books

Joelle Presby is a fantasy and science fiction author, and a former surface warfare officer in the United States Navy. She went to school in Ohio and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2003. She has lived in various countries, including France, Cameroon, and Japan. She and her husband, the submarine officer, live in Virginia and prefer living with hurricanes to moving again. Presby is the author of several Honoverse short stories, one of which was published in the sixth Worlds of Honor anthology, Beginnings. She also contributed to House of Steel: The Honorverse Companion. Outside of the Honorverse, she is also co-authoring (with David Weber) new books in the Multiverse series, taking over for Linda Evans.