Heir to one of the leading “Four Horsemen” mercenary companies, Jim Cartwright is having a bad year. Having failed his high school VOWS tests, he's just learned his mother bankrupted the family company before disappearing, robbing him of his Cavalier birthright. But the Horsemen of eras past were smart—they left a legacy of equipment Jim can use to complete the next contract and resurrect the company. It’s up to Jim to find the people he needs to operate the machinery of war, train them, and lead them to victory. If he’s good enough, the company can still be salvaged. But then again, he’s never been good enough.

Nigel Shirazi was first in line for the chairmanship of Asbaran Solutions, one of the prominent “Four Horsemen” mercenary companies. First in line…until his drinking and temper caused him to fail out of college and get disinherited by the family. Now he leads the life of a playboy, enjoying a stipend from the family to stay out of the way. But someone is out to get his family, and Nigel is all that stands between the hidden enemy and the destruction of Asbaran Solutions and the Shirazi family. Nigel will have to learn to control himself if he’s going to take the reins of the company, figure out who’s behind the vendetta against Asbaran, and work out a way to stop them. But they’ve taken his sister hostage, and that makes him a very, very angry man!

For more than a century, Winged Hussars has been the richest of Earth's mercenary companies, as well as the only one to specialize in space warfare. Led by Alexis Cromwell, they have carved out a reputation in the galaxy for being dependable, unflappable, and lethally efficient. Until people began shooting at them everywhere they went. Rick Culper left Earth in the hopes of finding a job as a merc. A natural at fighting in the armed suits known as CASPers, he finally caught on with one of the premier Four Horsemen companies, but it’s with the Winged Hussars, and the company's prospects are beginning to look bleak. Traps have been laid throughout a number of systems, and Commander Alexis Cromwell and her flagship, Pegasus, will be hard-pressed to make it back to their secret base. Even with Rick's help, the situation is much worse than anyone in the Hussars could have imagined. The Four Horsemen are being hunted, and the Hussar’s future is dark. But there’s one thing Alexis’ enemies didn’t count on—Alexis Cromwell is nobody’s prey.

The slaughter is on! Across the galaxy, Human mercenaries are being ambushed, and an ever-increasing number of companies aren’t returning from their contracts. Someone even appears to be plotting the demise of the premier Four Horsemen companies, and disaster for the other three companies has only been averted by the narrowest of margins. Sansar Enkh, the president of The Golden Horde, knows her company is likely to be next, but has no idea who is behind the attacks, or when they will strike her beloved Horde. Acting on a prophesy from her dying mother, she knows her only chance is to take the company off-world to draw out the phantom enemy. The Horde is being scouted and an attack is imminent. As the Revelations Cycle draws to a close, will Sansar be able to figure out who is behind the attacks in time to save Earth’s mercenary companies from the horrific fate waiting from them? The fourth horseman is in play, and time is running out to save the Earth and everyone on it!

Fourteen outstanding authors. Fourteen extraordinary stories. One bestselling universe. It’s the Twenty-Second Century. The galaxy has opened up to humanity as a hyperactive beehive of stargates and new technologies, and we suddenly find ourselves in a vast playground of different races, environments, and cultures. There’s just one catch: we are pretty much at the bottom of the food chain. Enter the Four Horsemen universe, where only a willingness to fight and die for money separates Humans from the majority of the other races. Enter a galaxy not only of mercenaries, but also of Peacemakers, bounty hunters, and even a strung out junkie in the way of a hired assassin. Edited by bestselling authors and universe creators Mark Wandrey and Chris Kennedy, “A Fistful of Credits” includes all-new stories in the Four Horsemen universe by a variety of bestselling authors—and some you may not have heard of…yet. The fourteen authors take on various aspects of the universe, giving you additional insight into a galaxy that isn’t at war…but definitely isn’t at peace. There’s only one thing for sure—anything’s possible for a fistful of credits! Inside you’ll find: Foreword by Dr. Charles E. Gannon "The Last Alpha" by Mark Wandrey "Breach of Contract" by Terry Mixon "Paint the Sky" by Jason Cordova "Surf and Turf" by Jon R. Osborne "Stand on It" by Kevin Ikenberry "Lost and Found" by Jon Del Arroz "Gilded Cage" by Kacey Ezell "Legends" by Christopher Woods "With the Eagles" by Doug Dandridge "Dead or Alive" by Paul Corcoran "Hide and Seek" by Christopher Nuttall "Information Overload" by Charity Ayres "Enough" by Chris Kennedy "CASPer's Ghost" by Brad R. Torgersen Listening Length: 13 hours and 2 minutes

Peacemakers. The Galactic Union’s most capable enforcers and resolute negotiators, their name alone elicits fear and awe among the Union’s citizenry. Having completed a harrowing confirmation mission, Jessica Francis stands ready to become Earth’s first Peacemaker and believes obtaining her commission is a mere formality. However, certain members of the Guild question her ability. Worried that she’ll fall back on her mercenary ways, they want Jessica to prove her mettle at the negotiating table before she puts on the distinctive insignia of a Peacemaker. Dream Worlds are terraformed planets inhabited by multiple species living and working in harmony. Operated by a governing Consortium, each carefully-controlled world is marketed as a paradise, but Araf is far from. The conditions are deplorable, and its three colonies are moving relentlessly toward all-out war over scarce resources and broken promises. A three-way showdown for dominance looms—can Jessica prevent war and bring back peace? One thing is certain; she’s never walked away from a fight, and she’s not going to start now.

More authors. More stories. The same bestselling universe. It’s the Twenty-Second Century. Humanity has taken its first steps into the galaxy, and we’ve found ourselves in a vast playground of alien races, environments, and cultures. As the newest players on the universal stage, though, our position is readily apparent—we’re at the bottom of the food chain. Welcome back to the Four Horsemen universe, where only a willingness to fight and die for money separates Humans from the majority of the other races. While some of the stories inside deal with mercenaries, others introduce readers to the other guilds, organizations, and races that make up the landscape of the Four Horsemen universe, and many of them provide background information to the mainline novels. There’s even a new form of life to get acquainted with and a look at alien interaction at its youngest level! Edited by bestselling authors and universe creators Mark Wandrey and Chris Kennedy, “For a Few Credits More” includes sixteen all-new stories in the Four Horsemen universe by a variety of bestselling authors—and some you may not have heard of…yet. It’s a world where you can get anything you want. Some things, though, are only available for a few credits more! Inside you’ll find: Foreword by David Weber “Butch and Sundance” by Peter Cawdron “Where Enemies Sit” by Rob Howell “Boss” by Scott Moon “Leverage” by Josh Hayes “Luck of the Draw” by JR Handley & Corey D. Truax “Contract Fulfilled” by Tim C. Taylor “Emancipation” by Mark Wandrey “Forbidden Science” by Terry Mixon “Change of Command” by Thomas A. Mays “A Family Tradition” by Ian J. Malone “Go for Bait” by T.C. Bucher “The Kra’daar” by Chris Winder “Blood of Innocents” by James Young “Messenger” by Nick Cole “Faith” by Chris Kennedy “Tinkerman” by Jake Bible “The Start of Something Beautiful” by Kacey Ezell

Even more authors and stories. Still the same bestselling universe. It’s the Twenty-Second Century. Humanity has taken its first steps into the galaxy, and we’ve found ourselves in a vast playground of alien races, environments, and cultures. As the newest players on the universal stage, though, our position is readily apparent—we’re at the bottom of the food chain. Welcome back to the Four Horsemen universe, where only a willingness to fight and die for money separates Humans from the majority of the other races. While some of the stories inside deal with mercenaries, others introduce readers to the other guilds, organizations, and races that make up the landscape of the Four Horsemen universe, as well as providing additional insight into the characters of the mainline novels. What’s it like to be a medic on the beach or to learn how to kill from a mother not your own? Come find out! Edited by bestselling authors and universe creators Mark Wandrey and Chris Kennedy, “The Good, the Bad, and the Merc” includes sixteen all-new stories in the Four Horsemen universe by a variety of bestselling authors—and some you may not have heard of…yet. In a galaxy this big, you’ll find that some of the races are good and others are bad, but only the best are mercs! Inside you’ll find: Foreword by David Drake Argonaut by Kal Spriggs Shell Game by Terry Mixon The Last Dragon by Terry Maggert Hero of Styx by T. Allen Diaz The Beach by Philip Wohlrab Velut Luna by Christopher L. Smith Keep the Home Fires Burning by Jason Cordova Vvremya by Mark Wandrey The Last Guardsman by Stephanie Osborn Unto the Last–Stand Fast by Robert E. Hampson The Demon of Ki-A by Eric S. Brown Under the Skin by Marisa Wolf Inked by Mark Wandrey Angels and Aliens by Jon R. Osborne Life by Chris Kennedy Lessons by Kacey Ezell

\\Two new stories in one volume!\\ CASPers—Combat Assault Systems, Personal—are the lords of the future battlefield. The massive mechs were created to give humanity an edge against the rest of the mercenary forces in the Galactic Union. Just like today’s tanks, though, massive amounts of armor and weaponry just make the CASPers “hard to kill,” not “invulnerable.” There are things in the galaxy even stronger than the CASPer, and when Humans run up against them, it’s up to the Human inside to figure out a way to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. “CASPer Alamo” includes two new stories by Eric S. Brown and Jason Brannon, loosely recreating the Battles of the Alamo and Isandlwana on a galactic scale. When all seems lost, it’s up to the mech operator to save the day!

“Before CASPers were the lords of the battlefield, men tested their metal against aliens one-on-one.” First contact has been made, and Earth’s militaries and its premier mercenary companies stand ready to take their first tentative steps outside the Solar System. With a galaxy of aliens to explore and fistfuls of credits to be made, follow along as the Four Horsemen select their contracts and venture forth to meet their destinies. Cartwright’s Cavaliers, Asbaran Solutions, Winged Hussars, and The Golden Horde stand ready and willing to take on the adventure, but what will they find in their Alpha Contracts, and how will they overcome it? The Four Horsemen: Alpha Contracts will take you behind the scenes of Earth’s legendary heroes, giving you a merc’s eye view of the dangers they faced in completing their first contracts, as well as a look at mercenary warfare among the stars from a fifth company, the Avenging Angels, as its members send letters home from the front lines. Jim Cartwright, Kuru Shirazi, Lawrence Kosmalski, and Altan Enkh. They were the best, the brightest, and the most famous mercs to ever live. But no one knows who they really were…until now. But as the man once said, “Never meet your heroes.”

Depik. The race of cat-like assassins is feared galaxy-wide. Few living people have seen them, as the sight of one is usually the last thing its victim sees. Clan politics on the Depik home world of Khatash are complicated, with clans jockeying for contracts and the prestige and wealth they bring. There’s only one rule—Depik do not kill other Depik. Ever. When Reow is implicated in killing the Depik Governor, though, her clan is declared anathema. Her four offspring are placed under interdict—they are to be killed on sight—and Del, Flame, Blade, and Death must flee with their molly, Susa. With Reow dead, and Hunters tracking them across the galaxy, will they live long enough to find the real killer, or will they find themselves assassinated by their own kind?

Peacemakers. The Galactic Union’s most capable enforcers and resolute negotiators, their name alone elicits fear and awe among the Union’s citizenry. Except for Jessica Francis. Not only is she the newest Peacemaker, Jessica is also the first Human Peacemaker, and she commands the respect of few, both inside and outside the Peacemaker’s Guild. No one believes humanity is ready to take on the mantle of being a Peacemaker, and Jessica is stuck flying a desk. That is, until a species-induction mission comes along, and she is in the right time and place to get assigned to it. The jungle world of Weqq was terraformed millennia ago and seeded to grow medicinal herbs to be used in the event of war. But when a routine MinSha collection mission stumbles upon a young TriRusk, a race that can synthesize diamonds and hasn’t been seen in centuries, the mission’s leader knows that more than just the MinSha will be interested in the creature, and that a Peacemaker’s aid will be necessary to protect the species. With mercenaries sent to kill everyone on the planet and an administrator reluctant to turn over the young TriRusk, a negotiated solution may be impossible, despite Jessica’s best intentions. Outnumbered and outgunned, there’s only one thing Jessica knows; she’s got them right where she wants them.