William C. Dietz Books In Order

Drifter

Smuggler Pik Lando is hired by a beautiful woman named Angel, and suddenly he finds himself involved with her and a group of hell bent revolutionaries…
and there is a price on his head.

Drifter’s Run

Trying to lie low, Lando, the smuggler, accepts a job piloting a space tug. But when the Ithro government puts a price on his head and a female bounty hunter sets her eyes on his body, Lando realizes he’s just a magnet for trouble!

‘When it comes to military SF, Dietz can run with the best.’ Steve Perry

Drifter’s War

Third in the national bestselling author’s Drifter series. As an alien war shatters the galactic empire, both sides want Pik Lando’s high tech drift ship minus Lando.

Legion of the Damned

In the future, the terminally ill can prolong life by surrendering their consciousness to a cybernetic life form that is then recruited into the notorious Legion of the Damned, an elite fighting unit charged with protecting humanity.

The Final Battle

The Confederacy is threatened by an uprising of the Hudathans, an unfeeling cyborg race that has built up its forces through stolen technology, and their only opponents are the members of the Legion.

By Blood Alone

The new techno thriller from the author of Legion of the Damned and The Final BattleIt takes more than guts to win a war…
In a Legion gone lax, Colonel Bill Booly, with his mixed blood and by the book attitude, is a misfit. So when he steps on some important toes, his punishment is assignment to the worst post in the galaxy: Earth. But Booly and his troops will turn out to be Earth’s best line of defense, when a Legion led military coup topples the government. It’s Legionnaire against Legionnaire in a struggle that will be won by strength, by courage, and…
‘When it comes to military sf, Dietz can run with the best.’ Steve Perry’Dietz’s expertise in matters of mayhem is second to none.’ The Oregonian This novel marks a return to the futuristic world of Legion of the Damned and The Final Battle

By Force of Arms

Having stopped a mutiny against Earth’s government, General Bill Booly and his troops face an even greater challenge: a battle for the future of every living being in the universe, against a fanatical human and his killer technology.’Dietz’s expertise in matters of mayhem is second to none.’ The Oregonian

For More Than Glory

You’re only a hero until your next battle.

Legion General Bill Booly knows that peace is just a pause between wars. He’s just crushed one uprising, and now a new rebellion is already brewing on a remote world light years away spawning a web of terrorism that is close enough to catch the vulnerable Confederacy in its grasp.

For Those Who Fell

In a galaxy where alliances shift like sand, the Legion of the Damned is humanity’s first line of defense and often last hope against its enemies. Now, the acclaimed author of For More Than Glory delivers a gripping new novel of the soldiers both human and cyborg who step up when the chips are down…
When faster than light technology is discovered in the alien Ramanthians’ possession, General William ‘Bill’ Booly III and First Lieutenant Antonio Santana face an epic struggle on two fronts to save The Confederacy at any cost.

When All Seems Lost

From the NATIONAL BESTSELLING AUTHOR of When Duty Calls.

Captured by the alien Ramanthians, diplomat Christine Vanderveen must protect the Confederacy’s President from both their captors and fellow prisoners. But rescue is on the way, led by Lieutenant Tonio Sanchez, Vanderveen s former lover, who must try to set aside his personal feelings for the sake of the mission.

When Duty Calls

The gripping new Legion of the Damned novel from the national bestselling author of When All Seems Lost.

As the war with the Ramanthian continues, Captain Antonio Santana and his force of biobods and cyborgs find themselves surrounded by enemy forces, faced with annihilation at every turn.

On the home front, Santana’s love diplomat Christine Vanderveen copes with growing shortages, treacherous allies, and her own emotions. Yet when she meets the charismatic newly elected president of the Clone Republic, she finds herself torn between old love and new loyalty.

As Christine fights her own divided heart, light years away, Santana is in a battle for his life. And this battle may be his last

Mass Effect

An all new adventure inspired by the award winning videogame from BioWare! The universe is under siege. Every fifty thousand years, a race of sentient machines invades our galaxy to harvest all organic life forms. They are the Reapers. Two people who know the truth are desperately searching for a way to stop the cycle: Navy admiral David Anderson and his partner, Kahlee Sanders. They have uncovered grisly evidence proving that the Reaper threat is real. But in so doing they have exposed the machinations of Cerberus, a secretive paramilitary organization, and its mysterious leader, the Illusive Man putting David and Kahlee in mortal danger, for Cerberus will stop at nothing to protect its secrets. But along the way, they find an unlikely ally in Gillian Grayson, a young woman with extraordinary powers. Once the subject of horrifying scientific experiments, Gillian is now free and beginning to master her deadly abilities. But after learning that Cerberus was responsible for the death of her father, Gillian swears vengeance against the group and the Illusive Man threatening to unravel everything Kahlee and David are fighting for.

Runner

First in the new military SF duology from the national bestselling author.

Interstellar courier Jak Rebo becomes involved with a beautiful woman who has the key to instantaneous space travel a secret some would kill for. Now, Jak is running for his life.

Logos Run

Runner Jak Rebo is on a mission to deliver the legendary A.I. known as Logos to a mysterious backwater planet. Once there, Logos can restore the system of star gates that once knitted the settled worlds of the universe together. But as the Techno Society wars with murderous antitechnics, Rebo gets caught in the middle and all he can do is run.

Galactic Bounty / War World

A traitorous navy captain plots to sell military secrets to the alien Il Ronn, and it is up to interstellar bounty hunter Sam McCade to stop him and end a terrifying alien threat that could destroy the Terran Empire. Reissue.’

Imperial Bounty

When Princess Claudia seizes the throne in her brother’s absence and brings the empire to the brink of war, bounty hunter McCade must find the missing Prince Alexander before the Imperial Fleet stops him. Reissue.’

Alien Bounty

For years, only the thinnest barrier kept the II Ronnian Empire from attacking mankind. Then, space pirates stole the Vial of Tears a holy Ronnian relic with cosmic religious powers. Only one man can hunt down the sacred relic and avert interstellar war bounty hunter supreme Sam McCade.

McCade’s Bounty

From acclaimed author William C. Dietz, a novel of Sam McCade, interstellar bounty hunter. This time it’s personal pirate Mustapha Pong has kidnapped McCade’s daughter. Usually, McCade works for pay, but this time, the only reward is seeing his daughter alive and he’ll do anything to make that happen.

McCade on the Run

William C. Dietz, the national bestselling author of the Legion of the Damned novels, brings readers an omnibus collection featuring the final two Sam McCade adventures: Alien Bounty and McCade’s Bounty.

DeathDay

‘A classic alien invasion tale of survival and human triumph great reading for anyone who loved Independence Day or The War of the Worlds.’ Kevin J. Anderson, New York Times From the national bestselling author of By Blood Alone and By Force of Arms, this acclaimed hardcover debut takes readers into an apocalyptic scenario from humanity’s worst nightmare.

EarthRise

In DeathDay the aliens took over our planet.

Now the invasion continues…

At Empire’s Edge

From the national bestselling author of When Duty Calls, the first book in an exciting new science fiction duology. In a far distant future, the Uman Empire has spread to the stars and beyond, conquering and colonizing worlds, ruling with a benevolent but iron fist. The Pax Umana reigns, and all is well. But on one planet, the remnants of a violent, shape shifting race called the Sagathis are confined, kept captive by xeno cops, who have been bio engineered to be able to see through their guises. Still, sometimes one manages to escape. Zak Cato is a xeno cop. He’s returning a fugitive Sagathi when things go horribly wrong. Cato the only survivor after the rest of his men are slaughtered must now figure out who betrayed them and bring the alien in, whatever the cost.

Bones of Empire

Second in the duology that started with At Empire’s Edge from the national bestselling author. In a far distant future, the Uman Empire has conquered and colonized worlds. Once thought invincible, its reign is now fragile as alien subjects and enemies conspire against it. On holiday in the capital city, cop Jack Cato gets a glimpse of the Emperor and realizes what he’s looking at is a supposedly dead shape shifter. His mortal enemy is still alive and once again on the run. And the fate of the Empire and Cato’s own honor are at stake…

Freehold

Colonel Stell and his band of mercenaries yearn for a place to call home. To them Freehold is like a bright diamond in the vast universe. But its desert conditions, economic instability, social disarray, and political turmoil render the planet perfect for takeover. Willing to fight anything that stands in their way, Colonel Stell and his small crew contend with all who seek to dominate their planet, even vast interstellar empires. Their success will not be determined by their size but by their resolution to create creating a home for themselves.

Prison Planet

Convicted of a crime he did not commit, Jonathan Renn is sentenced to life in the Swamp, a Prison Planet death row in a distant galaxy. Renn only has two choices, escape the Swamp or die in the process. Defending himself from attacks by deadly, native monsters and his fellow convicts, Renn is obsessed with escaping the planet and getting his revenge on the people who set him up. Marla Marie Mendez is even more down on her luck. Trapped inside a cybernetic dog and dropped defenseless into the Swamp, Marla can only rely on Renn and her claws to save her from the unfriendly elements. They must find a way out of the Swamp and quickly before their life sentence is cut short.

Bodyguard

Max Maxon is an ex marine who makes his living with a gun. Sasha Casad is a rich teenager trying to catch the next spaceship home. Max’s job is to get her there alive. Somebody’s trying to stop them somebody with plenty of money and firepower. That doesn’t bother Max. A contract is a contract. Against all odds, he’s going to fulfill this one. and then he’s going to make somebody pay.

Where the Ships Die

A band of humans desperately searches through space in the hopes of finding a wormhole called the Mescalaro Gap before a murderous alien race finds it and seizes control of the universe. PW.

Steelheart

‘An android named Harley Doon finds himself caught in a battle between human and alien. It’s not his fight, but somebody has to save the world. Years ago, when humans and androids crash landed onto the planet Zuul, whatever remained of their society quickly succumbed to the ravages of earthquakes and a never-ending winter from volcanic dust clouds. As humans and machines scavenged to stay alive, they also faced the Zid, an alien race that abhors all technology with religious fervor. Add to that the Mothri–giant, bug-like aliens with brilliant minds and their own nanotechnology–and it is no longer simply the planet’s geological upheaval that proves volatile. War between the races looms. Will Doon, tired and reluctant, rise to lead the fight? Can humans harness technology to save the planet, itself, before the Zid arrive? And, what secrets does Doon carry inside of him that might help them all?’

Snake Eye

FBI Special Agent Christina Rossi has a career life in limbo and a personal life from hell. Her bloody takedown of eco terrorists has taken her off the fast track and landed her in an apparent career backwater, tracking what may or may not be a Chinese mob slave labor operation. And the aftermath of her divorce has found her becoming increasingly estranged from her daughter who now lives in a perfect world with her father and his glamorous wife.

Then, Rossi’s life both professionally and personally seems to take a turn for the better in the form of handsome, intelligent and successful Jack Dexter. An ex SEAL and the owner of a block of luxurious apartments, he unexpectedly enters her life, sweeps her off her feet and surprisingly provides clues that turn into leads that can crack the Chinese slave labor case.

Snake Eye is an explosive saga of lost hopes, blind ambition, and ultimate betrayal.

Soldier for the Empire

Kyle Katarn is a decorated graduate from the Imperial Military Academy; he would forfeit his very life for the Empire. But he wouldn’t forfeit his father’s life, and that’s what the Empire has taken. Kyle is willing to do anything to avenge his father’s death anything from selling classified information to a suicide run. And that’s just what the Rebel Alliance has in mind for him. Soldier for the Empire is the first in a series of graphic story albums featuring characters and situations based on the popular Star Wars: Dark Forces interactive games. Like Dark Horse’s first graphic story album, Aliens: Tribes, this novella length prose story is accentuated by 25 full page, painted illustrations.

Rebel Agent

The phenomenal success of the 1997 release of the Star Wars Trilogy Special Edition proved beyond a doubt the timeless power of the much loved story about the struggle between good and evil. Original enthusiasts of the films rushed to the theaters to see them again, joined by a whole new generation young people discovering the wonder of George Lucas’s vision for the first time. For those Star Wars fans old and new Rebel Agent, the second of the Dark Forces trilogy, adds a fascinating sidebar to the story told in the films. Kyle Katarn, former Imperial trainee, has put his past behind him. Now partnered with Jan Ors, the woman who recruited him, he is a valued member of the Rebel Alliance. Yet Katarn has one piece of unfinished business more important to him than his next assignment: tracking down the Dark Jedi Jerec, the man who killed his father. But in his search for Jerec, he finds instead what the Dark Jedi himself is after the location of the fabled Valley of the Jedi. The power that waits there is beyond measure, and Jerec will stop at nothing to be the first to reach it. It is written, Luke Skywalker said, that a Knight will come, a battle will be fought, and the prisoners go free. In Rebel Agent, Kyle Katarn will discover that he is that Knight.

Jedi Knight

As 1999 approaches, anticipation for the release of the first of the new trilogy of Star Wars prequel films is growing. But this interest in what went before has in no way diminished enthusiasm for the continuation of stories set in the familiar universe where Luke Skywalker and the Rebel Alliance still battle the evil Empire. The Dark Forces trilogy is set firmly in that universe. And in Jedi Knight, the final volume, Star Wars fans will learn more about a hero whose actions helped change the course of the struggle. The worst has happened the Dark Jedi Jerec has learned the location of the fabled Valley of the Jedi. Kyle Katarn, former Imperial soldier turned Rebel agent, and his partner, Jan Ors, race across the galaxy to head him off. But they arrive too late. The planet Ruusan has been taken over by Jerec and his followers, who are plundering at will, brutally crushing all opposition. Now only Kyle Katarn, who is only just learning to use the Force within him, can stop the Dark Jedi from fulfilling his plan to seize control of the enormous power trapped in the Valley. The stage is set for a final confrontation between Katarn and the man who killed his father. But will he be able to get beyond his hatred of Jerec and become, truly, a Jedi Knight?

The Fall of Reach (By:Eric S. Nylund)

As the bloody Human Covenant War rages on Halo, the fate of humankind may rest with one warrior, the lone SPARTAN survivor of another legendary battle…
the desperate, take no prisoners struggle that led humanity to Halo the fall of the planet Reach. Now, brought to life for the first time, here is the full story of that glorious, doomed conflict. While the brutal Covenant juggernaut sweeps inexorably through space, intent on wiping out humankind, only one stronghold remains the planet Reach. Practically on Earth’s doorstep, it is the last military fortress to defy the onslaught. But the personnel here have another, higher priority: to prevent the Covenant from discovering the location of Earth. Outnumbered and outgunned, the soldiers seem to have little chance against the Covenant, but Reach holds a closely guarded secret. It is the training ground for the very first ‘super soldiers.’ Code named SPARTANs, these highly advanced warriors, specially bioengineered and technologically augmented, are the best in the universe quiet, professional, and deadly. Now, as the ferocious Covenant attack begins, a handful of SPARTANs stand ready to wage ultimate war. They will kill, they will be destroyed, but they will never surrender. And at least one of them the SPARTAN known as Master Chief will live to fight another day on a mysterious and ancient, artificial world called Halo…
. Bungie, Halo, Xbox, and the Xbox Logos are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States andor other countries. Used under license. c 2001 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved

The Flood

REACH HAS FALLEN. THE COVENANT WAR MACHINE RAGES ON. HUMANITY S LAST HOPE LIES WITH THE CREW OF THE PILLAR OF AUTUMN THE IDOMNINTABLE CAPTAIN JACOB KEYES, STAFF SERGEANT AVERY JOHNSON, THE AI CORTANA, HUNDREDS OF FEARLESS MARINES…
AND SPARTAN 117, THE MASTER CHIEF. Having barely escaped the battle for Reach, the crew of the Pillar of Autumn is forced to make a jump into Slipspace in hopes of evading the vast alien alliance hell bent on wiping out humanity. But their destination brings them to an ancient mystery and an even greater struggle. In this far flung corner of the universe floats a magnificently massive artificial ring world…
a construct from a long lost race. The humans only hope of survival is to crash land on its surface and take the battle against the Covenant to the ground. But they soon discover that this enigmatic ring world is much more than it seems. Built 100,000 years ago by a civilization known as the Forerunners, this Halo is worshipped by the Covenant a sacred artifact that they hope will complete their religious quest for supposed transcendence. They will stop at nothing to control it. Engaged in a fierce ground battle, Master Chief and Cortana go deep into the Halo Construct to uncover a dark secret; this enigmatic ring world is also the universe’s most dangerous weapon. Its purpose: the destruction of all sentient life. For the Forerunners built the HALO to battle the universe s most vicious enemy a virtually unstoppable and suddenly reawakened force known as The Flood.

First Strike (By:Eric S. Nylund)

The Human Covenant war rages on as the alien juggernaut sweeps inexorably toward its final goal: destruction of all human life!Halo has been destroyed, and the threat it posed to sentient life, neutralized. But victory has come at a terrible cost for the UNSC. Thousands of valiant soldiers fell in the battle to prevent the alien construct from falling into the enemy’s clutches. Now, everything depends on the Spartan known as the Master Chief. Yet even with the aid of the artificial intelligence Cortana, the Master Chief will be hard pressed to rescue survivors and evade the Covenant ships patrolling the remains of Halo in debris strewn space. Ahead lies a dangerous voyage home, through a gauntlet of Covenant forces. For the sake of all, the Master Chief and his war torn squad must not only survive, but take the fight to the enemy with a decisive first strike. This novel is based on a Mature rated video game. Bungie, Halo, Xbox, the Microsoft Game Studios logo and the Xbox Logos are registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Used under license. 2003 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

Ghosts of Onyx (By:Eric S. Nylund)

Continuing the saga of the award winning Xbox game! The Spartan II program has gone public. Tales of super soldiers fending off thousands of Covenant attacks have become the stuff of legend. But just how many Spartans are left?While the Master Chief defends a besieged Earth, and the myriad factions of the Covenant continue their crusade to eliminate humanity, an ultrasecret cell of the Office of Naval Intelligence known as ‘Section Three’ devises a plan to buy the UNSC vital time. They’re going to need hundreds of willing soldiers, though…
and one more Spartan to get the job done. The planet Onyx is virtually abandoned and the perfect place to set this new plan in motion. But when the Master Chief destroys Halo, something is triggered deep within Onyx: Ancient Forerunner technology stirs, and fleets of UNSC and Covenant race to claim it to change the course of the Human Covenant War. But this reawakened and ancient force may have plans of its own…
This novel is based on a mature rated game. Microsoft, the Microsoft Game Studios Logo, Bungie, the Bungie Logo, Halo, the Halo logo, Xbox, and the Xbox logos are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries and are used under license from owner.

Contact Harvest (By:Joseph Staten)

This is how it began…
It is the year 2524. Harvest is a peaceful, prosperous farming colony on the very edge of human controlled space. But we have trespassed on holy ground strayed into the path of an aggressive alien empire known as the Covenant. What begins as a chance encounter between an alien privateer and a human freighter catapults mankind into a struggle for its very existence. But humanity is also locked in a bitter civil war known as the Insurrection. So the survival of Harvest’s citizens falls to a squad of battle weary UNSC Marines and their inexperienced colonial militia trainees. In this unlikely group of heroes, one stands above the rest…
a young Marine staff sergeant named Avery Johnson.

The Cole Protocol (By:Tobias S. Buckell)

In the first, desperate days of the Human Covenant War, the UNSC has enacted the Cole Protocol to safeguard Earth and its Inner Colonies from discovery by a merciless alien foe. Many are called upon to rid the universe of lingering navigation data that would reveal the location of Earth. Among them is Navy Lieutenant Jacob Keyes. Thrust back into action after being sidelined, Keyes is saddled with a top secret mission by ONI. One that will take him deep behind enemy lines, to a corner of the universe where nothing is as it seems. Out beyond the Outer Colonies lies the planet Hesiod, a gas giant surrounded by a vast asteroid belt. As the Covenant continues to glass the human occupied planets near Hesiod, many of the survivors, helped by a stronghold of human Insurrectionists, are fleeing to the asteroid belt for refuge. They have transformed the tumbling satellites into a tenuous, yet ingenious, settlement known as the Rubble and have come face to face with a Covenant settlement of Kig Yar…
yet somehow survived. News of this unlikely treaty has spread to the warring sides. Luckily for the UNSC, this uneasy alliance is in the path of the Spartan Gray Team, a three man renegade squad whose simple task is to wreak havoc from behind enemy lines in any way they see fit. But the Prophets have also sent their best an ambitious and ruthless Elite, whose quest for nobility and rank is matched only by his brutality…
and who will do anything to secure his Ascendancy and walk the Path.

Heaven’s Devils

For the poor, hardworking citizens of the Confederacy’s fringe worlds, the Guild Wars have exacted a huge toll. Swayed by the promise of financial rewards, a new batch of recruits joins the fight alongside a slew of mysteriously docile criminals and a few dubious military leaders. Eighteen year old Jim Raynor, full of testosterone and eager to make things right at home, ships off to boot camp and finds his footing on the battlefield, but he soon discovers that the official mission is not what he’s really fighting for. For the first time ever, StarCraft enthusiasts will learn the ori gins of the enduring friendship between the young upstart Jim Raynor and the streetwise soldier Tychus Findlay. Watch as they battle on the front lines of a fierce interplanetary war and bear witness to the Confederacy’s rank corruption corruption so reprehensible that it rains immeasurable death and destruction upon the government’s own people.

Devils’ Due (By:Christie Golden)

It was at times like this that Jim Raynor, former marine lance corporal, proud citizen of the Confederacy and erstwhile farm boy, felt most alive. At the speed at which he was urging the vulture, the wind cooled his face so that the oppressive heat vanished. He felt like a wolf hunting down prey, except the purpose of today’s adventure was not the death of a living being but the death of the empty state of Raynor s and Tychus s wallets. This was a cargo train, not a passenger train, and inside its silvery innards was if Tychus s tip was right, and Jim had every reason to believe it would be a very lovely, very large safe filled with Confederate credits. Why, it s a rescue mission, Jim, Tychus had rumbled, his blue eyes dancing with good humor as he had filled Raynor in on the plan. Those poor creds they d just be condemned to lining the pockets of some Old Families who don t need any more money. Or else put to some nefarious scheme that could hurt somebody. It s our duty hell, it s our calling to liberate them creds to where they could do something that really mattered. Like buying us drinks, women, and steak dinners. That s a good start. You ve got a heart of gold, Tychus. I ve never met such an altruistic man in my life. I got godd*amn tears in my eyes. It s a tough job, but somebody s got to do it. Jim grinned as he recalled the conversation. He and Tychus were behind the train, catching up to it quickly. He stayed right and Tychus veered left. Tychus crossed over the maglev tracks, adjusting the magnetic frequency on his bike to compensate so that he, like the train itself, could cross easily. Jim increased his speed, moving alongside the maglev until the right car came into view. He and Tychus had spent hours analyzing all kinds of transportation vessels over the last few years, sometimes simply from blueprints or images, but usually up close and personal, as they were about to do now. They had liberated other credits before it seemed to them like hundreds of thousands over the years, although the liberated credits never seemed to stay with them very long. That was all right too. It was part of the ride that life had become. The year is 2494. Almost five years ago, Jim Raynor and Tychus Findlay were members of the Heaven s Devils, an elite Confederate marine unit praised for its nerves of steeland combat expertise. After making a stand against their corrupt commanding officer, the two men were forced to go AWOL or risk being unjustly prosecuted and resocialized. Now, Raynor and Findlay are outlaws hounded by an unyielding interstellar marshal. Life, however, has never beenbetter. Each day is another chance to pilfer more credits from the Confederacy s deep coffers. Each night holds the promise of spending their hard earned profits in bars, brothels, and gambling halls. But a man can only run so far before the law and his past catch up with him…
. Devils Due recounts an unforgettable period of Jim Raynor s life as he descends into the Koprulu sector s criminal underworld alongside the street savvy Findlay. Here, far from his humble upbringing on the fringe world of Shiloh, Raynor will face some of the most trying challenges of his life. The decisions he makes will alter his destiny forever and put his father s oft spoken wisdom, A man is what he chooses to be, to the ultimate test.

Enemy Within

The clone assassin has been played long enough now it’s more than a game. Bred to kill, Agent 47 is The Agency s most valuable assassin. So when a competing murder for hire organization decides to destroy The Agency, the first person they target for elimination is Agent 47. Tasking someone to off the best hitman in the business is one thing; getting the job done is another. When the attempt falls short, Agent 47 is ordered to track down and kill the culprit who is feeding vital information about The Agency to its enemies. Agent 47 must follow a bloody trail halfway around the world, fight his way through the streets of Fez, Morocco, and battle slavers deep inside Chad. Then he will discover a shattering truth: If he fails at his mission, the price he ll pay will be far greater than his own life…
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An Honorable Defense (By:David Drake)

The first Crisis of Empire begins with the death of the Emperor, leaving a child as his successor. Will the leaders of the empire rally behind the child Emperor? If they do not, interstellar civilization will once again dissolve into civil war and slide into another long night of barbarism.

Crown of Empire (By:Chelsea Quinn Yarbro,David Drake)

The Pact of Mankind is a dinosaur lumbering toward oblivion: hedged about by alien enemies, it is rotten with decadence and corruption. The Pact is run by competing oligarchies of criminal corporations, but it is ruled by a single man the High Secretary of the Pact. But if he should die, it would be feeding time in the piranha tank.