Part of Tales of the Terran Republic, book 7
First published 2023
Caine Riordan and his crew have carved out a foothold on Bactradgaria after months of brutal adaptation. The planet has tested them with floods, dust storms, tornadoes, and extreme temperatures. They have fought off attacks from multiple alien species and built alliances with scattered local tribes. But their deadliest enemy remains the x'qao, a species that treats the extermination of other races as both entertainment and military doctrine. Caine knows that mere survival will not be enough. The small network of human settlements and their tribal allies cannot stand against the x'qao empire and its subject peoples. Humanity must find a way to gain real power on this world or face complete extinction. The crew that survived their first desperate months must now figure out how to climb the planetary hierarchy before they are wiped out entirely.
Genres: science-fiction, adventure, action, aliens
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Bactradgaria
512 pages · Hardcover · Baen