Kylara Vatta has had to leave a glowing future as a military cadet far behind, and now carves out a living in the brutal cut-throat world of interplanetary trading. Her chosen way of life is tough but rewarding and she thinks she is more than capable of holding her own.
That is, until a threat emerges that nobody could have forseen . . .
'Continues to get better with every volume . . . roll on the next one' Guardian
The second volume in the Vatta's War series - an explosive science fiction adventure from the Nebula Award winning author of The Speed of Dark.
Ky Vatta was a military cadet destined for great things, until an act of kindness incurred her Academy's wrath and ended her career.
Instead of the expected disgrace, her rich trader family gave her captaincy of a small ship, to sell for scrap. In flagrant disregard of orders, she saw the opportunity to make a profit and save the ship.
Several upgrades later, Ky is determined to retain the ship and her independence in the cut-throat world of interplanetary trading. But a threat emerges that challenges even her sharp wits and, if she survives, could leave the military forever in her debt . . .
'An action-packed read, complete with zero-g combat sequences, exploding ship mines, stratagems, and intrigue . . . Definitely recommended' The Book Smugglers
A vast and hostile force is attacking prosperous trade centres, destroying their space fleets then moving on, leaving death and chaos in their wake. Admiral Ky Vatta's family was decimated by one such attack and Turek, the pirate force's leader, will not escape her vengeance.
Ky has a loyal taskforce, but the enemy have three times the ships and the firepower to match. She must offset these advantages with her knowledge of military strategy and her ace: superior ansible technology, facilitating fast and accurate in-space intelligence.
The alternative to victory is unthinkable - devastation of interplanetary trading networks on a galaxy-wide scale - and the end of a way of life.
'Rip-roaring action . . . This epic volume is a fine and fitting conclusion to Moon's grand space opera tour de force' PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Kylara had to leave a bright future as a military cadet, and was thrown into the brutal world of off-world trading. This subsequent career in the family business was tough: marked by war, mutiny and attempted assassination. But then her home was attacked and her parents killed - their trading empire left in ruins. Now she must save what is left of the family and the business, with few friends and too few assets. She must make full use of her hard-won experience to not just survive, but to restore the shattered fortunes of the Vatta family and their allies.
Now, Kylara Vatta, space-trader and sometime privateer, has destined herself for a dangerous and unpredictable future. She will muster an interplanetary taskforce and forge them into a lethal weapon: one that the pirates who destroyed her family will never forget ...
'Strong female leads, terrific action and complications aplenty: should grab existing fans and win new converts' KIRKUS
Paksenarrion wasn't planning to submit to an unwelcome marriage and a lifetime of poverty, so she left her village with a plan and her grandfather's sword. And a few weeks later, she was installed as Duke Phelan's newest recruit in a company of soldiers for hire, her arms training about to begin. But when Paks sees combat, she's stabbed with an ensorcelled knife and barely survives. Then the near-misses start mounting up, raising questions about this young fighter. Is she attracting evil because she is a danger to them all? Or is there another reason malignant forces seek her life?
Paks will face the spider-minions of the Webmistress Achrya, orcs and the corrupted men who serve blood mage Liart, Master of Torments. She will also earn the gratitude of elves and of her Duke. And through conflict she will learn she has powers of her own and a destiny. To become a gods-chosen Paladin of Gird, and a target for the ultimate torture.
People had always told Ofelia what to do; for once she was going to do what she wanted. She refused to get on the cryo ships, refused to leave the only world she could call home. And when they finally came for her, she hid.Look out for more information about this title and others at www.orbitbooks.co.uk
A death has made Kieri Phelan king of Lyona. Here humans and elves live in uneasy peace, united only by their failure to see the dangers at their borders. Harmony has never been more important - or elusive. But will Kieri's soldier background allow him to navigate these difficult politics? And can he awaken the powers his mixed blood confers?
An older evil also threatens, affecting not just Lyona but all surrounding kingships. The Verrakai family has been practicing forbidden blood magic for generations, and its scions are becoming bold. When they infiltrate a foreign court and assassinate key nobles, it's clear they must be controlled or eradicated. Phelan will send Dorrin, the only Verrakai he can truly trust, on this mission. She must overcome her abhorrence of the power that is her birthright and awaken her own hidden magic. This will lead to secrets and a mystery that neither Phelan nor Dorrin could have anticipated.
King Kieri's realm has been destabilised by political wrangling and his court is blind to the dangers - until an assassination attempt on their king. And when this backfires, Kieri's enemies start planning an invasion using dragonfire, a force unseen for hundreds of years.
In King Mikeli's adjoining kingdom, his crown is threatened by a bandit prince. Alured the Black claims his lineage gives him dominion over all the lands. His ambition is boundless, his methods are ruthless and he will not be swayed from his goal, whether or not it undermines a region already on the brink of war. Dark mages also watch for weakness and hunger for their own lost powers.
The Kings of the North must plan wisely, as disaster is a sword's breadth away.
Lou has been told he is different to 'normal' people. He interacts with the world in a way they do not understand. He might not see the things they see, however, but he also sees many things they do not. Lou is autistic.
One of his skills is an ability to find patterns in data: extraordinary, complex, beautiful patterns that not even the most powerful computers can comprehend. The company he works for has made considerable sums of money from Lou's work. But now they want Lou to change - to become 'normal' like themselves. And he must face the greatest challenge of his life. To understand the speed of dark.
SPEED OF DARK is a powerful near-future thriller, the theme of which is both universal and intensely personal. It is dedicated to the author's own autistic son, and to other parents of autistic children, 'in the hope that they also find that delight in difference'.
Lord Thornbuckle, Speaker of the Grand Council, has been assassinated. Battle lines are quickly drawn between powerful Families keen to control the new political order, and neighbouring states prepare to defend themselves. Even Fleet can no longer be depended on to keep the peace.Young Fleet officers Esmay and Barin want simply to marry. But nothing is straightforward in these difficult times - and especially not for the children of the powerful. For Barin is a Serrano, the most influential of Fleet families, and Esmay the Landbride of the planet Altiplano; their elders can see only disaster in the match. And as Esmay and Barin struggle to reconcile their families, the future of the Familias Regnant hangs in the balance ...Look out for more information about this book and others on the Orbit website at www.orbitbooks.co.uk
Esmay Suiza, one of Fleet's most gifted young officers, and Brun Meager, daughter of the Speaker of the Grand Council, have a lot in common - they're both bright, brave, likeable and adventurous. But far from becoming the best of friends, a string of misunderstandings leads to a very public argument, and their enmity is soon the talk of Copper Mountain training base. When Brun falls into the hands of a fanatical religious militia movement Esmay finds herself in disgrace, suspected of conniving in Brun's abduction. Far from hating her, however, Esmay understands Brun better than anyone else, and knows that she has the best chance of coming up with a plan to save her. But will anyone in Fleet listen long enough to give her a second chance?RULES OF ENGAGEMENT is the fifth volume of The Serrano Legacy, an action-packed science fiction series from this highly acclaimed author. More information on this book and others can be found on the Orbit website at www.orbitbooks.co.uk
Esmay Suiza, a very junior-grade lieutenant from a non-Fleet family, had surprised herself and everyone else by becoming the youngest and lowest-ranking member of Fleet ever to win a major battle. Finding herself the senior surviving officer in a mutiny against a treacherous captain, she'd had no choice - it was do or die. And she'd risen to the challenge with flying colours, saving Heris Serrano and her crew in the process. But instead of offering congratulations, Fleet are barraging her with awkward questions. And her actions, successful though they were, have landed her in the firing line of a court martial for treason . . .ONCE A HERO is the fourth volume of The Serrano Legacy, an action-packed science fiction series from an author who has 'established herself as one of the best-known and most acclaimed writers of SF adventure' (PUBLISHERS WEEKLY)
The worst has happened: Fleet is tearing itself apart. Some of the mutineers see injustice in the unequal spread of the rejuvenation drugs that offer virtual immortality to the rich; others are simply thirsty for power, or for blood. The Loyalists, meanwhile, fight desperately to preserve the rule of law in Familias Regnant space.
But when Esmay Suiza-Serrano is unceremoniously booted out of Fleet, the apparent victim of Family politics, she has no idea of the whirlwind of conflict into which she is about to be drawn ...For information about this or any other Orbit title, visit the Orbit website at www.orbitbooks.co.uk
As threats build abroad, treachery strikes at home ... While King Kieri struggles to end the war that plagues his borders, his new subjects are becoming restless. His people include both humans and elves, and their uneasy accord is cracking under the demands of war.
Kieri didn't fully appreciate the danger until someone close to him is found slain in the woods, and his beloved new wife also finds her life in danger. Kieri must seek out the corruption within his grandmother's elvish court, or all he's achieved will turn to nothing.
Trouble also finds Dorrin Verrakai on the road, riding to command her kingdom's defences in the war torn provinces. Her family's dark power is rising again and it's down to her to root out the devastating influence of their illicit blood magic. Then her investigations reveal magery in the last place anyone expected.
And while mortals struggle, dragonspawn might yet set all their realms afire.
Paksenarrion defies her father's orders to marry the pig farmer down the road, instead, she's off to join the army. So her adventure begins - the adventure that transforms her into a hero chosen by the gods to restore a lost ruler to his throne.
Once a sheepfarmer's daughter, now a seasoned veteran, Paksenarrion has proved herself a formidable fighter. Years with Duke Phelan's company have taught her weaponry, discipline, and how to react as part of a military unit. Now, though, Paks feels spurred to a solitary destiny. Against the odds she is accepted as a paladin-candidate by the Fellowship of Gird. Years of study will follow, for a paladin must be versed in diplomacy and magic as well as the fighting arts. But, before she is fully trained, Paks is called to her first mission: to seek out the fabled stronghold of Luap. The way is long, the dangers many - and no one knows whether she will find glory or ruin.
Paksenarrion - Paks for short - was somebody special. Never could she have followed her father's orders and married the pigfarmer down the road. Better a soldier's life than a pigfarmer's wife, and so though she knew that she could never go home again, Paks ran away to be a soldier. And so began an adventure destined to transform a simple Sheepfarmer's Daughter into a hero fit to be chosen by the gods.
Eight kingdoms in danger, an enemy that cannot die...
Count Jeddrin has received a grisly message. His son, Filis, is dead, brutally killed by Alured the Black - the first move in his plan to take the eight kingdoms.
But Filis managed to send his own message, telling of the dark forces that control Alured, warning of something more than human behind the man's eyes...
Meanwhile, Dorrin Verrakai, last of a long line of magelords, must forever leave the home she loves in order to protect powerful magic relics created by her ancestors. For their power is desired both by Alured, and by the dark elves infesting the kingdoms. Searching for answers, her friend and King, Kieri, considers waking the magelords from their ancient slumber...
The first volume in the Vatta's War series - action-packed military SF from the Nebula Award winning author of The Speed of Dark.
Ky Vatta is a highly promising military cadet with a great future ahead of her, until an insignificant act of kindness makes her the focus of the Academy's wrath. She is forced to resign, her dreams shattered.
For the child of a rich trading family, this should mean disgrace on a grand scale. And yet, to her surprise, Ky is offered the captaincy of a ship headed for scrap with its final cargo.
Her orders are absolutely clear, but Ky quickly sees potential profit in altering the journey. Because, whatever the risks, it's in her blood to trade - even if the currency is extreme danger.
'I thoroughly enjoyed Trading in Danger and wholeheartedly recommend it' THE BOOK SMUGGLERS
MAGIC WILL NOT BE ENOUGH
The Lady of the elves has been slain and King Kieri injured by the iynisin, a corrupted race of elves whose poisonous touch means grisly death for all who stand in their way. As the Lady's elves retreat to bury their dead, strange discoveries are made in the palace, revealing old secrets about the ancient alliance between humankind and elves.
Meanwhile, in the kingdom of Tsaia, young Prince Camwyn begins to exhibit dangerous signs of magery. Discovery of magical blood so close to the king will put his brother's rule in jeopardy, but he has nowhere to turn when even his own family might put him to death for treason.
Admiral Ky Vatta should return to her childhood home a war hero, but on the way her shuttle is downed by sabotage.
Marooned in a hostile landscape it'll take every bit of wit, skill and luck she can muster to lead her fellow survivors to safety, knowing that the mysterious enemies who destroyed the ship are on the hunt, and may have an agent in the group ready to finish the job at any moment. And was the sabotage an attempt on Ky's own life, or someone else's?
When Admiral Kylara Vatta and a ship full of strangers were marooned on an inhospitable arctic island, they uncovered secrets that someone on Ky's planet was ready to kill to keep hidden. Now, the existence of the mysterious arctic base has been revealed, but the organisation behind it still lurks in the shadows, doing all it can to silence her.
It is up to the intrepid Ky to force the perpetrators into the light, and uncover decades' worth of secrets - some of which lie at the very heart of her family's greatest tragedy.
