"Well written and completely immersive, readers hungry for intelligent, large-scale science fiction will devour this book." - Readers’ Favorite "A fast-paced, character-driven space opera that outlines a vast but mysterious universe." - IndieReader "A compellingly crafted space opera that offers some exciting ideas and thrillingly depicted starship battles ..." - Jeff Somers A 200-year blockade denies humanity the stars. Only an interstellar conspiracy can win them back. When the mysterious Saar Commonwealth summons Earth on a diplomatic mission to a hostile alien world, the objective is clear: keep the peace. But the delegation is a powder keg of spies, fugitives, and politicians with hidden agendas, and every move risks disaster. If diplomacy fails, Lieutenant Jake Dawes will be the one to fight. A cybernetically enhanced soldier and elite drone commander, he is no stranger to violence. But something is bleeding through his systems: fractured visions, distant whispers, and memories that should not exist. His combat AI is the main culprit, but Dawes is not so sure. If the visions are real, then the first shots of this war were fired an eternity ago. As tensions spiral toward open conflict, Dawes must decide what is real, who to trust, and whether the enemy he has been sent to fight … is already inside him. If he is right, then the mission was never meant to succeed. Perfect for fans of The Expanse, Dune , and The Forever War . natejungheim.com