The Lost Stars Perilous Shield

Following a successful coup against the tyrannical Syndicate, the leaders of the rebel Midway Star System work to forge a government free enough to please its citizens yet strong enough to secure power. But in a world where former rulers have become new foes, an alien threat to humanity may turn old adversaries into uncertain allies. President Gwen Iceni believes Midway is their only defense against the enigmas. Syndicate training taught her self-preservation in a crisis, yet she’s determined to fight for the star system’s fate…even if it means joining forces with another former Syndicate CEO—and an officer of the hated Alliance. Despite General Artur Drakon’s misgivings, he partnered with Iceni to overthrow Syndic forces. Now, with an enigma fleet menacing their hard-earned independence, he can ill afford to trust her—or lose her support. But in the back of his mind, there are three words that describe someone who confides in a Syndicate CEO: Stupid. Betrayed. Dead.

" The wait is over. New York Times bestselling author Jack Campbell continues his action-packed spin-off to The Lost Fleet series as the Syndicate's civil war threatens to spread even farther into the final frontier ... President Gwen Iceni and General Artur Drakon have successfully liberated the Midway Star System-but the former rulers of the Syndicate Worlds won't surrender the region without a fight. The dictatorial regime has ordered the ex-Syndicate CEOs terminated with extreme prejudice and the system's citizens punished for their defiance. Outnumbered and led by junior officers hastily promoted in the wake of the uprising, Midway's warships are no match for the fleet massing and preparing to strike. But the Syndicate isn't the only threat facing Iceni and Drakon. Another former CEO has taken control of the Ulindi Star System, the first calculated move toward establishing his own little empire. With Drakon's ground forces dispatched to Ulindi, Midway erupts in violence as Syndicate agents and other, unknown enemies stoke a renewed revolt against Iceni's power-leaving both her and Drakon vulnerable to trusted officers just waiting for an opportune moment to betray them ..."--

Following a successful coup, the leaders of the rebel Midway Star System are struggling to forge a government free enough to please its citizens yet strong enough to secure power. But in a world where former rulers have become new foes, an alien threat to humanity may turn old adversaries into allies. Despite their mutual mistrust, General Artur Drakon partnered with President Gwen Iceni to overthrow the authority of the Syndicate Worlds, before the Syndicate could order their deaths. Now, with the enigma fleet endangering their hard-won independence, they have no choice but to join forces once more. But before confronting the alien advance, Drakon and Iceni must face hidden dangers closer to home: all-too-human threats that could jeopardize Midway's freedom... and their own lives. An exciting new spin-off series from the bestselling author of The Lost Fleet. PRAISE FOR JACK CAMPBELL'S THE LOST STARS SERIES: "The military battle sequences are very well done with the land-based action adding a new dimension." - SF CROWSNEST "Entertaining and thought-provoking."- SFF WORLD

In a world where former rulers have become new foes, an alien threat to humanity may turn old adversaries into uncertain allies. General Artur Drakon and President Gwen Iceni form an alliance that places the Midway flotilla at great risk in hopes of greater reward: recruiting the personnel necessary to man warships against the enigmas.

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"A thrill-seeking twelve-year-old boy with a mysterious family heritage discovers ancient objects of rare power--and must protect them from the terrifying demons who will do anything to possess them"--

CEO Artur Drakon has been betrayed. The Syndicate Worlds’ government failed to protect its citizens from both the Alliance and the alien enigmas. With a cadre of reliable soldiers under his command, Drakon launches a battle for control of the Midway Star System—assisted by an ally he’s unsure he can trust… CEO Gwen Iceni was exiled to Midway because she wasn’t ruthless enough in the eyes of her superiors. She proved them wrong by commandeering some of the warships at Midway and declaring the star system’s independence on behalf of the people though staying in charge as “President.” But while she controls the mobile fleet, she has no choice but to rely on “General” Drakon’s ground forces to keep the peace planet-side. If their coup is to succeed, Drakon and Iceni must put their differences aside to prevent the population of Midway from rebelling against them, to defend their star system from the enigmas—and to ferret out saboteurs determined to reestablish Syndic rule…

Jack Campbell returns to the world of the New York Times bestselling Lost Fleet novels with an action-packed military science fiction series that explores the founding of the Alliance...and the men and women who fought to create it. Earth is no longer the center of the universe. After the invention of the faster-than-light jump drive, humanity is rapidly establishing new colonies. But the vast distances of space mean that the old order of protection and interstellar law offered by Earth has ceased to exist. When a nearby world attacks, the new colony of Glenlyon turns to Robert Geary, a young former junior fleet officer, and Mele Darcy, a onetime enlisted Marine. With nothing but improvised weapons and a few volunteers, Geary and Darcy must face down warships and armored soldiers—or die trying. As battles rage and pirates take an increasing toll throughout the colonies, the only hope for lasting peace lies with Carmen Ochoa, a “Red” from the anarchic world of Mars, and Lochan Nakamura, a failed politician. They have a plan: to lay the groundwork for mutual defense that could someday grow into an alliance. But if their efforts don’t succeed, the growing power of aggressor worlds could turn regions of space founded on freedom into battlefields between the first interstellar empires....