The Shattered Skies

#2 Cruel Stars Trilogy

John Birmingham

$32.99

Paperback

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English

Head of Zeus
05 January 2022

Science fiction; Space opera; Biotechnology / Genetic Engineering; Space Opera; Galactic Empires; Military

Series: Cruel Stars

With their advanced tech rendered null by the Sturm's attack, humanity face certain annihilation. Their only hope lies with a few brave souls who survived the initial onslaught – these five heroes might be humanity's only hope.

CENTURIES AFTER THEY WERE DEFEATED AND EXILED TO DARK SPACE, THE STURM HAVE RETURNED. The Sturm, an empire of species purists, have returned from the farthest reaches of Dark Space to wage a war against what they call mutants and borgs: any human being with genetic or neural engineering. In a sneak attack, they overwhelmed almost all of humanity's defences, blasting vicious malware across galaxy-spanning networks: dark code that transformed anyone connected to the system into a mindless psychotic killer. The Sturm's victory seemed complete, their final triumph inevitable, until one small band of intrepid, unlikely heroes struck back.

Commander Lucinda Hardy and Admiral Frazer McLennan used the Armadalen Navy's final surviving warship to fend off the Sturm, destroying the massed power of an entire Attack Fleet. With brilliant tactics – and support from drunken, grief-ravaged pirate Sephina L'trel and treasonous battle-rig operator Booker3 – this ragtag crew sent the Sturm running, managing to save Princess Alessia, the sole surviving heir to the gigantic Montanblanc Corporation and perhaps Earth's only remaining senator.

Now left with the remains of a fallen civilization, they must work together to rebuild what was lost and root out the numberless enemies of Earth. The Sturm invaders remain vastly more powerful – and they may not be the only threat lurking in the darkness of space.

By: John Birmingham
Imprint: Head of Zeus
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Edition: UK Airports
Volume: 2
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 148mm,
ISBN: 9781789545968
ISBN 10: 178954596X
Series: Cruel Stars
Pages: 544
Publication Date: 05 January 2022
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

John Birmingham was born in Liverpool, United Kingdom, but grew up in Ipswich, Queensland, Australia. Between writing books he contributes to a wide range of newspapers and magazines on topics as diverse as biotechnology and national security. He lives at the beach with his wife, daughter, son, and two cats.

Reviews for The Shattered Skies (#2 Cruel Stars Trilogy)

PRAISE FOR JOHN BIRMINGHAM: 'Birmingham's gripping novel launches readers into a genocidal interstellar war amid sudden violence and dark humor ... Birmingham alternates between gut punches and laugh-out-loud humor, with some gore and thought-provoking philosophy thrown in for good measure ... Plenty of twists, sharp turns, and fateful encounters will keep readers guessing and turning pages. This jarring, engrossing story of a species-wide fight for survival is recommended for all science fiction readers' Publishers Weekly (starred review), on The Cruel Stars. 'Plenty of grist and humour' Sunday Times, on Axis of Time. 'An excellent page-turner, laced with black humour' FHM, on Axis of Time. 'Glorious excitement and meticulous density' Sci-Fi.com, on Axis of Time. 'The action is nonstop, the characters very real - and very different from each other - and, to coin a phrase, it makes you think' S.M. Stirling, on Final Impact.