{"product_id":"the-shattered-skies-9781984820570","title":"The Shattered Skies","description":"\u003cb\u003eHumanity's last surviving heroes must protect a shattered civilization from an all-conquering enemy in this thrilling sequel to \u003ci\u003eThe Cruel Stars\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"[\u003ci\u003eThe Shattered Skies\u003c\/i\u003e] is a delightful military space adventure that runs at full tilt.\"--\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThe 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 defenses, 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. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eCommander 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 Booker--this ragtag crew sent the Sturm running, managing to save Princess Alessia, the sole surviving heir to the gigantic Montanblanc ul Haq Corporation and perhaps Earth's only remaining senator. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eNow 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.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eJohn Birmingham\u003c\/b\u003e is the author of \u003ci\u003eThe Cruel Stars, Emergence\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eResistance\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eAscendance\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eAfter America\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eWithout Warning\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eFinal Impact\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eDesignated Targets\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eWeapons of Choice\u003c\/i\u003e, and other novels, as well as \u003ci\u003eLeviathan\u003c\/i\u003e, which won the National Award for Nonfiction at Australia's Adelaide Festival of the Arts, and the novella \u003ci\u003eStalin's Hammer: Rome\u003c\/i\u003e. He has written for \u003ci\u003eThe Sydney Morning Herald\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eRolling Stone\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003ePenthouse\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003ePlayboy\u003c\/i\u003e, and numerous other magazines. He lives at the beach with his wife, daughter, son, and two cats.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Del Rey Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50727119094034,"sku":"9781984820570","price":7.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_7a9e0d1f-871f-4eeb-8626-54a45556def1.jpg?v=1734893158","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/the-shattered-skies-9781984820570","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}