This is the eleventh (11th) book in this series. I have no idea how long this series will continue, although I already have book 12, but this is quite an accomplishment. To be able to continue a series and make it interesting through all 11 books is just amazing. This author is really, really good. If you haven’t started this series, I highly recommend you go get book 1, “Exodus: Empires at War” and definitely start there.
Now, a couple of cautions, the names of the aliens are unpronounceable for the most part. You’ll quickly form a habit of calling them John, or Jack or just skipping over the aliens names all together. I’m in the skipping mode now, but I’m also familiar with the story. There are quite a few characters in this book and you do get introduced to many of them at the beginning, but after 11 books, things and characters have changed. And yes, some die off. There is a war going on after all and the humans aren’t always winning.
Which brings me to another point. Early on the humans and their alien allies aren’t prepared for the Ca’cadasans. It gets pretty disheartening to read about this enemies slaughtering millions of humans and aliens as though they would never be stopped. But, the Ca’cadasan empire is huge, far bigger than the human empire and it has vast resources that have been put to war for thousands if not millions of years. They have conquered all the know civilizations in their part of the galaxy and have continued to expand their empire almost at will. They are breed for war; it’s their culture. Meanwhile, the New Terran Empire, led by Emperor Sean Ogden Lee Romanov, has sought peace throughout it’s history. Yes, they have had to fight to win that peace on numerous occasions, but by and large, their empire is a prosperous and peaceful one. That has now all changed.
If you read the series from the beginning, you’ll remember that the Ca’cas (short for Ca’cadasans) were the aliens that drove humanity out of the Solar System as they tried to exterminate humanity after we killed their heir to their thrown. I’m not saying they didn’t have just cause, but I don’t think we had to be exterminated. So, what we have now is the remnants of the former human civilizations some millions of light-years from our former home. The New Terran Empire has now existed for just over a thousand years, but now the old enemy is back.
Fortunately, for the New Terran Empire, we have been able to make significant scientific advances in most all areas of science. And our advances are continuing at a rapid pace. We are more advanced than any of the alien races in our alliance and they have often sought those alliances in order to share in our technology. We have given most of the non-military technical advance freely to our allies. Conversely, the Ca’cas haven’t advanced anywhere close to the speed of the humans. They basically have the same tech they did a thousand years ago, but make no mistake, that technology was and still is very, very deadly. Still, the New Terran Empire is now about even in military technology and ahead in some other vital areas. We’re also forging ahead in military technology and that is what is helping us win this war, well, at least keeps up from getting defeated.
If the Ca’cas could destroy our operations at the Donut where are greatest scientific achievement exists, our war would be lost. The Donut operation allows us to produce portable wormholes through which we can launch missiles and beam weapons in far greater numbers than any starship could carry. Without that advantage, the Ca’cas would have little problem conquering our empire. But, are they smart enough to carry out such a terrible attack. And, how would they do it knowing that we have protected that part of space far greater than any other sector or our Empire. Additionally, how would the people of the capital of our Empire react if the Ca’cas were some how able to attack that very, very secure location?
I’m not saying any of that could or will happen, but you should read this story and see what does transpire. It’s very interesting and a great read; so much so, that I’ve went on to book 12, “Exodus: Empires at War Book 12 – Time Strike” already.
P.S. There does seem to be a lot of annoying editing errors throughout the book. Just two and three letter words that have a missing letter or just not the right word. Seems to more than usual.