I think I’ve said this a few times before, but this is one of my favorite authors. His stories always have a lot of action in them and it’s the humans against the aliens. Starships in huge numbers are also always present and in this book, that makes a big difference. This book isn’t really about “Insurrection”. It’s about the destruction of the Human-led Alliance.
The Zaltule, the warrior clan of the Kleese, are back and in a big way. It’s a good time for them to be around since the Human-led Alliance just about wiped out the entire leadership of the Kleese with an attack on their homeworld. It didn’t finish off the Kleese, but it did let them know they had an enemy that could hit them and hit them hard. This drove the Kleese to awake the Zaltule from their slumber of a thousand years. The last time the Zaltule were awake, they almost took over the entire Kleese Empire. Now, they were intended to come to the rescue of the beleaguered Kleese and fight an extermination war against the Humans and their Allies. Unfortunately, the Zaltule decided the had had enough of the regular Kleese rule and were not continent to fight unless they were the Masters of the Kleese Empire. So, Xatule, the current Supreme Overload has fled his capital homeworld hoping to stay out of the Zaltule’s extermination campaign. He and his band of followers settle themselves in amongst what were formerly very dangerous enemies of the Kleese. There they flourish and grow a fleet of warships with an intent to regain the lost Empire.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Military Overlord Harmock, sits in the Council Room of the Kleese Empire informing all other Kleese Clans that they are now subservient to the Zaltule or they will cease to exist. He expects to have to exterminate a few clans who are stubborn and don’t pay attention, but then he plans on attacking the Human-led Alliance and definitely exterminating every living human. He’s just waiting for his fleet to gather all 10,000 warships.
Meanwhile, the Alliance is attempting to figure out what’s happening with the Kleese and if they are in fact having a civil war. It’s soon found out that the Zaltule have taken over the reigns of the Kleese Empire and they know of Supreme Military Overlord Harmock’s next mission objective. What the Alliance doesn’t know at first, is the size of the attacking Kleese fleet. Preparations are made to defeat an estimated 6,000 or so Kleese ships. Anything bigger than that and the Alliance is probably doomed. Uh, I think I already stated that the Supreme Military Overlord is wating to build his fleet to 10,000 starships, then he will attack.
It doesn’t look good for the Alliance and the Humans in particular. Harmock believes that if he wipes out the Solar System, then all other Alliance resistance will cease. So, he plans to attack the Solar System with all 10,000 warships. There isn’t a hope in the world for humanity, or is there?
Great character building, lots of personal storylines, and even the death of some pretty prominent characters. War is like that and anyone can get killed at any time. I do hope there is another book in the series and this one makes that potentially possible.