The Empire of Ruin

Two thousand years ago, Michael Glover was a soldier. He still is. In command of one of the most advanced ships ever built, posing as an itinerant merchant captain, Michael Glover has wandered from world to world, building his unorthodox crew and trying without success to avoid trouble. He found a refuge for the citizens of Chronos, who fled a pocket Universe about to implode, and he helped Douglas Oliver, the Secretary General of Illyria, uncover the deadly plans of a rogue military commander allied with the slaver network, and now Michael Glover has accepted a commission to spy for naval intelligence. The slaver network is expanding. The worlds and habitats of the Second Empire have come under attack from unknown adversaries. The enemy hits and runs and vanishes, slowly sapping the Empire's strength. The outlines of an Empire wide conspiracy can dimly be seen and so far, all attempts to identify the enemy have failed. The Empire has almost unimaginable power, but power is worthless with no one to fight. Michael Glover has been given a mission but he will carry out his mission in any way that he sees fit, because Michael Glover has secrets of his own. What is a soldier to do when faced with overwhelming odds? Whatever is necessary... Fans of Iain M. Banks, Peter F. Hamilton, Lois McMaster Bujold and David Drake will love The Empire of Ruin.