The Serpent

Jon of Dun Add has created a civilization where before there had only been isolated pockets of humanity in a shattered cosmos.

Young knight Pal is one of the most respected members of Lord Jon’s Hall of Champions. But Pal’s greatest talent lies not on the field of battle, though he’s no slouch there. He is also a Maker, one who can repair the tools the Ancients had left—sometimes. Moreover, he has learned to use his warrior dog’s ability to predict motion better than any human could, an ability that has saved his skin and won the day more than once.

Now, Pal will need all his talent—as a fighter, as a Maker, and as a Champion—to deal with the monsters the Waste throws at him—and to deal with his fellow humans. For there are those who would destroy Dun Add and Lord Jon’s vision of a humanity united in peace from within . . .

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About David Drake:

“Drake deftly weaves a web of political machinations and intrigue that vividly depicts the costs of war. Fans of Patrick O'Brian's Maturin and Aubrey novels will enjoy this intricate, rousing space opera.” —Publishers Weekly

“[R]ousing old-fashioned space opera.”—Publishers Weekly

“The fun is in the telling, and Mr. Drake has a strong voice. I want more!”—Philadelphia Weekly Press

“[S]pace opera is alive and well. This series is getting better as the author goes along . . . character development combined with first-rate action and memorable world designs.”—SFReader.com

“[P]rose as cold and hard as the metal alloy of a tank . . . rivals Crane and Remarque . . .”—Chicago Sun-Times

David Drake was attending Duke University Law School when he was drafted. He served the next two years in the Army, spending 1970 as an enlisted interrogator with the 11th Armored Cavalry in Vietnam and Cambodia. Upon return, he completed his law degree at Duke and was for eight years assistant town attorney for Chapel Hill, North Carolina. He has been a full-time freelance writer since 1981. His books include the genre-defining and best-selling Hammer’s Slammers series and the nationally best-selling RCN series, including In the Stormy Red Sky, The Road of Danger, The Sea without a Shore, and Death's Bright Day.