Michael R. Johnston is een docent Engels op de middelbare school en schrijver wiens werk de kruising van het dagelijks leven en het buitengewone verkent. Zijn verhalende stijl staat bekend om zijn boeiende stem en bedachtzame onderzoek van herkenbare personages die zich door complexe situaties navigeren. Johnston's schrijven nodigt lezers uit om diepere thema's te overwegen door middel van toegankelijke en meeslepende verhalen.
As the Zhen Empire descends into civil war, Tajen, Liam, and Katherine each have their own part to play in the final conflict between the humans and the Zhen Empire. As Tajen searches the outer regions in an attempt to find and recruit Zhen deserters to his side, Katherine heads for Marauder space to seek out technology their Tabran allies need.
Tajen's mission to seek aid from the Kelvaki Assembly is cut short when the Zhen invade Earth. Now he, Liam, and Kiri must return to Earth and liberate the colony from brutal occupation. When Tajen learns the Zhen plan to destroy a human fleet amassing in preparation to help Earth, he and his crew must escape the planet once more and warn them.
Once a war hero of the Zhen Empire, Tajen Hunt has become a freelance starship pilot. When his estranged brother is murdered, Tajen discovers that Imperial agents killed him. Betrayed by the Empire he used to serve, Tajen gathers a crew and sets out to finish his brother's quest-to find the long-lost human homeworld, Earth.