Homecoming

Spiral Wars, Book 9

By: Joel Shepherd

Narrated by: John Lee

The UFS Phoenix is finally homeward bound. On the way is Tuki Station, in barabo space, hit just now by a force of sard ships, working in concert with a larger invasion from alo space. An alo and deepynine fleet has attacked, and humanity's forces are in turmoil despite all of Phoenix's efforts over the past three years to prepare them.

Nia leads the assault, Styx's old AI queen nemesis from the Drysine/Deepynine War, the greatest armed conflict in Spiral history, 25,000 years ago. But what does Nia seek? Is she after the drysine data-core, which Phoenix recovered nearly three years ago? Does she pursue members of the Debogande family visiting Hoffen Station, as a way to get at Phoenix's captain personally? And if she's making a full-scale attempt to remove humanity as a strategic threat, why do her battle plans look so odd?

Nia is the greatest synthetic military mind in history, save for Styx. Human Fleet desperately needs Styx's help, yet Supreme Commander Mazungu is terrified of ceding her, and Phoenix, too much power. And now Styx herself has competition, as Phoenix's shipboard AI Shali has just acquired a massive analysis program from reeh space, designed specifically to map Nia's mind and beat her.

But can Nia be predicted, before it's all too late?

©2024 Joel Shepherd (P)2024 Audible, Inc.

another banger

John Lee kills it as always, and every book in this series has been fantastic including this one. I'll never stop preordering these.

Satisfaction.

I really enjoy this series a lot, I would say it is one of my favorite cyfy series available on audible and I've listened to a lot. This book is the meat. I've been waiting for for several books. Don't get me wrong. I enjoy the complexity of political situation, but to this book finally brought some Satisfaction to what he's been building to For many many books. To anyone who's reading this review that has not started the series it.This series is well worth your time.If you enjoy something that's a bit more intellectual than the average space opera. Well worth the listen I can't wait for the next one even though I'm probably gonna have to wait a couple of years.

Keeps on going (in a good way)

Still a fun read even nine books in. I do think Shepherd needs to conclude the story with the next book, however. One complaint i have is the similarity between all alien species. Everyone is bipedal and breathes oxygen. A nod to panspermia would help, which I've done in my mind in order for it not to bother me. John Lee is aces as always.

More please

Back to what we care about. More Phoenix crew, politics and AI. Joel needs to pump out more faster ;)

Nine books in, and I want more

I’ve been listening to this series for years. From then until now, the story has only grown in scope and depth. This is honestly the kind of story that would make a fantastic long running TV series. My only downside, I have to wait until book 10.