The Saga of Seven Suns
Aspect/Orbit Books (US) | |
Published | July 2002 – July 2008 |
---|---|
Media type | Print (hardback & paperback) |
No. of books | 7 |
Preceded by | Veiled Alliances (prequel) |
Followed by | The Saga of Shadows |
The Saga of Seven Suns is a series of seven space opera novels by American writer Kevin J. Anderson, published between 2002 and 2008. The books are set in a not-too-distant future where humans have colonized a number of other planets across the galaxy, thanks in part to technological assistance from an ancient alien race, the Ildirans. The series chronicles the universe-spanning war that erupts when humans inadvertently ignite the fury of a hidden empire of elemental aliens known as the hydrogues. Internal conflict is sparked within both the human and Ildiran empires as other ancient elemental races reappear to renew their own ancient war with the hydrogues.
A
Setting
In the future, the human race has colonized multiple planets in the
As the series begins, the arrogant Hansa Chairman
The war escalates simmering rivalries among the human factions and ignites a schism in the Ildiran consciousness. Later, the fire-based faeros and aquatic wentals also reappear as the war with their ancient hydrogue enemies escalates. The long-held secrets of the Ildirans and the Klikiss robots are revealed amidst much destruction, and after 10,000 years the Klikiss return to reclaim their own empire at any cost.
Book 1: Hidden Empire (2002)
Author | Kevin J. Anderson | |
---|---|---|
Audio read by | ISBN 0446528625 | |
Followed by | A Forest of Stars |
Hidden Empire is the first book in The Saga of Seven Suns series by Kevin J. Anderson, published on July 24, 2002. Publishers Weekly called it a "stellar launch of a new series" and a "fascinating future epic", and praised its "engaging characters."[1] Harriet Klausner of TheBestReviews.com wrote, "The tale grabs the audience from the start as Kevin J. Anderson ... blends the players and worlds into the thrilling plot. Thus, the audience does not receive an extended prologue as often seen in first novels. Instead readers obtain a powerful futuristic epic that contains a robust stand-alone story line yet provides a puissant cliffhanger that will keep the audience wanting to continue non-stop."[2] However SF Signal described it as "A rather pedestrian space opera that nonetheless has some cool ideas."[3]
Plot
Having colonized many worlds in the Spiral Arm, humanity is divided into three branches: the Earth-based Terran Hanseatic League (Hansa) and its subordinate planets, the independent world Theroc with its telepathic green priests, and the Roamers, interplanetary traders who prefer starships and hidden bases to a conventional planet-based civilization. The only other known intelligent species in the galaxy are the Ildirans, an ancient civilization at its peak, and the long-extinct Klikiss, whose planets remain empty but for their unusual ruins.
As the novel begins, the Hansa's test of a recently discovered ancient Klikiss technology that can convert
As a lack of ekti will cripple both the human and Ildirian civilizations, and the hydrogues refuse to negotiate or even respond to human overtures of peace, their ultimatum is effectively a declaration of war. The humans and Ildirans mount a defense to protect their interests, but the virtually indestructible hydrogue ships and their lightning and ice weapons seem an unconquerable enemy. Arrogant Hansa Chairman
Book 2: A Forest of Stars (2003)
Author | Kevin J. Anderson | |
---|---|---|
Audio read by | ISBN 0446528714 | |
Preceded by | Hidden Empire | |
Followed by | Horizon Storms |
A Forest of Stars is the second book in The Saga of Seven Suns series by Kevin J. Anderson, published on July 17, 2003. Calling Anderson's characters "well-drawn," Publishers Weekly wrote that the author "weaves action, romance and science with a rousing plot reflecting the classic SF of Clarke and Herbert and the glossy cinematic influence of Lucas and Spielberg."[4]
Plot
Five years after the war began, the hydrogues maintain absolute control over the galaxy's gas giant planets. On Earth the government is tightening its grip on rebellious colonies while seeking to dominate the other humans throughout the galaxy, unaware that the seemingly-benign Klikiss robots, left behind when the Klikiss died out, are actually planning the destruction of the human race as they did their parent Klikiss. The Roamer skymines have been abandoned or destroyed, but innovative clans have come up with smash-and-grab tactics to acquire what ekti they can. The worldtrees of Theroc have been revealed as the verdani, ancient rivals of the hydrogues. Though a heartbroken Jora'h believes she is dead, Nira is secretly a captive being used in the clandestine breeding scheme of Mage-Imperator Cyroc'h to create an Ildiran capable of communicating with the hydrogues. So far the best candidate appears to be
Book 3: Horizon Storms (2004)
Author | Kevin J. Anderson | |
---|---|---|
Audio read by | ISBN 0446528722 | |
Preceded by | A Forest of Stars | |
Followed by | Scattered Suns |
Horizon Storms is the third book in The Saga of Seven Suns series by Kevin J. Anderson, published on July 29, 2004. Publishers Weekly wrote that the novel was "Crackling with energy and buzzing with action," calling it "thrilling" and a "hot summer read."[5]
Plot
The elemental war between hydrogues and faeros continues to sweep across the Spiral Arm, extinguishing suns and destroying planets. Hansa Chairman Basil Wenceslas (and his figurehead King Peter) attempts to unify all branches of the human race to stand together against the threat, even if they must resort to deception and oppression to do so. The Roamer clans and the people of Theroc do not give up their independence easily, however, and Basil's policies soon force the disparate civilizations to forge alliances of their own. Partly as a distraction from their peril and partly as a desperate hope, the Hansa launches an ambitious new colonization program using the network of recently discovered Klikiss transportals, instantaneous gateways that take colonists to many abandoned Klikiss worlds. On the planet Ildira, newly crowned Mage-Imperator Jora'h faces the responsibilities and secrets his predecessors have imposed upon him: a breeding program forced upon a colony of human captives and an uneasy pact with the Klikiss robots that could result in the extinction of the human race. But Jora'h must also survive an open rebellion among the Ildirans unleashed by his own brother
Book 4: Scattered Suns (2005)
Author | Kevin J. Anderson | |
---|---|---|
Audio read by | David Colacci | |
Series | The Saga of Seven Suns | |
Genre | ISBN 0446577170 | |
Preceded by | Horizon Storms | |
Followed by | Of Fire and Night |
Scattered Suns is the fourth book in The Saga of Seven Suns series by Kevin J. Anderson, published on July 18, 2005. Publishers Weekly wrote that "Anderson delivers more on-the-edge-of-your-seat SF thrills" and that he "handles a huge cast and complicated plot with élan."[6]
Plot
Ildiran Mage-Imperator Jora'h is preoccupied with the bloody rebellion that his brother Rusa'h has launched across the Ildiran planets, with the help of Jora'h's own first-born son
Book 5: Of Fire and Night (2006)
Author | Kevin J. Anderson | |
---|---|---|
Audio read by | David Colacci | |
Series | The Saga of Seven Suns | |
Genre | ISBN 0446577189 | |
Preceded by | Scattered Suns | |
Followed by | Metal Swarm |
Of Fire and Night is the fifth book in The Saga of Seven Suns series by Kevin J. Anderson, published on July 13, 2006. Publishers Weekly wrote that the "fabulous fifth volume ... combines glitzy space-opera flash with witty, character-driven action on a cosmic scale," and again complimented Anderson's ability to manage multiple plotlines and a large cast of characters.[7]
Plot
With the fate of the Hansa seeming darker than ever, the increasingly desperate and irrational Chairman Basil Wenceslas's punitive treatment of Hansa colonies and free-spirited Roamers, as well as his refusal to aid the burned forest world of Theroc, has made enemies all around. Earth's own Soldier compies have rebelled thanks to secret programming by the Klikiss robots, taking over most of the Earth Defense Force battleships across the Spiral Arm. Pushed into a corner, Ildiran Mage-Imperator Jora'h has reluctantly agreed to assist the hydrogues in exterminating the human race so that the Ildirans will be spared. Ancient verdani thorny tree battleships arrive after a long journey across the universe to aid Theroc, while the Roamers' plan to seed aquatic planets with wentals to rejuvenate the elemental race comes to fruition. The final hydrogue assault on Earth is put in motion, and with the Hansa's loss of military might and allies, the outlook is grim.[7]
Book 6: Metal Swarm (2007)
Author | Kevin J. Anderson | |
---|---|---|
Audio read by | David Colacci | |
Series | The Saga of Seven Suns | |
Genre | ISBN 0316021741 | |
Preceded by | Of Fire and Night | |
Followed by | The Ashes of Worlds |
Metal Swarm is the sixth book in The Saga of Seven Suns series by Kevin J. Anderson, published on December 10, 2007. Publishers Weekly noted that while the series "has been compared to some of the genre's grandest epics with good reason," Metal Swarm itself "fails to satisfy on its own merits" and "much of the action-packed conflict remains relatively predictable."[8] The review placed blame on the novel's "unwieldy cast of characters, tapestry of intertwining subplots and eon-spanning backstory."[8] Paul Di Filippo of SciFi.com agreed that Metal Swarm is "just more of what has come before" and suggested that the story arc did not really justify such a long series.[9] He commented that by the sixth installment "one would hope for a kind of summing-up or accelerando or intensification of pitch" but felt that "the initial states of the protagonists remain essentially static."[9]
Plot
The hydrogues have been defeated across the galaxy thanks to the combined efforts of the Earth Defense Forces, the Ildiran Empire, the Roamer clans, the wentals and the verdani. But as the various factions try to recover, Hansa Chairman Basil Wenceslas intends to brutally crush any resistance to his rule. King Peter and
Book 7: The Ashes of Worlds (2008)
Author | Kevin J. Anderson | |
---|---|---|
Audio read by | David Colacci | |
Series | The Saga of Seven Suns | |
Genre | ISBN 0316007579 | |
Preceded by | Metal Swarm |
The Ashes of Worlds is the seventh book in The Saga of Seven Suns series by Kevin J. Anderson, published on July 1, 2008.
Plot
At the end of his rope, Hansa Chairman Basil Wenceslas has alienated all of the other factions in the Spiral Arm in his increasingly myopic and destructive struggle to reconsolidate the power he once held over the human race. With the Ildiran Mage-Imperator his hostage to thwart an Ildiran alliance with King Peter's Confederation, Basil installs a new puppet king of the Hansa: Peter's own brother Rory, thought killed years before. Rusa'h and the faeros have seized control of Ildira and Theroc with much loss of Ildiran and human lives.
Prequel: Veiled Alliances (Graphic novel) (2004)
Author | Kevin J. Anderson | |
---|---|---|
Audio read by | David Colacci | |
Illustrator | Robert Teranishi (inks) Wendy Fouts-Broome (colors) | |
Series | The Saga of Seven Suns | |
Genre | ISBN 1563899019 | |
Veiled Alliances is a prequel graphic novel to The Saga of Seven Suns series by Kevin J. Anderson, published on February 1, 2004. Publishers Weekly commended its "superlative art" but noted that the plot "feels more like the rushed synopsis of a story than the story itself."[10]
Plot
A few hundred years before the events of Hidden Empire (2002), eleven generation ships had been dispatched from an overpopulated Earth to find new planets to colonize. One of the ships, the Caillié, ultimately stumbles upon the Ildirans, an advanced race capable of faster-than-light travel. The Ildirans help the inhabitants of the Caillié settle the planet Theroc and rescue most of the remaining human ships, then send an envoy to Earth seeking an alliance. Earth is now governed by the wizened King Ben, with Hansa Chairman Malcolm Stannis pulling the strings behind the scenes.[10]
Critical reception
The series has received varied reviews. Publishers Weekly called 2002's Hidden Empire a "stellar launch of a new series" and a "fascinating future epic", and praised its "engaging characters."[1] Harriet Klausner of TheBestReviews.com wrote, "The tale grabs the audience from the start as Kevin J. Anderson ... blends the players and worlds into the thrilling plot. Thus, the audience does not receive an extended prologue as often seen in first novels. Instead readers obtain a powerful futuristic epic that contains a robust stand-alone story line yet provides a puissant cliffhanger that will keep the audience wanting to continue non-stop."[2] However SF Signal described it as "A rather pedestrian space opera that nonetheless has some cool ideas."[3] By the sixth book, Metal Swarm (2007), Publishers Weekly noted that while the series "has been compared to some of the genre’s grandest epics with good reason," Metal Swarm itself "fails to satisfy on its own merits" and "much of the action-packed conflict remains relatively predictable."[8] Paul Di Filippo of SciFi.com agreed that Metal Swarm is "just more of what has come before" and suggested that the story arc did not really justify such a long series.[9]
Sequel trilogy
Anderson announced a
References
- ^ a b c "Fiction Book Review: Hidden Empire: The Saga of Seven Suns Book 1". Publishers Weekly. July 1, 2002. Retrieved November 21, 2013.
- ^ a b Klausner, Harriet (July 15, 2002). "Kevin J. Anderson, Hidden Empire Review". TheBestReviews.com. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
- ^ a b Frantz, JP (May 31, 2004). "Review: Saga of Seven Suns, Books I and II". SF Signal. Archived from the original on October 13, 2011. Retrieved November 23, 2013 – via SFSignal.com.
- ^ a b "Fiction Book Review: A Forest of Stars: The Saga of Seven Suns Book 2". Publishers Weekly. May 5, 2003. Retrieved December 6, 2013.
- ^ a b "Fiction Book Review: Horizon Storms: The Saga of Seven Suns Book 3". Publishers Weekly. July 5, 2004. Retrieved December 6, 2013.
- ^ a b "Fiction Book Review: Scattered Suns: The Saga of Seven Suns Book 4". Publishers Weekly. June 6, 2005. Retrieved December 6, 2013.
- ^ a b "Fiction Book Review: Of Fire and Night: The Saga of Seven Suns Book 5". Publishers Weekly. May 22, 2006. Retrieved December 6, 2013.
- ^ a b c d "Fiction Book Review: Metal Swarm: The Saga of Seven Suns Book 6". Publishers Weekly. October 15, 2007. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
- ^ SyFy. Archived from the originalon March 4, 2009. Retrieved November 23, 2013 – via Scifi.com.
- ^ a b " The Saga of Seven Suns: Veiled Alliances". Publishers Weekly. February 2, 2004. Retrieved December 6, 2013.
- ^ Anderson, Kevin J. (December 9, 2011). "New Prequel to Saga of Seven Suns". Archived from the original on November 27, 2013 – via KJAblog.com.
Meanwhile, I'm up to Of Fire and Night in my reread of the entire series before I start to write the new Seven Suns trilogy, The Saga of Shadows
- ^ Gaffen, Adam (January 22, 2013). "A Conversation with Kevin J. Anderson". Amazing Stories. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
- ^ "The Dark Between the Stars by Kevin J. Anderson". Kirkus Reviews. May 20, 2014. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
- Tor.com. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
- ^ Anderson, Kevin J. (January 18, 2015). "All in a week's work: Clockwork Lives, 2113, short stories, Navigators of Dune". Retrieved February 10, 2015 – via KJAblog.com.
External links
- Kevin J. Anderson's web site
- Kevin J. Anderson at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
- McMullon, Scott (September 6, 2013). "Classic Read: Hidden Empire by Kevin J Anderson". SoSoGay.co.uk. Archived from the original on December 13, 2013. Retrieved December 8, 2013.