Hellhole: Awakening (Hell Hole Trilogy)
The space opera that is the Hellhole series continues with the struggles of General Adolphus to have the Deep Zone worlds secede from the Monarchy. The Diadem, head of the Monarchy, has sent a massive fleet to put down the rebellion. Meanwhile, the awakened Xayans, aliens found on the planet Hellhole, have revealed themselves to have unsuspected powers that can protect and aid the rebellion, but there is a secret they are unwilling to share with the humans. The Xayans know there is another, greater threat to Hellhole and the Deep Zone worlds—their own fanatics. This book is aimed squarely at those who have read the first in the series, as there is barely any review of what occurred in the previous book. This time, the focus is on the players in the Monarchy and the Xayans. More fighting and treachery ensue, with the outcome up for grabs. Can the Deep Zone survive while caught between the Monarchy and the Xayan fanatics? Will the Monarchy finally collapse under its own decay? Only the next book will tell. --Rebecca Gerber