WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE . . .

With the Earth in the path of the rapacious Posleen, the peaceful and friendly races of the Galactic Federation offer their resources to help the backward Terrans—for a price.

Humanity now has three worlds to defend.

As Earth's armies rush into battle and special operations units scout alien worlds, the humans begin to learn a valuable lesson: You can protect yourself from your enemies, but may the Lord save you from your allies.

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

John Ringo had visited 23 countries and attended 14 schools by the time he graduated high school. This left him with a wonderful appreciation of the oneness of humanity and a permanent aversion to foreign food. He chose to study marine biology and really liked it. Unfortunately the pay was for beans. So now he manages a quality control database and the pay is much better. He hopes to someday upgrade to SQL Server. At that point life will be complete.

With his bachelor years spent in the airborne, cave diving, rock-climbing, rappelling, hunting, spear-fishing, and sailing, the author is now happy to let other people risk their necks. He prefers to read (and of course write) science fiction, raise Arabian horses, dandle his kids and watch the grass grow. Someday he may even cut it. But not today. Maybe tomorrow. Maybe he'll just let the horses.

EARTH FIRST!
TERRA FOR TERRANS!

They've eased our problems. They've raised our standards of living. Their science has shown us that everything we though we knew about the universe was wrong. And now the alien Hyadeans' high-tech gifts and their flair for social order promise to make a paradise of planet Earth.

To us, the Hyadeans seem a model of efficiency and clear thinking. But in Hyadean eyes, Earth's culture wallows in imagination and dreams, artforms and concepts which would never have occurred to a citizen of their world. To some of the aliens, this demonstrates Earth's backwardness; others are increasingly fascinated by us.

But when a political assassination plunges his life into chaos, wealthy socialite and "Fixer" Roland Cade discovers the dark underbelly of the alien presence. Our government obeys them. Our economy serves their wealthy masters. And the CounterAction "terrorists" on the news are truly fighting for freedom for Terrans and Hyadeans alike—and one of them is his ex-wife.

Soon Cade is caught up in a terrifying adventure that will take him around the globe, and a conflict that will threaten to destroy the world as it turns American against American—and Hyadean against Hyadean. Cade will find friends in unexpected places, among the agents of CounterAction, and among the aliens themselves. But he will also face deadly enemies closer than the ever could have feared. . . .

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

James P. Hogan is a science fiction writer in the grand tradition, combining informed and accurate speculation from the cutting edge of science and technology with suspenseful story-telling and living, breathing characters.

Born in London in 1941, he worked as an aeronautical engineer specializing in electronics and digital systems, and for several major computer firms before turning to writing full-time in 1979. His first novel was greeted by Isaac Asimov with the rave, "Pure science fiction . . . Arthur Clarke, move over!" and his subsequent work quickly consolidated his reputation as a major SF author. He has written over a dozen novels including Paths to Otherwhere and Bug Park (both Baen), the "Giants" series (Del Rey), the New York Times bestsellers The Proteus Operation and Endgame Enigma and the Prometheus Award Winner The Multiplex Man (all available from Baen). Hogan currently splits his time between residences in Ireland and Florida.

More information about James Hogan and his work is available from his website at http://www.global.org/jphogan

THE LEAST OF FOUR EVILS

Frost, one of the world's great sorcerers, now possesses the Demon Blade, perhaps the most powerful (and dangerous) weapon ever created—but he doesn't want it.  Trouble is, plenty of others do, so he must not let it go until he finds the Blade's rightful guardian. But to do that he must return home. And that  means facing those who betrayed him in his youth, as well as those whom he betrayed.  It means facing who and what he was, and what he has become.

He will arrive to find a land on the brink of war, his greatest enemy on the throne, himself the target of plots by lords and mages alike, and soon enough, family he didn't even know he had held ransom for the Demon Blade.  Now he must choose among the least of four evils, and new, unimagined consequences he is only beginning to comprehend.

Praise for the Prequel

"A fine questing story." —Kliatt

"Refreshing. . . . Garland and McGraw have a definite knack for quirky developments. . . ." —Locus

THEY AREN'T ALL THAT PC, BUT
YOU BETTER NOT GET IN THEIR WAY!

            From the silly to the simply smashing, the Chicks in Chainmail are back to save us once again! Whether defending a charity ball against rapscallion pirates or taking names at a medievalist tournament in the Asteroid Belt, whether bringing a snotty loremaster to his rightful comeuppance or protecting our schoolchildren from magically-summoned barbarian invaders, whether weekending in the woods to get in touch with their Inner Warrior or showing giant reptiles that Tokyo's not gonna take it anymore, these female fighters will always have what it takes.

            So what are you waiting for Pick up your male—er, mail!

They Cheerfully Cherish Our Chicks:

"There's something to offend everyone . . . so bring your sense of humor, and prepare to be entertained." —Locus

". . . a romp that certainly tickled this reviewer's funny bone." 
—VOYA

 "Kudos should go to Friesner . . . there's not an average story in the whole bunch—they're all gems." 
—Realms of Fantasy

"Political correctness and disclaimers aside, this anthology is a hoot!" 
—Affaire de Coeur