Originator
A quarter of a million people die in the destruction of the moon Cresta. The League civil war is accelerating out of control, but projections indicate that as their technologically induced sociological dysfunction continues, all of humanity may face a similar fate. In the aftermath of Cresta's destruction, Sandy Kresnov discovers the alien Talee operative Cai in Tanusha, there to learn just how far the technologically-induced insanity has gone. The Talee have seen this before, and they are terrified of anything threatening a recurrence.
Meanwhile, Sandy's old nemesis Renaldo Takewashi, the self-proclaimed "father" of synthetic intelligence, comes to the Federation seeking asylum. Talewashi may even have a cure - previously unknown Talee technology implanted into a human child subject - Sandy's little boy, Kiril. But it is exactly this technology that the Talee fear, and they will exterminate anyone caught using it.
Now, Sandy must fight to save her family from a terrible new threat, but doing so may plunge humanity into another destructive war between humans, or worse, against the massively-advanced Talee. And what final secret are the Talee protecting about the origins of synthetic humans like Sandy that could either liberate Sandy's fellow synthetics from bondage or spell disaster for all humanity?
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Joel Shepherd
Joel Shepherd is an Australian author whose imagination bridges the vast expanse of science fiction and the intricate depth of fantasy. Born in Adelaide in 1974 and raised in Perth, he discovered an early fascination with storytelling through science fiction films and speculative tales that stretched beyond everyday life. This curiosity eventually led him to study film and television arts at Curtin University, a foundation that shaped his cinematic approach to narrative and world-building.
The Cassandra Kresnov Series
The adventures of Cassandra "Sandy" Kresnov, the ultimate synthetic soldier who was made by the League, but defected to her former enemy, the Federation. Explosive action sequences and a focus on character make the Cassandra Kresnov novels unique in SF.
The Cassandra Kresnov Series consists of six books. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
