Exhausted from decades of civil war and bloodshed, the exhausted Terrans are unprepared for what is coming. An apocalyptic war looms, and few believe it is a war that can be survived, let alone won. As Terran colonies evacuate, the mighty Laconians stand alone against the merciless Empire and its limitless legions. But like the famous 300 Spartans before them, they will fight to the end, no matter the odds, and they will never surrender.
Their new King, the bold and ambitious Agesilaus plans the unthinkable. Inspired by the valour and adventures of the infamous Ten Thousand mercenaries, he launches a pre-emptive strike against the Empire with a host of warriors, freed slave soldiers and legions of mercenaries. Together with his twin sister, the warrior princess Kyniska they will lead the attack and they will not stop until their enemies are brought to their knees.
Warrior King is the first book in the 'Star Legions: The Terran Wars' series by Michael G. Thomas, the bestselling author of the Star Crusades series. This is the standalone sequel series to the bestselling 'Star Legions: Ten Thousand' series (now available as a discounted 7 book box set).
Book is ranked 10-40,000 and part of a large series. A table-top game is out in the next few months.
PROLOGUE
The Hall of Heroes, Laconia
The Arachne fighting machines were as big as bulls, and yet walked upright on eight legs. Spindly limbs extended out from the flanks of their grotesque looking bodies. The robotic machines fused the elegance of a well-trained warrior with the terror of the greatest monsters of ancient myth. Each Arachne was constructed from gleaming metal and festooned with ribbed plates around their bodies to protect the vulnerable electronics held safely inside. Their heads pushed up from the front of the torso with glowing red eyes, giving the impression of some soulless beast.
Once close enough, they reared up from the ground, with four legs supporting their weight. The other four reached out in front with long talons, each as big as a sword and twice as sharp. The arms moved and began a complex series of patterns almost impossible to discern to the naked eye. They were ready to fight.
“Monstrous beasts,” Agesilaus muttered. He rose from the ground and twisted about at the waist to face the approaching metal warriors. Agesilaus looked every part the Laconian warrior of old. He was a big man, at almost two metres in height and encased in bronzed effect armour, “I will crush each of you in turn.”
The nearest of the three machines hissed something intelligible, and then they began advancing towards Agesilaus with a clattering of metal feet, and the clicking of movable armoured plates. The scarred warrior pointed towards the approaching machines and laughed at them as if they were little more than a group of children.
“It’s time to join your friends in the Underworld.”
