Synopses & Reviews
When an army of giant robot AIs threatens to devastate Earth, a virtuoso pianist becomes humanity's last hope in this bold, lightning-paced, technicolor space opera series from the author of A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe.
Jazz pianist Gus Kitko expected to spend his final moments on Earth playing piano at the greatest goodbye party of all time, and maybe kissing rockstar Ardent Violet, before the last of humanity is wiped out forever by the Vanguards — ultra-powerful robots from the dark heart of space, hell-bent on destroying humanity for reasons none can divine.
But when the Vanguards arrive, the unthinkable happens — the mecha that should be killing Gus instead saves him. Suddenly, Gus's swan song becomes humanity's encore, as he is chosen to join a small group of traitorous Vanguards and their pilots dedicated to saving humanity.
Review
"White balances the elements of this space opera brilliantly in this first book in a new series, from the emotional connection between the characters to the huge plot pieces.” Booklist
Review
“White's tale of justice and vengeance sends the series out on a high note with electrifying action sequences, depth, and darkness. This thrilling finale will have readers on the edges of their seats.” Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
Review
“A clever fusion of magic and sci-fi makes this book a total blast. I was hooked from page one.” V. E. Schwab, New York Times bestselling author of A Darker Shade of Magic
About the Author
Alex White was born and raised in the American South. They take photos, write music, and spend hours on YouTube watching other people blacksmith. They value challenging and subversive writing, but they'll settle for a good time.
Alex lives in the shadow of Huntsville, Alabama's rockets with their spouse, son, two dogs and a cat named Grim. Favored pastimes include Legos and racecars. They take their whiskey neat and their espresso black.