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Earth has been a scarred ruin for three decades, its scattered people struggling to survive amid the poisoned and radioactive wreckage of the final war between its despotic Superpowers. While the people of Earth struggle to survive, out on the frontier, on a thousand worlds, mankind thrives and grows, building new civilizations and looking boldly to the future. But man has never been able to live in peace, and even Earth’s sad fate has failed to slow the call to war.
Most of the colonies lack the industry and economic power to sustain their own armies and navies, and they look to the mercenaries of the Great Companies for aid in time of war. These futuristic condottiere contract themselves to the highest bidder, and the mightiest strike fear into the hearts of all who oppose them.
Darius Cain is the leader of the Black Eagles, the most renowned of all the Companies. A military genius, he has led his undefeated warriors from victory to victory. The Eagles command the highest rates of any of the Companies, and leaders bankrupt worlds to pay their price.
But amid the ruins of Earth and on planets all across occupied space there are signs of a greater darkness, a force working in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike, to launch a final war to reduce all mankind to slavery.
As Cain slowly uncovers the truth, he must forge an alliance among old enemies, the other Companies his men have fought for years…and the twin brother he hasn’t seen in a decade.
The Crimson Worlds are about to explode into a war that may be mankind’s last.
Also By Jay Allan:
The Crimson Worlds Series:
Marines (Crimson Worlds I)
The Cost of Victory (Crimson Worlds II)
A Little Rebellion (Crimson Worlds III)
The First Imperium (Crimson Worlds IV)
The Line Must Hold (Crimson Worlds V)
To Hell’s Heart (Crimson Worlds VI)
The Shadow Legions (Crimson Worlds VII)
Even Legends Die (Crimson Worlds VIII)
The Fall (Crimson Worlds IX)
War Stories (3 Crimson Worlds Prequels)
Gehenna Dawn (Portal Wars I)
The Ten Thousand (Portal Wars II)
The Dragon's Banner (Pendragon Chronicles I)
Now Available for Pre-Order:
Into the Darkness (Crimson Worlds Refugees I)
Release Date: Jun 23, 2015
Most of the colonies lack the industry and economic power to sustain their own armies and navies, and they look to the mercenaries of the Great Companies for aid in time of war. These futuristic condottiere contract themselves to the highest bidder, and the mightiest strike fear into the hearts of all who oppose them.
Darius Cain is the leader of the Black Eagles, the most renowned of all the Companies. A military genius, he has led his undefeated warriors from victory to victory. The Eagles command the highest rates of any of the Companies, and leaders bankrupt worlds to pay their price.
But amid the ruins of Earth and on planets all across occupied space there are signs of a greater darkness, a force working in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike, to launch a final war to reduce all mankind to slavery.
As Cain slowly uncovers the truth, he must forge an alliance among old enemies, the other Companies his men have fought for years…and the twin brother he hasn’t seen in a decade.
The Crimson Worlds are about to explode into a war that may be mankind’s last.
Also By Jay Allan:
The Crimson Worlds Series:
Marines (Crimson Worlds I)
The Cost of Victory (Crimson Worlds II)
A Little Rebellion (Crimson Worlds III)
The First Imperium (Crimson Worlds IV)
The Line Must Hold (Crimson Worlds V)
To Hell’s Heart (Crimson Worlds VI)
The Shadow Legions (Crimson Worlds VII)
Even Legends Die (Crimson Worlds VIII)
The Fall (Crimson Worlds IX)
War Stories (3 Crimson Worlds Prequels)
Gehenna Dawn (Portal Wars I)
The Ten Thousand (Portal Wars II)
The Dragon's Banner (Pendragon Chronicles I)
Now Available for Pre-Order:
Into the Darkness (Crimson Worlds Refugees I)
Release Date: Jun 23, 2015
300 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 24, 2015
539 people are currently reading
485 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
February 4, 2018
There are a lot of Crimson Worlds stories. They never seem to end, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Still, sometimes it’s kind of hard to remember the back-story about the characters you read about in books long gone. This one is no exception. We’re now reading about Erik Cain’s sons. Yes, if you’ll remember, he and Sarah had twins, Darius and Elias. They are now grown men and about as different as two people can be.
Darius has his father’s military genes which, unfortunately, have driven him to find war anywhere he can. Since the Galaxy has calmed down after the Second Incursion of the First Imperium, there were no real enemies to fight. The Alliance Navy and Marine Corps found itself with nothing to do. And with the fall of Earth, there was no centralized government willing to foot the gigantic defense bill these two organizations represented. So, they were downsized considerably. And that’s where Darius Cain comes in. He is the Commanding Officer, General, of the Black Eagles, a mercenary army equal to no one. Only they don’t downright call themselves Mercenaries, but Companies, very successful Companies. He and his men fight for whomever puts up the right amount of money regardless of the reason they want to hire the Black Eagles. They never fail to fulfill a contact.
The other brother, Elias, is just the opposite. Whereas he doesn’t have much use for the military, he is in law enforcement on the planet Atlantia. This is where he grew up along with his famous Mother and Father. He has the discipline of his Father to an extreme. He enforces the laws of Atlantia with the rigor of a military commander. He never sees anything in shades of gray, but black or white, you either broke the law or you didn’t. He doesn’t ponder on such things as whether the actual law is just or not, just that it’s enforced.
Neither brother can stand the other. While Elias sees Darius as a blood-thirsty killer, Darius sees his brother as a tool of a tyrant, taking freedoms away from the people he’s supposed to be protecting. Neither has seen each other in years, and while Elias has seen his Mother, Sarah, on occasions, Darius is considered a criminal on Atlantia so he can’t go home.
But, something is going on in the Galaxy. Something or some one has just caused Darius’ elite forces sever damage unlike any other recent battle. And, when they are fulfilling a minor contract on a planet, his forces meet up with another force that appears to be just as good as the Black Eagles. Where these guys came from is a mystery. Elias also finds a remote Atlantian mining colony wiped out for seemingly no reason. All the workers are gone, disappeared while the entire mining operation was destroyed. And on Earth, the last remaining pockets of humans are slowly being rounded up and taken away by force.
Now, Roderick Vance, the Intelligence Chief of Mars, has noticed the activities on Earth and he’s worried. With out the Alliance Navy and Marines, there isn’t anyone around to really protect Mars or the Colony planets. He needs to find out what is happening and who’s doing these things. So he enlist the help of his friends and there now adult children. He calls for a meeting of Sarah, Elias and Darius as well as the renowned retired Admiral Augustus Garret. Yeah, he’s still alive although Erick Cane is not (or is he?).
Ok, this appears to be another series that I’m going to get hooked on. Some good reading familiar characters. I think you’ll like it.
Darius has his father’s military genes which, unfortunately, have driven him to find war anywhere he can. Since the Galaxy has calmed down after the Second Incursion of the First Imperium, there were no real enemies to fight. The Alliance Navy and Marine Corps found itself with nothing to do. And with the fall of Earth, there was no centralized government willing to foot the gigantic defense bill these two organizations represented. So, they were downsized considerably. And that’s where Darius Cain comes in. He is the Commanding Officer, General, of the Black Eagles, a mercenary army equal to no one. Only they don’t downright call themselves Mercenaries, but Companies, very successful Companies. He and his men fight for whomever puts up the right amount of money regardless of the reason they want to hire the Black Eagles. They never fail to fulfill a contact.
The other brother, Elias, is just the opposite. Whereas he doesn’t have much use for the military, he is in law enforcement on the planet Atlantia. This is where he grew up along with his famous Mother and Father. He has the discipline of his Father to an extreme. He enforces the laws of Atlantia with the rigor of a military commander. He never sees anything in shades of gray, but black or white, you either broke the law or you didn’t. He doesn’t ponder on such things as whether the actual law is just or not, just that it’s enforced.
Neither brother can stand the other. While Elias sees Darius as a blood-thirsty killer, Darius sees his brother as a tool of a tyrant, taking freedoms away from the people he’s supposed to be protecting. Neither has seen each other in years, and while Elias has seen his Mother, Sarah, on occasions, Darius is considered a criminal on Atlantia so he can’t go home.
But, something is going on in the Galaxy. Something or some one has just caused Darius’ elite forces sever damage unlike any other recent battle. And, when they are fulfilling a minor contract on a planet, his forces meet up with another force that appears to be just as good as the Black Eagles. Where these guys came from is a mystery. Elias also finds a remote Atlantian mining colony wiped out for seemingly no reason. All the workers are gone, disappeared while the entire mining operation was destroyed. And on Earth, the last remaining pockets of humans are slowly being rounded up and taken away by force.
Now, Roderick Vance, the Intelligence Chief of Mars, has noticed the activities on Earth and he’s worried. With out the Alliance Navy and Marines, there isn’t anyone around to really protect Mars or the Colony planets. He needs to find out what is happening and who’s doing these things. So he enlist the help of his friends and there now adult children. He calls for a meeting of Sarah, Elias and Darius as well as the renowned retired Admiral Augustus Garret. Yeah, he’s still alive although Erick Cane is not (or is he?).
Ok, this appears to be another series that I’m going to get hooked on. Some good reading familiar characters. I think you’ll like it.
March 11, 2021
Nice 1st book in the follow on series from the main Crimson Worlds series. I think this trilogy should clean up the dangling bits of plot left over from the main series. Good military SiFi read. Recommended
September 18, 2018
Another great space adventure from Jay Allan.
Great characters. Well developed story arc.
Highly recommended author and series
Great characters. Well developed story arc.
Highly recommended author and series
April 11, 2015
I've been reading the Crimson Worlds series for almost four years now, and preordering them since the 3rd or 4th one. I'm invested in the ecosystem. And though I enjoyed this novel, it wasn't one of Jay's better works.
The plot was great, if a little formulaic. It's the first book in a trilogy, though, and it's not got a lot of space or time to introduce/reintroduce all the characters. And, one thing I know from the Crimson Worlds series is that Jay plays the long game. There were story threads started in book 1 that didn't fully resolve until the last novel in that series. So while, this novel seemed paint by the numbers, I fully expect it to unfold into a different shape entirely.
My main gripe is that Jay did a LOT of telling, and not showing in this novel. We were repeatedly bludgeoned with what kind of man Darius or his brother was. Long paragraphs on their character, that seemed unnecessary as we had sections of the story that spoke to their characters.
I enjoyed the book, and will buy (preorder) the sequel. I'd recommend the series to anyone who enjoys military SF/F, though I'd recommend starting with the Crimson World Series
The plot was great, if a little formulaic. It's the first book in a trilogy, though, and it's not got a lot of space or time to introduce/reintroduce all the characters. And, one thing I know from the Crimson Worlds series is that Jay plays the long game. There were story threads started in book 1 that didn't fully resolve until the last novel in that series. So while, this novel seemed paint by the numbers, I fully expect it to unfold into a different shape entirely.
My main gripe is that Jay did a LOT of telling, and not showing in this novel. We were repeatedly bludgeoned with what kind of man Darius or his brother was. Long paragraphs on their character, that seemed unnecessary as we had sections of the story that spoke to their characters.
I enjoyed the book, and will buy (preorder) the sequel. I'd recommend the series to anyone who enjoys military SF/F, though I'd recommend starting with the Crimson World Series
February 14, 2017
Pretty good military sci-fi, July 4, 2016
Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: MERCS: Crimson Worlds Successors (Kindle Edition)
This is my first Jay Allan novel so I don't know if the complaints about its similarities to his previous books are valid or not. I do know that I enjoyed it. I did find that reading the chapter headings, particularly the dates, was important to understanding the novel as the narrative switches from present to past events. This is pretty good military sci-fi full of larger than life characters. Heinlein fans will notice the similarities between the mobile infantry in STARSHIP TROOPERS and General Cain's Black Eagles.
Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: MERCS: Crimson Worlds Successors (Kindle Edition)
This is my first Jay Allan novel so I don't know if the complaints about its similarities to his previous books are valid or not. I do know that I enjoyed it. I did find that reading the chapter headings, particularly the dates, was important to understanding the novel as the narrative switches from present to past events. This is pretty good military sci-fi full of larger than life characters. Heinlein fans will notice the similarities between the mobile infantry in STARSHIP TROOPERS and General Cain's Black Eagles.
July 23, 2018
Power is everything
Characters have a really low opinion of human nature. This story is about war, by people, by aliens, by anyone and why things reach such an impass. It is well written, has strong characters, a lot of action and carries an invitation to think about how it applies to current events whether you agree with the character's opinions or not.
Stronger worlds attack and occupy weaker worlds, no threat to them, but sheep to be taken and dominated, their resources stolen, their people enslaved. Earth, a wasteland populated by dying defenceless people. Colony worlds struggling to survive. The strongest forces left are the mercenary units. Two wars have left everything broken. But in this universe people don't learn from past mistakes and partisan politics prevail. The mercs , Black Eagles, think they are outside this power struggle - just doing a job. The twin brothers the story focuses on are over-the-top perfectionists, each adhering to their own rigid code. Can they overcome the petty squabbles of the diverse worlds to unite them against a much larger threat without killing each other?
Characters have a really low opinion of human nature. This story is about war, by people, by aliens, by anyone and why things reach such an impass. It is well written, has strong characters, a lot of action and carries an invitation to think about how it applies to current events whether you agree with the character's opinions or not.
Stronger worlds attack and occupy weaker worlds, no threat to them, but sheep to be taken and dominated, their resources stolen, their people enslaved. Earth, a wasteland populated by dying defenceless people. Colony worlds struggling to survive. The strongest forces left are the mercenary units. Two wars have left everything broken. But in this universe people don't learn from past mistakes and partisan politics prevail. The mercs , Black Eagles, think they are outside this power struggle - just doing a job. The twin brothers the story focuses on are over-the-top perfectionists, each adhering to their own rigid code. Can they overcome the petty squabbles of the diverse worlds to unite them against a much larger threat without killing each other?
October 15, 2017
Thrilling space combat action amid a shattered remnant of the once mighty human civilization.
The cataclysmic end of the superpowers dominance has left Earth a radioactive wasteland and human civilization scattered and struggling to rebuild society. With economies sunken, battles for dominance are fought with mercenary units, the best of which, the Black Eagles, is commanded by Darius Cain, one of the twin sons of Eric Cain, hero of the Crimson Worlds. His twin brother, Elias, was an officer commanding the planetary patrol of Atlantia.
The action-filled combat sequences, interspersed with the subterfuge and scheming of a new player trying to gain dominance, and throw in a little romance and you have a terrific beginning to a new series featuring the successors of the Crimson Worlds. It's good to see the story continue, with a familiar characters and a common background.
This is a great start to what seems to be an epic offshoot of the Crimson Worlds universe, and a great read.
The cataclysmic end of the superpowers dominance has left Earth a radioactive wasteland and human civilization scattered and struggling to rebuild society. With economies sunken, battles for dominance are fought with mercenary units, the best of which, the Black Eagles, is commanded by Darius Cain, one of the twin sons of Eric Cain, hero of the Crimson Worlds. His twin brother, Elias, was an officer commanding the planetary patrol of Atlantia.
The action-filled combat sequences, interspersed with the subterfuge and scheming of a new player trying to gain dominance, and throw in a little romance and you have a terrific beginning to a new series featuring the successors of the Crimson Worlds. It's good to see the story continue, with a familiar characters and a common background.
This is a great start to what seems to be an epic offshoot of the Crimson Worlds universe, and a great read.
October 27, 2017
Jay Allan brings us the follow up to his Crimson Worlds adventure, 30 years after Earth has been shattered by nuclear war between the Superpowers. The once mighty Marines of the Earth force are now still fighting to protect the colony worlds, but they are drawing wages as mercenaries to the highest bidder since Earth is no longer able to support them. This is the situation the sons of General Cain face now, one is in politics on his colony world, the other a fighting Marine in the Black Eagles of the Mercenary Forces.
December 24, 2017
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
This was a very quick book for me to read. There was plenty of action, intrigue, subterfuge, political maneuvers, and death and destruction. Saying all of that, doors not mean the book was dry and boring. The characters were well thought out and were fleshed out perfectly and played well against each other. The situations highlighted each character's strong points, along with their weak points also. There was as much political intrigue/maneuver behind the scenes as there was in your face action. A very good book.
This was a very quick book for me to read. There was plenty of action, intrigue, subterfuge, political maneuvers, and death and destruction. Saying all of that, doors not mean the book was dry and boring. The characters were well thought out and were fleshed out perfectly and played well against each other. The situations highlighted each character's strong points, along with their weak points also. There was as much political intrigue/maneuver behind the scenes as there was in your face action. A very good book.
January 17, 2018
Okay, marking this one as a did not finish. Maybe I'm being overcritical here, but after spending pages establishing that the main character is one cold-hearted, amoral, vicious commander...he suddenly changes because he sees a pretty girl in danger? I just can't buy into that. Maybe it's explained later. Maybe the book gets better. I just couldn't take that kind of inconsistency right out of the gate.
November 15, 2019
3 stars, it was just okay, I like some section but found it a little all over the place at times. Looks like the author is just setting this up as the staging book for the series and not stand alone so it kind of feels unfinished and spends a lot of time on setup to the series and not giving you closure for reading the first book. I have like other books by this author and if continue this series may get better (I think it will). With that said still not sure if I will continue with it.
June 26, 2022
OK, I can see where some people didn't like this. Darius Cain and his Black Eagles was kind of brutal but he didn't kill as many civilians as some would. He didn't rape and plunder either. He was at war with the military. So, yeah I liked this book and am moving on to the next one.
Barely an ounce of romance and the F-bomb was used 27 times.
As for the narration: Awesome!!! Mark Boyett does such a great job on the voices and his emotions when he reads. Loved his voice for Cain.
Barely an ounce of romance and the F-bomb was used 27 times.
As for the narration: Awesome!!! Mark Boyett does such a great job on the voices and his emotions when he reads. Loved his voice for Cain.
June 28, 2017
A lot of filler
This book could have been half as long and still told the story properly. Probably 25% was arguments between how twin brothers, Darius and Erik Caine viewed the world differently to each other. There are a few interesting moments but it was mostly "all sizzle but no steak" as the saying goes.
This book could have been half as long and still told the story properly. Probably 25% was arguments between how twin brothers, Darius and Erik Caine viewed the world differently to each other. There are a few interesting moments but it was mostly "all sizzle but no steak" as the saying goes.
February 24, 2018
Mercs is the first book in the Crimson Worlds Successors series. While you could read this as a standalone, the book has a cliffhanger ending. There is a lot of violence. This story flips between various timelines and character viewpoints. That can get somewhat confusing, but read the header will help you keep it straight. Now I need to read the next book.
April 23, 2018
SciFi
This was an intense book and very enjoyable to read. My only comment would be, that I wished it would have ended instead of continuing in another book. Sagas are fine, except I have so many books queued up that it is months before I get to it. The next book in the series will be a definite read in the future.
This was an intense book and very enjoyable to read. My only comment would be, that I wished it would have ended instead of continuing in another book. Sagas are fine, except I have so many books queued up that it is months before I get to it. The next book in the series will be a definite read in the future.
January 20, 2019
Good entertainment
This was an entertaining read. It kept me interested & entertained. The characters were interesting and pretty well described and they acted like you would expect them too. The brothers disagreement is a little uncharacteristic but plausible. I would recommend it and may read the next in the series.
This was an entertaining read. It kept me interested & entertained. The characters were interesting and pretty well described and they acted like you would expect them too. The brothers disagreement is a little uncharacteristic but plausible. I would recommend it and may read the next in the series.
September 29, 2020
Jay Allan, you've done it again! I was quite enthralled with this book. Normally I hate stories that jump around in time (in locations is fine) so it took me a little longer to read. But, as the same time, I was glad to know what has happened to other favourite characters and how everything ties together. I cannot wait to read The Prisoner of Eldaron to see who is doing their darnedest against the Eagles. Good job, Jay.
July 22, 2021
Fantastic story of human survival after first encounter.
First encounter almost wiped out Earth and left Mars only able to send care packages. Other worlds turned to they’re own survival and the strong dig their way out.
Then those left find the imposable has happened again the first encounter is still here! Working into our worlds again.
First encounter almost wiped out Earth and left Mars only able to send care packages. Other worlds turned to they’re own survival and the strong dig their way out.
Then those left find the imposable has happened again the first encounter is still here! Working into our worlds again.
August 20, 2017
Continuously good character development
Jay has the unique ability to simultaneously develop multiple characters that invest the reader's interest from book to book. A good read.
Jay has the unique ability to simultaneously develop multiple characters that invest the reader's interest from book to book. A good read.
December 13, 2017
Great story with a what must be a great backstory. The writing is crisp with good charecters and a cast that just cry's, tell more about me! The action is well developed and the plot is as good as it gets.
Makes me want more.
Makes me want more.
December 22, 2017
Good Writing
The story is good, but not as much character development as in other Jay Allan books. It felt like he knew where he wanted to go, and then went there focusing on a single character. All the major supporting characters were just plugged in with no real development.
The story is good, but not as much character development as in other Jay Allan books. It felt like he knew where he wanted to go, and then went there focusing on a single character. All the major supporting characters were just plugged in with no real development.
January 12, 2018
Well written
This is a story.The plot is tight and the characters are well defined.I must admit to a great deal of confusion as the author continually moves back and forth in time and place which upsets the flow of the story.
This is a story.The plot is tight and the characters are well defined.I must admit to a great deal of confusion as the author continually moves back and forth in time and place which upsets the flow of the story.
June 2, 2018
Great book
Jay Allan is quickly becoming my second favorite writer, Robert Heinlein being number one. Mercs is the beginning of a new series. Plenty of action plus intrigue. I do recommend reading the Crimson Worlds series first, they are all very good reads.
Jay Allan is quickly becoming my second favorite writer, Robert Heinlein being number one. Mercs is the beginning of a new series. Plenty of action plus intrigue. I do recommend reading the Crimson Worlds series first, they are all very good reads.
October 25, 2018
More like 2 1/2
I finished reading this book just to see if it got better.
The characters had potential but their development was too repetitive and the plot was slow and confusing
I finished reading this book just to see if it got better.
The characters had potential but their development was too repetitive and the plot was slow and confusing
February 4, 2019
Strong Marine war story!
The Cain’s have a honorable role in protecting the human race from itself and its enemies. The political climate believes that they no longer need the Marines or the equipment they require to fight. The blind are definitely leading the blind.
The Cain’s have a honorable role in protecting the human race from itself and its enemies. The political climate believes that they no longer need the Marines or the equipment they require to fight. The blind are definitely leading the blind.
March 13, 2019
The first of a three book series--a lot of time is spent introducing and developing characters. This is a spin-off from another Jay Allan series. There is some action, mostly a result of government's failure to face the reality of external threats.
February 10, 2019
Another great read from Jan Allan. A great continuation of the exploits of the Cain Family.
December 2, 2017
🌟🌟🌟🌟⭐
This is the first book I've read in the Crimson Worlds Universe and it was fantastic.
I'll be going back to read the others.
This is the first book I've read in the Crimson Worlds Universe and it was fantastic.
I'll be going back to read the others.
December 8, 2017
Great from beginning to the very end
Like all of Jay Allan's books this one grabs you on the first page and you just can't put it down. I hope you enjoy his work as much as I do.
Like all of Jay Allan's books this one grabs you on the first page and you just can't put it down. I hope you enjoy his work as much as I do.
December 20, 2017
Great military scifi
An exciting military story. Writing is great lots of fun tech. It's enjoyable to read when a personal story weaves in with conflict and change.
An exciting military story. Writing is great lots of fun tech. It's enjoyable to read when a personal story weaves in with conflict and change.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews