The Revelations are over, and the war to end all wars has begun.
The plot by the Galactic Union’s Mercenary Guild against the Four Horsemen has culminated in an invasion of Earth. Faced with an overwhelming force, the Human mercs had no choice. They’ve fled, leaving Sansar Enkh to go to the Mercenary Guild headquarters on Capital Planet to stand trial for humanity.
On the run, Jim Cartwright and Nigel Shirazi have travelled to the Winged Hussars’ secret base of New Warsaw, in an effort to convince Alexis Cromwell to join the fight, while the other mercenaries who escaped the fall of Earth have gone to the perceived safe haven of Karma.
Alexis Cromwell is reluctant to commit to an unwinnable fight, though, and there is no safety to be found in Karma. When the Mercenary Guild Tribunal is revealed to be a sham, the Horsemen are forced to choose—is it better to hide and protect the Human race, or is it time to fight for what they believe in?
All is not as it seems, though, and the galaxy stands poised on the brink of a second Great Galactic War. Vastly outnumbered, the Four Horsemen had better come up with a stellar plan, or for them, it might well be A Fiery Sunset.
A Webster Award winner and three-time Dragon Award finalist, Chris Kennedy is a Science Fiction/Fantasy author, speaker, and small-press publisher who has written over 50 books and published more than 400 others. Get his free book, “Shattered Crucible,” at his website, https://chriskennedypublishing.com.
Called “fantastic” and “a great speaker,” he has coached hundreds of beginning authors and budding novelists on how to self-publish their stories at a variety of conferences, conventions, and writing guild presentations. He is the author of the award-winning #1 bestseller, “Self-Publishing for Profit: How to Get Your Book Out of Your Head and Into the Stores.”
As usual with the four horsemen books this title was excellent. This series continues to get better and the universe becomes more mature. I read this on Kindle unlimited.
The Humans have had enough, and it's time for payback.
I obtained this book through the Kindle Unlimited program. There is such a richness of story detail in this series, it's surprising to reflect that it's only slightly more than a year old. Nearly every paragraph reminds me of a prior storyline, and sometimes that sets up a demand that I go back and re-read earlier works in the Four Horsemen Universe so I can more vividly enjoy the writing here. At the same time, this book COULD, POSSIBLY be read as a stand-alone. It's the first volume in 'The Omega War' arc, and that may be a part of why that's possible. However, I think it's more likely that the authors, having a solid grasp on character and plot, just don't have to depend on prior works to carry their water for them. For reasons not related to the story, I was kept away from the series for a period of months. When I returned to the series, two days ago, I suffered no sense of discontinuity. For the uninitiated, a one-paragraph prologue would be helpful, but my guess is that the primary audience for this volume is that slavering horde out there, those who check their email 15 times per day to see if Seventh Seal Press has released anything new. Even so, 150 words of summation wouldn't go amiss. We are also anticipating the release of reference material in the electronic forms of the works, as dozens of other life-forms, each with unique characteristics, are essential players. Sigh. Rome wasn't built, and all that, and when you have to get PRODUCT on the table, you don't always have the resources to present the trimmings. In addition to the customary mecha battles we have demanded, this volume also presents some startling new alien species. For those who value diversity for its' own sake, I suppose that makes this series go straight (err, maybe not STRAIGHT) to the top of the list. The tie-ins with the initial book in the series, "Cartwright's Cavaliers," are significant. Jim Cartwright, the somewhat low-luck leader of one of the Four Horsemen companies, is featured prominently, and the storylines beginning in that work are extended. But, here's what you really need to know about the book: After being subjected to wholesale persecution and murder at the hands of indifferent or hostile Galactics, the humans in the mercenary companies have FINALLY seen clearly that the Mercenary Guild power brokers are out to destroy them. And they are determined to go down fighting. It's the combination of the personal stories (tragic loss, budding love, professional development), with the Big Picture view (Machiavellian politics at the galactic level, incredibly ancient birds coming home to roost) that lifts this volume above standard, exploding spaceship, space opera fare. Well, that plus the fact that it is just so well written: “I understand,” he said. “You’re scared. This is a great place to hide.” “How dare you,” she said, her voice low and menacing. “My grandfather would spit on you,” Nigel said. (Kennedy, Chris. A Fiery Sunset (The Omega War Book 1) (Kindle Locations 2128-2130). Seventh Seal Press. Kindle Edition. ) You miss that by just a smidgen, and it's farce, at best. But if you NAIL it, as the authors have done, then the reader can feel the tension in the air, and subconsciously reaches for a weapon and a desk to use as cover. And it's like that, all the way through.
Humans vs. the Merc Guild; The Omega War has begun
The aliens are out to get the humans. Literally. The Mercenary Guild has declared all human merc companies outlaw, and particular Cartwright’s Cavaliers, Asbaran Solutions, the Winged Hussars, and the Golden Horde, collectively known as the Four Horsemen.
Over the past couple of years, the Horsemen took on contracts that seem designed to force them to break Union laws … and now they’ve found out that they were. Charges have been brought against all four of the Horsemen companies forcing them to face the Merc Guild tribunal. While Sansar Enkh of the Golden Horde goes to face the tribunal, Jim Cartwright and Nigel Shirazi search for Alexis Cromwell, to reunite all of the Horsemen Commanders to take on the Merc Guild, and defend the human race against enslavement.
THE FIERY SUNSET is the first book of the Omega War trilogy, and is a perfect addition to the Four Horsemen Universe.
This series just keeps getting better and better.. Mark and Chris's 4 Horsemen Universe is an amazing conglomeration of humans and aliens, all with their own motivations and stories, and yet beneath it all, there is a story in play that has a rich and deep back-history all its own.
Earth has been invaded by the mercenary Guild, lead by the Veetanho Peepo. pre-warned by the Golden Horde, all of the Horsemen, and a lot of the other Human Merc units had escaped. Sansar Enkh has allowed herself to be captured by Peepo's forces, to try and discover the enemies plans from the inside. While Jim, Nigel and Alexis make plans to eventually take back Earth, Sansar is put on trial for ALL the Horsemen's supposed crimes.
Peepo thinks she has the Humans where she wants them, but she's wrong: They've got HER where THEY want her..
Kennedy does another masterful job in "A Fiery Sunset," the first book of The Omega War series.
When first reading the books of the Four Horsemen Universe, I almost didn't read all of the books in the Revelations Cycle. I'm glad I did. Kennedy wove many of the storylines created by his and Wandrey's cadre of writers in the anthologies that make up the latter part of the Cycle into this second series.
It was a beautiful thing to watch Kennedy weave the threads of others' tapestries into the world that he and Wandrey had created.
Without reading those anthologies I wouldn't have gotten half as much enjoyment out of this book.
Keep it up boys and I will meet you back at Home to listen to more of the stories of the amazing men, women and aliens that you have created.
The four book Revelations Cycle was one of my favorite sci-fi finds of the last few years. But upon reading Chris Kennedy and Mark Wandrey's "A Fiery Sunset", it became clear that the Revelation Cycle books were just the set up to the real story.
The Galactic Union has failed to eliminate the Four Horsemen quietly, and attack humanity with their political machines. As three of the commanders work to rally what free forces they can to opposed overwhelming odds, the fourth goes willingly to face down the charges.
I was really looking forward to the Omega War storyline before I read "A Fiery Sunset", and after reading it my excitement has only grown.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This series just keeps getting better and better,there literally wasn't a dull moment,all the horsemen characters are developing slowly with each book and the constant action is excellently scripted,each book brings more information and insight into the various alien races and their motivations ,looking forward to the next edition be it, Depik,peacemaker or horseman.
Earth has been invaded by the Merc Guild. They plan on enslaving the humans as their killing teams. The four horsemen are out to stop them. First they have to rescue one of their own from a death sentence. I read The Mote In God’s Eye years ago and then the next one The Gripping Hand 20 years later. Read it find out how they pulled off the rescue and what else happens.
An excellent beginning of a continuation. Another story line by two wonderful authors. Non-stop action and very difficult to put down. All your favorite characters from the 4HU plus a few new ones. Can't say enough good things about the best story yet!
This is a continuation of the story from the Revelation Cycle. In this case the Four Horsemen are trying to prevent humanity from being enslaved and to rescue as many humans as they can from the Mercenary Guild's grip. I like the interaction between the principals and especially Jim Cartwright and his Fae companion Splunk. Lots of interesting plot lines in this series.
I am a huge fan of this enormous series and continue to be amazed at the depth and breadth of the imagination of these creators. One of my all-time favorite book series and already one of the largest. Check out the 4 Horseman Universe and prepare to be amazed.
Great start to the Omega War, could not put it down
Read this in 2 days - took the time to work through all the predecessor books and related anthologies leading up to this point in the 4HU, and boy I'm glad I did. So many interconnected story lines and fun little details picked up from the other books made this one really a fun read.
Once I started reading I couldn't put the book down. It blended all the great characters from throught the horseman universe together in to one action packed story!
Yes the Four Horsemen are back to take the fight to the Aliens! Good to see all of them together in one book and what a book it is too! Plenty of action in the car reached of space! Great plot that leaves you wanting more!
War! After the subtle attempts to destroy the human mercs and weaken earth the enemy is revealed and war has broken out. An excellent first novel for this series and I am looking forward to the next. Plenty of action and escapades all round.
Unbelievable dreck. The characters are all absolutely the worst of humanity if being as much of an objectivist strawman was even possible for an actual three dimensional person.
I'm almost positive I've read this book one already! Not sure why I feel that way, but I just know I have. Yet I don't have any record of me reading it or of writing a review! I know I've read about some of the characters in this book, especially Jim Cartwright and his Cavaliers. I've also read about the Tortantula (giant sentient spiders), MinSha, and a few other alien species. But, again, I can't remember when or what book I read about them. Still, I did read (re-read) this book and it was very good (again?).
There are a lot of characters introduced in this book. Most of them are Commanders of Mercenary outfits of one size or another. There are four of these outfits that are major players in the mercenary business, besides the Mercenary Guild which I'll get to in a minute. As mentioned, Jim Cartwright leads Cartwright Cavaliers. He's the son of the original commander and altho very young to be in his position, he's proven himself in previous actions. Those must be covered in another book which I'm going to explore and probably read. Next is Asbaran Solutions led by Nigel Shirazi. Don't know much about him other than he can be arrogant and compulsive. Then there's Sansar Enkh, leader of the Golden Horde. She's pretty smart although she does become a problem by getting captured. And lastly, we have Alexis Cromwell, head of the Winged Hussars, the only mercenary outfit to not be premaritally stationed on Earth. These four principals are also known as the "Four Horsemen" in mercenary circles and are considered the best of the best.
There are other mercenary outfits throughout the galaxy. And as Earth found out when finally crawling off their little planet, there was an entire galactic community of traders, craftsmen and mercenaries that had formed Guilds to guide their respective actions along guidelines established by the Galactic Union. Unfortunately, Earth wasn't yet a member of this Galactic Union, but they were very successfully involved in the mercenary business. So much so that the other mercenaries of the Merc Guild wanted to stop their membership in the Galactic Union.
They did so by claiming that all of the human mercenary companies had violated Galactic and Union laws in several instances and that these humans must be brought under control. As large fleet, mostly of alien origin suddenly orbited Earth and demanded that all the leaders of the Earth mercenary companies surrender to General Peepo, a mercenary commander, herself a Veetanho, for future trail by tribunal at the Capital Planet. Of course all this was due to the simple fact that Earth's mercenaries were doing so much better at this business than all the other alien mercenary companies and those other didn't like the massive loss of profits they were experiencing. So, the plan was to gain control of Earth and turn these human mercenaries into quasi-slaves for the alien mercenary companies.
Only, three of the four Horsemen found out about this attack with enough time to gather some of their troops and flee Earth for surprisingly the hidden Winged Hussars base. Except for Sansar Enkh. She volunteered to stay behind and be captured by the aliens and was subsequently sent to Capital Planet for a tribunal. Of course, this tribunal was fixed and the ultimate outcome was already decided.
So, can the fleeing Cartwright Cavaliers and Asbaran Solution mercenary companies even find the Winged Hussars hidden base? And if they do, would the Winged Hussars be willing to support a possible re-taking of Earth. What's going to happen to Sansar Enkh and her Golden Horde? You'll find all the answers in this book, but it's not over yet!
Book 2, "The MIdnight Sun" is out and available on Amazon. I've already started this one and I can firmly say I've not already read it, but I will!
Wow i love how this book picks up after golden horde and i loved the story and the character development as well and really looking for to the rest of the story and some justice being served to some a-holes