The Astari people inhabiting the planet of Garshen are some of the kindest, most generous people the universe has ever spawned. They are trusting, they are open with their knowledge and technology, they are peaceful. They are also about as naïve as a bunch of people can get. So they are utterly unprepared for the war that descends upon them, started by their "best friends," the Zachaani. In the first few hours of that deadly assault millions die while cities burn and incredible cultural treasures are either destroyed by the invaders or carried off as booty. And then, the invaders really get going, imprisoning hundreds of thousands and carrying out medical experiments on their prisoners, or otherwise treating them as something less than chattel. But though the Astari are a kindly people, they are not a stupid people. And they are fast learners. With the help of a few trapped offworlders who consider it a tragedy most foul if the planet of Garshen falls to the Zachaani, they slowly, painfully learn the art of war. Will it be enough? Will they learn soon enough? Only time will tell, but they have one BIG advantage; Someone with a lot of resources at hand and the ability to Make Things Happen is on their side...
About the Author: Albert Michaels is the third son in a family of seven boys and one girl. He grew up in Sunny Southern California where he never had to worry about snow or ice or anything more traumatic than an anemic little thunderstorm. He was always an avid reader, probably learning that trait from his mother who covered the walls of their Southern California house with books. And when his oldest brother graduated to Junior High School (now called Middle School), which had its own library, his brother would bring Science Fiction novels home to read and lay them on his bed. Michaels would filch the books for a couple of days, read them in utter bliss (and secrecy), and then return them no less for the wear to his brother's bed. His oldest brother, of course, was about as puzzled as pie when his books disappeared from and then suddenly reappeared on his bed, but having no target to accost, he was helpless to do anything about it. And of course there was that first summer school that Michaels attended at the same Junior High, when he discovered Tolkien. He remembers nearly passing out from a failure to breathe when he, Frodo and the rest of the fellowship had their encounter with the Balrog on the bridge at Khazad-Dum. So it was only natural with such heady experiences that some day he would try his own hand at writing tales that would captivate, please, inspire and displace. Whether he has done so is for the gentle reader to decide, but regardless, he had had more fun than a barrel of monkeys dreaming up Garshen and Zachaan and all the other wonderful worlds that his characters visit and he hopes that you will come visit them again and again with him. He promises to keep them coming for so long as he has readers to keep reading.