More recent news to come in the not-too-distant future.

But, to recap...

Hope's End was published in 2001 by Tor Books, followed one year later by Hope's War in 2002. People tend to say, "Shouldn't it be the other way around with the titles . . ? Nah.

Below are the jacket summaries (the write-ups you find on the backs or inside- sleeves of books) for both novels, just to give you an idea of what they are about.

Hope's End, August 2001

"On the planet Hera, the city of Hope was once bustling and prosperous. No more. A mysterious and deadly plague has decimated the population. Almost all traces of technology have vanished. Anarchy has erupted as powerful minorities within the tottering government intrigue against each other to tip the balance of power.

"To make matters worse, unknown to the inhabitants of Hera, a vicious colony of alien predators--the Frill--have established themselves on the planet.

"For Vel--at age sixteen already a seasoned con man who seeks his fortune in the streets--none of this matters. His only concern is his own survival. Up to now he has relied upon his cunning and wit. But a death that hits close to home force Vel into a reckless confrontation with one of the leaders of the ruling elite.

"Targeted as an outlaw and hunted by the secret police, Vel must go underground to avoid capture. Here he meets a soldier from a mysterious separatist movement.

"Can he trust her?

"More important, does he have a choice?

"Force to choose sides in a conflict that may very well decide Hope's future, Vel stumbles upon a startling secret . . . a secret so profound that it will change everything he thought he knew about Hope. And about himself."

Hope's End available for order on Amazon.com and elsewhere.

Hope's War, August 2002.

by Stephen Chambers

For the city of Hope, stability is a memory. Counseled by Lord Denon, the leader of the Church, the young King, Vel, unintentionally prompts a bloody civil war. Pounded by an unrelenting winter and faced with diminishing food supplies, the city of Hope is carved into a battleground.

In the midst of shifting alliances, Vel relies on Lord Denon and General Wunic- -his military advisor--to help him end the conflict. But the situation deteriorates, and soon Denon urges Vel to leave for the ruins south of the city where Vel has seen food stockpiled by the mysterious Frill. Through his connection to them, Vel hopes to persuade the Frill to share some of their supplies and save the starving city of Hope.

Terrorists in the late twenty-first century are led by a man named Blakes, who later goes into politics to achieve his ends. As his story of terrorism and mass murder continues in the twenty-first century, Vel discovers more about the origins of Hope and the computer system which now calls itself Blakes. Surrounded by the frightening culture of the Frill, Vel knows nothing of orders urging General Wunic to blindly charge against a fortified rebel position. And as harsh snowdrifts slowly bury the dead, loyalties become strained, and Vel must face the horror not only of Hope's past, but of its future

Hope's War available for order on Amazon.com and elsewhere.

Email: schambers@sff.net