Legions of Orion — Michael G. Thomas

Legions of Orion is the first book in the epic 'Nexus' series, part of the growing Star Crusades universe that chronicles humanity's first steps away from Alpha Centauri and beyond.

A chance discovery on the jungle world of Hyperion leads Alliance scientists on a path to creating a permanent spacebridge to the distant Orion Nebula. In a matter of days, great fleets of military and civilian ships depart for the single greatest expedition since the colonisation of Alpha Centauri. Into this great adventure travel two heroes of the war, retired Marines Spartan and Teresa Morato, and their son Jack. Now senior members of an elite private military corporation, they are at the heart of the Alliance bold new plan. Their discovery of buried machines, as well as derelict spacecraft in the first system encountered triggers events that will see the Alliance embroiled in a military conflict like no other. Discoveries of a dead people who have been wiped out by an unknown enemy sends a shudder through the many worlds of the Alliance.

The Alliance must make a decision. Either they will have to abandon the riches they have found or they will have to fight for it. In the past the citizens of Centauri have fought themselves for money, fame, power and religion. Now they must unify their many disparate factions including the Zealots and biomechanical warriors known as the Jötnar, if they are to survive in this new world.

The 15-book Star Crusades series includes:

STAR CRUSADES NEXUS
Legions of Orion (Star Crusades Nexus, Book 1)
Machine Gods (Star Crusades Nexus, Book 2)
Heroes of Helios (Star Crusades Nexus, Book 3)
The Great Betrayal (Star Crusades Nexus, Book 4)
Prophecy of Fire (Star Crusades Nexus, Book 5)
Call to Arms (Star Crusades Nexus, Book 6)
Battle for Helios (Star Crusades Nexus, Book 7)
Wrath of the Gods (Star Crusades Nexus, Book 8) ETA Q1 2014
The Black Rift (Star Crusades Nexus, Book 9) ETA Q3 2014

STAR CRUSADES UPRISING
Siege of Titan (Star Crusades Uprising, Book 1)
Tears of Kerberos (Star Crusades Uprising, Book 2)
Fires of Prometheus (Star Crusades Uprising, Book 3)
Battle for Proxima (Star Crusades Uprising, Book 4)
Fall of Terra Nova (Star Crusades Uprising, Book 5)
Slaves of Hyperion (Star Crusades Uprising, Book 6)

These titles are also available as combined trilogies including:

STAR CRUSADES NEXUS: THE FIRST TRILOGY
STAR CRUSADES NEXUS: THE SECOND TRILOGY
STAR CRUSADES NEXUS: THE THIRD TRILOGY ETA Q3 2014
STAR CRUSADES UPRISING: THE FIRST TRILOGY
STAR CRUSADES UPRISING: THE SECOND TRILOGY

For more information visit the official Star Crusades website. Keyword Starcrusader.