Empire Rising Series by D.J. Holmes

It’s the year 2465, two hundred years since the stars were opened to humanity by the invention of the shift drive. So began the First Interstellar Expansion Era, catapulting humanity into a deadly race for the limited resources of navigable space. Now tensions between the human nations are threatening to boil over into open hostility. Into this maelstrom steps the exiled Commander James Somerville of the Royal Space Navy... moreIt’s the year 2465, two hundred years since the stars were opened to humanity by the invention of the shift drive. So began the First Interstellar Expansion Era, catapulting humanity into a deadly race for the limited resources of navigable space. Now tensions between the human nations are threatening to boil over into open hostility. Into this maelstrom steps the exiled Commander James Somerville of the Royal Space Navy. Banished from London to the survey ship HMS Drake he is about to make a discovery that may change his fortunes and throw Britain into a deadly war with its closest rival. The Void War is a military science fiction novel and first book by new author D. J. Holmes less

The war with China is over. But for Captain James Somerville there is a task still unfinished. Former Politburo Intelligence Minister Chang has evaded capture and escaped from Chinese space. Declared a war criminal by the UN and British law courts, James is given the Royal Space Navy’s newest exploration cruiser and sent after Chang. His chase will threaten to stir up old rivalries and take him to the edge of explored space... moreThe war with China is over. But for Captain James Somerville there is a task still unfinished. Former Politburo Intelligence Minister Chang has evaded capture and escaped from Chinese space. Declared a war criminal by the UN and British law courts, James is given the Royal Space Navy’s newest exploration cruiser and sent after Chang. His chase will threaten to stir up old rivalries and take him to the edge of explored space. What he will discover there will radically reshape humanity’s position in the galaxy and throw him into a series of desperate battles. Alone and outnumbered he will come to realize what it really takes to command a King’s Ship. A King’s Ship is the second book in the Empire Rising military science fiction series that follows the career of Captain James Somerville as he takes command of HMS Endeavour. less

The revelation that the human race is not alone has sent shockwaves throughout Earth’s naval powers. Suddenly all eyes have turned to Haven and the trade routes to the Vestarian and Kulrean homeworlds.   Thinking he has nothing to lose, Haven’s First Councilor puts into motion a plan that threatens to turn star empire against star empire. As a result, Captain James Somerville finds himself thrown into the thick of battle once again... moreThe revelation that the human race is not alone has sent shockwaves throughout Earth’s naval powers. Suddenly all eyes have turned to Haven and the trade routes to the Vestarian and Kulrean homeworlds.   Thinking he has nothing to lose, Haven’s First Councilor puts into motion a plan that threatens to turn star empire against star empire. As a result, Captain James Somerville finds himself thrown into the thick of battle once again. Yet not everyone in the Admiralty is enamored with his brash style of command and this time, his reckless actions may finally catch up with him. Return to Haven is the third novel in the Empire Rising military sci-fi series. less

War has been declared. The Indian Star Republic has landed ground troops on the newly discovered colony of Haven as they seek to seize access to the alien worlds of Vestar and Kulthar. The British Star Kingdom has reacted. A battle fleet has been formed with orders to drive off the Indians and retake Haven. Cleared from a highly-politicized court martial and now newly married, Captain James Somerville leads Endeavour to join up with the fleet going to liberate Haven... moreWar has been declared. The Indian Star Republic has landed ground troops on the newly discovered colony of Haven as they seek to seize access to the alien worlds of Vestar and Kulthar. The British Star Kingdom has reacted. A battle fleet has been formed with orders to drive off the Indians and retake Haven. Cleared from a highly-politicized court martial and now newly married, Captain James Somerville leads Endeavour to join up with the fleet going to liberate Haven. Yet he is not entirely welcome for not everyone is happy with the outcome of the court martial. Meanwhile, Major Johnston commands a small marine special forces unit stranded on Haven itself. Caught in the middle of a gruella war, he must use all his skills to help the resistance weaken the Indian invaders in anticipation of a British ground assault. As the war quickly heats up, both men will learn the true price of liberty. The Price of Liberty is the fourth novel in the Empire Rising Series less

Four peaceful years have passed since the liberation of Haven. Captain James Somerville has taken his command, the heavy cruiser Titan, to Earth for a much-needed refit. As he is there, shocking news arrives from the American colonies. Unknown ships have attacked a remote colony. Nuclear missiles have devastated the planet’s surface leaving almost no survivors. Suddenly, the human nations find themselves thrust into a war for the very survival of their species... moreFour peaceful years have passed since the liberation of Haven. Captain James Somerville has taken his command, the heavy cruiser Titan, to Earth for a much-needed refit. As he is there, shocking news arrives from the American colonies. Unknown ships have attacked a remote colony. Nuclear missiles have devastated the planet’s surface leaving almost no survivors. Suddenly, the human nations find themselves thrust into a war for the very survival of their species. Old rivalries must be set aside if this new threat is to be confronted. Once again James finds himself thrust into the midst of battle. This time, the stakes are as high as they can get. Firestorm, book five in the Empire Rising series continues to tell the story of James Somerville and the rise of the Empire. less

The Flex-aor invasion fleets have been stopped, but at great cost. Human colonies lie in ruins, fleets have been decimated and the economies of the major space powers have been stretched to breaking point. Yet one nation stands unaffected. Hidden behind their borders, the Russian Space Federation is stronger than ever. Still enraged by the harsh peace terms forced upon them more than thirty years ago, the Federation sees its chance for revenge... moreThe Flex-aor invasion fleets have been stopped, but at great cost. Human colonies lie in ruins, fleets have been decimated and the economies of the major space powers have been stretched to breaking point. Yet one nation stands unaffected. Hidden behind their borders, the Russian Space Federation is stronger than ever. Still enraged by the harsh peace terms forced upon them more than thirty years ago, the Federation sees its chance for revenge. Led by an Admiral with the tactical capabilities to rival any from the Allied space powers, the Russians have only one goal in mind; humanity’s homeworld will be theirs. With the swiftness of the Russian attack, James, Suzanna, Lightfoot and many others find themselves isolated and cut off from one another. Worse, they are surrounded by allies that may no longer be trustworthy. Forced to fight with whatever forces they can muster, victory seems all but impossible. Once again, the stakes are as high as they can get, for defeat would see the homeworld they sacrificed so much to protect falling under a new Russian tyranny. And if Earth falls, so too will the British Star Kingdom. Also includes free novella Stand into Danger. The prequel novella to the Empire Rising series that tells the story of the first Russian-Allied war. less

The Flex-aor have returned, putting in motion a chain of events that will thrust humanity into a galactic war, the scale of which no human has seen before. Banished in all but name, James’ political enemies have assigned him to the protection of humanity’s colonial frontier as a ploy to rid themselves of the hero of the Siege of Earth. Though meant to keep him out of the way, they have unwittingly plunged James into the midst of events that may shape humanity’s’ future for centuries to come... moreThe Flex-aor have returned, putting in motion a chain of events that will thrust humanity into a galactic war, the scale of which no human has seen before. Banished in all but name, James’ political enemies have assigned him to the protection of humanity’s colonial frontier as a ploy to rid themselves of the hero of the Siege of Earth. Though meant to keep him out of the way, they have unwittingly plunged James into the midst of events that may shape humanity’s’ future for centuries to come. For behind the Flex-aor, emerging from the shadows, is a new enemy with a strength no one on Earth had imagined possible. With humanity suddenly thrust into the galactic limelight, James’ career and reputation hangs in the balance. For he cannot protect the people he has sworn to serve and at the same time obey his political overlords. To protect humanity, he may have to give up everything he has spent his life building and even then, it may not be enough. less

The Karacknid invasion of Earth has been turned back. Yet the War of Doom has only just begun. Tens of thousands of warships are amassing along the Varanni Alliance border. In one fell swoop they threaten to strike into the heart of Alliance space, conquering and devastating everything in their wake.Meanwhile on Earth, the shadow of the nuclear holocaust the Karacknids unleashed hangs over all the survivors. Many of Humanity’s major cities lie in ruins. Her fleet has been devastated... moreThe Karacknid invasion of Earth has been turned back. Yet the War of Doom has only just begun. Tens of thousands of warships are amassing along the Varanni Alliance border. In one fell swoop they threaten to strike into the heart of Alliance space, conquering and devastating everything in their wake.Meanwhile on Earth, the shadow of the nuclear holocaust the Karacknids unleashed hangs over all the survivors. Many of Humanity’s major cities lie in ruins. Her fleet has been devastated. The UN has crumbled. For the survivors, one phrase rises above all others; ‘never again.’Against his better judgement, James finds himself thrust into taking charge of the rebuilding efforts. When political infighting and fractures threatening to split the survivors into competing factions, he is convinced something new is needed. Somehow, he must find a way to forge Humanity into a weapon that can turn back the tide of the Karacknid war machine. Somehow, out of the ashes of destruction a Human Empire must rise to take its place among the stars.Empire’s Birth continues the story of James, Christine, Gupta and all the others as the struggle to protect their species against the Karacknid threat. less

Trapped behind enemy lines, the survivors of the raid on Jaranna have been forced to flee deeper into enemy territory. Behind them Karacknid fleets gather to exact revenge. With danger at every turn, Admiral Lightfoot must find a way to get his ships home or Earth will be left defenceless.On Earth the Empire has been formed and is bringing the outlying colonies into its fold. Yet there are those who see themselves and not the Empire as the rightful rulers of Humanity... moreTrapped behind enemy lines, the survivors of the raid on Jaranna have been forced to flee deeper into enemy territory. Behind them Karacknid fleets gather to exact revenge. With danger at every turn, Admiral Lightfoot must find a way to get his ships home or Earth will be left defenceless.On Earth the Empire has been formed and is bringing the outlying colonies into its fold. Yet there are those who see themselves and not the Empire as the rightful rulers of Humanity. At the very moment when they should be preparing their people to face the Karacknids, James and Christine instead find themselves facing the threat of a civil war. If it spreads and Humanity’s strength consumes itself, the Empire will fall.For their part, the Karacknids have not removed their sights from Earth. Even as the war along the Alliance border rages on, ships are on the move. For it is through Earth’s conquest the Karacknids’ believe the end of the war will come.For those who have sworn to serve the Empire, everything hangs in the balance. less

The Karacknid assault on Earth has been turned back at great cost to both sides. Only the intervention of the Kulreans saved Humanity’s homeworld from certain destruction. Yet the Kulrean worldships cannot be used for offensive operations. This means Humanity and her allies have only a few months of respite before the Karacknids can make good their losses. When they do, everyone knows they will resume the offensive and Tanaka-lan will seek to end the war once and for all... moreThe Karacknid assault on Earth has been turned back at great cost to both sides. Only the intervention of the Kulreans saved Humanity’s homeworld from certain destruction. Yet the Kulrean worldships cannot be used for offensive operations. This means Humanity and her allies have only a few months of respite before the Karacknids can make good their losses. When they do, everyone knows they will resume the offensive and Tanaka-lan will seek to end the war once and for all.With no way to compete with the Karacknids’ superior numbers and industrial might, Emperor Somerville has proposed one final stratagem. The Allied fleet must strike right at the heart of the Karacknid empire in a last ditch effort to try and end the war. Yet to do so would mean venturing into the enemy’s most fortified systems and leaving the Allied worlds at the mercy of Tanaka-lan. Risking everything, James has no choice but to attempt the impossible. No sacrifice can be too great to save his people and his family. less