The Golden Queen Series by Dave Wolverton, David Farland

From the author of this summer's Star Wars bestseller comes an acclaimed blockbuster in the same swashbuckling tradition. A 10,000 planet universe is fast falling to the invading insectoid dronons. A cloned princess, a cocky young warrior and his furry companion challenge the dronon queen, with the fate of humanity in the balance.

Gallen O'Day, Maggie Flynn and Orick, the intelligent bear who is trying to resist the call of the priesthood, are now fleeing from a challenge by alien warriors by hiding on a distant planet that has been their home. They are discovered and must travel again through the transport gates to a strange world where they become involved in a quest to save a planet from the domination of a hive mind.

Originally published as two books, Worlds of the Golden Queen is a stellar tale of love, adventure, sacrifice, and war set in a fantastic future. In the first novel, The Golden Queen, the insectoid Dronons have slain the human queen Semarritte, thowing into chaos the ten thousand worlds over which she reigned. Desperate to save mankind, Lord Veriasse, her near-immortal consort, has created a new queen: Everynne, cloned from the dead original... moreOriginally published as two books, Worlds of the Golden Queen is a stellar tale of love, adventure, sacrifice, and war set in a fantastic future. In the first novel, The Golden Queen, the insectoid Dronons have slain the human queen Semarritte, thowing into chaos the ten thousand worlds over which she reigned. Desperate to save mankind, Lord Veriasse, her near-immortal consort, has created a new queen: Everynne, cloned from the dead original. Hotly pursued, Everynne falls in with cocky bodyguard Gallen O'Day; the pious Orick, an intelligent black bear; and the beautiful orphan Maggie Flynn. With Gallen and the others newly sworn to her service, the young queen begins the great struggle against the aliens. Leaping from world to world via an ancient system of instantaneous transport gates, the heroes face terrible dangers and great wonders as they seek the heart of the dronon worlds, carrying the battle straight to the enemy.In the second novel, Beyond the Gate, Maggie Flynn has become, by test of combat, the new Golden Queen. Gallen, Maggie, and Orick face an attack by Dronons on a planet where humans have achieved the pinnacle of genetic engineering. They must stop them while guarding the secret of Maggie's whereabouts, for she is only the Golden Queen until her champion, Gallen, is defeated by a Dronon challenger. In the midst of a slam-bang story, Farland raises and examines deep questions of humanity's definition and identity. less

When the Sixth Swarm of the insectoid Dronons began their invasion of human worlds, three fugitives were thrown together as they fled before the wave of alien destruction. Gallen O'Day, a human bounty hunter, Orick, a sentient bear, and Maggie Flynn, a beautiful orphan, made a desperate stand. In an attempt to stop the attack, they challenged the queen of the invading forces. Against all hope, Gallen defeated the Dronon Lord protector in ritual combat, piercing its exoskeleton... moreWhen the Sixth Swarm of the insectoid Dronons began their invasion of human worlds, three fugitives were thrown together as they fled before the wave of alien destruction. Gallen O'Day, a human bounty hunter, Orick, a sentient bear, and Maggie Flynn, a beautiful orphan, made a desperate stand. In an attempt to stop the attack, they challenged the queen of the invading forces. Against all hope, Gallen defeated the Dronon Lord protector in ritual combat, piercing its exoskeleton. Only an ancient system of transport gates has kept the desperate trio one world ahead of the Dronon probes and scout ships. But now, out of worlds and out of hope, they are stranded on a planet called Ruin, far beyond the gates and off the star charts. The desolate rock and its hundred inhabitants are ruled by Lord Felph, an ancient gentleman of inestimable wealth and eccentricity. The four-thousand-year-old Felph has dedicated six hundred years to a search for a mythic alien relic said to give its bearer power over Time and Space. This relic lies in the ultra-dense jungle called the Tangles, where down in the darkness dwell predators of unimaginable ferocity. Nothing human or machine that Felph has sent into the Tangles has ever returned, but with the Dronons closing in, Gallen and Orick must attempt to fulfill this madman's centuries-old dream. For without that relic, nothing will stop the Seventh Swarm. less