Hellhole, by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson
After a failed rebellion against the ruthless monarch Diadem Michella, General Tiber Adolphus and his supporters are exiled to a planet appropriately named Hellhole. On Hellhole, Adolphus still makes plans against the Diadem, hoping to declare the Deep Zone planets independent from the Diadem’s realm of the Constellation. But Hellhole holds its own secrets. An allegedly, long-extinct alien race is discovered. The aliens are highly advanced with special abilities. Their initial motives seem altruistic on the surface, but their true intentions are still a mystery.
The first in a proposed trilogy, Hellhole is an impressive military science fiction mixed with space opera on a grand scale. Herbert and Anderson have created an incredibly detailed universe of harsh politics, intrigue, war, and love. The cast of characters is daunting, but still manageable as each has their own intriguing backstory and motivations. The aliens are unique and still fairly mysterious. I’m looking forward to seeing how they develop in the later novels.
Herbert and Anderson are obviously a talented team, having written the popular novels continuing the Dune saga. Their latest venture is fast-paced, fascinating and completely engaging. Full of adventure, mystery, and interesting characters, I thoroughly enjoyed this exciting new release. Ending in a minor cliffhanger, I’m eagerly the next installment. Without a doubt, science fiction fans should check out this fantastic new saga.