First in the Black Ships Series Our planet was just one small island in the midst of a vast, empty sea. For millennia, we thought we were alone - until we took our first tentative steps out of the cradle. As the nations of Earth struggle to establish a fragile colony on the surface of Mars, we suddenly lose all contact with our settlers. In the days that follow, it becomes abundantly clear that humans are not the only ones intent on exploiting the resources of the solar archipelago. In a desperate bid for freedom, Humanity must undergo social and economic changes on a scale previously unheard of. In the midst of growing turmoil, the struggle to build an effective defense leads the species to a turning point. The smallest of chances may determine the difference between freedom or eternal subjugation.