Chapter 8 - "Nevvon's Version"

As the survey team work, the saurian Makeen doctor discovers an old probe that they investigate. While they work on the artifact, she is able to converse with Carter and offer him her own opinions on working with humanity. Carter's realisation is that humanity's standing on the universal stage is lacking, to put it charitably.

https://youtu.be/7fxADQHIF78

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Chapter 7 - "Caliban"

Mira Candor, fresh from his new assignment from Conn Teel decides to capture a Teel militia officer, in contravention of Teel's wishes. But following someone through the Mennan City streets is not so easy when the pollution is so deadly.

https://youtu.be/soU8kYFRoOY

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Chapter 6 - "The Lizard King"

Conn Teel, the eldest surviving oligarch, meets with his faithful major domo, Legat Chandra. Born on Earth before it became a poisonous husk, he has had two millennia to hone his tyranny, refining cruelty to an artform. Aside from some casual torture he hands out with his usual disdain, he has a meeting scheduled with the nihilistic bounty-hunter Mira Candor.

https://youtu.be/56tpUmzICug

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Chapter 5 - "Lux Pang's Version"

Carter Vincent And Doctor Lux Pang, a member of the alien species known as the Fillim, converse as they collect samples. During the course of their exchange, Carter begins to get an idea of how humanity fits in with the other species, and it isn't good. And when he realises just how old the Fillim are, he realises just how late to the party humanity is.

https://youtu.be/M5WHRvBXPyI

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Read THE LAST CONTRACT OF ISAKO by Fonda Lee if you love incredible world building, middle aged heroines with bad knees, space colonies, ubiquitous corporate culture, contract killers, terraforming, sacrifices, murder mysteries, intense hierarchies & social contracts, desperation & fresh eggs.

I received an advance copy of this book for review from the publisher.

The expected publication date is May 5, 2026.

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Nothin's ever as easy as it seems.
Gas Giant Gambit is available now!

https://esraye.com/gas-giant-gambit/

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Chapter 4 - "Red In Tooth And Claw"

The scientific expedition makes planetfall, and Carter Vincent sets foot on his first alien world. But he is so caught up in the wonder of it all, that he forgets a very simple rule of nature. One that his Fillim colleague reminds him of prior to a brutal example of the rule playing out in front of them both. The alien world might be astonishing, but it still has its dangers.

https://youtu.be/hVDRBDtSZHg

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Paperbacks aren't a big part of my sales, like 1%. But they're fun to see and hold.

I don't do a lot of events, but hand-selling paperbacks is a lot of fun. Handing someone a copy, seeing them read the back cover, flip a few pages.

Anyhow, you can get signed paperbacks directly from my site.
https://johnwilker.com/series/grand-human-empire/

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