The Returning (Paperback or Softback)

Hugo-nominated editor Bryan Thomas Schmidt won Honorable Mention on Barnes and Noble.com's Year's Best Science Fiction Releases alongside books by Ben Bova, Robert J. Sawyer, Jack Campbell, Ernest Cline and more with his debut novel, THE WORKER PRINCE, which captures the feel of the original Star Wars than any other recent series. In book two, Davi Rhii helped his enslaved people fight for their freedom and earn equality, but now that they have it, they find freedom and acceptance don't necessarily go hand-in-hand. When assassins begin killing and terrorizing Vertullians, threatening Davi's family and friends, they face a renewal of old enmity all over again. Davi, Farien and Yao reunite to investigate the murders, finding their lives and friendship threatened again by what they discover.

Meanwhile, Xalivar is back seeking revenge on all those who defied him, especially Davi, while the new High Lord Councilor, Tarkanius, finds himself fighting all over again to preserve the unity of the Borali Alliance, with many of his allies and friends seeming determined to tear it apart.