| Metal Swarm, Kevin J. Anderson, Orbit Books, | | | | former Earth colonies. |
| 2007, ISBN 0316021741 | | | | |
| | | | Meantime, the original Klikiss are a black, |
| This book, part 6 in the series, takes place | | | | insectoid race that live in colonies (like a |
| in the far future, after a brutal galactic | | | | bee hive). They have an overwhelming desire |
| war. Klikiss robots pretended to be | | | | to fight and destroy all other colonies, |
| humanity's friend, building soldier compies | | | | called breedexes. They attack breedexes on |
| (battle computers) for the Earth Defense | | | | other planets through transportals, |
| Forces in their war against the hydrogues. | | | | teleportation portals spread all over the |
| The compies were all programmed to turn | | | | galaxy. When there is only one breedex left, |
| against their human hosts at a particular | | | | it grows until critical mass is reached, and |
| moment, killing thousands and stealing many | | | | that breedex spreads to other planets via the |
| Earth battleships. Sirix, the leader of the | | | | transportals, when the fighting resumes. The |
| robots, uses these Earth battleships to | | | | original Klikiss were thought to have been |
| attack undefended Earth colonies. | | | | extinct thousands of years ago, leaving their |
| | | | mark on many, now inhabited, planets. They're |
| The leader of Earth, Chairman Basil | | | | back, and they want their planets back. The |
| Wenceslas, is forced to abandon all of | | | | Klikiss have no problem at all with |
| Earth's colonies, to concentrate whatever | | | | annihilating anyone, or anything, that gets |
| forces he has left on Earth's defense. The | | | | in their way. |
| figurehead monarchy, King Peter and Queen | | | | |
| Estarra, escape to a forest world called | | | | When reading a series, I am one of those who |
| Theroc, to set up a rival confederation, | | | | must do it in order, so the summary in the |
| which the former Earth colonies gladly join. | | | | front of this book is a big help. It also |
| Now that the war is over, Chairman Wenceslas | | | | helps because there is a lot going on in this |
| wants those former colonies back under his | | | | book, perhaps too much. Having said that, if |
| leadership. He makes an example of an | | | | the rest of the series is as good as this |
| average, undefended farming colony, by | | | | volume, it is very much worth checking out. |
| sending a fleet with orders to flatten and | | | | It is a very interesting story that will |
| destroy everything. The whole event is | | | | certainly keep the attention of the reader. |
| filmed, and is to be shown to all other | | | | |