Book excerpt: THE TIDE OF WAR IS RISING-AND THE SHARKS ARE CLOSING IN! When the Republic of Cinnabar doesn't have enough battleships to deal with all the crises in its war with the Alliance, it sends the next best thing: Commander Daniel Leary and his friend, the spy Adele Mundy. This time they're off to help the Bagarian cluster in its rebellion against the Alliance, but they'll quickly find that the worst threats to the rebels are the treacherous politicians leading them. Leary and Mundy use electronic espionage, sub-machine guns, and shipkilling missiles to outwit political rivals, put down mutiny, and capture an Alliance fortress. When all else fails, they'll strike for the heart of the Alliance¾and then throw their tiny corvette into a major fleet action in order to turn the tide. A cascade of non-stop action as only David Drake can write it! At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). PRAISE FOR THE RCN-DANIEL LEARY SERIES When the Tide Rises: "David Drake just keeps getting better. When the Tide Rises is a smart, funny, exciting adventure of Leary and Mundy, a wonderful read. Part of the fun is seeing how Drake manages the history into true story, in this case, of course, Lord Cochrane in Chile. Daniel Leary's hobby of botany allows David Drake to devise strange and lovely creatures, imaginary worlds that seem as real as our own."¾Cecilia Holland Some Golden Harbor: ". . . rousing old-fashioned space opera. . . . Drake . . . creates vivid characters you can care about. Patrick O'Brian and Bernard Cornwell fans as well as military SF readers will be well rewarded."¾Publishers Weekly The Way to Glory: "The fun is in the telling, and Mr. Drake has a strong voice. I want more!"-Philadelphia Weekly Press ". . . this series is getting better as the author goes along . . . character development combined with first-rate action and memorable world-design."¾SFReader.com The Far Side of the Stars: "Readers who have been entranced by the previous adventures of Daniel Leary and Adele Mundy will sigh with relief to see them again."¾Booklist ". . . the best space opera novels in recent years . . . Leary is a great protagonist . . . the outer space John Wayne."¾The Midwest Book Review Lt. Leary, Commanding: "Please more Lt. Leary soon!" ¾Andre Norton "[Drake] couldn't write a bad action scene at gunpoint, and his sense of humor infuses the characters here with agreeable qualities. . . . Grand fun for lovers of action in high space."-Booklist With the Lightnings: "Updating clashing Horatio Hornblower tactics and vintage John Wayne heroics . . . . Drake gives . . . a full measure of appealing derring-do."¾Publishers Weekly "Drake's latest novel once again demonstrates the author's talent for arcane politics and vivid battle scenes . . . a pair of clever and resourceful protagonists . . . action-packed space opera. . . ." ¾Library Journal ". . . vintage Drake, fast paced, heroic, and ending in a rousing climax. Drake remains one of the best of the military SF writers."¾Science Fiction Chronicle