A Forest of Stars

Book 2: A Forest of Stars (2003)
Five years after attacking human-colonized worlds of the Spiral Arm, the enigmatic hydrogues maintain absolute control over the galaxy's gas giant planets. On Earth, the corrupt government is exploiting the crisis, tightening an iron grip on rebellious colonies while seeking to dominate the other humans throughout the galaxy. Earth's alien "friends", the seemingly gentle Ildirans, are secretly abducting and breeding people in enforced sex camps. And the government is using military robots to build cybernetic legions to fight the war, robots that have exterminated their own makers and may turn on mankind.

Five years ago, humans thought they ruled the cosmos. Today they're the galaxy's most endangered species. But when an incredible new race of elemental entities suddenly appear, they destroy all known balances of power. For these beings have suffered genocide for millions of years and are seeking to annihilate all living things.

Now for the humans and the myriad alien factions in the universe, the real war is about to begin.