Captain Lannat was fiercely loyal to his emperor and the elite corps of Rifles. But that loyalty was put to the test when he was assigned to mentor Prince Casey of Paro. For that backwater planet was crucial to the success of a coup being planned by the priest-scientists of Lumin, the empire's own religious-military arm.
Foiling the plot fell to Captain Lannat and a small company of Rifles, who faced the combined might of Lumin's Elemental Guard and its allies. Worse, the situation was turning Prince Casey against Lannat. For the emperor, Paro could mark the end of his long reign. For the Rifles, it could be their last battle. And for Lannat, it was more than a test of a soldier's skill and courage--it was his last chance to salvage any honor for himself and his troops in the face of ruthless greed and treachery . . .
Donald E. McQuinn is an American author, and former U.S. Marine.
McQuinn grew up in Texas, and attended the University of Washington on a Navy scholarship. He served twenty years in the Marines (retiring as a Major) before becoming an author. He lives in the Pacific Northwest with his wife and three grown sons.
Despite an intriguing plot and gripping action scenes I had some trouble getting into this. Characters and worldbuilding could use more fleshing out - after finishing the book, I still feel like I know both only superficially.