SOLVED. Adult Sci Fi. Man with psionic-like ability is recruited by alien to join defense force at edge of galaxy. Invading fleet is approaching, which will scour the galaxy for food, look like rodents. Title: The Silver Horde? Read 1970s. Spoilers. [s]

[Mark]

I read this novel in the late 1970s, and I would really like to find it again. I remember the title as The Silver Horde, but I can't find a sci fi book anywhere with that title.

Aliens suddenly appear on earth and test everyone for psionic-like ability. Our hero is among the few from earth who possess high enough ability to be chosen. He is given a ship with weapons that operate using these psionic-like abilities. He joins a huge line of ships at the edge of the galaxy which will meet an invading fleet. The invaders are like large rodents and are coming to use our galaxy's life as their food source.

When the invaders arrive, the defending leaders calculate that they are outnumbered. They order a retreat and hide strategy, so that hopefully at least some life will survive in the galaxy. However, our hero instead angrily advances in a suicidal attack, and others join him. Their initial strike destroys enough of the enemy to tip the odds in favor of the defenders, who all come back to fight and win the battle.

[Kris]

Mark, I added a few details to the header/topic title. You can update it by clicking the small "edit" link after the header. This only works on the full Desktop website - not the Mobile website or app. (On the Mobile website, click the "Desktop version" link at the bottom of the page.)

[Jon]

How about Hour of the Horde by Gordon R Dickson?



Description:

"Annihilating everything before it, a horde of monstrous space travelers were advancing through the stars. And Earth lay in their route.

"To defend their home planets, the worlds that lay in the path of the monsters created a super defense force, asking each planet to contribute one especially talented warrior to help turn the invaders away.

"Miles Vander was Earth's man, but when he arrived at the rendezvous point he found that he was included in the special task force of the less civilized defenders. But in the contest of advanced nuclear weaponry and computer strategy, it turned out to be Vander's group that had the special independent qualities and the raw courage to meet the challenge the most effectively."

[Mark]

Jon,
Yes, I think this is it. Thank You!