Conquerors' Pride (The Conquerors Saga, Book One) [Paperback]

Timothy Zahn (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 1994

Timothy Zahn, Hugo Award-winning author of The New York Times best-selling Star Wars trilogy, blazes a spectacular new path across the sky in an epic original novel of star-spanning action adventure, mystery and intrigue.  A long era of peace and prosperity in the interstellar Commonwealth has suddenly come to an end.  Four alien starships of unknown origin have attacked, without provocation, an eight-ship Peacemaker task force, utterly destroying it in six savage minutes.  The authorities claim there were no survivors.  But Lord Stewart Cavanaugh, a former member of Parliament, has learned through back channels that one man may have survived to be captured by the aliens:  his son, Commander Pheylan Cavanaugh.  A large-scale invasion appears imminent, and the strictest security measures are in effect . . . measures that Lord Cavanaugh has no choice but to defy.  He recruits Adam Quinn, who once flew with the elite Copperheads--fighter pilots whose minds are literally one with their machines--to rescue his son.  Quinn assembles a crack force of Copperheads to steal out of the Commonwealth security zone and snatch Pheylan Cavanaugh from the conquerors.  Depending on the outcome, Quinn and his men will retum home as heroes or as the galaxy's most despised traitors--if they come home at all.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

This novel contains few surprises for those who have followed and enjoyed Zahn's work from before his Star Wars trilogy burst on the scene. In a star-faring future, humanity is facing tensions within its own ranks and also with various nonhuman races when an aggressive, militaristic new foe erupts from out of nowhere. The son of a high-ranking statesman is the sole survivor of a space battle, and his father sets out to rescue him from alien captivity. The story proceeds briskly thereafter, thanks to Zahn's usual knack for swift pacing, plausible technology and characters, and a lived-in setting. Highly recommended to fans of action sf, this is also a good introduction for newcomers to Zahn's approach to the genre. Roland Green

From the Publisher

Timothy Zahn, Hugo Award-winning author of The New York Times best-selling Star Wars trilogy, blazes a spectacular new path across the sky in an epic original novel of star-spanning action adventure, mystery and intrigue. A long era of peace and prosperity in the interstellar Commonwealth has suddenly come to an end. Four alien starships of unknown origin have attacked, without provocation, an eight-ship Peacemaker task force, utterly destroying it in six savage minutes. The authorities claim there were no survivors. But Lord Stewart Cavanaugh, a former member of Parliament, has learned through back channels that one man may have survived to be captured by the aliens: his son, Commander Pheylan Cavanaugh. A large-scale invasion appears imminent, and the strictest security measures are in effect . . . measures that Lord Cavanaugh has no choice but to defy. He recruits Adam Quinn, who once flew with the elite Copperheads--fighter pilots whose minds are literally one with their machines--to rescue his son. Quinn assembles a crack force of Copperheads to steal out of the Commonwealth security zone and snatch Pheylan Cavanaugh from the conquerors. Depending on the outcome, Quinn and his men will retum home as heroes or as the galaxy's most despised traitors--if they come home at all.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Spectra; First Edition edition (August 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553568922
• ISBN-13: 978-0553568929
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 0.9 x 6.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #755,961 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Timothy Zahn is the Hugo Award-winning author of more than a dozen original science fiction novels and the bestselling Star Wars trilogy Heir to the Empire, among other works. He lives in the Pacific Northwest.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not too proud to enjoy a good space opera., June 21, 2000

By 

Paul Arzooman - See all my reviews

This review is from: Conquerors' Pride (The Conquerors Saga, Book One) (Paperback)

Although I found the book difficult to get into during the first hundred pages, by the end I had been transformed into a chronic page turner. The characters all grew on you, the plot kept you reading, and the Zhirzh were a well constructed and truly alien culture. It may not be in the same league as Asimov, Doc Smith, or Herbert, but it will make you want to read the next installment. A good job by an extremely talented writer.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Entertaining, July 22, 2003

By 

J. Michael Shepherd "isomeraser" (Oregon) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Conquerors' Pride (The Conquerors Saga, Book One) (Paperback)

With the first book of the Conqueror's trilogy, Zahn sets the mood for a gripping and exciting saga. When a fleet of human ships encounters a previously unknown species, they transmit a standard 'first contact' communication package. The aliens instantly open fire and destroy the entire task force in six minutes. As the human government moves towards war the saga focuses on the Cavanaugh family and thier involvement in the war. Zahn's development of specific technologies was facinating and unique. It is rare to find anyone in the SF field who can truely come up with anything new. If you are a SF fan I highly recommend that you read this book.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A thrillig Military Sci-Fi book., June 17, 2002

By 

Andrew (Vermont) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Conquerors' Pride (The Conquerors Saga, Book One) (Paperback)

Conqueror's Pride is the first book in a well conceived trilogy. Commander Pheylan Cavanagh, in charge of a space task force encounter a new race of aliens, and attempt to make first contact. However, when the radio package is sent over the airwaves, the mysterious aliens attack the force, destroying all of the ships and escape pods, save for Commander Pheylan Cavanagh's pod. They find him and take him prisoner. In the meantime, Cavanagh's father finds out about the disaster and uses his influence to organize a task force to find out what happened to his son and his fleet. Among his forces are Copperheads, fighter pilots who use an interlink to fly.
They then set out to find out what happened.
Cavanagh has been taken prisoner, and Zahn writes out this well. His discriptions of the aliens, who come in periotically to check up on Cavanagh and to study him, are well done. As Cavanagh learns more, we learn more, and soon he is plotting his escape from the aliens.
What happens is that he escapes, and a war is about to be fought between the Humans and the aliens.
Zahn does a great job with this book. It's top-notch Sci-Fi writing, down to the technical and social details of a galactic civilization.
Along with the action, Zahn throws politics in, and plays with that well. The senators don't want to find out what happened, and Cavanagh's father has to play behind the scenes illegaly to get a task force together.
The first contact situation is also well done, as I mentioned above. The aliens don't quite know what to make of Pheylan and probe him for his mentality and personallity.
A well done book.