The Blood-Dimmed Tide

The sequel to The Widening Gyre, praised by Publishers Weekly, Booklist, Library Journal and more! Reclaiming Earth from the Zhen was only the first battle. Now Tajen Hunt and his fellow colonists must fight for their fledgling colony's survival. Tajen's mission to seek aid from the Kelvaki Assembly is cut short when the Zhen invade Earth. Now he, Liam, and Kiri must return to Earth and liberate the colony from brutal occupation. When Tajen learns the Zhen plan to destroy a human fleet amassing in preparation to help Earth, he and his crew must escape the planet once more and warn them. AUTHOR: Michael R. Johnston is a high school English teacher and writer. He lives in Sacramento, California with his wife Elli, daughter Tegan, and more cats than is strictly necessary. His first novel, The Widening Gyre, was published in 2019 by Flame Tree Press. Even so, his daughter doesn't think he's cool anymore.

“"Tajen Hunt [and] the rest of the crew from the first book of The Remembrance War series (The Widening Gyre, 2019) are back and determined to protect and maintain control of their ancestral home, Earth, [in] a narrative that will resonate with readers."”

Praise for The Widening Gyre (Book #1 in the Remembrance War series)

“The Widening Gyre is the best Space Opera I’ve read in years.” -- Cemetery Dance Online

“Johnston's debut will keep readers on the edge of their seats as the heroes get themselves into one scrape after another. It has a hint of Battlestar Galactica, but with giant reptilian aliens. Johnston, with skillful plotting and impeccable world building, takes the tale of Tajen and his crew searching for home and shapes it into an unforgettable journey." - ALA Booklist

“Readers will feel invested in Tajen’s team of affable human rebels and their futures” -- Publishers Weekly

“Fans of David Weber or Elizabeth Moon will enjoy this debut, and experienced sf readers will catch some winks at other series.” -- Library Journal

“Johnston proves that he has a deft hand at world building and is giving us a new take on Earth’s future [...] A thrilling ride full of mystery and mayhem.” -- ScienceFiction.com

“What makes the book work is the characters. They all have interesting flaws, strengths, short-sightedness, and wisdom: they’re well rounded enough that I really came away liking them, even some of the villains.” -- Locus Magazine

“Johnston has taken the best elements from the old masters of space opera and created a fresh and fun story.” -- scintilla.info

Born in the San Francisco Bay Area and raised in Napa, California, Michael R. Johnston grew up steeped in everything Science Fiction and Fantasy. 

In the early 90s, he took a “break” from college that went from being one semester to ten years.  In that time, he had several jobs, from serving subpoenas to making sandwiches, before he became the Data Processing Manager of a small research company. 

Eventually he decided he’d had enough of the corporate world and returned to college, graduating with honors from California State University, Sacramento. In fall 2006, he became a high school English teacher, a job he likens to herding a swarm of angry bees. It’s the best job he’s ever had. 

Michael currently lives in Sacramento, California, with his wife and daughter.  When he’s not writing or teaching, he spends time with his family, plays video games and tabletop RPGs, and reads.  He blogs at MJohnstonBooks.com, and can be found on Twitter as @MREJohnston.

Book 2 in 'The Remembrance War' series.Reclaiming Earth from the Zhen was only the beginning. For the first time in a thousand years, humans walk the world where their civilizations first arose. Settlements have become towns, swelling with new settlers fleeing the oppression and lies of the Empire. For the first time in a thousand years, the human race is free.But freedom never comes without a price, and a year of rebuilding ends with the human homeworld pushed to the brink of collapse by a series of Zhen attacks. Tajen Hunt, the man who found Earth and uncovered the truth about the Zhen, is sent to the Kelvaki Assembly to ask for ships and pilots to bolster Earth's defenses. Between an assassination attempt on the Heir to the Assembly throne and the labyrinth of loyalties that is Kelvaki politics, it's not an easy task. And it's made impossible when the Zhen Empire seizes control of Earth and sets up a brutal Occupation. Now Tajen and his team must return to Earth and find a way to end the Zhen occupation. But unlike the first Battle of Earth, the lines between friend and foe are no longer clear--because the Zhen have human agents among the people of Earth--and not all of them are known. FLAME TREE PRESS is the new fiction imprint of Flame Tree Publishing. Launched in 2018 the list brings together brilliant new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices.

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