The Fortress in Orion (Dead Enders) by Mike Resnick

Science Fiction/Space Opera

From Goodreads:

The Democracy is at war with the alien Traanskei Coalition. War hero Colonel Nathan Pretorius has a record of success on dangerous behind-enemy-lines missions, missions that usually leave him in the hospital. Now he's recruited for a near-impossible assignment that may well leave him dead. 

At the cost of many lives, the Democracy has managed to clone and train General Michkag, one of the Traanskei's master strategists. Colonel Pretorius and a hand-picked team must kidnap the real Michkag if they can, assassinate him if they can't, but no matter which, put the clone in his place, where he will misdirect the enemy's forces and funnel vital information to the Democracy. 

Against the odds, Pretorius, along with Cyborg Felix Ortega, computer expert Toni Levi, convict and contortionist Sally "Snake" Kowalski, the near-human empath Marlowe, the alien Gzychurlyx, and Madam Methuselah - the Dead Enders - must infiltrate the Fortress in Orion, accomplish their mission, and escape with their lives.

The Fortress in Orion is classic Mike Resnick.  There is great dialog, interesting characters, a fun plot and world building set in the Democracy phase of the Birthright Universe.  (The framework for this universe is set in Birthright: The Book of Man an early Resnick book.)  To make this even better The Fortress of Orion is the first book in a new series by Resnick.

I loved how Pretorius just keeps everything secret until the last minute and then manages to make it work.  The only problem – everything seemed to be too easy in spite of the fact that it had only a 3% chance of succeeding.  I am looking forward to seeing what happens when all of the characters are together again.  Here’s hoping for many more books featuring the Dead Enders.

Pry published The Fortress in Orion by Mike Resnick in 2014.  

I received a free ARC of The Fortress in Orion from Edelweiss in return for an honest review.