The Reaches

Thundering Space Adventure
from the Best-Selling Author
of Hammer's Slammers

A thousand years ago, the human empire collapsed. Now mankind is reclaiming the galaxy, and ships hurtle between the stars, hoping to reap the rich opportunities of this new age of trade and exploration. But there are wars springing up, with new tyrants seizing whole planets, while other planets are rebelling against the powers that hold them captive. And lurking in the dark spaces between the stars are pirates, plundering all sides in the conflicts. It is the golden age of space travel, and it is possible for a brave man or woman to become very wealthy-or very dead.

Publisher's Note: The Reaches has been previously published as separate books: Igniting the Reaches, Through the Breach and Fireships. This is the first combined publication of the entire trilogy.

"A violent, hard-nosed swashbuckler, set forth with discernment and skill." —Kirkus Reviews

"Drake uses military language fluently to create vivid combat scenes." —Publishers Weekly

"Hard-hitting SF adventure-a tale that will appeal to fans of military SF." —Library Journal

"A cleverly set up, Poul Anderson-style reprise of the early Elizabethan period, when ‘trade' and ‘piracy' were synonyms . . . enormously entertaining!" —Detroit News

Cover art by Stephen Hickman

Hardcover

This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental.

First omnibus hardcover printing, January 2004

Distributed by Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020

Printed in the United States of America

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Drake, David.

The reaches / David Drake.
p. cm.
"A Baen Megabook."
ISBN 0-7434-7177-6
1. Interplanetary voyages--Fiction. 2. Life on other
planets--Fiction. 3. Space ships--Fiction. I. Title.

PS3554.R196R425 2004
813'.54--dc22
2003020725

ISBN: 0-7434-7177-6

Introduction copyright © 2004 by David Drake; Igniting the Reaches copyright © 1994; Through the Breach copyright © 1995; Fireships copyright © 1996; all by David Drake.

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form.

A Baen Books Original
Baen Publishing Enterprises
P.O. Box 1403
Riverdale, NY 10471
http://www.baen.com

Production by Windhaven Press
Auburn, NH

Electronic version by WebWrights
http://www.webwrights.com

The RCN Series

With the Lightnings
Lt. Leary, Commanding
The Far Side of the Stars

The General Series

Warlord with S.M. Stirling (omnibus)
Conqueror with S.M.Stirling (omnibus)
The Chosen with S.M. Stirling

The Reformer
with S.M. Stirling

The Tyrant with Eric Flint