There wasn’t much money to be made as a Trailblazer, searching out new worlds for possible development. Still, it was safer than the bounty hunter career that had cost Gregory Roarke his left arm six years ago. It was a quiet life, uneventful and mostly legal—until Roarke was approached by two men with a proposal: track down a mysterious woman named Tera and, through her, locate a secret project called Icarus. The challenge was intriguing. The unlimited budget was tempting. But Roarke had a more personal reason to accept the job.

The chance for long-delayed payback.

When a serial killer-plot points to the Royalist political party, Major Bhaajan, former military officer turned private detective, is called back to Selei City to solve the crime. Bhaaj and her crew of Undercity Dust Knights plunge into the Byzantine world of Imperial politics—a jigsaw world where none of the pieces seem to fit. As the assassination plot becomes more and more convoluted, Bhaaj is kidnapped, threatened with death, and must fight for her life against the growing number of people threatened by her investigation. Bhaaj has faced all this and more, but now she must deal with something far deadlier—interstellar politics.

In this alternate history of the American frontier and the Jacksonian era, a small change takes place in the Battle of the Horseshoe Bend during the War of 1812. Unlike in our world, Ensign Sam Houston is not seriously wounded, which allows him to continue fighting the British—and develop his close relationship with Andrew Jackson much sooner. Houston organizes a defense of the U.S. Capitol that prevents the British from destroying it and makes him a national hero. He then plays a central role in the defense of New Orleans under Jackson's command, changing the course of that battle in ways that will, over time, transform the relationship between the United States, the Indian tribes of the south, and the slaves brought over from Africa.

To celebrate the release of Timothy Zahn’s latest, The Icarus Plot, we’re offering Ebook discounts on his backlist at baen.com!

Find out more here.

To celebrate the release of The Icarus Plot, we’re giving away a signed copy of the novel. To enter simply send us an email at contest@baen.com! Don’t forget to include your name!

Coming soon to the Baen Free Radio Hour: The winners of the 2022 Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award Contest; Timothy Zahn talks The Icarus Plot; and Catherine Asaro on Major Bhajaan novel The Jigsaw Assassin.

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