AUTHOR CRAIG BELL
RED FRONT
SHADOW MODE: BOOK TWO
LAUNCHES 7/31/2026
Old allies. New lines. The next war begins within.
The sk’Alen campaign changed everything. The MIMIC program should have secured
humanity’s future—but politics has turned its greatest victory into its greatest vulnerability.
Beyond the frontier, Russian colonial fleets long believed lost have returned. United under the banner of the Novaya Rodina Union, they claim sovereignty over disputed fold lanes and are willing to fight for every kilometer of space. And when mining operations begin disappearing, Gunny Ryerson and Mike are sent to investigate.
What they uncover is far worse than a border conflict.
The Rodinans have stolen the secrets of MIMIC technology. Instead of AI-driven combat
systems, they’ve created terrifying war machines piloted through human neural links—an entire army built to counter everything Ryerson and Mike represent.
Now Ryerson must face enemies created from his own greatest triumph. Every battle pushes Mike closer to an opponent designed to destroy him, forcing Ryerson to confront an impossible question:
What if humanity’s ultimate weapon isn’t its salvation... but the instrument of its
extinction?
Brutal galaxies. Relentless war. One author shaping it all.
Gunnery Sergeant John David Ryerson of the United Terran Marine Corps knows what he’s doing on a battlefield. Doesn’t matter what planet. Hell, doesn’t matter if it’s on a planet. Wherever the Corps sends him, the Gunny goes.
Even if it means partnering with a brand new prototype mechanical warfighter called MIMIC. An Electronic Intelligence programmed to learn and adapt is downloaded with everything historically important to the Marines. Battles, heroes, reports. From the first Royal Marines and Continental Marines of the 18th Century to now, the MIMIC understands it all.
Beyond the First Chapter
A Living Galaxy, A Growing Legacy
Craig is expanding his many universes with new character arcs, stories, and star systems. And he wants others to join the journey. Inspired by the collaborative spirit of spaces like Baen’s Bar, he hopes to create an incubator for aspiring writers to explore and contribute to this world. If you’ve got a love for sci-fi, strategy, and stories that bite back, we’re saving you a seat.
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