The galaxy’s greatest heroes and villains swap war stories—until they must join together in battle—in this novel by the renowned sci-fi author.

On the planet Henry II, orbiting the twin suns of Plantagenet and Tudor, at the very edge of the great black hole at the center of the Milky Way, there is a tavern called The Outpost. It is a neutral territory where fighting is forbidden, and blood enemies can drink together in peace. So it’s only natural that the most fearsome warriors, adventurers, criminals and assassins in the galaxy have gathered there to swap tall tales of their exploits.

When their pleasant life of recalling murder and mayhem is interrupted by an alien invasion, these rugged individualists must try to work together to save their adoptive home.