All three books in 'Spoils Of War', a series of science fiction novels by Conor H. Carton, now available in one volume! Bottle Born Blues: Shakbout Mansard, an artificial life form, wants a quiet life with his family. However, his dangerous knowledge of a plot to overthrow the government of Mengchi makes him a target for terrorists and security forces alike. To make matters worse, he has been hiding a secret that could threaten the lives of all free bottle-born life forms across the systems. In this gripping sci-fi novel, Shakbout must take desperate measures to protect his loved ones and prevent a systems-wide war between factions. The Thousand Year Fall: In the second book in the series, Shakbout finds himself pursued by his past and embroiled in a race against time to stop a cult from destroying inhabited systems. As he becomes a pawn in the struggle to harness the power of the Bottle Born, Shakbout must rely on allies to survive. Ladder To The Sun: Shakbout is forced back into a dangerous situation when a claimant to the Emperor's throne arises, risking a return to war in the Inhabited Systems. Along with his allies, Shakbout fights to stop the process, but faces many obstacles from those who wish to prevent him. As he delves deeper, he uncovers a conspiracy that reveals the dark truth about the spoils of war.

After surviving the encounter in Sickle Quadrant, Shakbout Mansard is certain that the past has been safely locked away. But after being transferred to the PR Agency under Lincoln, he finds out that the past is alive and well, and ready to hunt him down. Soon, a message from a dead friend turns into a race against time to stop a crazed cult from destroying the inhabited systems. At the same time, Shakbout finds himself a convenient pawn in the game others are playing against Flitton Sedge. The desire to harvest the power of the Bottle Born will drive some to horrifying actions, and Shakbout will need all the help he can get to survive.