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The Tide of Victory


AN EVIL

The creators of the monster called Link once were human, but that was distant ages in their past. Now, from the far future, they have sent their creation back to shape the world of the 6th century AD into the form that will make their own foul existence possible.

Taught and ruled by Link, the Malwa Empire has spread from the Indus Valley, across India and into Mesopotamia. Its inhuman master has chosen its instruments from the most brutal and degraded members of humanity, and they have served its monstrous ends well.

 A GUIDE

Those in the future who never were human have sent their own messenger to the past: Aide, a gleaming jewel who can warn but not lead; who can teach the construction of new weapons but cannot wield those weapons himself.

Aide has come to Belisarius, the greatest general of the 6th century and perhaps any century. Between them they have forged an alliance of all the world against evil—and an army that can be the spear through evil’s heart.

 A CRUSADE

With lancers and breech-loading rifles, with steamships and with galleys, Belisarius is marching into the Malwa heartland. In a world aflame with treachery, assassination, and slaughter beyond anything save the battles of mythology, he and his companions know only one sure thing: if they fail, their whole world is doomed to living Hell—for all time!

 A VICTORY!

Politics, battle, and heroic adventure in a vivid alternate past!

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Eric Flint is a gifted new star of military and alternate history SF and now shows a masterful skill at fantasy adventure. His first novel for Baen, Mother of Demons, was picked by Science Fiction Chronicle as a best novel of the year. His alternate history novel, 1632, sold out its first printing almost immediately and received lavish critical praise. With David Drake he has collaborated on the acclaimed “Belisarius” series, of which The Tide of Victory is the fifth. His latest solo novel for Baen is the fantasy adventure The Philosophical Strangler. A longtime labor union activist with a degree (Phi Beta Kappa) in African history, he currently resides in northwest Indiana with his wife Lucille.

Vietnam veteran, former lawyer, former bus driver, and now famous author, David Drake tells a military story like no other. His readers recognize that he can take them where no one else can, with gut-wrenching description that puts them face-to-face with the enemy, and in the midst of the action right on the battlefield. Drake helped create the audience for mercenary military science fiction with his bestselling “Hammer’s Slammers” books. Drake graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Iowa, majoring in history (with honors) and Latin. His stint at Duke University Law School was interrupted for two years by the U.S. Army, where he served as an enlisted interrogator with the 11th Armored Cavalry in Vietnam and Cambodia. Drake has a wife, a son, and various pets.

Cover Art by Gary Ruddell


ORDER Hardcover
ORDER Paperback

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 printing, July 2001

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Flint, Eric.

The tide of victory / by Eric Flint & David Drake.
p. cm.
ISBN 0-671-31996-6
1. Belisarius, 505 (ca.)–565—Fiction. 2. Generals—Fiction. I. Drake,
David. II. Title

PS3556.L548 T54 2001
813'.54—dc21 2001025729

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

Production by Windhaven Press, Auburn, NH
Printed in the United States of America

ISBN-13: 978-0-671-31996-0
ISBN-10: 0-671-31996-5

Copyright© 2005 by Eric Flint & 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

Electronic version by WebWrights
http://www.webscription.net


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

As this series has progressed, a number of people have provided us with assistance in one manner or another. It's time to thank them:

Conrad Chu
Judith Lasker
Joe Nefflen
Pam "Pogo" Poggiani
Richard Roach
Mike Spehar
Ralph and Marilyn Tacoma
Detlef Zander

 . . .and probably several others I've forgotten to mention, for which my apologies in advance.

I'd also like to take the opportunity to thank Janet Dailey for the many ways in which she's helped me out over the past year or so. I can't remember if that assistance involved my work on the Belisarius series, but it probably did—and even if it didn't, she's way overdue for my public appreciation anyway.

Eric Flint
January, 2001

To Dick and Dolores
The Belisarius Series

An Oblique Approach
In the Heart of Darkness
Destiny's Shield
Fortune's Stroke
The Tide of Victory
The Dance of Time (upcoming)

Baen Books By Eric Flint

Mother of Demons
1632
Rats, Bats, and Vats (with Dave Freer)
The Philosophical Strangler
Pyramid Scheme (with Dave Freer—upcoming)

Baen Books By David Drake

RCN series

With the Lightnings
Lt. Leary, Commanding
Hammer's Slammers
The Tank Lords
Caught in the Crossfire
The Butcher's Bill
The Sharp End
Cross the Stars

Independent Novels and Collections

The Dragon Lord
Birds of Prey
Northworld Trilogy
Redliners
Starliner
All the Way to the Gallows
Foreign Legions (created by David Drake)

The General series
(With S.M. Stirling)

The Forge
The Chosen
The Reformer

The Undesired Princess and The Enchanted Bunny
(with L. Sprague de Camp)

Lest Darkness Fall and To Bring the Light
(with L. Sprague de Camp)

Enemy of My Enemy: Terra Nova
(with Ben Ohlander)

Armageddon
(edited with Billie Sue Mosiman)

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