Blood of the Cosmos: the second book in Kevin J. Anderson's Saga of Shadows trilogy.
An epic space opera of the
titanic conflict of several galactic civilizations against a
life-destroying force of shadows, a dark cosmic force that has swept
through the undercurrents of the human interstellar empire.
The intertwined plots,
overflowing with colorful ideas, a large cast of characters, and complex
storylines, span dozens of solar systems, alien races, and strange
creatures.
As the second book of the trilogy
opens, the humans and Ildirans, having narrowly escaped annihilation at
the hands of the Shana Rei and their robot allies in Book One, are
desperate to find a way to combat the black cloud of antimatter of the
Shana Rei. The mysterious alien Gardeners, who had helped them
previously, turn out to be a disaster in disguise and because of them,
the world tree forests are again in danger. The allies believing they
have found a way to stop their dreaded enemies, a new weapon is tested,
but it's a horrible failure, throwing the human race and its allies to
the brink of extinction.