From Chaos Born (In Her Name: The First Empress, Book 1) by Michael R. Hicks

Book Description: 

CHAOS

For long ages, the Kreelan race has been ruled by war. Only the priests and priestesses of the ancient martial orders prevented total annihilation as countless times civilizations arose, only to collapse again into savagery.

RISE OF THE DARK QUEEN

Near the end of the Fourth Age, a powerful warrior from a brooding fortress deep in the Great Wastelands began her bloody rise to power. Syr-Nagath, known as the Dark Queen, began a brutal war of conquest across the face of the Homeworld, secretly planning to destroy the martial orders and resurrect the dark ways of her race’s apocalyptic past.

A CHILD FORETOLD

What the Dark Queen did not anticipate was the birth of Keel-Tath, a child unlike any other. A child foretold in an ancient prophecy, who was destined to wield the powers of the ancient orders and unite her race.

A child the Dark Queen must kill, no matter the cost…

Review 5 of 5 Stars

From Chaos Born is the first book in the third trilogy that Michael R. Hicks has done in the In Her Name series and is a prequel that takes us back to the time of the first empress of the Kreelan civilization to observe the beginning of the changes to the Kreelan culture and honor system that will eventually lead them to human space far in the future.  I really enjoyed it and it was interesting to see the societal struggles that this race faced as it was developing and reaching for the stars in an endless cycle of destruction. Syr-Nagath, the Dark Queen, is truly a brutal character with no redeeming qualities as far as I could tell.  Of course, though, in its slanted way this story is about good trying to triumph over evil as has been the rest of the series.  This is a story of hope for an embattled people who have carried on for generations watching their civilization rise and fall. In Keel-Tath there is hope and prophecies of greatness as well as warnings of dire events to come.  Since this is a beginning to a story that we've already witnessed in the current books of this series I was really glad to see that it didn't founder and the storytelling was as strong and imaginative as in the previous books. Can't wait to read the next one when it comes out.