The Champagne Universe story continues in ...Burning Stars: Gnoll Discovery Book 4 Burning Stars traces the exploits of John Stevenson and his team as they prepare to establish the first Human-Alien trading dialogue. Simple right. What could go wrong?. Straight off John and his team are faced with a new dilemma. Finding a friendly alien species to trade with that won't try to kill them first. Tensions within the team are set to blow when a long lost relative tumbles into their lives shaking the team to the core. John, still reeling from the last Lizard battle, struggles to come to grips with his dubious decision to allow Pete's brain to be eaten in a radical lizard experiment. Added to the violent anti-alien sentiment growing on Earth, John has to find a way to get his new 22,000 Lizard captives away safely or be doubled dammed for crimes against an intelligent species. Observation Lounge, Rams Head Space StationJohn Stevenson seeking advice from their resident alien octopus, Tela. "The problem remains, how do we join the Galactic Collective and not become some subservient species?" asked John. "You must pick a fight and win," said Tela. "And not with just any species..." John stared at Tela. "You're serious." "They have to be one with standing," she says. "Either a Patron or a High Servant race." John shook his head in dismay, "We have to pick a fight with a space bully?!" This fast paced action thriller combines the fervent desire for peaceful alien trade relations without the annoying habit that your potential trading partners want to eat you for supper.