The Matriarch (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780999688632)

The second book in the Dianis, A World In Turmoil chronicles, The Matriarch, a sci-fi fantasy, centers on the protected planet of Dianis. In a sudden shift of federation policy, the planet is stripped of its cultural observers and colonization control agents, but a single team circumvents the withdrawal and stays behind. Love, friendship, and career aspirations drive the members of the last remaining Interspecies Development Branch, IDB team.

The IDB team has disappeared, and the Matrincy, the governing council of the federation has intervened seeking clues as to their whereabouts. In the absence of the IDB, Nordarken Mining is suspected of intruding on the planet in the quest for aquamarine-5, a strategic resource needed in the Turboii War. Before his disappearance, Chief Inspector Achelous predicted Nordarken Mining, in the guise of independent extrasolars, would invade the planet. Now he needs proof.

The efforts to defend Dianis from extrasolar incursions have attracted the attention of the powerful Paleowrights, the major religious sect on Dianis. The Paleowrights covet the technologies that Achelous brought to Dianis and have begun raiding any sites where Achelous and his team are suspected to be. The free peoples of Dianis are thus faced with two enemies, a galactic conglomerate intent on stealing their resources and the provincial Paleowrights intent on suppressing their free will.

Becoming aware of the cosmic turmoil that surrounds her lover Achelous, Marisa, a trader princess, learns more and more of Achelous's secrets. He is not the simple Dianis trader he pretended to be but an undercover agent for a secret monitoring organization advanced hundreds of years ahead of her own. Marisa loves Achelous, their son, and her planet, but can she unravel the mystery of Achelous' disappearance in time to save him from Paleowright retribution?