In the far future, on an Earth devastated by millennia of war, the Caroline Republic is hostile towards its neighbors despite sharing their dire economic straits.

The Technos supervise construction and are aware of the motivational "myth of the ship" plan while the People believe that the voyage to the planet Home is the actual goal.

Before they can act on this knowledge the People revolt, led by a man named Coral who claims truthfully that the Technos have lied and do not intend to complete the Victory.

The Dresau Navy has a proud tradition as the last surviving remnant of vital humanity and its leader believes the Victory project has a sinister purpose, possibly directed by heirs of the dark power Salasar, which once ruled most of the earth.

Led by the Dresau Navy the gathered enemies of Coral's triumphant People attack with their restored ships and scavenged weapons.

At the height of the battle the sea turns red with blood and the dead of past wars rise in support of the assault.

Algis Budrys, although praising Geston as a promising new writer and finding "quite a bit of enjoyment" in the novel, concluded that Lords of the Starship was "a bad and disappointing book on its own terms.