The 2010s: Alien scientists from an alliance of races known as the Galactic Hegemony review footage of the Battle of Agincourt, taken by a survey ship during the Hundred Years' War.

Upon arrival in the Solar System, the Shongairi are amazed to discover that in six centuries since the Agincourt survey, the technology base of Earth has advanced considerably, to the Hegemony's classification of "Level II."

The Shongairi use further kinetic strikes to destroy the attackers and the remaining human cities as a reprisal, but the survivors continue the struggle as loosely organized guerillas.

In Romania, U.S. Marine Stephen Buchevsky, whose family died in the initial strikes, joins a band of fighters led by one Mircea Basarab, who are more than meets the eye.

Unlike other known species, humans have no natural "submission" instinct to superior powers; altruism and sacrifice of self to safeguard the innocent are, to the aliens, marks of "insanity."

After centuries of isolation in the mountains of Wallachia, where he had sought redemption for his murderous past, Dracula resolves to sire a new army of vampires, among whom is Buchevsky, who otherwise would have died in battle.

A review by Publishers Weekly says that "Weber pulls off this conceit in audacious style with a focus on military-powered action that will thrill fans of his Honor Harrington series, and he keeps the pedal to the metal right up to the almost unbelievable conclusion.

"[2] Booklist criticized the action scenes as "redundant and overburdened with long lists of munitions model numbers", the difficulty of distinguishing between most characters, and the introduction of vampires late into the story.