WARNING: Some of the plot is revealed in this review. This second book in the "Gaea Ascendant" trilogy is an improvement over the first book. The main characters are fleshed out more and the plot continues at a good pace. The twist at the end of the first book becomes foundational to the second book's plot. The twist? A victorious battle to death with a Pug Bear somehow grants our hero, Dec, with telepathic ability. In the second book, Dec discovers another alien species, the Sunnys, who are an advanced, non-telepathic, pacifist civilization, but were defeated by the Pug Bears. Pug Bears are violent telephathic aliens bent on conquering the universe. Then, Dec meets another telepathic alien civilization, the Sim Tigers, who were able to fight off the Pug Bears. Our hero Dec, from Earth, puts together an alliance to start fighting back. At the end of book two, the alliance is beginning to defeat the Pug Bears. What lies ahead in the concluding third book? I found the writing much improved in this second book over the first. Is the dialogue and plot equal to other writers like Cherryh? There are similarities, but it's not there yet. Perhaps the third book will show an equal improvement? Overall, the second book is a good, quick read. ( )