The New York Times and USA Today bestselling seriesThe war for the Metal Islands is over, but the search for survivors has just begun.After a long and bloody battle, legendary Hell Diver Xavier Rodriguez reigns as the dutiful but reluctant new king of the islands. Advised by a council of former sky citizens as well as Cazadores, he works to assimilate the two societies peacefully. But not all … he works to assimilate the two societies peacefully. But not all Cazadores have accepted the new order.
While X tries to ease tensions at home, a rookie team of divers, led by Michael Everhart, returns to the skies in Discovery, formerly the ITC Deliverance. Their mission: to locate other human survivors throughout the world and rescue them. But Michael’s team aren’t the only ones searching for survivors. A gruesome discovery reveals that android defectors continue to hunt humans across the globe. And they may not be the only ones.
In a race against time, the Hell Divers may be the only obstacle to enemies bent on wiping out the final pockets of survivors and extinguishing the human genome forever.
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Incredible! Loved every page. If you are looking for a new PA series. This is one for the ages.
a fantastic edition to the bestselling series. Nick Smith always delivers a knock out punch.
As the sixth book in an ongoing series, I’ve seen a lot of things going on. This one had so much action that it had me turning virtual pages to see what was going to happen next. I was so worried about my “people” (some might call them characters but to me they are flesh and blood) and wondered if they would be all right.
If you are totally willing to disregard the laws of physics, chemistry, nature and common sense, this book is for you.
This has been my favorite Hell Divers book since Deliverance.
Mild spoilers below, but if you haven’t read 1-5 by now, that’s on you. Not me.
X is now King of the Metal Islands – Now the Vanguard Islands – and his life is not as easy as he’d hoped. Being the king is not, however, as easy as X had hoped and he faces threats from within as well as in the wilds of the hellish radiated wastes that surround his new home.
This new HD book gives us new characters, new challenges, and a more in-depth look into the lives and ways of the Cazadores… including the secrets they’ve been keeping from their new friends. In doing so, Allegiance has taken its place at the top of the Hell Divers list, narrowly squeezing its way by HD3: Deliverance – or at least in this reader’s opinion.
It’s another in the long list of Nicholas Sansbury Smith books that proves he excels at his craft – weaving a tale of despair and hope as humanity strives for survival in the nightmare future.
This series gets better and better with each book! Its hard to imagine a bigger threat than El Pulpo from earlier in this series, but Nicholas Sansbury Smith definitely pulled it off in this book! As always, this book leaves me wanting more! I can’t wait for book 7. Great narration by R.C. Bray!
Wow! Just Wow!
If somehow you’ve been sleeping on Nicholas Sansbury Smith. May I ask you what the hell is wrong with you? Also, to quote one of my favorite movies… “Hello? McFly!?” But, in all seriousness, Allegiance is the 6th book in the Hell Divers series and I believe at least the 10th (or more) book of his I’ve read. In every series Smith is able to bring such great action without sacrificing the realism (of science fiction) or the emotion.
Allegiance is a test of just that for X and the Sky People. A test of allegiance. They are formed together with the Cazadores after the thrilling finale of Hell Divers 5. They are now trying to protect the metal islands while also looking for other survivors. There are still rogue elements out there trying to kill them, but thankfully they don’t know where X and team are. The mutated animals and plants on land and in the sea and their ever present danger are still there. But that’s not the only thing hunting the survivors.
As I stated above, Smith is able to write stories that feel real and have that extra emotion that a lot of Post-Apocalyptic stories are missing. Sure, there’s still a lot of war, fighting, and overall action. But the conversations with their partners, the ever present danger of all humans, and the mortality of our companions is extremely well written out without feeling too gushy. Smith is able to write about these things to remind the reader that these characters are still human. They still care. They still feel. They may have been through absolute hell and back (literally) but they are more than just unthinking unfeeling killing machines.
So, to write more about this book without spoiling it is pretty hard. Just know that you’re in for incredible scenes (and well written out new lands – like the one on the cover). You’re also in for X and others making the tough decisions. Making the decision to damn one group of people while saving another. It’s a real book and one that has left me feeling a bit raw. I say all of this with a smile on my face though. The Hell Divers series has a special place in my heart and it’s rare that six books in an author can not only write exactly what you were hoping but also still surprise you. It’s also rare to have a series that is six books deep and still have as much left to give as this one. There’s a big Earth and things, especially dangerous things, are good at hiding in the shadows until you least expect them.
Back to a more blurb-worthy review – Hell Divers VI: Allegiance might be Smith’s best work yet. Combine that with R.C. Bray’s narration and you have one of the best books I’ve read in 2019. (Meaning that I probably read 2 of my top 3 books back to back this year).
Hell Divers is one of my favorite series of Nicholas Smith. Although I love all his works. The story line is riveting and the characters are brought to life and you feel like you personally know each one. Nick is such an awesome storyteller that it was hard to put the book down until the end. Can’t wait for the next installment. Keep it up Nick and we will continue to read.
You won’t see it coming.
There is a lot of intrigue. The fighting is as intense as always! And the new monsters are insane! I seriously hate having to wait for the next book. Nicholas makes it all worth it when it does come out though! And that’s why he is an auto-buy for me.
Wow! Way to go Nick with another page turning, edge of your seat story. I read through it so fast and couldn’t stop until I was done. Now I need to go back and take my time, pretty sure I missed some awesome details. I have read everything written by Nick and he will continue to be my favorite author. His characters are so well developed and the settings are historically familiar yet so amazingly different. I love that I don’t have to wait a year or more for the next book. Nicholas Smith, you keep writing and I’ll keep reading!
An action packed edge of the seat book. Nicholas Sansbury Smith continues to surprise and amaze me. This story, book #6 in the Award Winning Hell Divers series takes the reader on an emotional Roller Coaster. Sci-Fi, Horror, Adventure, and human nature at it’s best and worst. His writing skill continues to soar reaching new pinnacles with each book. This is a must read book in a fascinating series.
King Xavier, The Immortal, and Miles live in the shadow of the Sky Arena.
They live in the shadow of the Sky Arena where only recently X had defeated El Pulpo and taken the title ‘King’ and blended the Cazadore people with the ‘Sky People’. Xavier was determined to bring the two bands of survivors together. Difficulties abound but X is determined. His friend Rhino was now a general, supporting him and trying to bring the Cazadores in line.
New Hell Divers were training to bring their numbers up, many Cazadores had signed up for training and several from the Hive also joined up. There were still many dangers to face outside the Metal Islands. They searched for survivors, but also watched for Defektors, metal monsters programmed and equipped to end any humans they could find or lure into their traps. It had already cost the life of Trey Mitchell whose unreclaimed body had been incinerated with the nuke that killed the band of Defektors that had killed Trey. His mother, Katherine, still blamed Les for Trey’s death and for leaving his body behind. Phyl also missed her brother, but didn’t blame her father, the ‘Giraffe’. She mourned his loss also, but knew her father had done everything he could when the Defektors sprung their trap.
New life for the Hive’s residents, a surly bond with the Cazadores, and a new life begins for humanity surviving on the surface of the battered planet. Survival is not a guarantee, but a hope.
New life is breathed into the characters and new blood mingles with new feuds. The storyline grows as humanity leaves the airships to begin a tenuous hold on survival on the surface of the Earth. New friends, new enemies and new struggles are brought into the story. Hell Divers still dive so humanity survives, but that’s brought a whole new meaning to their purpose. The struggle for survival has never been better, and has never faced a new purpose in the war for survival.
Excellent book, amazing storyline, exciting action and beloved characters – this is a GREAT read!
When I finished Nicholas Sansbury Smith’s Hell Divers V I was sad thinking that was the end of one of my favorite series. Then shortly after, I heard that there would be a Hell Divers VI. No way could it be as good as V, but I was so wrong. VI takes Hell Divers to a new place and Hell Divers VI: Allegiance is the best yet. This is well written with so many twists. Do you like action, well there is plenty?
Even more, the characters come off the page and you find yourself caring just what will happen next. If you have read the other 5, get 6 now! if you haven’t read any of the Hell Diver series, you have a wonderful ride ahead of you
Mr. Smith has my Allegiance!
Oh my! What can my mere words even convey! Another pulse pounding, edge of your seat, biting your fingernails and making an appointment with your therapist, story! Just when you think the stories can’t get any better, along comes another one that surpasses it. If you haven’t started diving, you’re so missing out! Dive in this series today, you definitely won’t be disappointed. Thank you, Mr. Smith, for always keeping us entertained with your imagination!
The world building in Hell Divers 6 is off-the-charts. Full of intrigue, subterfuge and betrayal. Post-apocalyptic earth is an even scarier place than the “sky people” realized. X is trying to make the best decisions possible to maintain the fragile peace between the two cultures and hell is breaking loose on a variety of fronts. Hell Divers has always been an action-packed series, but Allegiance takes that to a whole new level. I’m really looking forward to the next book.
Nick is one of my favorite authors. His characters are so well developed and so real. This whole series is amazing. I highly recommend starting at Hell Divers 1 and you wont want to miss any of the nonstop action.
Exciting and fast paced
There might be spoilers if you haven’t read the other books in the series – and if you haven’t, why not?
I don’t know how author Nick Smith does it. I’ve read all of his different series and each series is unique and definitely kept my interest.
This sixth book in the Hell Divers series is no different. The action is insanely ramped up. The characters stay fresh and surprising. The locations are recognizable but have a scary post-apocalyptic overlay.
X is now King Xavier trying to keep an uneasy truce between the Sky People and the Cazadores. The people on the Metal Islands have received a distress call from other survivors and mount a rescuing party that turns into one of their most dangerous missions.
This series and the TRACKERS series are my favorites of this author’s work. I definitely appreciate that he is a fast writer and doesn’t keep me waiting a year between new books.
Highly recommended to old fans and new fans too. This book is being released 11/05/19.
I received this Advanced Reading Copy from Blackstone Publishing in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.