The KarChee Reign / Rogue Dragon - Kar-Chee, Bks 1-2 Author:Avram Davidson The Kar-Chee Reign: Earth is depleted of both population and resources; most of humanity has since left to colonize other systems, and knowledge of the Mother World has long since dissipated. What few people remain on Earth eke out a living in pleasant, if medieval circumstances. Things go sour with the arrival of the Kar-Chee, ... more »a race of mantid-like aliens who scour planets for traces of metals and minerals.
The sophisticated mining operations of the Kar-Chee cause the Earth to be continually subjected to massive tidal waves and earthquakes. Unfortunately the human tribes are unable to respond with more than fatalistic acceptance, because the Kar-Chee have brought with them `dragons', another race of alien beasts that are used to snap up any troublesome humans, much as a terrier might be used to keep down the rat population.
Liam, a young man from a doomed settlement in what used to be the British Isles, refuses to acquiesce to the rule of the Kar-Chee. Defying the philosophy of the tribal elders, he embarks on a dangerous journey into the depths of the Earth and a Kar-Chee mining center. Liam simply hopes to learn what the aliens are doing in the bowels of the planet, but when an opportunity to strike back at the invaders presents itself, Liam must make a fateful choice to risk his life and the life of his companions for a blow at freedom.
Rogue Dragon: Jon-Joras had come to Earth simply to oversee arrangements for a dragon hunt to amuse his king. These hunts were as much pageantry as sport -- the dragons, brought to Earth centuries before as pets of an alien race, were powerful but slow-witted. But suddenly the dragons had become dangerous -- quick, deceptive, a menace to the nobles who hunted them. And Jon-Joras found himself caught in the middle of an uprising that could shake the powers that ruled the star-worlds.« less