Space Operas

I just finished what could be described as a first rate space opera. 
The
book is Crusade by David Weber and Steve White.  The Russians,
Americans,
and Chinese have all been drawn together into the Terran Federation and
peace abounds.	Our old enemy the Orions (ala Star Trek Lyrans) are of
course now our friends.  When suddenly out of deep space, from a vector
we
thought impossible comes the Thebans, and they are out to liberate Holy
Mother Terra for Saint-Jus.

With the exception of transiting between stars the backround would fit
perfectly with FT/MT.  The bad guys are theocratical fanatics.	While
the
book neatly keeps all but two Orions out of the picture, they are given
enough of a backround that they too could play a part.

I recomend this for the quick fun read if nothing else, but also as a
good
backround source book too.  The pertenient ifo is below.

Crusade
by 
David Weber
and 
steve White

Baen Publishing Enterprises
PO Box 1403
Riverdale, NY 10471

Distributed by Simon & Schuster
1230 avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020

US $6.99 (CAN. $8.99)

Bob Kerrigan
Virginia