The story follows swordbearer Olara of the Claw Clan into battle against the Door Clan, masterfully led by Olara's opponent Ketzhura. An assault on the Hive City ends in disaster for Olara and her devoted men. She loses the duel against her archenemy and awakes in the medbay of a spaceship as a prisoner.
In the meantime, we get to know Patrick Kerr, human engineer on Leonardo, an Allied Worlds' ship under viztrel Artemys' command. As veteran of the Unity Wars, Patrick carries recurring nightmares of the disaster at Hutton Mine, where many of his crewmates died.
The Leonardo crew observes a strange hole in space and discovers it's a hollow sphere, inhabited by different races. Surprised they witness the Candace, a long lost human ship, leaving the sphere.
Ketzhura, leader of the Door Clan, brought the Candace out of hiding. Her goal is to reunite her own people with Olara's Claw Clan and guide the kushar back to the stars.
The encounter between the Candace and the Leonardo is disrupted by the arrival of a draetch ship. This race is the archenemy of the Allied Worlds and, coincidentally, part of the mixed ancestry of the Claw Clan.
It turns out the draetch creator ship is crippled. The reluctant new allies face the decision to bring the feared draetch aboard the ship in an act of mercy.
Meanwhile, Patrick frantically tries to get the ancient Candace space-worthy. Olara on the other hand faces the roots of her people's horrible nightmare. But the more she understands, the clearer it becomes that the rescue of the draetch might have been a fatal mistake...
'Warriors of the Hollow World' is set in a universe populated by colourful alien races in the style of ethnographic science fiction. It contains elements of classical space drama, ranging from merciless battles to spiritual questions. The protagonists are not flawless heroes but people formed by their past, fighting their nightmares, profound fears, hatred, and racial prejudice.
Based on the author's scientific background, the technology seems believable, even if wormhole-drives may look like magic to the tribes of the hollow world at first.
This is a fascinating read, a page turner for all those who enjoy a multifaceted tale outside of predictable storylines.
Be ready to encounter the Nightmare and the Laughing Gods themselves!
