This story is timeless and the author will keep you turning the page. Its a story of the foreign legion of the far future and how they work to save a contingent of diplomats and civilians. It is modeled after an event in our history that is described in the author's note at the end of the book. Do not read that note until you finish the story.
Another in the Legion of the Damned series (like the French Foreign Legion but throw in some metallic cyborgs with human brains. Great characters, gripping story, heroism, tragedy. A futuristic empire with a great variety of alien cultures, where human women as well as human men and aliens are soldiers. If you haven't tried William Dietz, give him a try- it's well worth the time, and you will want to read all the series.
