The Crimson Claw — Deborah Chester

Set in a completely new fictional universe, Alien Chronicles is a saga that spans several generations of a master reptilian race and the slave race it rules. It is a tale of a crumbling civilization and a heroic struggle for freedom, with an all-alien cast of characters and a heartfelt, deeply personal point of view...

Ampris has begun her exile, aided by her companion Elrabin, the Keith. She has learned the archival history of the Viis empire, its languages, its weaknesses. Now she will learn to harness the innate savagery of her race in the gladiatorial arena. Fighting for sport. Fighting for life. Fighting for the chance to lead a desperate battle for the future of the slave races...

Meanwhile, Israi, the Viis princess, is coming of age as well. The childhood friend of Ampris is about to become queen of the Viis empire...and Ampris's mortal enemy.