The Golden Queen — Dave Wolverton

Insectoid dronons have slain the queen Samarritte, throwing into chaos the ten thousands worlds over which Semarritte reigned. Desperate to save mankind, Lord Veriasse, Semarritte's near-immortal consort, has created a new queen: Everynne, cloned from her dead mother.

Born to rule, Everynne instead is on the run, often only one planet ahead of advancing forces of the insectoid invaders, who recognize that Everynne is a powerful rallying point for threatened humanity.

Hotly pursued by the dronons and their armed forces, known as the Vanquishers, Everynne fall in with the cocky bodyguard Gallen O'Day; the pious Orick, an intelligent black bear; and the beautiful orphan Maggie Flynn.

With Gallen and the others newly sworn to her service, the young queen begins the great struggle against the alien insectoids. Leaping from world to world via an anceint system of instantaneous transport gates, the heroes face terrible dangers and great wonders as they seek the heart of the dronon worlds, carrying the battle straight to the enemy.

The Golden Queen is a stellar tale of love, adventure, sacrifice, and war set in a fantastic future.

"Attempting to rally the forces of humanity against the Insectoid Dronon invaders, Semaritte, the clone of a slain ruler, enlists the help of a cocky bodyguard, an orphan, and an intelligent bear." -Reprint. PW.