Published by Bantam, 1989.
paperback, 407 pages, $4.50, ISBN: 0-553-28214-X

Tides of Light is the second book of a series which pits the remnants of humanity against an all-conquering cyborg race. Resistance is not futile as its leader Killeen escapes the mechanical clutches of the "mechs" and goes after a mech space station.

The crew is made up of different factions named after chess pieces, but bonded together into a "Family" because of the mech danger. The interaction between command and crew takes a twist as interaction between factions sometimes boils over into feuds. Still, when it comes to the mechs, all of the humans show an united front. If that isn't enough, stored human personalities on chips offer advice as a wide ranging expert system--and they get into snits as well.

Meanwhile, the alien world where humanity flees has a cosmic string that threatens to split the planet, a group of other humans commanded by a twisted despot, and another group of aliens entering the fray with their own ideas for the galaxy.

Benford's style eases you through the chaos of these multiple agendas, and his mechs take on a suitable personality of their own, especially since they use dead humans as "demon eggs" to further their own race. It's a bit of overkill, and keeping track of the players takes a bit of concentration, but he pulls it off well enough to keep you reading to the end.