From Booklist

The sequel to Belarus (2002) is a five-act space opera. On the planet Belarus, many less-pleasant aspects of Russian history have been reprised, including a Time of Troubles that dragged the planet down into a morass of superstition and preindustrial economics. Along came the Enemies, aliens who will not communicate what they want, and then the human-occupied galaxy rediscovered Belarus and communicated a desire to recivilize it, though on unacceptable terms. So, all told, the story contains aliens, high artificial intelligences, low artificial intelligences, honest diplomats, corrupt aristocrats, and even a plot! Note, however, that the characterizations of this large and motley cast are uniformly well realized, and that Hogan's world building is, too, which together put sinew in the operatic plot. Furthermore, an author who transforms Baba Yaga (the crone of Russian folklore) into a dea ex machina shows imagination rare enough to warrant high recommendation. Roland Green
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Product Description

In this extraordinary sequel, the once magnificent planet of Belarus has descended into centuries of isolationism and bigotry. When representatives of the new galactic Union contact Belarus, they claim to have their best interests at heart. But they also harbor a secret mission, related to the Enemies: the brutal alien race beneath the planet's surface.