weber's first published novels grew out of his work as a wargame designer for the task force game "starfire". weber wrote short stories set in the "starfire" universe for task force games' "" magazine, and he wrote the "starfire" novel "insurrection" (1990) with stephen white after "nexus" was canceled. this book was the first in a tetralogy that continued through their last collaboration, "the shiva option" (2002), which made "the new york times" best seller list.