The Gears of War franchise is set for a further expansion later this year, with a series of novels based on the series set to be published by sci-fi and fantasy specialist, Del Rey. But it will penned by a Wiltshire-based, ex-Territorial Army English woman.

Three books are planned. The first will be called Gears of War: The Battle Of Aspho Fields and is being written by New York Times best-selling author, Karen Traviss. Traviss has written numerous works of sci-fi, including a whole great bunch of Star Wars novels, so she's no stranger to this type of thing.

On her website she says, "Come on, how could I resist it? Dysfunctional yet likable young chaps in outrageous armour, outlandishly huge rifles, eccentric officers, hard-as-nails NCOs, grim politics? I make that Pimms o'clock!"

As for the plot: "In Gears of War: The Battle Of Aspho Fields, the last human stronghold on Sera braces itself for another onslaught from the Locust Horde, as ghosts come back to haunt Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago.

"For Marcus — decorated war hero, convicted traitor — the return of an old comrade threatens to dredge up an agonizing secret he's sworn to keep. As the beleaguered soldiers of the Coalition of Ordered Governments take a last stand to save humankind from extermination, the harrowing decisions made at Aspho Fields have to be relived and made again. Marcus and Dom can take anything the Locust Horde throws at them — but will their friendship survive the truth about Dom’s brother Carlos?"

The book is due on October 28th, a little over a week before Gears 2. Handy, that. Innit?