A galaxy-spanning war erupts as sentient, self-replicating war machines, known as berserkers, systematically exterminate all life. Humanity, a descendant of the lost world Earth, finds itself as the last bastion against these relentless destroyers. The narrative follows the desperate struggle for survival as various factions of humanity unite, or clash, in their efforts to combat the berserkers' overwhelming technological might and their unyielding programming to annihilate all organic existence.

The collected edition of Fred Saberhagen's 'Berserkers' compiles the foundational stories of a seminal science fiction conflict. Readers often praise the series for its imaginative premise of sentient, destructive machines and the desperate human struggle against them. The narrative's focus on large-scale space opera and the existential threat posed by the berserkers has cemented its place in the genre. This compilation offers a comprehensive introduction to the war that defines humanity's fight for galactic survival.