A World of Hurt

infobox Book |
name = A World of Hurt
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption =
author = David Sherman & Dan Cragg
cover_artist =
country = United States
language = English
series = StarFist
genre = Science fiction novel
publisher = Del Rey Books
release_date = 2004
media_type = Print Hardcover and Paperback
pages = 312 pp (Hardcover) and 352 pp (Paperback)
isbn = ISBN 0-345-46052-9
preceded_by = Lazarus Rising
followed_by = Flashfire

"A World of Hurt", a science fiction novel by David Sherman and Dan Cragg, is the tenth novel in their StarFist series.

A civilian analyst in the Confederation of Human Worlds' Development Control Division of the Department of Colonial Development, Population Control, and Xenobiological Studies notices a peculiar series of incidents on the colony world called Maugham's Station and flags it as having possible military interest. The military does find it of interest -- it looks like the work of Skinks, the alien race responsible for an invasion of the planet Kingdom (described in the earlier novels Kingdom's Swords and Kingdom's Fury). The 34th Fleet Initial Strike Team (FIST) is dispatched to investigate the situation on Maugham's Station and, if necessary, drive the Skinks from the planet. Soon the 34th FIST soon finds that the supposed Skinks related attacks are in fact aggressive botanical life that uses natural weapons having an uncanny resemblance to the acid guns of the Skinks.

In other goings on, the space navy of the planet We're Here!, have discovered a surreptitious mining operation taking place on a planet in a neighboring star system, one that they have a claim on. The commander of We're Here!'s navy is delighted to have a chance to make war, and he acts without notifying the civilian government.