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As The World Burns follows a 15-year-old boy who is confined seventy-five miles underground after a catastrophic experiment links his body to the planet’s destruction. What inspired you to write a science fiction thriller around a teenager whose very existence threatens the survival of Earth?
As with most of my novels, I’m inspired by a title that I see – or a wordplay on a familiar line – and then I get inspiration visually for a cover. I know I’m a bit of an anomaly in that regard (book cover first) but I’m very visually inspired, so I design an alluring cover and title first, and then that greatly motivates me to sculpt an alluring story to match it. I let the visuals tell me what the story is about. And then, in true pantser fashion, I plunge in having no idea where I’m going to go with it other than a basic premise. I let the chips fall where they may, let the characters bumble around and knock their heads against walls, and then finally, before I know it, I’m typing the words “The End.” And oh what an adventure it always is. 🙂
How did you develop Cooper’s personality, particularly his combination of sarcasm, intelligence, vulnerability, and longing for a normal teenage life?
I think I wanted someone who was worthy of rising above the doldrums of a life lived in captivity. His existence transcends his fate. I myself am fascinated with words, though I’m no verbal raconteur (OK, based on that, maybe I am, ha!) but I wanted a good dose of smarts, cynicism, optimism, frustration, longing, and growth. I don’t know anybody who embodies that better than someone going through one of the most vulnerable stages of their life, the teenage years.
How does the conflict between Cooper and Xandrius reflect the challenges of communication, trust, and protection within ordinary parent-child relationships?
I’m very fond of father-son relationships (I have two boys, 10 and 7) and I really enjoy exploring that dynamic. They aren’t altogether different, but their sameness sort of repels them at times, and they have to work through that. Xandrius carries guilt; Cooper carries angst. Xandrius carries a huge burden as the President of the United Countries of America amidst a global crisis, and he knows, deep down in his core, that deep down in the core of the Earth sits his son, whose predicament is Xandrius’ own fault. There’s tremendous guilt there. And there are demands and expectations placed upon him by the entire planet once they find out that his own son is tied to the Earth’s fate. He has to reconcile balancing their needs with his son’s. In the end, I think I wanted him to really rise to the challenge, shoulder the blame, and sacrifice himself (spoiler, sort of) in order to ensure that his son’s name could be cleared. Sort of making himself the bigger target. That reveals to Cooper his father’s incredible love and honor.
What do you hope readers, particularly those who enjoy Christian speculative fiction, take away from the novel?
A father’s relationship with his son is tremendously powerful. It’s either polarizing, or affirming beyond belief. Also, the notion that grief and regret can be swallowed up in redemption. In a way, As The World Burns mirrors the greatest story ever told: a father sacrificing his son so that humanity could survive. I desperately wanted that parallel to be evident in my novel, because it’s the most beautiful story ever told as well.
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A father. A dying planet. A sacrifice that mirrors the greatest story ever told. As The World Burns weaves faith, prayer, and biblical allegory into a gripping sci-fi catastrophe.
In 2557, 15-year-old Cooper Calloway lives 75 miles underground in a sealed plastic habitat because metal clings to his irradiated skin. Every heartbeat steals momentum from the planet, shortening the days and setting continents on fire. It is a lean, emotionally-direct Christian dystopia: an android guard named Valente, a girl who whispers Cooper’s name across a lava gulf, a first love written clean. In the end, what will one father give out of love?
For readers who want their theology embedded in genuine human stakes, this one delivers. Fans of Away by Megan E. Freeman and The Choosing by Rachelle Dekker will devour this book!
As The World Burns
Aaron Ryan’s As The World Burns takes a frightening idea and gives it a painfully personal center: what happens when a teenager’s continued existence threatens the planet he calls home? Set in 2557, this Christian science fiction thriller follows fifteen-year-old Cooper Calloway, whose body has become linked to Earth’s instability after a disastrous experiment. The days are shortening, temperatures are climbing, and Cooper lives in an underground enclosure while his father, the president, searches for answers. It’s a premise that creates immediate tension, but the strongest hook is Cooper himself. Beneath the extraordinary circumstances, he’s a lonely kid who wants books, company, affection, and the chance to have a future. That combination gives the book’s apocalyptic fiction setting a clear emotional purpose.
The alternating first-person chapters let us experience both Cooper’s confinement and his father’s struggle with responsibility. Cooper’s sarcasm and enthusiasm for unusual vocabulary bring some welcome humor into a grim situation. He can be impatient, defensive, and funny within the same conversation, which makes his need for reassurance feel especially believable. His father, Xandrius, carries a different burden: protecting his son while answering to a frightened population. Their exchanges are the book’s most compelling material because affection and frustration keep colliding. Ryan understands how a promise can sound comforting to a parent and hollow to a child who’s heard it before. Cooper’s mother, Eliza, and sister, Brooke, add fierce loyalty to that family dynamic, giving the arguments an emotional urgency that extends beyond presidential decision-making.
The disaster setting has plenty of physical presence. Heat, turbulent air, unstable ground, and the constant threat of fire make this dystopian science fiction world feel exhausting to inhabit. The Atrium, Cooper’s carefully constructed underground home, is particularly effective: its artificial views and controlled comforts sharpen the ache of his isolation. Ryan also spends considerable time explaining the planetary crisis and the technology surrounding it. Those passages establish the scale of the danger, though repeated explanations and recurring arguments slow some stretches of the story. The prose favors intensity, with emphatic internal commentary, vivid descriptions, and frequent reminders of what’s at stake. Cooper’s vocabulary asides occasionally interrupt that momentum, too. Still, the quieter conversations give the escalating action something personal to threaten, and that’s where the suspense earns its force.
Christian faith is central to the novel’s voice and concerns. Prayer, Scripture, and conversations about God’s character shape how the characters understand suffering, love, and their obligations to one another. Readers drawn to Christian speculative fiction will find a story that engages those beliefs openly and emotionally. I found the questions about fatherhood especially interesting: how do you protect someone you love, and what does protection require when every available choice carries a cost? The book keeps returning to that tension through both intimate conversations and public conflict. Its strongest appeal lies in the connection between enormous danger and ordinary human needs. If you enjoy faith-based science fiction with an intense family focus, As The World Burns offers plenty to consider about trust, responsibility, and the difficult work of loving someone through fear.
Pages: 336 | ASIN : B0HJJMWTB7
Enemy of the Future
Enemy of the Future by R.E. Trout is a fast-moving young adult science fiction thriller that blends time travel, biological danger, high school drama, and action-adventure mystery. The first book in the Trip Stewart Adventure series opens with Trip and his classmate Jayla trapped inside a pharmaceutical laboratory during an armed attack, then rewinds several days to reveal how an ordinary school project led them into the crisis. That opening gives the story immediate urgency, while the earlier timeline builds a web of suspicious cars, unexplained disease outbreaks, secret research, and adults who may be hiding more than they admit.
Trip makes an appealing lead for this YA sci-fi adventure because he feels like a teenager before he feels like a hero. He’s smart, observant, socially uncertain, and still grieving his grandfather, but he also has an instinct for stepping in when someone’s in danger. His developing friendship with Jayla gives the book plenty of warmth and humor between the suspenseful scenes. Their conversations, school pressures, awkward romantic moments, and shared detective work keep the speculative premise grounded in a recognizable coming-of-age story.
The time-bending element adds the book’s most intriguing layer. Trip gradually reveals that he can return to an earlier point when someone dies before their time, carrying his memories into a new version of events. That ability turns the time travel mystery thriller into more than a race to expose a conspiracy. Each choice carries emotional weight because Trip remembers outcomes that everyone else has forgotten. Trout uses that idea to explore courage, responsibility, grief, and the pressure of knowing what may happen while still having to improvise when events begin changing.
The final stretch delivers the full energy promised by the opening, with a pharmaceutical symposium, a stolen virus, armed intruders, betrayals, laboratory escapes, and Trip trying to keep Jayla and her father alive. The scientific setting gives this biotech conspiracy thriller a distinct identity, and the combination of teen relationships, speculative powers, and cinematic action makes the story easy to picture as it unfolds. Enemy of the Future works as a complete adventure while leaving Trip and Jayla with a compelling new partnership, a dangerous secret, and plenty of possibilities for the rest of the series.
Pages: 319 | ASIN : B0GZVJ5CYJ
KOA: Dark Systems
Chris Bankus’s KOA: Dark Systems is a faith-centered science fiction adventure that blends superhuman abilities, covert military operations, alien diplomacy, and survival horror. The story follows Sky, Julian, Captain Nick, and the crew of the surveillance vessel as they investigate a Ravager fleet behaving in a way no one expects. What begins as a reconnaissance mission turns into a desperate struggle inside a star system where technology fails and an ancient biological threat is waiting. The novel is structured as a complete mission while also introducing the larger KOA universe, its alliances, divisions, history, and spiritual foundation.
Sky is the book’s most immediately engaging character. She’s young, extraordinarily powerful, funny, impulsive, and still disciplined enough to carry other people through a crisis. Her lightning abilities create some of the novel’s most energetic scenes, but her real strength is the way she keeps moving when fear, exhaustion, and loss begin to overwhelm the crew. Julian provides an effective counterbalance. He’s quieter, strategic, and constantly searching for patterns, which makes their partnership feel more substantial than a simple contrast between brains and power. Captain Nick also gives the central mission emotional weight, particularly as the crew’s losses transform the investigation into a fight for survival.
The book’s strongest section is the journey into the dead system. Bankus gradually shifts the atmosphere from adventurous curiosity to claustrophobic dread as the characters discover abandoned vessels, slaughtered Ravagers, failing equipment, and creatures that can turn darkness into a weapon. The action remains easy to picture, but the tension comes from the characters losing the systems they’ve learned to depend on. Faith becomes especially important here. It isn’t limited to background worldbuilding or ceremonial dialogue. For Sky and the others, it’s a practical source of courage, responsibility, and hope when their training can’t guarantee their safety. That combination gives the novel a distinct identity within its large-scale space-opera setting. The opening establishes this connection between exploration, gifted people, faith, and an expanding interstellar alliance from the start.
Readers of Brandon Sanderson’s The Reckoners series will recognize a similar enthusiasm for imaginative powers, specialized teams, tactical battles, and characters learning that control matters as much as raw strength. Bankus adds more military science fiction, interplanetary diplomacy, and openly Christian themes, making the result feel like a superhero story operating inside a broad space-opera universe. The novel moves quickly and often introduces its world through mission briefings, ability profiles, training scenes, and conversations between teammates. That direct approach keeps the story accessible even when the scale becomes enormous. KOA: Dark Systems ultimately works as both a tense survival mission and an invitation into a much larger saga, with Sky’s resilience giving its sprawling universe a lively, human center.
Pages: 169 | ASIN : B0H96N64H6
Land of the Dragon
Land of the Dragon, by Steffanie Costigan, presents an intriguing blend of historical context and fantastical elements. The narrative centers around the Kuhn siblings, whose lives are upended by their father’s assassination due to his covert operations assisting Jews during Nazi Germany and their mother’s subsequent torture. This harrowing family history sets the stage for a dramatic shift when one of the siblings, Thomas, is conscripted, prompting their mother to have them smuggled to London.
Costigan’s story takes a sharp turn into the realm of science fiction and fantasy when the siblings’ ship is destroyed, leading them into an alternate universe filled with mythical creatures like dragons, elves, unicorns, and werewolves. This shift from a historical backdrop to a fantastical setting is one of the novel’s most striking features. At its core, Land of the Dragon explores themes of power, corruption, and the dangers of divisive leadership. Costigan draws parallels between the divisive tactics of historical figures like Hitler and the fictional character Tara, illustrating how leaders can manipulate societies into conflict. This comparison effectively highlights the perils of unchecked ambition and the ease with which populations can be swayed into violence against perceived enemies. The novel’s unpredictability is a key strength, captivating readers with its unexpected twists. The transition from a historically grounded narrative to a richly imagined fantastical universe showcases Costigan’s versatility in blending genres. While the initial setup suggests a focus on the siblings’ journey to London during World War II, the shift into fantasy opens up a realm of imaginative possibilities, inviting readers to experience an adventurous departure from traditional historical narratives.
Land of the Dragon is a compelling read that skillfully weaves together elements of history, science fiction, and fantasy. Costigan’s exploration of the corrupting influence of power and the impact of divisive leadership across different worlds offers a thought-provoking perspective, even as the narrative takes unexpected turns.
Pages: 510 | ASIN : B0CPCHWSGN
Down Comes the Dark: Elemental Book 2
Down Comes the Dark is the second installment in the Elemental Series authored by Liane Mahugh. This book delves into the journey of Raya, a young Elemental who has decided to remain on Earth while her boyfriend, Dev, returns to their home planet. On Earth, Raya embraces her life, enrolling at a local university to pursue her studies in Astronomy and forging new friendships.
Meanwhile, turmoil unfurls on Raya’s home planet, Solara Prime, as it grapples with catastrophic changes in its core, coupled with escalating protests led by terrorists against the planetary government. When the terrorists launch an attack on the city where Raya’s family resides, Dev takes it upon himself to track them down and seek vengeance, all while planning his return to Earth to reunite with Raya.
Dev’s actions, as well as the harrowing news of Solara Prime’s destruction, deeply affect Raya, prompting her to work tirelessly to establish contact with her people. Her Earth-based family endeavors to keep her safe during this tumultuous period. When a ship finally arrives to retrieve her, Raya is resolute in her determination to pursue the terrorists responsible for the assault on Solara Prime, aided by both old and new friends. Liane Mahugh expertly weaves together elements of space opera and unexpected plot twists, crafting a narrative that is both captivating and inspiring. Raya’s unwavering resilience and her alliances with friends, both old and new, enrich the narrative, resulting in a compelling story. While Down Comes the Dark can be enjoyed as a standalone work, reading the first book in the series, Elemental, dramatically enhances the overall literary experience. Mahugh’s storytelling prowess shines through in the prosperous development of characters and the unpredictable turns in the plot. Fans of I Am Number Four will undoubtedly find this a riveting contemporary classic featuring a resilient female protagonist.
The second installment in the series lives up to the high standard set by the first, with the added bonus of a humorous recap of the previous book’s events in the early chapters, ensuring that even readers who may have forgotten details from the first book can quickly catch up. Raya’s struggles with learning English and her grief over the news from her home planet are portrayed with finesse, and the sense of wonder shared by the characters and readers alike when encountering alien technology is palpable. The book culminates in an exhilarating climax filled with delightful twists, making it an engaging sci-fi adventure that is sure to satisfy. Down Comes the Dark is an absolute must-read.
Pages: 312 | ASIN : B0CG4X786L
Love, Power, War, and Corruption
The Wall follows a smuggler living in the middle of a civil war who has been separated from his fiancee and will do whatever it takes to be reunited with her. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
It seems every year, our country is becoming more and more divided. I wanted to use The Wall as an analogy for that, and what would happen if you were on one side and your soul-mate was on the other? It also explores love, power, war, and corruption between two completely different societies divided by The Wall.
What do you think were some of the defining moments in Asher’s development?
I think when Asher finally discovers the truth about his parents and that shakes him from Zion’s robust grip where he has been living in opulence. Also when he is finally able to forgive his Uncle as well as himself for the bombing that killed innocents.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I wanted to explore what would happen to humanity if man had the power only God was meant to wield and how absolute power corrupts. Also, what would be the downfalls of being able to live forever? What would be the cost? Just because we have a second chance does that merit wasting the first one? What does this say about human nature? Some other themes explored are: can love not only survive war but also societal differences that exist on the different sides of The Wall?
Is this the first book in the series? If so, when is the next book coming out, and what can your fans expect in the next story?
Yes, this is book 1 of a planned trilogy. Book 2 and 3 are being worked on now with the hopes of a release date sometime next year. Book 2 takes place ten years later from where book 1 left off. Sarai leads Zion West as Prime Servant. Asher commands its army against the growing threats of Zion East’s burgeoning military as Renatus’s power continues to grow. But when Renatus finds out Asher and Sarai’s son has the same disorder as his “wounded prince,” he kidnaps him for his LifeCell in an effort to resurrect his own son. As Sarai tries to hang on to power, Asher does everything in his power to save their son.
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It’s 2099, and the former United States of America is in the midst of another civil war. In the wake of a revolutionary technology that grants people a second chance at life, an impenetrable wall divides the prosperous nation of Zion from the slums of MiddleLand. Stuck inside the wall and desperate to reunite with his fiancée, contraband smuggler Asher is hell-bent on finding a way out.
When his uncle offers him a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Asher is faced with an impossible task: impersonate a talented Zion soldier and risk his life in the Canonization, a brutal gladiator duel against a champion who never loses. But defeating an unbeatable opponent and reuniting with his one true love is only the beginning. Asher thought the second life policy was outlawed. But the truth is far more sinister, and he soon finds himself caught up in the middle of a terrifying rebellion that will decide the fate of both sides of the Wall.
As an explosive and futuristic sci-fi adventure that artfully weaves together high-octane action and heart-stopping romance, The Wall presents an unforgettable YA dystopia that’s perfect for fans of Divergent, The Hunger Games, and Dune.
The Wall
In The Wall, we delve into the intricate life of Asher, a smuggler trapped by an insurmountable barrier that starkly divides the affluent state of Zion from the impoverished MiddleLand. Driven by the haunting memory of his late fiancée, Sarai, and the mystery surrounding her untimely death—believed by some to be more than just an unfortunate accident—Asher’s journey is one of determination and heartbreak.
As the narrative unfolds, Asher is confronted with an ethically challenging proposition by his uncle: to impersonate a soldier of Zion and thereby ensure his liberation. Recognizing the monumental risks, Asher valiantly embarks on this daring endeavor. In doing so, he grapples with a seemingly invincible foe, pushing his limits in unprecedented ways. Amidst these trials, his unwavering resolve to reunite with his beloved Sarai remains steadfast.
The Wall proved to be a captivating young adult dystopian novel blended with Christian values. Its characters are richly developed, pulling readers into the labyrinth of their aspirations and fears. The meticulously woven plot keeps one riveted, eagerly anticipating each subsequent revelation. The romantic narrative that anchors the tale is moving, resonating deeply, and leaving an indelible mark.
Admittedly, the book’s momentum does wane slightly as the story unfolds. Nevertheless, this fleeting lapse in pace hardly diminishes the novel’s overarching allure. Asher’s tribulations strike a chord, endearing him to readers and invoking empathy.
For readers of dystopian and science fiction tales, this novel is a must-read. Penn’s adept storytelling, combined with the riveting character dynamics, make The Wall an absorbing read—one that challenges you to reflect upon the depths of love and the indomitable nature of the human spirit.
Pages: 256 | ASIN : B0CJMT4NY6
