Blog Archives
Threatened By An Advanced Race
Dark Enemy follows the Earth’s space force leader as he tries to unify the allied forces while fighting politicians back on Earth. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
The idea for the start of the series was the question: What would you do if you learned that the Earth was threatened by an advanced race while at the same time finding a source of advanced technology? Add that the person finding this out was at a point in his life when he was seeking simplicity.
Did you create an outline for the characters in the story before you started writing, or did the characters’ personalities grow organically as you were writing?
I had an idea about the main character, Van Childs, but the rest introduced themselves over time. In fact, the characters dictated the story. I planned to stop at the third book, but the characters said no and took me to a fifth, Dark Enemy.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The reluctance of Van Childs to get involved. The lack of the technical skills on Earth to reproduce the technology of the Host in a timely manner. And the fight of greed over the need to survive.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
The next book is called Crucible and is the beginning of a new series called Records of the Argos. Crucible is available now. After that will come Retribution which will be available in July or August of 2022.
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Alien Orders
Air Force Captain Scott Ryan’s whole life changed when he spotted a mysterious craft over the night skies of the Utah desert. Alien Orders: A Science Fiction Novel is the story of a man who seeks the truth and refuses to let that truth be hidden from the human race. Fighting his way through devious government cover-ups and perilous alien subterfuge, Captain Ryan is a man on a mission–and that mission is to thwart an otherworldly threat to mankind. With the unlikely help of conspiracy theorists, dedicated military personnel, tenacious detectives, and a mysterious woman, Captain Ryan finds himself plunged into a battle for the fate of humanity.
Author Johnnie West’s Alien Orders is an old-school science fiction tale shrouded in a twisting conspiracy plot. Captain Ryan teams up with his fellow pilot, Captain Jeff Johnson, to chase down leads and investigate their strange sightings in the Utah desert. Encountering a large cast of characters, the two friends must figure out who is friend or foe as they navigate an alien plot and confront the power-hungry humans who aid them.
Alien Orders is a quick and satisfying read with prose that is simple and straightforward. The story is more reported to the reader than experienced, which works for the blunt, military-style of writing. Chapters fly by, with action and tension rising and falling like a steady tide. After the mid-way point in the novel, the pace really speeds up. Side characters and sub-antagonists rapidly come in and out of the story offering solutions to problems and moving the storyline along. I felt that more dialog would have helped flesh out the characters. However, the overall story is tightly woven and still full of surprising twists.
Alien Orders: A Science Fiction Novel is a fantastically thrilling science fiction story. The action and drama will keep readers engaged and working right along with the characters to solve the mystery. To anyone who enjoys government cover-up stories about aliens among us, this is the book for you.
Pages: 209 | ASIN : B09PHG1QG6
Something Fun To Write About
Advent of Dreamtech follows a young woman that wants to change how humans live in a post alien contact world. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
My main inspiration was a short story I wrote when I was a kid: a little boy, unhappy, alone, with only his dreams as an escape of harsh reality. He eventually learns to control his dreams, and then enter the dreams of others. Never really wrote the end, but when I was thinking about something fun to write about for my debut novel, this old story was very present in my mind. The character of Edda wants to change things and faces a lot of challenges.
What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
I wanted to explore the accumulation of power, and how it changes the individual. Edda’s journey through the trilogy is a prime example. Her hunger for power is only instrumental to achieve her real end, which makes her quite special.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The one theme that permeates the trilogy is the impact on our survival as a species on the struggle between truth and propaganda.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
Book 3, the last of the trilogy, is already in the oven. Should be out, warm and delicious by April 2022.
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Civilization has long collapsed—the legacy of an inescapable disease. Only a faction adapted to lifespans of a mere twenty-seven years, spreading into the global rural utopia known as Goah’s Gift. A happy society, oblivious to its own fragility.
A STEP AWAY FROM EXTINCTION.
Welcome to the history seminar of Professor Miyagi of the University of Lunteren-Deviss. Using the latest twenty-sixth century dream sensorial technology, you and your fellow students are about to dive deep into the momentous events when doom was playing dice with humanity.
AND WINNING.
This is the story of a badass woman that meets an alien deep in her dreams. An alien with an agenda.
This is the story of a world-shaking religious revolution. In a deeply religious world.
This is the story of DREAMTECH, and the impact of alien technology on a dying human world.
The Different Worlds And Aliens I Invent
The King of Gems follows an astrophysicist and master King of Gems player who finds aliens trapped in the game. How did the idea for this novel come about?
I have always wanted to write a story that combined my two favorite genres so I’ve been playing around with this idea for a couple of years. A friend of mine is an actual astrophysicist who studies the interactions between galaxies. We were discussing his work one day and the topic of this idea for a new book came up. We tossed around a few ideas using some of the physics behind his work and that spurred me on. At the same time, several coworkers were discussing their latest adventures in a dungeons and dragons game they had played together. I’m not really sure how the two connected in my head, but they did. The result was The King of Gems.
What were some sources that informed the development of the Chandrans aliens?
If you have read any of my previous books, you can probably tell I have a fondness for telling stories with aliens. Part of my job at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science involves talking to guests about other worlds, both within and outside our solar system. In fact, one of the programs I do involves playing a real estate character attempting to sell exoplanet vacation properties to the guests as a way to describe what it is like on those worlds. I love thinking about what environments would support extraterrestrial life and how different cultures might evolve in those environments. My research for my work in this regard helps feed that interest and provides a basis for the different worlds and aliens I invent.
What scene in the book did you have the most fun writing?
I like the interaction between HAL and Dr, Kennan. HAL’s snarkiness toward Dr. Kennan was the best way I could devise to have the android show his concern for him, without igniting the professor’s irascible nature to the point of rewriting HAL’s programming. This allowed me to add a bit of humor from time to time that all good stories need. The other piece I had fun with was Dr. Kennan’s complete ignorance and frustrations when dealing with women. I have a personal affinity and sympathy for that due to my own fumbling around with it all during my much younger years.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
At this point, I do not have another novel in mind. Instead, I would like to try my hand at several short stories. The goal of these would be to illustrate or explain some scientific concepts through the eyes of science fiction and fantasy tales. As a retired middle school science teacher, I know how dry and miserable reading textbooks can be. My hope is that teachers could use these stories to help preface a lesson on some scientific topic, or use them as summaries after the fact. If I come up with enough ideas for topics and stories I can put them into an anthology of sorts and try to get that published.
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The King of Gems
![The King of Gems by [Jim Cronin]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41qiS+8QtKL.jpg)
The King of Gems, by Jim Cronin, is a science fiction/fantasy hybrid that brings together the world of advanced fantasy VR gameplay and aliens from far-off star systems. Set in the distant future, this novel focuses on Dr. Anthony Kennan, an astrophysicist working in isolation on a research base in space.
With only an android named HAL as a companion, Dr. Kennan has maintained his sanity on the research base by advancing to the highest level in a popular fantasy VR game called King of Gems. However, things take a turn when he discovers a fleet of alien species somehow downloaded themselves into the game by accident. Kennan must decide whether he is to help these strange beings or leave them to fend for themselves in this dangerous game.
Jim Cronin certainly knows how to to write deeply thoughtful science fiction while taking contemporary ideas to their extreme. The author knows how to end a chapter as well, leaving readers wanting more and making it very hard to find a good spot to put this book down. The ending to the novel was satisfying as well while still leaving just enough for the possibility of a follow up book in the future.
This is a fast-paced story, especially in the beginning, but that does not necessarily mean it is filled with action. This is a weighty story that plays with some interesting ideas in fun ways. There is a lot going on and it feels like the author wastes no time in getting the information and ideas out so he can tell a very compelling, and expansive, sci-fi story.
I’ve come to appreciate the depth that Jim Cronin novels usually have. This is an adventure story with something to say. I think the reference to Star Trek and Dungeons and Dragons in the books blurb is fairly accurate. With cerebral ideas underlying this story, much like Star Trek, combined with the sheer joy you get out of a well played Dungeons and Dragons game come together in this engrossing novel.
The King of Gems is a well paced story that is intellectually invigorating. With rarely a dull moment readers will be pulled into this epic fantasy saga that is equal amounts fun and interesting.
Pages: 320 | ASIN: B09N9NBCRG
The Autopsy of Planet Earth: Part One & Part Two
The Autopsy of Planet Earth: Part One & Part Two by R.J. Eastwood is a dynamic 2-part science fiction series. It has the reader wondering what so many before us have pondered- are we truly alone? There are only two possible answers to this question, and the implications of either are terrifying.
Author R.J. Eastwood explores one of these options and encourages the reader to speculate on the idea of alien contact being made sometime in the near future. The scene is set in a vaguely futuristic Earth that is quite socio-politically parallel to the modern world. We are introduced to a politician named Gabriel Ferro who works as a senior advisor to U.S. President Conrad. Alongside the attractive and intelligent Dr. Catherine Blake, Gabriel suddenly finds himself responsible for transporting an otherworldly being named Legna safely to a rendezvous with the President. The knowledge possessed by a member of an advanced species makes Legna especially sought-after, and our heroes come face-to-face with some chilling information while dodging exposure and trying to ensure the alien’s safety. His meeting with the President is imperative to the survival of the human species, and this responsibility weighs heavily on Legna’s human chaperones.
Reminiscent of classic science fiction stories combined with the modern cinematic suspense of political thrillers, The Autopsy of Planet Earth is consistently entertaining. Author R.J. Eastwood has incorporated some original ideas that keep this riveting sci-fi story feeling fresh and new. He uses tropes appropriately to push the story forward and develop a feel for the characters without too much backstory.
The pace alternates between exciting twists and surprisingly thoughtful philosophical dialogue. A delightful aspect of Eastwood’s depiction of extraterrestrial beings is the banter between their species and our own. Legna’s personality differs vastly from many examples of alien characters in pop culture. I found it very interesting to see the human characters fight to retain their humanity, even when presented with life-altering information.
The theories presented in the novels, although quite fantastic, are not far from the theories that have been explored by real-life physicists with full sincerity. I really enjoyed how there were moments where I didn’t know where the fiction in the science ended and where real life began.
The Autopsy Of Planet Earth, part one and part two, have a solid cast of intriguing characters that I really enjoyed seeing develop over the two book arc. There were some profound ideas mixed into what could have been a campy science fiction story, but instead the ideas elevate this story and make it much more thought-provoking. With consistent storytelling and an upbeat pace that continues steadily from one novel to the next, readers will be able to easily go from one book to the next without missing a beat. This is a gripping and stimulating science fiction duology that fans of suspenseful alien invasion stories will certainly enjoy.
I Love Alien Invasion Stories
Samuel is an interesting character. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
Samuels main inspiration at first was from Shepard from the Mass Effect trilogy, Master Chief from The Halo Franchise and Ethan Winters from the Resident Evil franchise. The challenge was giving him more agency and insightful dialogue to keep him from becoming a flat character.
I wanted his backstory to remain mysterious. I liked the idea of flipping an Ayn Rands theme in “Atlas Shrugged” of “objectivism” in concept of a heroic character to have morally ambiguous qualities, with a lack of happiness and a lack of purpose in life. Those were the driving needs for Samuels arc.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I love alien invasion stories, where the audience gets to see Humanity on the edge of extinction. When we are out of our comfort zone.
The consequences of time travel was another theme that I wanted to explore. So many stories that involve travel either forget the consequences, or are used in a way to ret-con details in a story.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I’m pretty sure that the next book will be the sequel to “Origins”. It should (hopefully) be out in winter of 2022.
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A Descent into the Wicked explores the legend of “The Shadows.” It tells of an ancient, ruthless inter-dimensional alien species that invades the universe every million years. With merciless efficiency and hatred for what it considers a threat, it cleans out all civilizations. It leaves behind only the disseminated ruins of what was current technology and extinguishes all evidence of its own existence. After ODalis discovers the structure of predetermined, multiple universes, he realizes that the time of the entity’s return is coming. It will blacken the sky of every reality and impose order on the chaos as it sees fit. An empty future and the collapse of reality. Can ODalis prevent the coming destruction?
Exploring the intersections of human frailty, space/time travel, trans-humanism, and alien invaders, A Descent into Darkness will thrill lovers of The Alien Franchise. Readers who enjoy The Alien Franchise will discover a thrilling story of human frailty, space/time travel, trans-humanism, and alien invaders in Will Alers’ A Descent Into The Wicked.
Claimed by Seraphym
![Claimed by Seraphym (Raiden Warriors Book 3) by [Denna Holm]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51rf3P8B42L.jpg)
Claimed by Seraphym is the story of Samantha, Abby’s little sister that was rescued from Earth three years ago. Samantha, Sam for short, has reached the age of eighteen. She is now considered old enough by Raiden standards to be mated with a warrior. Misguided, the doctor Astin from Nicolai’s ship the Qadira, thought that Sam wanted to be matted to him, and other people in Raiden felt this was a great choice for all involved. However, no one consulted Sam. When Astin tried to force himself on Sam she ran and begged the protection of a Leviathan named Seraphym that knew her sister Abby. Right away Seraphym knew something was different about Sam, just like he had known something was different about Abby. He was instantly connected to her and agreed to take him home with him to prevent her from being forced to mate a Raiden Warrior. Seraphym and Sam were forbidden to mate, but the bond mate between them could not be denied. What this brings out in Sam shocks Seraphym and the Raiden, changing their world forever.
I love the world that Denna Holm has created, each book has built on the last and the story and characters carry through. Some of the story lines have trickled across all three books and it helps keep the continuity going. While I have loved the characters of Abby and Aaliyah in the prior books, Sam’s story really drew me in as having relevance to a lot of issues we face here on Earth today. It deals with topics of racism, a woman’s right to choose, and political manipulation. It talks about the struggles of a society adapting and changing with the times. Just because something has been a certain way for “as long we remember” does not make it right. Sam is the perfect character to bring this all out. She is strong, caring, and willing to build bridges to help people grow and see the world for how it is now.
Sam’s growth internally and physically is immense. From the start she wants nothing more than the freedom to choose her own mate and path, and by the end she is helping different societies learn to live together. There are so many new characters in this novel I cannot begin to explain, but they all merge in a positive way. Often books use a lot of negative situations to bring about change, this however used less violent methods and lots of introspection on all the characters parts to enact change. I found the book positive and hopeful, sending a good message for fantasy readers.
Claimed by Seraphym is a suspenseful yet contemplative science fiction romance novel that brilliantly builds on the previous books and delivers something uniquely engaging in this story.
Pages: 353 | ASIN: B08YP4Q7XG
LITERARY TITAN 