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Aquila Rising follows a Martian-born young man whose colony is attacked and his father is executed before his eyes, leading him to seek a way to get revenge while being forced into the army that destroyed his life. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I was watching an old History Channel series on The American Revolution and a world started to grow in my head as I watched. I liked the power dynamics between the American militias and the British army that was considered the most powerful army in the world at the time. The British were also seen as the oppressors and it’s an infamous story of humanity’s struggle for freedom.
I’ve always thought that using our history as inspiration for a story will help make it feel more real, so I took the inspiration and built a new world around it. A space opera felt like a fitting setting for my story!
I find the world you created in this novel brimming with possibilities. Where did the inspiration for the setting come from, and how did it change as you were writing?
There’s a lot of tension and discussion right now regarding wealth inequality and corporate power. I wanted my space opera to be relevant to our times and challenges, so I started brainstorming ways that I could incorporate the world I had created with the challenges of our times.
As I built out the story, more and more possibilities sprung up and the size and power of Draconis grew. As I wrote, their leader took on more evil, but I tried to make the employees seem like good, normal people, stuck within their grasp.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I really wanted to explore some social themes in this book, the big one for me was corporate power and corporate greed. We’re living in a time where certain companies have incredible amounts of power and they use their influence to alter humanity’s course in the world, most often, not for the betterment of the average person.
A gripping adventure through space provides an engaging platform for readers to explore some of these themes and the ambiguity of some of the moral decisions hopefully leaves readers thinking long after they set down the book.
Can you tell us where the book goes and where we’ll see the characters in the next book?
Lewis and Nels continue their quest for freedom with The Aquila Front. They’ve become accidental heroes of the rebellion and given it credibility. Inspired by their actions, more people within Aquila start following suit and wage a hidden war against Draconis.
Draconis becomes more and more desperate as they feel threatened for the first time, they become hyper-focused on finding Lewis, convinced that capturing him will end the war. Their singular focus leaves them vulnerable and The Aquila Front takes their chances in their biggest open act of war yet.
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Conscripted by a ruthless space mining corporation, Lewis rose through their ranks, becoming a weapon in their iron grip. But a chance encounter with a childhood friend ignited a rebellion within him.
Joining the Aquila Front, an insurgent movement fighting for freedom, Lewis uses his insider knowledge to launch devastating strikes against Draconis. But as the war escalates, he must confront the ghosts of his past, and find the man he was meant to be.
“Aquila Rising” is a pulse-pounding space opera that will leave you breathless. Buckle up for thrilling battles, daring escapes, and a hero who must choose between duty and defiance.
For fans of Hard Science Fiction books like James S.A. Corey’s The Expanse and Andy Weir’s The Martian, this is a must-read.
Don’t just read about it! Experience it. Click “Add to Cart” and join the rebellion against corporate greed today!
Aquila Rising
Allen Ansel’s Aquila Rising throws readers headfirst into a vividly realized future, where humanity’s reach extends deep into space, but old conflicts still fester. Set in 2198, the novel envisions a solar system carved up by political factions and corporate empires, teetering on the edge of war. Mars, Luna, Jupiter’s moons—each settlement is a chess piece in a game controlled by the United Nations, BRICS, and two powerful space-mining corporations, Draconis and Dongfeng. In the middle of this struggle stands Lewis, a Martian-born young man whose life takes an unexpected turn when his colony is attacked and his father is executed before his eyes. Forced into the ranks of the very organization that destroyed his home, Lewis finds himself navigating the rigid hierarchy of the Draconis Navy while struggling with his own burning desire for revenge. The book blends political intrigue, space combat, and personal vendettas into a gripping narrative that never slows down.
I loved the world building in this novel. Ansel doesn’t just tell us about Mars, he makes us feel it. The opening chapter, where Lewis gazes over the Martian landscape, grounds the reader in a setting that feels both foreign and lived-in. The detail Ansel packs into his depictions of space stations, asteroid mining operations, and the brutal realities of life in space makes the universe feel real. Even small details, like how the Draconis Navy’s green uniforms reflect their Earth-bound arrogance, add layers of depth to the world. That said, at times, the lore can feel overwhelming. There are moments where the narrative pauses to explain the political dynamics or technological advancements, which, while fascinating, can slow the pacing in spots.
Where Aquila Rising really shines is in its characters, especially Lewis. His transformation from a defiant Martian kid into a conflicted officer in the Draconis Navy is both painful and compelling. The scene where he watches his father’s execution is gut-wrenching—his helplessness, his rage, his heartbreak—it all feels raw and real. Later, as he struggles to fit into the rigid structure of the Navy, his resentment simmers beneath the surface, threatening to boil over at any moment. The supporting cast is hit-or-miss. Nels, Lewis’s childhood friend, provides an emotional anchor, but some of the naval officers, particularly Captain Abernathy, come across as archetypal rather than fully fleshed-out. Still, the dynamic between Lewis and his crewmates, particularly the sharp-tongued Pascal, keeps the dialogue engaging and adds much-needed levity.
The action sequences are thrilling, whether it’s a chaotic space battle or a tense political standoff. The attack on New Draco, where Fox 88s rain destruction from above, is pulse-pounding, and the moment Lewis realizes his father is about to be executed is one of the book’s most emotionally charged passages. Later, when Lewis takes his first command on the aging attack frigate DarkWind, the tension shifts to survival and strategy. The battle sequences are immersive, with Ansel balancing technical precision with cinematic flair. But the book isn’t just about explosions and dogfights—it’s about control, oppression, and the choices people make under extreme circumstances. Ansel doesn’t paint Draconis as outright villains, nor does he make the rebellion purely righteous. Instead, he leaves room for moral ambiguity, making the reader question who’s really fighting for justice.
If you love space operas with political intrigue, character-driven drama, and adrenaline-fueled action, Aquila Rising is an easy recommendation. It’s got the gritty realism of The Expanse and the high-stakes tension of Battlestar Galactica, but with a style that’s distinctly its own.
Pages: 335 | ASIN : B0DWKWCHJV
LITERARY TITAN 