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Fear of the Unknown
Big Lies follows an astronomer whose discovery of an asteroid careening toward our planet reveals an even more devastating crisis here on Earth. Where did the idea behind this novel come from?
I previously worked with several government agencies, and during that time, I witnessed events that unfolded quite differently from how they were presented to the public. Information was sometimes deliberately distorted or framed in misleading ways. It was shocking at first, and it stayed with me.
I began to think about telling a story from the perspective of someone who firmly believes in science and facts—someone grounded in reality—who is suddenly forced to confront hidden layers of the world that most people never see. I explored the idea of what an ordinary person, armed only with general public knowledge, would do if they were pushed to uncover the truth behind events often dismissed as conspiracy theories—but which, in this story, turn out to be real.
From there, I gathered various conspiracy concepts and shaped a narrative around them. Big Lies was born from that central question: What if it were all true? And what if the protagonist experienced it firsthand?
What role does fear play in shaping both institutions and individuals in the story?
Fear—especially fear of the unknown—plays a central role in both individual behavior and institutional control. One of the most unsettling forms of fear is the loss of trust in the systems and people we rely on most.
Big Lies explores what happens when those institutions—ones that shape our lives and promise stability—are revealed to be built on manipulation or hidden agendas. When the structures we depend on begin to fracture, it forces individuals to question everything they thought was certain.
To me, the most terrifying realization is not external danger, but the possibility that the life we trust is built on layers of half-truths and lies. That psychological shift is at the core of the story.
Were there particular books or films that influenced your approach to this story?
The X-Files and the Deus Ex series were major influences, especially in their use of conspiracy theories and hidden truths. I was fascinated by them as a teenager—the sense of uncovering secrets and confronting deeper fears left a lasting impression on me.
However, those stories typically follow trained professionals—agents or operatives—who have the tools, authority, and support to investigate the unknown. They can act, defend themselves, and call for backup.
With Big Lies, I wanted to remove that safety net. I placed an ordinary civilian at the center of the story—someone without special training, resources, or protection. Thomas Jeffries is not an FBI agent like Fox Mulder or Dana Scully, nor a cyber-enhanced operative like J.C. Denton or Adam Jensen. He is simply a scientist caught in something far beyond his control.
That vulnerability was important to me. He must navigate events as they unfold, relying only on his intelligence, moral compass, and determination.
Can we look forward to more work from you soon? What are you currently working on?
Yes, I’m currently working on several books simultaneously. My next major release is a cosmic science fiction horror novel titled Ghost Planet, which I’ve been developing for the past seven years. I’m aiming to release it within the next few months.
In addition, I have three other titles in development.
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon
Inside the secretive halls of elite councils and engineered media narratives, Jeffries is tasked with engineering a cosmic escape for the elite while preserving the illusion of safety for an oblivious world. As he uncovers the truth about ancient bloodlines, synthetic political leaders, and pre-selected survivors, he’s also charged with finding a new home off-world for a civilization that may never know the sky is falling. With everything at stake, Jeffries must weigh the exodus of the few against the future of the many.
Big Lies is a dark, gripping thriller about the cost of knowledge in a world built on deception. Perfect for fans of Deus Ex (elite conspiracy), Altered Carbon (privileged immortality), and Don’t Look Up (satirical apocalypse), this is a chilling ride through the machinery of control—where truth is a weapon, and survival is a privilege reserved for the chosen—unless one man can rewrite the rules.
Big Lies
Stephen Wayne’s Big Lies is a science fiction thriller that starts with a clean, high-stakes hook: astronomer Thomas Jeffries discovers a massive asteroid on a collision course with Earth, only to find that the real crisis is not just the object in space but the hidden machinery of power on Earth. From there, the novel opens into a conspiracy-driven story about elites, manufactured reality, and the moral cost of survival, before landing in a final stretch that reframes the threat itself and turns the focus back to human choice, family, and freedom.
Wayne doesn’t ease into his ideas. He throws them on the table and lets them spark. That choice gives the novel an aggressive, sometimes feverish energy that fits the thriller side of the genre well. I felt that especially in the early scenes with Bailey and the false front of political power, where the dialogue is less about realism in the narrow sense and more about stripping varnish off institutions until only appetite and control are left. That directness can feel heavy-handed, but I also think that is part of the point. This book is not trying to whisper. It wants to make you sit with ugly possibilities and ask how much of modern life is performance.
I was more interested than I expected to be in the author’s choices around Jeffries himself. He is surrounded by grotesque power, yet the emotional center keeps circling back to his wife Carol, his daughter Amanda, and the question of what decency looks like when the system around you is rotten. That gave the novel a steadier heartbeat than I first thought it would have. Some of the conspiracy material is extreme by design, and readers will probably either go with that wavelength or resist it hard. I found the book strongest when it stopped trying to top itself and simply let people talk, doubt, and choose. The late turn with the asteroid works because it shifts the story from doom to perspective. It is a neat science fiction move, but also a human one. Small error, huge consequences.
I’d recommend Big Lies most to readers who enjoy conspiracy-tinged science fiction thrillers, apocalyptic suspense, and stories that push hard on questions of media, power, and manufactured truth. Readers who like their thrillers provocative, talky, and morally sharp will likely find plenty to chew on here. For that audience, this book absolutely has an audience, and I can see it sticking in their head long after the last page.
Pages: 188 | ASIN : B0G3XGPBDN
