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Cynicism vs. Trust
In Dissonance Volume I: Reality, two brothers fight to protect an amulet that could be the key to saving what is left of humanity in a dangerous dystopian world. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Honestly, at first, they were just friends. But I needed a stronger bond, and it just made sense that they were the last remnant of their family unit left. That bond was strong before; now that they both are survivors, the bond grows stronger. And in truth, the amulet is not what they’re fighting to protect. That’s just the opening scene. They’re out on daily recon operations to forage for food, ammo, and any survivors. That’s the grind of their daily lives right now: the monotony and drudgery that has become life in 2042. Just staying alive. My wife and I had just watched I Am Legend the night before, and the overrun world is unmaintained and unmanaged. The rabies strain killed off nearly everyone. As a result, we see a world where 6’ tall weeds have grown up through the cracks, and the earth is a ghost town. I wanted that, but the catalyst in my scenario being an alien invasion that wiped out 85% of all mankind, and the survivors are living underground in fortified bunkers called blockades, hiding from a deadly species that possesses a terrifying telepathic paralytic. An enemy you couldn’t even look at, much less shoot at and draw in more of them. The notion truly terrified me.
Did you plan the tone and direction of the novel before writing, or did it come out organically as you were writing?
I’m so much more of a panther than a planner. Yes, I had some mileposts that I knew my characters needed to get to, but overall, I really appreciate the way that organic writing affords me the opportunity to let the characters lead me, as opposed to vice versa. Organic writing really allows me the ability to let them thread their way through wherever I set them down, and then, just as in life, “life happens to them”. From there, you get to see what happens to them as they face adversity. When monkey wrenches get thrown in. When they run out of gas or their computer crashes or the kid has just thrown up. Art imitates life, just as the other way around, and everything isn’t always hunky-dory. There are things that happen to our protagonists, and you get to see how they would handle them. Just as Vladimir Nabokov said, “The writer’s job is to get the main character up a tree, and then once they are up there, throw rocks at them.”
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Faith. Justice vs. revenge. Cynicism vs. trust. Snarkiness vs. maturity. There’s a lot of this that I personally went through as well, and I very much relate to them.
What can fans look forward to seeing in volume 2 of the Dissonance series?
An incredible adventure awaits Cameron Shipley. A very trying one. A journey of trust, adversity, questioning, answers, anger, betrayal, love, gain, loss, hysteria, incredibly colossal battles, victory, defeat, hiding, and re-emergence. I’ve never written anything more powerful than the Dissonance series. It’s truly loaded with thematic depth, and each book pushes you further along those tracks. You’re in for a fantastic ride!
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*** CURRENTLY ADAPTED FOR THE SCREEN AND BEING PITCHED TO MAJOR STREAMING NETWORKS! ***
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Sergeant Cameron “Jet” Shipley was only six years old when the aliens silently drifted down through Earth’s skies in 2026. 16 years later, humanity is painfully familiar with one simple, agonizing, and inescapable truth:
One look, and it’s all over.
Terror lurks around every corner, and the rules of survival are simple: stay quiet, move quickly, and don’t ever look. It’s a post-apocalyptic Earth in 2042, and 85% of humanity has been annihilated by “gorgons”: horrific aliens with the ability to telepathically paralyze and then consume their prey, leaving the victims to feel every agonizing bite. Mostly impervious and nearly impossible to kill, the best defense against them is simply to run. One look, and it’s all over.
Brothers Jet and Rutty are part of an underground military bunker in Clarksville, Tennessee that provides shelter, training, and solace to those willing to fight back. But when a new recruit joins their ranks and reveals a secret that could change everything, Jet is faced with a difficult decision: follow orders, or fight for the truth? As the brothers navigate a dangerous dystopian world filled with gorgons and treachery, they must confront the ultimate question – who can they trust?
Read all six installments in this bestselling series, in this order:
- Dissonance Volume I: Reality (released 1.1.24)
- Dissonance Volume II: Reckoning (released 3.20.24)
- Dissonance Volume III: Renegade (released 5.18.24)
- Dissonance Volume IV: Relentless (coming November 2024!)
- Prequel #1: Dissonance Volume Zero: Revelation (released 6.6.24)
- Prequel #2: Dissonance Volume Up: Rising (released 9.3.24)
Bestselling 2024 fantasy fiction new releases author Aaron Ryan presents Dissonance Volume I: Reality in the first installment of his dystopian apocalyptic ebooks. It’s perfect for top new military science fiction readers who enjoy tense, thrilling and gritty post apocalyptic stories about resistance, complex characters, and the intrinsic truths of humanity. With a screen adaption underway for streaming networks, now is the perfect time to order your copy and delve into a gripping tale of survival and sacrifice in this top new sci-fi military thriller novel!
Dissonance Volume I: Reality
Aaron Ryan’s Dissonance: Volume I is a gritty, post-apocalyptic thriller set in a world where humanity is on the brink of extinction due to the arrival of terrifying alien creatures called gorgons. The story follows Jet and his younger brother, Rutty, as they navigate a dystopian landscape, trying to survive and protect a mysterious amulet that could be the key to humanity’s survival. The novel explores themes of fear, trust, and the resilience of the human spirit, all within a backdrop of constant danger from the relentless gorgons.
The author has a way of pulling you straight into the action, and once you’re in, you’re there for the long haul. The opening scene had me right on edge. Jet is hiding from a gorgon, counting down the seconds he has to reach safety, and his heart-stopping escape felt vivid and tense. Ryan does a great job of keeping the pace fast and tense, especially during the action scenes.
The relationship between Jet and Rutty felt real and raw, which gave me a reason to root for them beyond just survival. There’s a scene early on where Rutty is teasing Jet about being called “Cameron,” and even though it’s lighthearted, you can feel the weight of their shared trauma underneath. It’s those little moments that make the bleak world of the story feel more grounded and human. You can tell Ryan put a lot of thought into how these two characters interact, and it’s those quieter moments that balance out the non-stop action. There are a lot of scenes with heavy internal monologue where Jet reflects on the past, the loss of his family, and the weight of survival, which sometimes slowed things down but these reflections added depth to Jet’s character.
Dissonance: Volume I is a thrilling ride with enough tension, emotional depth, and world-building to keep you hooked. The book would be perfect for anyone who loves post-apocalyptic science fiction stories where survival feels like a constant question mark. It’s got heart, plenty of action, and enough mystery to make you want to pick up the next volume. If you’re into stories like The Road but with more of a sci-fi edge, this one’s definitely worth a read.
Pages: 328 | ASIN : B0CRHMLNYF
LITERARY TITAN 