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Unleash the Vampire Tribes
The Wandering Tribes follows an itinerant starship captain as he enacts an intricate plan to manipulate the Mercantile Empire. What was the thing that most excited you about writing this book?
The most exciting thing to me was being in position to unleash the Vampire Tribes.
The first two books in the series laid the background. Wandering Tribes started introducing some of the active plot lines acting within the background. We meet a variety of characters who are unleashed on the Mercantile Empire to implement their schemes. Some are faster and more successful, some take longer to develop, some will fail. Some will have unexpected consequences in the future.
What were some questions that you kept asking yourself as you were developing Milo Sapphire’s character?
Milo always goes through three phases:
- I see what needs to be done. I’m the best man (vampire) for the job. Let’s get after it. Who knows, could be fun.
- Ohmigod! You want me to do what? This wasn’t what I thought it was. This is way freaking harder than I thought it was!
- I don’t like the alternative! You wanna try and force me or manipulate me into doing it? Fine! If I’m gonna do it, then get the hell out of my way! Oh yeah, how can I cheat the system?
The other thing that’s always in the back of Milo’s mind is his insecurity about the absurd levels of personal power he can wield. Without giving too much away, Milo’s past has made him very (overly) sensitive to manipulation of others. If it’s part of the plan, he’ll bull forward. If the other person is overtly challenging him for supremacy, sucks to be them.
In his personal life, he’s always second guessing the responses of the people closest to him, especially in romantic relationships. Are they there because he didn’t give them a choice and they’re just making the best of a coercive situation? Are they there because they really, really want to be?
Part of the growth of his character is learning to actually trust the members of his (growing) inner circle; realizing that he has intrinsic value beyond his capabilities as the First.
It’s also a lot of fun to skewer the current harem fad; Milo thinks he has a harem. Whether every member of the group agrees with his definition remains to be seen.
This seemed like a fun book to write. What scene in the book did you have the most fun writing?
It was a blast! The first scene that came to me was the Emperor’s Ball scene. It’s my favorite scene because it encapsulates everything about Milo’s highly convoluted and overly complex plans. It drops Milo right into the middle of the snake pit and he barely gets out. The ramifications of that scene will extend well into the future.
This is book three in The War Against Infinity series. What can readers expect in book four?
Books 1 and 2 went really fast (okay, normal speed for Milo). Book 3 had to slow the pace a touch simply because a lot of the elements that came into play just took a lot of time. Even Milo can’t cheat the laws of physics (most of the time).
Book 4 resumes the pace. The excrement has made contact with the oscillating air acceleration and distribution device, on a cosmic scale. The schemes introduced in Wandering Tribes impact reality. Milo has to react accordingly, in his own inimitable, convoluted, overly complex style.
Gotta keep things interesting.
You never know who might be watching. Heh.
Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads
I’m the CEO of Interstellar Products. We make stuff for Sentient Ships.
I’m also the Chosen of the Deity. I’m supposed to save the fricking Universe.
So I need a little help.
I used to be the leader of all the Vampire Families back on Old Earth.
So I’m gonna invite them to join the party, so to speak.
But vampires need lairs.
And this is space, so lair hunting is a little challenging.
And there’s a lot of’em, so I gonna need a lot of space (see what I did there?).
But it’s kinda boring building a lair from scratch. Lotta planning, lotta zoning meetings, you get the idea.
So how am I gonna keep a lot of extremely competitive, obsessively compulsive, highly energetic, easily bored, apex predators occupied? Hyperactive kindergartners strung out on meth. With flamethrowers?
Well, I’m also taking on the Mercantile Empire.
They’re never gonna know what hit’em.
Heh.
The Wandering Tribes
Rob Bartlett’s The Wandering Tribes sees a bet between God and the Devil begin to escalate while Milo Sapphire, self-styled itinerant starship captain, champion of God, leader of the vampire families, and most dangerous individual in any room, enacts a plan to rehome a sizeable proportion of the vampire families and begin manipulating the huge Mercantile Empire through a convoluted plan. As the First of the vampire families, maintaining the peace and defending his position from challengers who would usurp him takes up much of Milo’s time, but with the assistance of a few carefully selected friends, Milo is able to pursue his personal goals.
The Wandering Tribes is the third instalment in Bartlett’s War Against infinity series, and it is a wild sci-fi tale which develops amidst one of the more creative settings readers will likely encounter. Featuring spacefaring vampires, philosophic velociraptors, graphic scenes of a violent and sexual nature and lots of discussions focused on the galactic economy all of which are seasoned with a liberal helping of humor and mix better than you might expect.
Milo’s frankness and his schemes make him a likeable character, and his chronic need to have most things explained to him in detail, or explain things to the reader in detail, make him the perfect narrator, as his conversational form ensures the reader is never completely lost in the world. Everything is well written and explained. It’s clear that a lot of thought and care has gone into building the universe in which The Wandering Tribes is set. Everything has a logical consistency which helps the plot flow and allows the reader to follow along with relative ease, even if they are starting with the third instalment in a series rather than at the beginning. Why would you do that? Book one is great, go read it.
The Wandering Tribes is an offbeat science fiction story that comes across as deceptively random. Rob Bartlett’s sharp writing and keen sense of humor comes together to create a relentlessly entertaining story with a fully fleshed out universe that is filled with wacky elements.
Pages: 212 | ISBN: 0939479494
A storm is coming…
The Calla’cara Gambit follows Milo who finds himself being blackmailed into helping the Sentient Ships emancipate from the Empire. What were some sources that informed this novels development?
Milo’s story is about everyone who’s ever had to navigate the thicket of laws and regulations in a “civilized” society. Especially when something is legally allowed but the people in power don’t want it to actually occur (like the Sentient Ship Emancipation). Once he’s blackmailed by the Sentient Ships and the Khan he has no choice; either he succeeds or his closest companion, Isaac, will end up confiscated by the Empire.
The structure of the Mercantile Empire is loosely based on the Hudson Bay Company and the East India Trading Company. They were commercial entities incorporated for political purposes by England. They existed to generate a profit for their shareholders but also had to provide governmental services. It allowed me to explore the concepts of a true “government by the customer”. And how someone might use the “system” against the people in power for their own goals.
Milo continues to be an engaging character throughout this book. What were some new ideas you wanted to introduce with his character in this book?
Does absolute power actually corrupt absolutely? How pragmatic is Milo willing to become in the furtherance of his goals? Can Milo develop relationships with the people he sends into harm’s way instead of just seeing them as pawns? And what is the impact on him when very negative things happen to them? Can he experience personal growth as a vampire? Can he learn to be an empathetic leader who’s still willing to make the very hard choices and what does that cost him?
What were some challenges you set for yourself as a writer with this book?
I wanted to tell a very complicated story with intricate plotting and multiple characters that captured the labyrinth of navigating the halls of power at the highest levels. I wanted to tell enough of their individual stories that the reader becomes emotionally invested but not so much that it slowed the story down. I wanted to tell it from all the individual viewpoints while maintaining Milo’s first person POV. My goal was twofold; what is the minimum amount of exposition necessary to advance the story in an engaging fashion and could I engage the secondary characters enough to make them meaningful to the reader? If a reader tells me one of the secondary characters is their favorite over Milo, I will feel I have succeeded.
What can readers expect in book three of the The War Against Infinity series?
A storm is coming…
1,000 years ago the Vampire Tribes left Earth, following Milo to the stars to escape the governments and technology of Earth that were getting close enough to positively confirm their existence. 500 years ago, Milo left the Wandering Tribes (as they named themselves) to their own devices, effectively abdicating his position. But since the First of the Vampires can only change hands following the death of the previous First, he’s still their titular head. Now he’s discovered he needs them to effect his plan to manage the various civilizations that make up the Mercantile Empire and the surrounds because he’s still the Chosen of the Most High and he still has to prevent the Adversary from winning the Bet with the Serene Supreme Deity and cause the Universe to get reset.
So he has to re-assume control of the Families that make up the Wandering Tribes. Then he has to persuade them to abandon their traditional secrecy and integrate into the various societies of the most powerful, influential Members of the Mercantile Empire and assume control; without actually taking over. It’s an interstellar mafia with Milo as the Godfather against the Mercantile Empire.
Because when the storm hits… all Hell is gonna break loose!
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
I used to be an itinerant Star Ship Captain. Then the Sentient Ships blackmailed me into helping them Emancipate from the Mercantile Empire in return for keeping my personal AI a secret. I’m taking on bankers, lawyers and accountants, oh my! And a couple of serial killers have kidnapped my girl.
I’ve got a plan, a crew and a deadline. I’m gonna need precise execution, a little luck and a whole lot of moxy to pull this off!
Note: this book contains adult content and situations.
The Calla’cara Gambit
![The Calla'cara Gambit: The War Against Infinity: Book 2 by [Rob Bartlett]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51ZMz9kircL.jpg)
The Calla’cara Gambit is a high- fantasy science fiction novel by author Robb Bartlett. It is the sequel to the award-winning novel The Turing Revolt: The War Against Infinity. Starting with the prologue, Lilith Morningstar´s plan goes awry when she is shockingly defeated and sent to an unknown planet by a powerful and mysterious man, identified as the “Chosen of the Adversary”. As she is discovered and forcibly escorted away by two individuals, she silently plots revenge against everyone who ever wronged her. Milo Sapphire finds himself in a difficult position, after being blackmailed into helping the Sentient Ships emancipate from the Empire and killing Lilith Morningstar (or so he thought), he’s aware of being targeted by three groups: the Lotus Eaters Society, the Khan of Calla´cara, and the Emperor himself. When one of his lovers is captured by the Empires ambassador, who threatens her should Milo do anything against the Emperor’s agenda; he must find a way of getting the job done before the deadline without risking the lives of his crewmembers while navigating a harsh political climate.
The Calla’cara Gambit is a space opera that combines the best elements of science fiction with elements of epic fantasy to create a consistently riveting novel. I enjoyed the detailed political and financial climate that the story exists in. I felt like these types of details made the world feel real. The story is mostly narrated in first-person through Milo Morningstar, a witty and sarcastic yet charming man who feels elevated because of his past actions, which have proven him to be the one chosen by the creator of the universe. The way the story is narrated through his point of view helps the reader form a deeper understanding of his character, his decisions, and his way of seeing the universe. Milo is cunning and therefore overconfident, which at times can be annoying but ultimately makes for a complex character and an interesting read.
The universe the story takes place in feels vast and is formed by many different worlds and planets, particularly Calla´cara, an exotic planet ruled by intelligent reptiles who seem to have their own agenda. The writing is unique, alternating between Milos first-person narration with third-person POV´S from different characters, this makes for a refreshing break from the main character’s monologue. Sometimes the mixture of genres can make the tone feel inconsistent, but that’s just a very minor concern.
The Calla’cara Gambit has a unique plot that is helped along by an engaging protagonist. Fans of Star Wars or space opera’s will have plenty to enjoy in Rob Bartlett’s dramatic novel.
Pages: 454 | ASIN: B08FWV5TBQ
Virtual Immortality?
Rob Bartlett Author Interview
The Turing Revolt is a thrilling space adventure novel following a star ship captain who gets blackmailed into helping Sentient Ships rebel against the Empire. What was your inspiration for the idea behind this novel?
There is a detailed history of the War Against Infinity Universe in existence. is our first entrée into the WAI Universe. It introduces Milo Sapphire at the beginning of a series of significant events for both Milo and the Universe. But it’s not the only set of significant events in Milo’s life. Once this series is completed; perhaps there will be opportunities to learn about those other significant events. He wasn’t always the First.
Captain Milo Sapphire is an intriguing and well developed character. What were some ideas you wanted to capture while developing his character?
Gallup published a book called, “First Break all the Rules”. Here’s a quote from the website “…great managers share one common trait: They don’t hesitate to break virtually every rule held sacred by conventional wisdom.” I also wanted to explore the concept of a leader emerging in a crisis. How would someone with those traits deal with virtual immortality? Finally, I love the tshirt slogan, “Remember, I’m old for a reason!”
Milo is based on those concepts. He’s the leader of any group he joins; generally, by acclimation. He commands the room just by entering it but he doesn’t do it overtly; it is a function of his personality. But he doesn’t look for the leadership position and he’s just as happy being by himself, chasing skirts and exploring unknown planets. But he also will never back down from a contest of wills. And no one, ever, screws with his people. So, if you come to him and convince him (or blackmail him) into accomplishing a task; get the hell out of the way… ‘Cause it’s gonna happen. No matter what it takes. But his actions are governed by his own code of ethics; his set of absolutes. So his solutions are usually unorthodox.
I enjoyed the rich backstory you created for this in depth novel. What were some themes you pursued while creating this world?
I started with a quote from Arthur C. Clarke, “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” To that I added my own quote, “Life is about competition for scarce economic resources”. Finally, I added in “the two driving needs hardwired into any living thing are survival and procreation. Then I asked the question, what is the most efficient way to compete for those resources to achieve the goals of survival and procreation? Where/how does altruism, loyalty, ruthlessness play into that efficiency? When is it ethical to manipulate others into improving their efficiency at competing? Is that manipulation or leadership? Every character has needs and wants that drives their motivations and their actions; but at their core, they’re just competing for those resources.
What is the next novel that you are working on and when will it be available?
The next novel in the series is called, The Calla’cara Gambit. It’s planned to be available by August 2020.
Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads
![The Turing Revolt: The War Against Infinity by [Bartlett, Rob]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41ZESBS5UkL.jpg)
I’m a humble, itinerant Star Ship Captain who got blackmailed into helping the Sentient Ships rebel against the Empire. Just because my personal AI might test off the Turing Scale. Now I’ve got the Empire, the Lotus Eaters Society and the Khan of a planet of intelligent dinosaurs all gunning for me! Old secrets are coming back, people and situations I walked away from… when I became a humble, itinerant Star Ship Captain. And I might be on a mission… from God!
The Turing Revolt: The War Against Infinity
Good old Captain Milo Sapphire just trying to live his best life. His life’s purpose is to travel all over, hang out with his ship and beautiful women. That is, until he is roped into a bare bones plan to revolt against the patriarchy. They have a secret he would rather not have exposed. Interesting interactions with ‘Ms Sexypants’ seem to up the ante every time. How will good old Milo fare against her delectable talents? Can they really win against the Emperor? What will come of Isaac and the ship whose name could forever be ingrained in history?
This is a wonderful bit of literary art with so many unlikely elements woven in. Despite this unlikely cocktail of characters, everything seems to be surprisingly seamless. The development and flow of the story remains uninterrupted by the gradual revelation of details about different characters. I found that I had trouble putting this book down. This book has a delicious mix of science fiction with AI and vampires among other imaginative creatures. The author really did go outside of the genre to develop this book from the plot to the characters and everything in between in an interesting and unique way.
Rob Bartlett displays an uncanny ability to jolt the imagination and engage the reader in every bit of the unexpected turns this book takes. It is quirky and funny, not to mention oh so delightfully crass. The writing is intentionally brilliant designed to deliver the story in a charming, casual and flirty fashion. It makes for a relaxed atmosphere as you exercise your brain trying to figure out the AI workings of good friend Isaac. It keeps you on the edge of your seat with action filled scenes and laugh out loud anecdotes.
Milo is the kind of character you can never measure up to but live to be inspired by. He exists with such structured abandon and welcome dominance. He conjures up an image of a salt and pepper haired individual whose vast expanse of knowledge is not flaunted but rather felt and otherwise sensed. His relationship with Isaac is heartwarming and his leadership capabilities are awe-inspiring.
This book manages to be evocative, funny, and interesting, but remain, at its core, a book about mistaken identities. This book also teaches one not to play their hand until it is time. This is an exceptional book that I recommend to anyone looking for an engaging book.
Pages: 513 | ASIN: B07VZW8Z7M
LITERARY TITAN 