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Fiction Based In Facts
Lunacom follows a group of military and science personnel who are cut off suddenly from Earth by a mysterious attack and now must uncover what is happening before it is too late. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
While in attendance at the Command and General Staff College, I engaged in many conversations with my military colleagues. We often would talk about the world’s future and the advancement of technology. One day while sitting in class, I decided I would capture our conversations in fiction. LUNACOM is basically our conversations metamorphized into a book for entertainment.
What was your favorite character to write for and why? Was there a scene you felt captured the character’s essence?
Roman Whitacker easily serves the role of my favorite character. Roman represents me during the course. I’m a human resources officer in the Army, and Roman lives the life I believe will represent the future of military human resources. The scene that most captures Roman’s essence is when he interacts with his team in the ‘TMAD’ section. In this scene, we see the value of teamwork and leadership.
The science inserted in the fiction, I felt, was well-balanced. How did you manage to keep it grounded while still providing the fantastic edge science fiction stories usually provide?
While working for senior leaders within our military, I have routinely been reminded to keep facts backed against sources. When I wrote LUNACOM, I used science grounded in facts, and then I imagined where that science could grow and tried to write it down in plain terms. Anyone reading LUNACOM can see these technologies being built today. For instance, just look at the rockets SpaceX is building.
Will there be a follow-up novel to this story? If so, what aspects of the story will the next book cover?
I haven’t fully decided if there will be a follow-up. I’m waiting to see how people will respond to my ideas first, and then I will commit to my decision. I’ve drafted some ideas, and if I decide to write a sequel to this story, then I will cover life on Earth more, and I will also dive deeper into the RA and explore their characters. I’m leaning toward covering military operations around Mars and the inner asteroid belt.
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With no way to know who or what is behind the attack, tensions rise and alliances fracture as the outpost struggles to defend its resources and personnel against the unrelenting enemy. As the situation grows more desperate, a small group of officers and scientists must work together to uncover the truth and find a way to stop the attackers before it’s too late.
Lunacom
Lunacom by Rich Wyatt is a fast-paced, science-fiction action that will captivate you from the start. The story quickly debriefs the reader on where everything begins and how the world has become very different in 2062, where the United States, China, and Russia all play significant roles in occupying various parts of space. Mining operations are a primary mission, and while artificial intelligence has advanced significantly, playing a pivotal role in everyday life, various challenges arise from this technology.
While many branches and outposts were created throughout the 2020s and 2030s, the U.S. military established Lunacom, or Lunar Command, to better manage many facets of the operations. As a streamlined approach and cooperative teams of scientists and operating forces appear to be moving positively, a mysterious force suddenly places them and everyone on Earth at risk. When communication is instantly cut off from military personnel, and their ability to send messages to Earth is thwarted, they must face an unknown threat and fight for their lives.
I really enjoyed reading this story, as Wyatt does an incredible job of reeling in the reader from the very start with a clear, visual description of the future world and a quick outline of how we got there. It’s also a cautionary tale, in a way, that gives readers a chance to ponder the use of technology, space exploration, and mining, among other developments, as a means to advance society. Will this advancement into the unknown improve people’s lives on Earth and in space, or set us back when faced with frightening and unknown forces beyond our control?
Lunacom by Rich Wyatt is a spectacular adventure that will keep you turning one page after another from start to finish! I especially like how the author’s past experience with the military and related knowledge infuses a sense of reality into this story, which is ideal for anyone interested in sci-fi action and futuristic/military-themed tales. I hope to read more of Wyatt’s work!
Pages: 194 | ASIN : B0C2NRCZPR
Cargo 3120
It is the year 3120, and humans have entered the world of intergalactic travel and commerce. The Milky Way has become a battle zone for resources between all the different alien races that reside there. With a new power source discovered, it is a race to see what race will control it, giving them the upper hand to control the direction of the galaxy. Can humans win the race? What will it take to get the job done and gain control of this new resource?
Author Aaron Walker Sr.’s Cargo 3120: Ties that Bind is an excellent science fiction adventure. Set in the distant future, the spirited members of the outlaw group, Raven Squad, find themselves in the middle of a heist gone wrong that could have implications for the future of the entire galaxy. Led by the imposing Marcus La’Dek, Raven Squad comprises sci-fi mainstays; the hotshot upstart, a cocky explosives expert, a brutish heavy gunner, and a brilliant hacker. Walker Sr. breaks some molds with the situations he puts his characters into, primarily by showing the devastating consequences of their actions.
At times, Cargo 3120 feels more like a crime drama than a sci-fi novel. There’s plenty of scheming, backstabbing, and betrayals. However, Marcus’s crew is brave and ambitious, often to a fault. The story takes a lengthy, albeit necessary, detour depicting a miserable stint in a galactic penitentiary. La’Dek is sent there for his past actions and the actions of his crew. Once “reformed,” Marcus is put into the unenviable position of choosing between his squad and his family. The author makes the situation work as La’Dek struggles to deal with the “ties that bind.”
Walker Sr. does an excellent job of building a vibrant world. The varying factions and syndicates of the Interstellar League of Planets are fleshed out and feel like real organizations. I like how the author presents a “real” fictional history for his future world. Also, the science fiction elements aren’t too far out there, allowing the reader to enjoy Marcus’s and the other characters’ journeys.
Cargo 3120: Ties that Bind is a riveting science fiction adventure that takes space opera fans into the world they love and gives them new villains and battles to follow along with. This remarkable story is sure to be the start of a captivating and engaging series that will garner the love of old and new sci-fi fans alike.
Pages: 263 | ASIN : B09B8454KV
Forbidden Horizon
The human race has an ongoing debate about the existence of life elsewhere in the universe. But what if there was life outside of humans, and what if they already knew everything about us? The Xalin are just such a race. Having conquered what they considered to be human beings’ weaknesses for wars and destruction, the Xalin hatch plans to make themselves known to humans on Earth. They wish to show humans that great scientific advancements are possible, if only they could stop making critical mistakes.
Told in three parts, Forbidden Horizon by David Crane is about groups of astronauts and their adventures in outer space. Humans have already created a base on the Moon, and a group of astronauts are enroute to Mars. But when David Blackstone, the leader of the Lune One Moon base, is confronted with an out-of-this-galaxy opportunity, he has no choice but to take it.
Author David Crane’s extensive knowledge of science and space travel really shines in this intellectually-invigorating novel as the ships and methods of space travel are believable for a science fiction novel. The amount of detail about space in this sci-fi story is impressive and, at some points, a little dense. However, Forbidden Horizon draws the reader into the story so much so that you feel like you are standing inside the IMS Daedalus on your way to Mars.
Forbidden Horizon contains fascinating detail about outer space and space travel, making this an intriguing read. I would have liked more action or danger included in the story, but this still feels like a classic science fiction story, much like Isaac Asimov’s novels where the ideas are fascinating all on their own. Fans of hard science fiction will enjoy the attention to detail about space and technology and will surely be engrossed with Forbidden Horizon‘s plot.
Pages: 274 | ASIN: B0BH3HCKG7
The Fight Is Never Easy
At the Threshold of the Universe follows the Castus family and their struggle for survival against a formidable enemy that will alter the course of humanity. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
This book was a long time coming for me. I knew what I had built over the course of the trilogy, and I knew how I wanted it all to pay off in the end. I was thrilled when I was outlining this novel and how well it was all coming together, which only works with deep, deep planning. I wanted to make something that was completely my own, and wrap it all up nicely.
How has character development for the main character changed for you through the series?
There are a few characters I would consider as mains in this trilogy, and each has surprised me with their growth on the pages. Eliana comes from a place of deep trauma and finds a way to live with herself peacefully. She’s mostly alone in the start of In the Orbit of Sirens, but over the course of the trilogy, she forms a family and finds happiness. Denton Castus starts as a man who’s looking for a purpose, a new way of life on Kamaria. He is thrust into a situation that gives him both of those things, but not the way he intended. Both of them have to fight for what they have earned, and the fight is never easy.
Were you able to achieve everything you wanted with the characters in the novel?
I believe so. I felt fulfilled with every plotline I created, and I feel like it all came together better than I could have hoped for. I still miss Kamaria and the days of writing this trilogy, it’ll forever hold a place in my heart. With a passion project like this, it means the world to see reviews like the one here on Literary Titan and know that I stuck the landing for some readers. I am very happy with this trilogy.
What is the next book project that you are working on, and when will it be available?
I am currently working on a world-hopping adventure set within the universe of the Song of Kamaria trilogy, but so loosely tied to it that readers are not required to read the trilogy to enjoy this new book. It’s a stand-alone. I am still knee-deep in writing out the first draft, so I won’t say too much, but I do hope to have it published sometime either early to mid 2023. I post regular updates on my website for readers looking for more information. I can’t wait to share more info!
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ALL SONGS END.
War ravages Kamaria as an old enemy resurfaces from the depths of the ocean. Offering no support in the coming battles, the Auk’nai isolate themselves in their tightly guarded Nest. Outgunned and outmatched, humanity once again trembles on the edge of obliteration.
The Castus family is torn apart. Denton fights on the front lines, hoping to free Cade from a nightmarish foe. Meanwhile, Eliana and Nella set out on a path that will change everything they understand about the Sirens. The Song will end, but who will remain to hear its final verse?
“Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please.”
Dilation: A 10,000-Year Sci-Fi Epic follows two people from the 21st-century who go forward in time to help stop the extermination of mankind by aliens. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
In late 2015, when the LIGO center recorded evidence of gravitational waves, I became obsessed with the mechanics of time dilation. It was well-documented science that seemed impossibly farfetched, and I spent a lot of time doing calculations that informed questions along the lines of, “what’s to stop this from happening, then?” I got super into Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, several months later I decided to binge-watch it while extremely intoxicated. My mind kept drifting to this notion that it’s entirely possible for people from different times to all meet at the same point in the future, and at one juncture my brain added, “like to stop an alien invasion!” and the flood gates opened.
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?
A little of column A and a little of column B. It took me two years to start writing, so I did a lot of character prep during that time. Even secondary characters whose backstories aren’t included have, birth years, careers, ship names, accolades, and more. It helped solidify who each character was in my mind, guiding their actions and responses. At the same time, a lot of the story was written organically, which led to some characters becoming much more than intended, and others having their personalities shifted. For the most part, though, those organic changes were still guided by their existing outlines.
What kind of research did you do for this novel to ensure you stayed true to the hard science fiction genre standards?
To be honest, I still feel like I dropped the ball with this. It was almost entirely online, and I grew up in the era where every paper you wrote in school had to be cited with only physical book sources. My life was in constant chaos for a lot of the planning and the rest was during the pandemic, so I intend to lean heavily on physical sources for future books, though none will likely be as hard as Dilation. It is important to me that I get my information correct, which is a philosophy I take from Twain. “Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please.” I researched everything from the breeds of trees in Chattahoochee to quantum entanglement, developing box jellyfish antivenom to language death. I didn’t have any time to travel, so I creeped on every real towns via Google Maps street view. The Arvonia facility is a real test facility, the summer course at Duke is a real biology course…I even charted out travel times between planets for the third act, basing the entire course of events on it. That particular effort was moot, though, and it bothers me to this day that—to the best of our knowledge—the planets’ locations are off.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
Like most debut authors, I’ve been primarily job hunting since Dilation‘s release, so I’m only now getting ready to write again. I have a few books ready to go, but I’m fairly sure the next one will be a dark, dystopian, sci-fi that takes place at the end of the universe—after the stars have all died out. It’ll have a hard conceptual foundation, but ultimately be less scientific, simpler in structure, shorter, and with far fewer characters, so I’m still hoping to get it done this year.
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But not for another ten thousand years. When the first aliens to visit Earth meet an untimely demise, humanity finds itself marked for eradication by the technologically-advanced beings. In an effort to aid our future defense, Earth’s greatest warriors are groomed throughout the millennia and sent into space at relativistic speeds, exploiting the principles of time dilation to reconvene together for the pending invasion.
Combining elements of hard science fiction with action and suspense, Dilation is a smart, gripping sci-fi thriller that tells its unique story from both ends of the timeline. When biology professor Denise Walker has her expertise cryptically requested by the U.S. Department of Defense, her career takes a drastic shift towards the unraveling of extraterrestrial secrets. In the 126th century, renowned fighter pilot Nadia Raynor arrives only to discover her skills have been rendered useless by fleets of automated crafts. Searching for her place in the era’s military, she crosses paths with historic figures like Isaac Fowler: the DIA agent notorious for causing the impending genocide.
See the events unfold across the ages for all three characters as humankind struggles to survive long enough to face its potential annihilation. From first contact to invasion, Dilation’s captivating saga will keep you turning pages until the very last!
Warning: contains strong language and depictions of gore.
Dilation
Dilation: A 10,000-Year Sci-Fi Epic, by Travis Stecher, is about the human race’s first encounter with aliens. As this encounter leads to humanity’s impending destruction, many people are sent 10,000 years into the future to defend Earth. 21st-century biology professor Denise Walker and DIA agent Isaac Fowler are joined in the 126th century by 32nd-century fighter pilot Nadia Raynor. Follow their journey across time as humankind struggles to find its way into the future and survive the alien invasion.
Stecher captivates the reader from the beginning as he introduces the character Raynor just after she’s arrived in the 126th century. The reader is in suspense as hints are given that something critical is happening. Then, in awe of the historical figures Raynor encounters, the reader is taken back into “our time” and gives the story’s beginning.
The author does a fantastic job of pulling the reader through time as events unfold and connecting the dots to the beginning of this complex book when Raynor is first introduced. Once all the characters and the reader are fully entrenched in the 126th century, he thrusts us into the action of the human race fighting for survival. The action scenes are one to applaud and are filled with such detail you feel as if you are watching a movie. The characters are believable, along with their emotions and dialogue. They are thoroughly fleshed-out characters in a vibrant and detailed universe. The story was not bogged down with technical details, and the author gave enough information to keep the reader engaged.
Dilation: A 10,000-Year Sci-Fi Epic is a gripping time travel adventure that hooks the reader from the beginning and keeps their attention to the very last page. This novel will entertain hard science fiction readers with memorable characters, exciting conflict, and an unforgettable story.
Pages: 464 | ASIN : B09QQLD79Y
As Alien As Possible
Three Immortals follows war hero to the fringe of the galaxy where he discovers an ancient alien civilizations and their legendary powers. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
I am a computer scientist, so one of the civilizations discovered by the protagonist had to be an AI/machine dominated one. Working in bioinformatics for many years, I developed a deep fascination with biology. We can only speculate what extraterrestrial life will look like. I like aliens in fiction who are truly alien, as alien as possible while remaining relatable as characters in a story. Introducing non-carbon based aliens with a different evolutionary backstory and having them “adopt” a human to live among them was a lot of fun to write about.
Your characters are intriguing and well developed. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
“I did not like […] having existence happening to me, instead of shaping it!” says the hero in the story. All main characters act and change the course of galactic history for good or bad. I wanted to tell the story from the perspective of passionate people who plow ahead despite adversity. None of them is all good or all evil. The hero has massive flaws, the antagonist has a relatable backstory and even the traitors’ perspectives offer some redeeming qualities.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The story presents itself in a way I like to read space opera and military science fiction and it will check all boxes of expectations if you prefer these genres. Underlying the story thread is questioning the saying “what does not kill you makes you stronger” and the book asks if this is true or not. The (human) galactic government, for example, has idolized this notion in their creed “strength through adversity” and makes war and suffering a desirable natural state for the life of trillions. The machine civilization pushes this one step further through their ability to perceive many realities in the multiverse, and always pursue the most difficult one. The hero, learning this ability, will have to choose if he prefers an easy life or not. The ending invites the reader to decide what they would have chosen for themselves.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
Three Immortals brings its main story to a conclusion – but it leaves the arcs of many interesting characters open for continuation. 2400 Earth years of galactic history are woven in when the story requires, but there are many things left to explore with the reader – including the true nature of the Dark Ones, who nearly destroyed the galaxy. The next book is part 2 of a trilogy set in this universe. We will see familiar characters return, but also new threats and antagonists emerge. The scope will be larger, and the interstellar conflicts of Three Immortals are going to expand beyond the galaxy.
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Why was their existence purged from the historic records by the immortal elite?
