Blog Archives
Black Matilda
![Black Matilda (Matilda Series Book 3) by [Jon Gray Lang]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41C9pZI5hNL.jpg)
Black Matilda is the third book of the enthralling science fiction Matilda Series by Jon Gray Lang. The crew of the Matilda is back, and this time each of the members of the crew have no choice but to split up after the kidnapping of Luli Qing. Following new hints, Captain Jacquotte Delahaye, Galena, Anton, Derain and Barney travel all throughout Consortium controlled space in pursuit of those that took their friend, trying to save her from the unknown danger that she’s in. This sends each of them on a riveting adventure that will keep the readers’ attention through every new chapter.
Many deep spacers have been disappearing, now Luli is missing too, and no one is sure what’s really going on or who’s behind it all. This series of events end up showcasing the incredible loyalty that each member of the Matilda crew have for one another, and how deep their friendship truly is. Each new chapter presents a new part of the mystery, a new riddle, a new hint, which keeps the suspense throughout the book high and makes for an incredibly gripping science fiction story. The undeniable connection between the members of the crew only makes things better, as there’s a real fear about what could happen to them.
The writing style is descriptive and engaging the narration has a quick pace. The author writing is fluid, allowing for a smooth reading experience which is a prefect match for a space adventure story that is constantly moving in a sci-fi world that is rich and imaginative. The constant travels through space, fights between crews and the resolution of enigmas are a never-ending reward for the reader, whose entertainment is prioritized all throughout the book. Incapable of putting it down, I devoured chapter after chapter, eager to find out what would be the destiny of Luli and the rest of the crew.
The characters, as expected, are well developed and their unique personalities shined through in this book, and their perseverance in rescuing their friend and helping each other during this mission made them even more enjoyable to read about. The way the book ended has left me excited for the next one in the series, I can’t wait to find out what will be the next quest for the characters that I have learned to love.
Black Matilda is yet another exciting space romp full of twists and turns that will not disappoint, the ideal match for those who have a true passion for science fiction.
Pages: 315 | ASIN: B08R2VQMPH
A Massive Alien Invasion
Falcon’s Ghost finds Earth once again under alien attack, but this time they’re being attacked by their own planet. What were some new ideas you wanted to explore in this book that was different from book one?
My main objective in this book was to up the stakes for Joe Falcon. He has already saved Earth and Mars from a massive alien invasion, so this time I needed to come up with another threat, but something no writer had ever done before. I’m pretty sure nobody has come up with the kind of alien invasion I have used in this story. I also wanted to continue Joe’s personal story, but decades in the future, so I needed to come up with a way to do/explain that. The idea of cloning has always fascinated me, and it was easy to use this concept in this story. I also wanted to move the story on with some new characters, but also keep some of the old. So Joe and Io remain, Terry returns, but a different personality, and Joe’s newest daughter, Raisa, is introduced.
Joe Falcon continues to be an interesting character. What were some challenges that were important to building his character in this story?
Continuing Joe’s personal development in this book was difficult, and I needed to take a different tack. In the first book it was about him coming to terms with himself, growing old etc. In this book he has to come to terms with something different, the way he feels personally about those he believed to be the aliens, and whom he blames for much of the sorrow he had experienced since the end of book one and the start of this book. He also learns everything he thought was true is false, and the new reality is something he finds hard to accept. Also hard for him to accept is the revelation about his new ‘brother’, Leo, and his true identity.
What scene in the book did you have the most fun writing?
I’m not sure I would say ‘the most fun’, considering the gravitas of the situation, but the chapters directly related to the ‘problems’ experienced on Earth and Mars were certainly the most satisfying to complete. As for fun, there is a short scene in which a ‘folk’ tale about the tiny moon Dysnomia (the moon of Eris, a planetoid in the Kuiper Belt), is related to Joe by his daughter. I had a lot of fun writing that. And by the way, it’s a true story.
What can readers expect in book three of the The Falcon Books series?
Book three will be set in the future again, so again Joe will be in a world more advanced than the last. Once again, humanity will be inder threat, and again, the threat will be bigger and more devastating. Again it will be up to Joe, and his team of Io, Terry, Raisa, and his new brother Leo, to spearhead humanity’s efforts to survive. This book is still under development, so no spoilers at this stage.
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Six decades after the departure of the gigantic, alien star-ship dubbed the ‘Minaret’, Joe Falcon thinks it is finally over, and he can settle down to a better, quieter life.
He is wrong.
At the outermost edge of the Solar System lurks an alien intelligence the like of which humanity has never before encountered, with an agenda of its own.
As the leading authority of the Minaret, it falls to Joe to find a solution and travel billions of kilometers to confront Mankind’s greatest ever threat. But how do you deal with a mind so alien, so advanced, and so filled with hatred, that nothing will sway it from its destructive course.
Joe must find a way. If humanity is to survive, he has no choice.
If you enjoyed the multi-award-winning Falcon’s Call, you will love this long awaited sequel. Grab a copy of Falcon’s Ghost now, and join Joe Falcon on this amazing voyage to the farthest reaches of our Solar System.
Falcon’s Ghost
![Falcon's Ghost (The Falcon Books Book 2) by [Mike Waller]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51dPT88xhsL._SY346_.jpg)
Falcon’s Ghost is the highly anticipated sequel to Mike Waller’s multi award-winning triumph Falcon’s Call. The novel is set in a brilliant distant future and follows the story of legendary galactic explorer, Joe Falcon, who is thrown back into chaos when a major alien starship, the “Minaret”, suddenly goes missing. Falcon is forced to face a myriad of old and new challenges to locate the Minaret and finds himself combatting a threat greater than humanity itself can handle.
As far as action goes, Waller’s novel is packed to the brim. The pace of the narrative is rapid enough to keep the reader engaged, while not being too overwhelming. Waller’s writing delivers a story that is intelligent and charming; laced with all kinds of incredibly interesting space-related details. Those who enjoy the science fiction genre, as well as those who just enjoy action-packed narratives, will find this book intriguing and fascinating from cover to cover. Personally, I was drawn into the turbulent yet great legacy tied to Falcon from the book’s second paragraph.
The point of Waller’s writing that I enjoy most is how he establishes settings and characters with so much detail. His location descriptions were so vivid and engaging that I found myself being immersed in the story with ease. Despite the story being completely fictitious, there is a quality to Waller’s narrative that is so enticing and seems completely based in reality.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of Falcon’s Ghost. There are countless elements of the story that I liked immensely; the characters, the narrative development, the settings, the descriptive details, etc. As I mentioned, Waller truly had me captivated from start to finish. I would recommend this book to anyone who desires to read an intelligent space adventure story that has a thrilling storyline.
Pages: 283 | ASIN: B09B5T2KVQ
The War of the Cha’cict
![War of the Cha'cict: Book 1 of 2 (The War of the Cha'cict) by [Terrence Scott]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51CpBSyFwOL.jpg)
War of the Cha’cict by Terrence E. Scott follows the story of Jared Connell, who enlists to fight against an alien attack against earth. Initially, his duties seem rudimentary, and he doesn’t feel that his contribution are impactful, serving as just one of many soldiers in this war. Once he understand the depth of his journey and how much his involvement will save humanity, things take a sharp turn, and Jared must make life-altering decisions before it’s too late.
This book is a quick-paced action story that takes the reader through some unexpected twists. It’s a great read that sparks a lot of nail-biting excitement and a thrill ride from start to finish. As Jared Connell soon discovers that his role is much more complex and essential, there’s a lot more to consider than his duties as corporal. He must face the detrimental effects of space and viral bioweapons resulting from the intergalactic war.
The author does an exceptional job of reeling in the reader and taking them through all the complex decisions needed in dire situations. Similarly, despite his low expectations of involvement from the beginning, the main character comes face to face with his own mortality and how vital his mission is. The emotional toll and impact on prioritizing what to do next weigh heavily on Jared, who inevitably becomes further saturated in an impossible quest that requires quick thinking and determination.
When you begin reading this tale, you won’t want to put it down. The pace picks up quickly while exploring all the psychological effects of facing life or death situations at every turn. Each decision or thought is another sequence in Jared’s mortality and will impact the safety and survival of the earth and possibly the universe.
War of the Cha’cict is the first of two books written by Terrence Scott, offering readers a riveting space opera that reads more like a science fiction action adventure story. It’s a great start to a two-part series. This is a book that will appeal to readers looking for a thoughtful space marine Sci-Fi story with an engaging narration and exciting plot shifts.
Pages:387 | ASIN: B09B6HJVBH
Edge Of The Future
![Edge Of The Future: A Techno Thriller Science Fiction Novel (The Edge Book 1) by [Andria Stone]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51GAUsDZOaL.jpg)
Edge of the Future, by author Andria Stone, is a nail-biting science fiction story about space exploration and saving humanity. Mark Warren’s life gets flipped upside down when his secret research facility gets attacked by a group of terrorists in the middle of nowhere, Canada. Joining forces with Sergeant Axel von Radach, Warren gets tangled up in a major military plot and works with a team to bring down a wanted terrorist.
Mark Warren also holds precious information on our main antagonist that puts his family and everyone he cares about in danger. Can he keep them safe and stop the villain at the same time? What will happen when he crosses paths with the terrorist face-to-face?
Author Andria Stone has a suspenseful writing style which elevates a novel that is already chock-full of action. Edge of the Future is the first of three books in the EDGE trilogy and Stone’s ending in this title has me desperate to read the next book, Edge of the Stars. The way Stone approached the relationship between humans and outer space makes the story feel grounded and much more engaging because of it.
I love a good space setting and regularly consume TV and film content in that realm. Long time fans of the science fiction genre will find plenty to enjoy in this edgy space opera, but the story is told without any over the top science fiction jargon, so newcomers will find an easy story to get lost in.
While I enjoyed the novel overall I felt that the story was a little slow going in the first few chapters. The story does opens with an attack on a military facility, which definitely grabbed my attention, but I couldn’t shake the feeling of being indifferent until I got through a couple of chapters. But this is a minor quibble in an otherwise engaging space romp.
Stone tells a suspenseful story involving space and cyborgs while making it all feel fun, if not always believable. I feel genuinely satisfied after finishing this book and that is something that rarely happens to me. Edge of the Future is an invigorating technothriller with a unique view of the future and an entertaining story that begs to be continued in the next book.
Pages: 273 | ASIN: B06XD3J7K7
What Lies in the Darkness
Twistin’ Matilda finds Jacquotte and her crew of misfits struggling to keep the ship while savage creatures threaten to break into the universe. What were some ideas that informed this novel’s development?
As planet-bound as we are, there’s always the idea that there is more out than we don’t understand. Even as we find a solution to one question, a ton of other questions spring forth from the answer. There is so much that we don’t understand. As a species, we’ve wondered at what lies in the darkness, what dangers lurk underground, in the skies above, and what slips beneath us under the waves. The wellspring of stories lies at the heart of these mysteries, as we struggle for explanations to that which we don’t know… yet.
Ancient sailors told stories of monsters attacking their ships at sea, of beautiful islands that glint with riches but are, in truth, traps with no escape. Populating these fanciful yarns are pirates and privateers, mutinous crews, ancient shipwrecks, and lost colonies. These tall tales are rife with other wondrous, mad things and they captured my imagination. They lead to a large part of what ‘other space’ is. I imagine the crew of the Matilda as they sail on the teetering edge of the world.
Space is the last great frontier and we’ve only stepped off the front porch.
What were some challenges you felt were important to Jacquotte’s character development in the story?
At the tender age of fourteen, Captain Jacquotte Delahaye was left with no choice but to take control of the Matilda and her life. From that point on, she decided where it goes, what it does, and who the ship flies for. All of that comes to an end when an old friend needed her help. She makes the rash decision to break him free from a prison ship and nothing, but trouble has been after them since. Now the haven she worked so hard to create is under constant threat and she has to make choices on the fly. All without knowing what the repercussions of those decisions will be.
Can she keep a handle on it all? Do the traumas from her past play a role in her choices? As the group splinters apart, how does she handle the separation? Do her coping mechanisms fail and spiral into more problems? Can she bring the family she made back together? Should she?
I don’t know about you, but that’s what I wanted to find out!
What were some goals you set for yourself as a writer in this book?
From a writer’s aspect, I wanted to build up my processes and this book did not disappoint. Writing this book was a wild ride. My invisible muse whispered secrets into my ear and the story fell out of my fingers! I completed my first draft in a mere twenty days and it still is the most fun I’ve had writing.
It was a blast! It was intoxicating! I couldn’t wait to jump on the next one! Of course, I still had to work on the rewrite, but I was pumped!
The Matilda was very much an ensemble piece. By the end of it, the crew worked well together even as the Matilda fell through into ‘other space’. Derain knew everyone except for Anton and Anton knew everyone except for Derain. Anton has got to be wondering what Derain brings to the table and vice versa. On top of that, Galena is a wild card, and now the ship is brimming with others like her.
One of the things I wanted to learn about was how do individual crewmembers work with each other. Can they work together? Can they work with the other genorgs?
This is book two in your Matilda series. What can readers expect in book three?
The future looks dark for Jacquie and the crew of the Matilda. The mysterious Consortium ship, M33, found a lead and is getting closer to catching them. The past raised its ugly head and tore a rift in the crew. With all that happening, Luli Qing has disappeared, and no one knows why or even where to start looking. It seems like the only thing holding them together is finding and rescuing her.
With more places to visit as Consortium space expands, other questions pop up to the surface. Who covets the memories of the deep spacers and why? What nefarious plans does Mr. Leon have for the genorgs and for the Matilda? And what is going on with Lieutenant Galena Chadov?
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Far off into the future in a distant part of the galaxy, the Consortium controls the human colonies held together by the jump gates. Where the Consortium doesn’t hold sway, crime flourishes. Through the use of a hellish engine that goes where no one should, the crew of the Matilda slips its way between the two. But nothing has gone right since they were involved in the battle over the planet Ninguiz.
Trapped within the folds of space and surrounded by living horrors, dangers lurk outside the ship and among the crew. While their pasts ride shotgun with a vengeance, their future looks bleak. Decisions made in the heat of the moment have consequences and payment is due.
With mutiny and pirates on the horizon, can Jacquotte Delahaye and her crew of misfits keep the ship? Can the lies of the past shatter this fragile family? Will the savage creatures break through into our universe again?
Slam your harness buckles closed and sit back in the second book of the series, Twistin’ Matilda.
Twistin’ Matilda
![Twistin' Matilda (Matilda Series Book 2) by [Jon Gray Lang]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41Ceio2t8+L.jpg)
Twistin’ Matilda is book two of the Matilda Series by Jon Gray Lang, a science fiction story filled with mystery and action. In this instance of the series we continue to follow the Matilda crew’s adventures as they travel through different systems of the universe, dealing with many dangers and uncertainty. Trying to run away, the crew of the Matilda finds itself stuck in an unknown system and their problems start to mount: their supplies are running low, they don’t know in which galaxy they are or which way they should go, something seriously wrong seems to be going on with one of the members, Galena, and they might not even be able to help her or save her.
It was interesting getting to follow the dynamics between the different members of the crew of the Matilda. In this world there are cyborgs, natural-borns and genorgs, each of them are perceived differently given how they came to be, and are responsible for different tasks among the crew. We see these differences throughout the book, getting to understand better how the interactions between people work in this science fiction world. Multiple things happen throughout the story, new problems keep appearing and the characters have to constantly deal with them and fight off many dangers. These things make for a gripping and riveting storyline, where the suspense keeps the reader wanting to find out more, expectant to what’s next to come.
This is a thrilling space adventure that will be very much enjoyed by the lovers of science fiction. There are lots of things to learn about the world that Jon Gray Lang created, like how the government of this universe operates, known as the Consortium, the trouble of dealing with pirates during the space ship’s travels, and the birth of a revolution against the Consortium, that surely will be dealt with in more detail in the next book.
The plot is deeply intriguing and moves quickly, but I would have enjoyed a bit more exploration of each character. Nevertheless, the story was still very enjoyable and I’m eager to find out what’s going to happen in the next book of the series. Twistin’ Matilda fans of high intensity action will have plenty to enjoy in this kinetic space adventure.
Pages: 314 | ASIN: B07Z9N2BZY
Would They Be Considered Human?
The Matilda follows a ragtag space crew that must fight off a government and an alien invasion in a dangerous galaxy set against them. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
For as long as I can remember, I have been enthralled by the worlds created for science fiction. From the beginnings with Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, into the dark corners of H.P. Lovecraft’s mind, twisting through the philosophical questions of Phillip K. Dick, and into the cultural phenomena of Star Wars and Star Trek. Peppered throughout is my love of the crazy genre films from the 1980s, the cyberpunk cities of the 1990s, humans struggling to survive space travel in the aughts through to the colorful Marvel movies of the new millennium.
The Matilda is more like a love letter from me to science fiction in general. In fact, so is the whole Matilda Series and it is sprinkled with concepts that kept me attracted to the genre. I had the initial idea for the story locked in my head for close to a decade and it was going to be a television show. But it kept getting shoved to the side by other projects. Jacquie and the crew kept riding me to tell their story. Now, here we are and there is still more story to tell!
I enjoyed the creativity and depth with which you created your characters. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
One of the aspects of storytelling that has always appealed to me is the group dynamic of the ensemble. I am fascinated with how individuals work separately from their group but rely on it at the same time. I wanted my characters to be very human with all the merits and flaws that we carry around. I mean, the crew of the Matilda doesn’t always get along. But seeing the great lengths Jacquie goes to keep her people together and getting to connect with them as they worked together was amazing.
I wanted to show that they can learn from their mistakes and that colors how they handle future situations. But I also wanted to understand how those coping mechanisms can cause problems when they decide to not take those lessons to heart.
To be honest, behind the setting of an unjust universe, alien invasion, and all that, the heart of the story is more about the family we stumble into and the pasts that follow us in. Is that connection enough to keep people together when everything wants to tear them apart?
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I have always been fascinated by the people who exist on the fringes of society, the ones who do the work that isn’t entirely legal. I wanted to touch on the power of the individual or group of individuals versus the society that governs them. How does that color their perception of the world they live in?
I wanted to explore the power of love through friendship and how those bonds can form, bend, and break. Along with that is the capacity for perseverance and having the courage to carry on against all odds. Also, how vulnerability plays in that field but doesn’t necessarily make a person weak. I believe that it can prepare a person to be stronger in the face of adversity.
Lastly, I wanted to touch on the idea of what makes a person human. Is it the environment that raises us? Is it because we’re just born that way? What if an entity is made not born? What if a being has been technologically altered so much that they ‘resemble’ a human? Would they be considered human?
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
It’s been a crazy ride and I’ve been going full tilt for a while now. Twistin’ Matilda and Black Matilda, the second and third books in the series, are currently out and about on Amazon.
I recently finished my latest draft of the fourth one. It is currently in the hands of my editors. I’m sitting on the sidelines with bated breath as I await their corrections so I can get it done. Secret Matilda is set to be released in late 2021.
On top of that, the fifth and final book in the series is halfway through its first draft. The plan is for it to be released in 2022. Once that is completed, I have a compilation of short stories that take place in The Matilda Series universe set to be written. The future looks busy and bright!
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Far off into the future in a distant part of the galaxy, the Consortium controls the human colonies held together by the jump gates. Where the Consortium doesn’t hold sway, crime flourishes. Through the use of a hellish engine that goes where no one should, the crew of the Matilda slips its way between the two. But nothing has gone smoothly after they broke out one of their own off of a prison ship.
Fighting their way past shadowy government agencies and a dangerous crime lord; monstrosities from an unknown layer of the universe seem dead set to break through into ours.
When their pasts come back to haunt them, can Jacquotte Delahaye and her crew of misfits come together as they are attacked from all sides? Will the galaxy work hand in hand with them to survive the alien onslaught?
Strap yourself in for a bumpy ride in the first book of the series, the Matilda.
LITERARY TITAN 