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What Does it Mean to be Human?
S. A. Asthana Author Interview
In The Final Wars Rage: Book 2 Bastien finds himself in danger once again and the deposed cyborg queen still lives. What were some new ideas you wanted to explore in this book that were different from book one?
I explore the following three ideas in this book:
1) The concept of redemption is addressed through Bastien Lyons. He ends book one and starts book two as a monster, one ravaged by guilt for the destruction of New Paris. The Final Wars Rage is partly his journey towards correcting his deviated moral compass and better understanding his strained relationship with the memory of Father Paul (and God by extension).
2) What does it mean to be human? Is existence only possible through flesh and blood, or are there other mediums that can allow consciousness to continue? The idea of transcending physical limitations to become something more is a core theme of this book – I don’t want to give away too much, though. Folks will just have to read the book 🙂
3) Cutting-edge technologies can have unintended consequences. In our world, the best example is social media. Who would have ever thought when logging into Friendster or MySpace back in the early to mid-2000s, that one day these applications’ successors (Facebook & Twitter) would wreak havoc on human psychology and political systems. In the world of Bastien Lyons, it’s the green fogs that helped ravage Earth, the AI entity, High Council which took over Port Sydney, and Alic… err… can’t give away too much.
This is an intriguing novel that is high in social commentary. Was this intentional or did this happen organically while writing?
Intentional. Writing, irrespective of genre and theme, presents an excellent opportunity to shine a spotlight on humanity, in my opinion. When a story effectively addresses more than its immediate characters and plot points, it can be very satisfying.
If Hollywood came knocking who would you cast as your main characters?
I’d strive for cultural authenticity, so here’s my list:
- Bastien Lyons – Stanley Weber
- Belle Dubois – Léa Seydoux
- Marie Dubois – Eva Green
- Frank Crone – Hugh Jackman
- Reo Honda – Ryo Yoshizawa
- Alice Smith – Margot Robbie
Are you working on book three in the Final Wars series?
Yes – trying to aim for early next year. Folks can sign up for my mailing list to keep in the loop here: SAwritesSF.com
Auhtor Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
![The Final Wars Rage (Final Wars Trilogy Book 2) by [Asthana, S. A.]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51Xyeb3BjEL.jpg)
BASTIEN LYONS CAN’T MOVE ON WITH HIS LIFE, AND THAT MIGHT KILL HIM.
Despite escaping to the moon’s Nippon One colony with a new identity after a failed effort to save New Paris from destruction, he finds himself amidst danger again. The brutal world of the twenty-third century has dark plans. Parisian ruins send shockwaves through the remaining two civilizations of the solar system, Nippon One and the Port Sydney colony on Mars, shaking the tenuous peace between them. Bastien understands political tensions all too well and knows something terrible is about to happen. Trade wars erupt to signal deeper conflicts to come. Pirates lash out in revenge at Port Sydney for wiping out Parisian euphoria drug factories. Yakuza wage gang wars to control the remaining euphoria on Nipponese streets. If that wasn’t enough…
MARIE DUBOIS LIVES, AND HER SURVIVAL THREATENS HUMANITY.
The deposed cyborg queen has escaped the destruction of her New Paris, and Martian General Frank Crone recognizes her menace could rip apart the fragile peace. His digital overlords, an AI construct that enforces treaties, cannot learn she’s alive and ready to return to mayhem. He’ll do whatever it takes to rid the world of the defrocked demagogue before she is discovered, even if it means tilting his moral compass. Frank’s deadly goal not only demands the skills of his petri-dish humanoid Lieutenant General Alice Smith and the Nipponese royal police chief Reo Honda, it also needs an outside killer. Bastien wants to stay alive by staying away from that work and far from Marie. But he needs to rescue civilization in a world where…
THE FINAL WARS RAGE.
The Final Wars Rage
The Final Wars Rage: Book 2 is a thrilling and intriguing science fiction book that will make you fall in love with the author’s mind. The book is the second novel in ‘The Final Wars’ trilogy. One of the most stimulating things in how the author writes is how keep makes your mind occupied throughout the book. I was always kept at the edge of my seat waiting for the next, sure to come, plot twist. S. A. Asthana showcases their creativity and imagination in this book, creating some of the characters so adeptly that I became attached to them. The book does not start with intense action, but rather a slow and simple introduction that prepared me for the events that were to follow.
Bastien Lyons had escaped from the filthy and unforgiving streets of New Paris to live on the moon colony Nippon One. Bastien had chosen a different identity. But even with the new identity, he is still in danger. It was a shame that even with all the efforts, Bastien could not afford to save New Paris from getting damaged. The shockwaves of the damaged civilization were spreading through the solar system. I appreciated the palpable friction between the two. The damage was bigger than all could have imagined.
Bastien is prudent and sharp-eyed in his own unique ways. He could see the tension and was aware that something terrible and destructive was bound to happen. Profession wars occurred, thus indicating the possibility of extreme and intense battles. Pirates hit back to avenge the elimination of Parisian euphoria drug factories and gangs. The Yakuza started wars to be in charge of what is left on Nipponese streets. Meanwhile, cyborg queen Marie Dubois survived on. All of this goes to show how deep the backstory goes, and how intricately all of these different ideas interweave in a captivating way that kept me glued to the pages.
The Final Wars Rage: Book 2 places you in a dystopian world where anything is possible. The technology combined with Japanese culture, war, Artificial Intelligence, violence and belligerence in characters made the book a unique read that is high in social comentary. The conversations between allies and enemy camps were entertaining. S. A. Asthana has written a book that will leave science fiction fans yearning for more.
Pages: 313 | ASIN: B07WV5ZRWM
LITERARY TITAN 