Journey Star

[ecosophia]

I'm delighted to announce the publication of my latest novel:  Journey Star, the sequel to The Fires of Shalsha. We're back on the colony world Eridan, three centuries or so after the Earth choked to death on the waste products of human industry, and the story continues.  Here's the blurb...

"Twenty years have passed on the colony world Eridan since the end of the war between the warrior mystics of the Halka and the heirs of the tyrannical Planetary Directorate. With the Directorate and its lethal battle-drones gone, the Halka have turned all their strength to the struggle against the cannibalistic Outrunners, so that Eridan can finally be made safe for human settlement.

 

"Yet new forces are moving as the last Outrunner bands are hunted down, and one of the survivors—an Outrunner girl whose body contains an artificial symbiotic life form—may hold the key to Eridan's survival. As strange signals arrive from space and dissension spreads through the ranks of the Halka, the girl, the symbiont, and the last heir to the Directorate's secret knowledge must reach Journey Star, the starship that brought humanity to Eridan. What they find there may begin a new era for Eridan...or destroy the Halka and everything they hope to defend."

This and The Fires of Shalsha are my closest approach to hard science fiction, complete with starships and the challenges of an alien ecology. Check out the new book here and, if you haven't yet read the original volume (my first published novel!), you can pick it up here. 

***Update:*** The ebook version is now avaiable! You can get it in any format you prefer here. 

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

John,
Wonderful news. I read the original book earlier this year for the first time and I thought it was captivating. Looking forwarding to getting my copy.
A treat for the Solstice!
Regards Averagejoe

[ecosophia]

Thank you! I hope you enjoy it.

Congratulations!

[(Anonymous)]

Avid fan of your first novel here(the one that couldn't recommend it to many others because of the "shotgun"-Moment): I always wondered if the plot-engine would be that Journey-star is from the get go "wrong" in Halka terms: I imagined it would surely be hierachical in lay-out and functioning and have waaay to long long-distance weapons. That and that "the enemy" (suddenly unearthed war-drones) had completely gone away and this would threaten the community of the Halka and also the support of the community as a whole (no Metall parameters needed anymore, etc.) So, twenty years later, huh? I'm looking forward to my copy!
Emily07

Re: Congratulations!

[ecosophia]

Journey Star doesn't violate the Six Laws because it's not on Eridan -- the Laws are specific about that -- and one the hypothetical legal cases cited in the next to last scene of The Fires of Shalsha hints (deliberately on my part) at the legal issues involved with extraplanetary hierarchies. That said, the other half of your comment is spot on -- with the battle-drones gone, the Halka have lost half the reason they have the support of the Shelter folk, and once the last Outrunners are gone, the other half evaporates as well. And then? That's one of the plot threads...

Re: Congratulations!

[(Anonymous)]

Ah, I missed that it pertains to Eridan soil solely I thought the laws would travel with them, also into space. Thank you for the clarification!

ebook?

[barefootwisdom]

Congratulations! Are there any plans for an e-book edition? I don't see one on the product page you linked here.

Re: ebook?

[(Anonymous)]

Check on the jungle river, I just saw it there...

Re: ebook?

[ecosophia]

E-book editions are in process, they just haven't quite finished coming through the pipeline yet. I'll post something as soon as they're up.

Re: ebook?

[(Anonymous)]

John
I note the Kindle version is already available from the big bad river. Personally I prefer the smell of paper.
Regards Averagejoe.

[youngelephant]

I was not aware of these books! I will probably read them after I finish up the Dune books.

[ecosophia]

It'll make an interesting contrast!

Oh boy!

[jpc2]

That is great news. Ordered.

I'd also recommend the Interstate series by Ralph Meima and Lifeline by Catherine McGuire. They are much less positive than Retrotopia. Ralph has been having the same problem as The Onion - he can't get ahead of the news....

Finished rereading the Interstate series and the last book the day the Power Died! About noon on Wednesday a large part of the northern central Colorado Springs lost power due to 100+ MPH wind downing trees. With in 100 yards of my house at least 10 very large 70+ year old trees are down. Finally got power back at 5:18 PM on Friday. Also read a dead author - Joshua Slocum - "Sailing Alone Around the World" about sailing around the world alone 1895-1898. He seems to be the first to do it alone (at least documented).

John - Coop Janitor