SFNetcast: Indie Authors Sci-Fi and Fantasy authors you need to know about...

Voyage Trekkers: Gambit of Chance by Craig Michael Curtis

Fri, 1 Feb 2013 00:50:19 -0700

DESCRIPTION: Captain Jack T. Sunstrike is in command of the Galactic Union starship Remarkable, one of the oldest and most outdated ships still in service. He and his crew of misfits and castoffs are never given important assignments by their superiors, and this mission to the distant Poriasis Star System is no different. But once there, Capt. Sunstrike and his crew quickly find themselves embroiled in a highly-charged political conflict between two rival colonies. Along with his first officer, Commander Powell, and his science officer Dr. Rena, Sunstrike devises a desperate plan to save the people of Porias-Luna 26 from losing their homeworld forever … or perhaps even worse. The crew of the Remarkable race against the clock to beat the encroaching usurpers at their own game, and prove once and for all that the GSV Remarkable is still capable of heroics. Based on the the popular web series, “Voyage Trekkers”!

REVIEW: I'll admit that I might be a little biased here... I am a HUGE fan of the web series, Voyage Trekkers. If you haven't seen it, you are missing out on one of the funniest sci-fi comedies on the net. Luckily, author Craig Michael Curtis brings the show's same fantastic sense of humor to the virtual page. In addition to seeing our favorite characters return for yet another outrageous adventure, Curtis introduces us to new characters and crew members that are every bit as entertaining. He also manages to make the story completely accessible for those who aren't familiar with the web series. There are several scenes that not only made me laugh out loud as I read them -- but still had me laughing days later as they kept replaying in my head. If you're looking for a fun read with memorable characters and plenty of laughs, then I highly recommend that you place your bets on Voyage Trekkers: Gambit of Chance. --RJ Lanning, SFNetcast.com

Dragon’s Mind by Vered Ehsani

Fri, 4 Jan 2013 16:07:33 -0700

DESCRIPTION: Ten years ago, a human brain was created and installed into the control centre of the manmade Sana Island. To most people, it is known as MindOp, a non-living entity operating in the background of their lives. Only a girl named Myth knows better: his name is Dragon and he is very much alive. And after ten bodiless years, Dragon has a dream that will change everything and will put his mind and Myth’s life in mortal danger. There are powerful forces that don’t want the truth revealed and they’re coming for Dragon. But where do you run to when you’re already everywhere?

REVIEW: "This book's content was immediately engaging and sucked me in. The dialogue was snappy, sharp, and was just awesome to jump into. The relationship between Dragon and Myth induces laughter but is also deep... All in all though, I really enjoyed this. With its killer dialogue and themes of humanity, I'd definitely be interested in reading the sequel." --readinginthewindowseat.blogspot.com

Who knew that a disembodied brain could make for such a compelling character. Dragon's Mind had me hooked from the very beginning. The author has created a unique world wherein resides one of the most original characters I've seen in quite some time. The relationship between Dragon and Myth was well-executed. I enjoyed the shift in POV between the two as they were each trying to rescue each other and themselves. I'm looking forward to seeing more of these characters... and much more from this author. --RJ Lanning, SFNetcast.com

Spill by J.I. Greco

Sun, 2 Dec 2012 03:42:11 -0700

DESCRIPTION: How do you end an alien occupation? Any way you can.

On her 16th birthday the terminally-ill head of the world's largest mega-corporation puts her plan to rid the Earth of its alien overlords and avenge her father's death into motion, releasing an untested nano-engineered terror weapon against the aliens. While the aliens are chased from the planet, humanity's celebration is short-lived. Now facing a one-two punch of alien retaliation from orbit, and a rapidly evolving nano-weapon that intends to transform the Earth into something more to its liking, humanity's last hope of survival resides with a pair of cybernetically-enhanced human collaborators who are more interested in looting than saving the world.

Any way you look at it, humanity is doomed.

REVIEW: It's come to the point where I just automatically assume that anything Greco writes is going to be amazing. With his latest novel, Spill, my assumptions have proven to be right on the money. Although set in the same universe as his Reprobates of the Wasteland novels (but a couple hundred years prior), Spill is more than just a prequel. Greco has expanded his evil (and hilarious) universe by leaps and bounds. This book is pure fun on an epic scale. But it's also an impressive bit of world building. Greco not only manages to link this story to the previous novels (Take the All-Mart and We're Going to War), but he also manages to make connections to a couple of his other short stories. For those who have read his other work, Spill is filled with these "Aha!!!" moments that reveal whole new layers to his work and to his universe. And if all that wasn't enough, the book also works as a stand-alone novel. So newcomers can dive in head-first and not feel lost. Although... after you read it, you will probably have an insatiable desire to read all of Greco's other stories as well.
--RJ Lanning, SFNetcast.com

Dead in Bed by Cameo MacPherson

Fri, 2 Nov 2012 05:45:57 -0700

DESCRIPTION: Fairy tales do come true.

Lizzy Blaine always wanted to be a princess. She wanted it so much that she was willing to submit herself to endless hours of baton-twirling, swimsuit-wearing, and insincere eyelash-batting agony to achieve it.

And now, it’s finally paid off.

So what if it was a zombie beauty pageant? Zombies are people too, you know… more or less. And it’s not like the crown was made up of dead body parts or anything. Lizzy wouldn’t have entered if it was.

Probably.

Anyway, all that really matters is that Lizzy got her (non-decaying) crown and the wonderful things that came along with it. Things like pretty dresses…the adulation of her subjects…and, best of all, a handsome prince. A prince who seems to be just as interested in her as she is in him.

Lizzy is determined not to screw it up this time. Somehow she’s going to find a way to live happily ever after. Even if that means dealing with the prince’s evil father and a ravaging horde of zombies that are trying to kill them all.

Hey, no one said being a princess was easy.

Just fun.

REVIEW: Admittedly, I'm not a fan of your typical pulp romance novel -- then again, there is nothing typical about Cameo MacPherson's hilarious romantic zombie apocalypse novel. MacPherson has impeccable comedic timing that kept me laughing (and kept me turning the pages). An incredibly unique take on the zombie genre, fantastic characters and snappy dialogue make Dead in Bed a surprisingly fun read (even for those of us 'cynics' who would not be caught dead reading a romance novel). I'm looking forward to seeing what's next from this author.
--RJ Lanning, SFNetcast.com

The Destiny Engine by E.C. Belikov

Sat, 1 Sep 2012 13:36:57 -0700

DESCRIPTION: Keira is a member of Destiny Strategies Inc., a controversial consulting firm, mistrusted due to their claim that they can see the future through a neural link with a computer called the Destiny Engine.

Because of a law looming on the horizon that, if passed, will reclassify Destiny Strategies as an ‘illegal religious organization’, Keira wants nothing more than to convince the world of their good will. That’s why, when Special Agent Jason Satterfield—undermanned and racing against time to save a kidnapped child—asks for help, she is eager to assist. However, the situation is volatile. The child is the only son of Roger Rossler, the most powerful mobster on the planet. Worse, the abduction may have been an inside job and with no ransom demand it looks like it could be the first step in a gang-war between the forming labor union and Rossler, who stands to lose billions if the union is legitimized.

With political tensions reaching a breaking point, the media watching, and the mobster’s men hunting the perpetrators for their own questionable motives, Keira and Jason must find the boy and stem the tide of increasing hostilities. If they fail, the child will die and it could be the last bit of bad publicity the opponents of Destiny Strategies need to pass the law that will destroy Keira’s way of life.

REVIEW:Make sure you're well-rested before you start this book... because once you start, it's impossible to put down. I was so engrossed in this story that I somehow skipped an entire night's sleep and a couple of meals. With The Destiny Engine, Belikov has created an addictive sci-fi crime drama that will keep you glued to your kindle. The only way to describe the story (without spoilers) is to imagine that Phillip K. Dick, Dashiell Hammett and Mickey Spillane got together to craft the ultimate SF/Mystery/Crime Drama. In addition to the compelling story, Belikov has done some extensive world building. The Mars colony, it's history, the cultures and sub-cultures, the political machinations -- it's all there in vivid detail. But it always reveals itself in the natural ebb and flow of the story. It never feels forced or served up on the side. The same thing goes for the characters in the story. Even the ancillary characters have a depth and scope that makes them memorable. I can't wait to see what comes next from this talented writer. --Rob Lanning, SFNetcast.com

Rocketship Patrol by J.I. Greco

Wed, 1 Aug 2012 01:10:20 -0700

DESCRIPTION: In the sleepiest corner of a sleepy backwater of a solar system, on a patrol rocketship well past her prime, rookie police officer Dana Loy is about to cross paths with a snarky ship's computer, a shiftless, drunken commanding officer, a psychotically single-minded criminal mastermind, a love-struck robot out for revenge, alien scavengers suffering from a nasty case of the shell-rot, and an entire fleet of pirates. Her first day on the job may just be her last.

REVIEW: Greco writes the kind of stories that made me fall in love with sci-fi in the first place. And his latest book, Rocketship Patrol, is no exception. This homage/send-up of retro-pulp space adventure is packed with robots, rocketships and ray guns. Add to that a comedic cast of characters, some outlandish aliens and plenty of zippy one-liners -- and the result is a story that puts a smile on my face and reminds me of the great SF I read as a boy.

Mind you, this is not "hard" science fiction. This is for people who love the action/adventure/humor of writers like Keith Laumer or Harry Harrison or Douglas Adams. The is pure SF fun with tongue firmly planted in cheek. Sadly, it's the kind of SF that's increasingly hard to find these days. Luckily, J.I. Greco has a track record of consistently delivering the goods. A record which happily continues with Rocketship Patrol. --RJ Lanning, SFNetcast

Dead Men Don’t Cry by Nancy Fulda

Sun, 1 Jul 2012 22:41:46 -0700

DESCRIPTION: This collection includes eleven stories by award winning author Nancy Fulda, including Phobos Award winning story "The Man Who Murdered Himself" and "Backlash" from Tangent Online's 2010 Recommended Reading List.

From computers that invent God to minds that travel through time, electronic ghosts to enigmatic extraterrestrials, these stories will jump-start your imagination and leave you awestruck at the boundless possibilities of our universe.

REVIEWS: Every once in awhile, you read a story that stays with you long after you've read the last page. They burrow into your brain and take up permanent residence in your psyche. Nancy Fulda didn't write ONE of these types of stories -- she wrote ELEVEN of them.
Her short story collection, Dead Men Don't Cry, has something for every sci-fi fan. Stories that make you smile, stories that make you think, stories that punch you in the gut. But the one thing they all have in common is that they are well-crafted, unique stories with superbly developed characters. These are stories that you'll be thinking about days, week, even years later.

-- RJ Lanning, SFNetcast

Wheels by Lorijo Metz

Fri, 1 Jun 2012 02:48:42 -0700

DESCRIPTION: WHEELS is a sci-fi adventure filled with mystery and romance—a coming-of-age tale that proves it takes more than super powers to save a planet.

McKenzie Wu doesn’t know her great-great grandmother married an alien or that her great-great-great uncle is alive and systematically eliminating a race of beings on a tiny planet light years away—she has enough to worry about. Molecules keep rearranging themselves to suit her slightest wish, but only at the most inconvenient times. If that weren't enough, she’s been dreaming about an accident; one she’s had no memory of until now and, if true, means McKenzie is responsible for her mother’s death.

When McKenzie stumbles upon a portal, transporting her and her friend Hayes to the tiny planet of Circanthos, she learns the inhabitants believe she is the “One” destined to save them from H.G. Wells, a name that sounds strangely familiar, and his Tsendi warriors. But while her newfound ability might give her superhero status back on Earth, halfway across the galaxy it’s commonplace—all Circanthians can particle-weave—and if they can’t stop H.G. Wells, what can she hope to do?

With the portal closed and no idea how to get home, McKenzie must learn to use a power she does not want and accept her mysterious past, or risk losing everything—her father’s love, her new alien friends and the boy.

REVIEWS: While I normally steer clear of Young Adult fiction (because I am neither young nor do I behave like an adult), I have to admit that Wheels did suck me in. In the same way that her main character ‘particle weaves‘ -- the author has woven an intricate world with fascinating characters and an original story that kept me turning the pages. In fact, Lorijo Metz has managed something that, quite frankly, I thought impossible... She got me to read a YA novel from beginning to end. Not only that, she made me anxious for more. --RJ Lanning, SFNetcast

Under the Amoral Bridge by Gary A. Ballard

Tue, 1 May 2012 01:24:04 -0700

DESCRIPTION: Artemis Bridge is the know-who, go-to guy, the amoral fixer in 2028 Los Angeles with the connection for any illicit desire no matter how depraved. You need it, he can get it without questions or judgment. He prides himself on staying detached from the depravity, untouched by the filth, untouchable by the law. When a young hacker is assassinated before his eyes, he is burdened with a scandalous video of the mayor on the eve of the city's most important election of the century. With digital assassins and murderous thugs dogging his every step, he has only days before the corrupt mayor is re-elected, handing the Chronosoft Corporation complete control of the city. Unable to sell the video, he is forced further into a complex conspiracy. This taut futuristic thriller is the debut novel by Gary A. Ballard, a rising new talent in the cyberpunk genre. The trade paperback edition includes the previously unpublished short story "Feeding Autonomy."

REVIEW: A fast-paced, cyber-noir thriller that hooks you from the opening sentence and never lets you go. All too often cyberpunk novels are heavy on the tech at the expense of developing characters that you can connect with. This is not the case with Artemis Bridge, Ballard’s anti-heroic protagonist. From the very first paragraph, Ballard mesmerizes the reader with his introduction of the guy who “knows a guy.” Under the Amoral Bridge is the first of three novels that comprise The Bridge Chronicles... And after reading it, I can’t wait to get started on the other two. --RJ Lanning, SFNetcast

The Penitent Assassin by Shawn Wickersheim

Sun, 1 Apr 2012 23:39:09 -0700

DESCRIPTION: Thirty years ago, when Mallor was a child, he was the sole survivor of genocide. Five years ago, while pursuing his revenge on those responsible, he was ambushed and killed. His goddess offered him a chance to return so he could finish the job on the condition he became her assassin. His targets--followers of her adversary, a powerful deity. Mallor agreed. Now, he is back, in the cankerous city where it all began, with the culmination of his revenge in sight, but thirty-six hours before his plans would come to fruition, he learns a couple of things; he has a daughter, she’s been kidnapped by a sadistic magic abuser bent on ruling the world and the price for her release would not only undo his plans, but also kill his goddess and send his homeland straight to hell. Fate may be a four-letter word, but Mallor quickly realizes he has become destiny’s tool.

REVIEW: This dark fantasy from Shawn Wickersheim had me hooked from page one. The author deftly blends brutal action scenes, dark humor and well drawn characters to create a story that is impossible to put down. The writing has a wonderful flow and perfect pacing, pulling the reader into Mallor's world and refusing to let go. I'm looking forward to seeing more of Wickersheim's work in the future. -- RJ Lanning, SFNetcast.com

Karen de Lange

Thu, 1 Mar 2012 23:33:30 -0700

A couple months ago, a budding young writer caught my attention. Her name is Karen de Lange. She has a website where – in addition to her blog – she has posted what borders on micro-short stories. These are stories that are only 3 to 6 pages long. For those non-writers out there, this may seem like it would be a fairly easy task for a writer. But experienced writers understand that to create a truly good short story requires a level of talent and technical acuity that exceeds that of most novelists. And most truly great novelists became so by mastering their techniques via the short story.

Any author who has spent time learning their craft is keenly aware of the writer’s commandment to “write economically.” No, this has nothing to do with figuring out how to make that paltry royalties check cover next month’s bills. Rather, it means making sure that every word and every sentence is pulling its weight and moving the story forward. A gifted writer is one who can make one sentence perform double or even triple duty – developing the character, setting the emotional tone and driving the action onwards. For this reason, many writers – including myself – use short stories as a way of honing those skills. They force us to write economically. Micro-stories take it a step further and turn that challenge into what some writers would consider authorial masochism.

Sci-fi and fantasy writers have an even greater challenge. They must also do a considerable bit of world-building. If a story is set in modern-day Manhattan, generally the author doesn’t need to do much in the way of showing the reader what that entails. Even if we’ve never been there, we’ve been force-fed enough stereotypical images of Manhattan that we readers can fill in most of the blanks. Nor do we normally need to be brought up to speed on the socio-political structure of the world in which we already reside. Fantasy writers, however, are required to weave those images into their story – and do so in a way that doesn’t distract us from the action by dumping information on us via exposition (also known as lazy writing).

This brings me to the aforementioned Karen de Lange. The first story I read by Karen was titled “King’s Men.” In that story, she was able to make me connect with the characters, show me the fundamental structure of the world she created and pull me into a tale where the political intrigue and sense of betrayal were palpable. She did all this, by the way, in the span of three pages.

As if that weren’t enough, she writes with the grace and eloquence of one who truly understands the art of language. This is a woman who loves words. She is infatuated with their flow, their sound and their cadence.

Needless to say, I immediately went on to read each of the stories she had posted. Each time, I was in awe of both her talent and her technical skill. Since then she has made her stories—with the exception of King’s Men—available as FREE ebooks at smashwords.com. King’s Men will also be available after she completes part two of that story. Links to her works (both at smashwords and on her website) are provided below. As a reader, I encourage you to savor these brief, but beautifully written and powerful stories. As a writer, I encourage you to kneel.

Look Homeward, Clockwork Angel by E.C. Belikov and Elias Anderson

Wed, 1 Feb 2012 23:25:34 -0700

DESCRIPTION: Stanford Parker has a choke-hold on the legalized slave industry. Breeding his brand of clones for whatever horror his clients may have in mind—from hard labor to spare organs—there’s no questioning his product’s quality. But his days may be numbered when someone hires the crew of the airship Masamune to put him out of business. Violet: the gun-slinging airship captain, Moriarty: a disgraced former Inspector, and Tibbs: a genius inventor struggling with a ‘pheta addiction, have a tall order in front of them in bringing down Parker’s heavily defended ranch. They have a plan, but a secret from one of their pasts will endanger the mission; tensions between Violet and Tibbs over differing moral ideals will heighten; and Moriarty’s inquisitive nature will draw him to ask: why haven’t they met their client?

Look Homeward, Clockwork Angel is the first in a series of Steam Punk novellas and stories chronicling the harrowing post-apocalyptic adventures of the crew of the airship Masamune and the lives they touch along the way.

REVIEW: "[Look Homeward, Clockwork Angel] could not be more fun to read and definitely signals the entry of a new and exciting series into the Steampunk genre." --SteampunkChronicle.com

REVIEW: Anderson and Belikov have given sci-fans something to cheer about. This post-apocalyptic steampunk adventure has all the ingredients necessary to make fans of the genre salivate. They have done an amazing job of world-building. The imagery is superb in its detail, but in a way that never detracts from the story itself. The same holds true with the development of the main characters. They are instantly relatable, yet steeped in complexities. Add to that: some dark humor, plenty of action, a few twists and turns in the plot and an ending that will forever be etched in my memory. The end result is a fun and satisfying treat that will leave readers begging for more. --RJ Lanning, SFNetcast