I've read several of Peter Cawdron's First Contact (sci-fi) novels over the last couple of years and I eagerly await each new release. Like his preceding novel, The Artifact, The Anatomy of Courage takes place entirely on Earth and is more focused on human nature. The result is a gripping story that drew me in from the very beginning.
The Anatomy of Courage is thought-provoking, poignant, and all too relevant to the present-day conflicts, power struggles, and ignorance that threaten the future of our species and our planet. From my personal perspective, bringing these matters to light is the hallmark of great science fiction.
Dr. Christopher Walters has been assigned to a medical evac team serving on the front line of the war against the alien invaders known as the Novo. As part of the Dog Food Squad, his role is to provide battlefield triage to wounded soldiers in no man’s land. Life expectancy at the Front is so low no one uses their real names, and he teams up with Hawk, Mouse, Leech, Lavender and William Sunday to save those he can from the brutal reality of war. The Novos, though, are not what they seem. Inconsistencies leave Doc questioning the war and…
When it comes to realistic, interesting science fiction, Peter Cawdron has delivered again with The Simulacrum. I have read several of the author's First Contact novels, and I would say that he has outdone himself yet again.
One of the most fascinating aspects of The Simulacrum is how it handles the benefits and challenges of artificial intelligence in a way I never would have thought of.
As with other books in Peter Cawdron's First Contact series, an extensive afterword provides all manner of details explaining the scientific and historical bases of the story - Perfect for readers who are itellectually curious.
Someone is altering old astronomical images. In one small patch of the sky, the digital versions don't match the original prints and photographic plates taken by observatories from around the world over the past century.
Dawn McAllister is a PhD student tasked with figuring out why Przybylski’s Star is attracting unwanted attention from a malicious hacker... Her high-achieving brother, Ryan, is an astronaut on the backup crew for NASA's Ample mission to the asteroid Psyche in orbit between Mars and Jupiter... At the same time, NSA analyst Gabriel Rodrigez stumbles upon a collaboration between Russia and China to interfere with…
As a science fiction reader (and writer), I don't usually read fantasy, but I've been following M.A. Batten on social media and this book seemed as though it would appeal to me. I was not disappointed.
Dark: And the Boy in the Hole was suspenseful, fast-paced, and kept my interest from the start until the very end. I especially enjoyed the range of creatures and characters among the "nightlings".
I can imagine this book appealing to young readers (despite some rather "dark" subject matter), but I think it can be enjoyed by all ages.
** This special Dark Edition features premium title and chapter pages. **
Having been imprisoned in a deep stone pit by the tyrannical King Baltus for as long as he can remember, the Boy With No Name is unexpectedly set free by the last living minotaur, the albino Grim. Together, they escape into Myrr Wood to join the few remaining monsters of the Old World – a ragtag bunch of goblins, trolls, bendith, harpies, a wendigo, and the only lykkan left in the realm – all hunted by humanity to the brink of extinction. When the Nightlings discover the boy…
Kelvoo is overcome with wonder at the arrival of the humans.
With flawless memories and innate curiosity, Kelvoo’s community embraces the benevolent humans and their knowledge of the boundless universe beyond the cloud-covered sky.
After the departure of the first contact mission, an unscrupulous human lands in Kelvoo’s village, inviting Kelvoo and eight others to join a “goodwill mission” to faraway worlds. Lured into a trap and enslaved by an outlaw gang, Kelvoo’s group is forced to participate in an interstellar crime spree, and subjected to the worst of human nature.
Realizing that the mission is destined to end with their murder, Kelvoo’s team must use their limited insight into human nature to understand and escape the brutality of their captors. With Kelvoo’s world and species vulnerable to exploitation, failure would have devastating consequences far beyond Kelvoo’s own death.
Kelvoo’s Testimoninal is equal parts action, philosophy, and hard science fiction. Written as Kelvoo’s personal account, Kelvoo’s Testimonial provides an outsider’s view of humanity in all its beauty and savagery.
