Sci fi, dystopian, apocalyptic
Date Published: May 22 2018
Publisher: Vesuvian Books
The world you know is dead. We did this to ourselves.
The epidemic struck at the end of the Third World War. Fighting over oil,
power, and religion, governments ignored the rise of an
antibacterial-resistant plague. In just five years, the Earth was
annihilated. Only one city survived—Etyom—a frozen hellhole in northern
Siberia, engulfed in endless conflict.
The year is 2251.
Two groups emerged from the ashes of the old world. Within the walled
city of Lower Etyom dwell the Robusts—descendants of the poor who were
immune to the New Black Death. Above them, in a metropolis of pristine
platforms called lillipads, live the Graciles—the progeny of the
superrich, bio-engineered to resist the plague.
Mila Solokoff is a Robust who trades information in a world where knowing
too much can get you killed. Caught in a deal gone bad, she's forced to
take a high-risk job for a clandestine organization hell-bent on
revolution.
Demitri Stasevich is a Gracile with a dark secret—a sickness that, if
discovered, will get him Ax'd. His only relief is an illegal narcotic
produced by the Robusts, and his only means of obtaining it is a journey
to the arctic hell far below New Etyom.
Thrust together in the midst of a sinister plot that threatens all life
above and below the cloud line, Mila and Demitri must master their demons
and make a choice—one that will either salvage what's left of the human
race or doom it to extinction …
Bronze Medal Winner — 2019
Independent Publisher Book Awards — Science Fiction
· Gold (1st Place)
Winner — 2019 Feathered Quill Book Awards — Science Fiction/Fantasy
· Finalist — 2018
Dragon Awards — Science Fiction
· Winner — 2018 New
York Book Festival — Science Fiction
· First Place Ribbon
— 2018 Chanticleer International Book Awards — Science Fiction
Next Book in the Series
Sci fi, Dystopian, Apocalyptic
Date Published: Aug 25 2020
Publisher: Vesuvian Books
Four years have passed since the lillipads fell and Etyom slipped into
darkness. The New Black Death has mutated again, spreading to near
epidemic proportions. What little order existed in Earth’s last city has
disintegrated into chaos.
Rippers roam the Vapid, robbing and leaving their victims butchered. The
Robusts have spilled out of their broken enclaves and hide in any dark
corner that will conceal them. Meanwhile, the elite Graciles, fallen from
their pristine towers in the sky, have all mysteriously disappeared.
Demitri is a prisoner in his own mind. His demon, Vedmak—now known as the
Vardøger—is manipulating Demitri’s body to execute a secret plan far more
disastrous than even the Gracile Leader dared.
Mila, her status among the fractured resistance elevated to that of
Paladyn—a protector of the people—leads the fight against zealots intent
on destroying what little remains of Etyom. It is a responsibility she
never wanted, a calling that prevents her from doing what she truly
desires.
Yet, Mila should be careful of what she longs. Caught between
annihilation and loyalties that refuse to die, she must reconcile a single
immutable truth: following your heart comes at a price.
Interview with Stu Jones & Gareth Worthington
For
those interested in exploring the subject or theme of your book,
where should they start?
Gareth:
Oh go to www.ittakesdeathtoreachastar.com
! We have put up all of the research, artwork, videos etc. You’ll
be able to understand the very near-future world we created based on
where our planet is heading now.
How
did you become involved with the subject or theme of your book?
Gareth:
The series started with an embryonic
idea—The God shaped hole. As a scientist and atheist there comes a
point in my understanding where there seems to be no more answers.
Some argue that God can fill that gap. I wanted to explore it, but do
it justice. So, I approached Stu—whom I knew wrote very realistic
Christian fiction—to partner with me. I wanted to do the subject
matter justice from both sides of the argument.
Stu:
It was an incredibly intriguing concept
to write a story about the ultimate collision of worlds and cultures,
thoughts and ideas. Actually it was terrifying in the beginning. How
do you begin something like that alongside someone you’ve never
worker with before? But we struck out and gave it our best shot,
creating a really interesting future world and exploring some really
tough social issues – from two very different perspectives –
along the way. Somehow it worked! Looking back, writing this series
has been an amazing experience.
What
were your goals and intentions in this book, and how well do you feel
you achieved them?
Gareth:
I think Stu and I wanted to explore what it
means to be human, to deal with prejudice and intolerance. To push
our characters to breaking point such that they have to question
everything they believe to be true and re-evaluate. What does that do
to a person? An early reviewer said:
“…
while It Takes Death to Reach a Star emphasized the
importance of honest communication between us humans, regardless of
our religion or social class or physical qualities, In the
Shadow of a Valiant Moon hammers home the message that hope is
the force that will keep one alive through all that sard.”
Our
story is brutal and difficult because it had to be. I think we
achieved our goal. Star has won about eight awards so far, so we like
to think we did something right.
Anything
you would like to say to your readers and fans?
Stu:
We’re so grateful for our readers and
fans! Thank you for your support over the years. We quite literally
can’t do it without you. Also, never forget - sometimes the
difficult path is the one that takes you to the mountain’s summit.
Gareth:
We’re sorry. We put the characters and
you through the mill!
What
did you enjoy most about writing this book?
Gareth:
Working with Stu. He brings so much
energy and enthusiasm and imagination to our work. The series really
is a hybrid of us, and without either it wouldn’t have the
gravitas. We like to think we are an epitome of what it’s all
about: tolerance. By the political and cultural lines drawn these
days, he and I shouldn’t even be friends.
Stu:
This series has been a real journey of the
soul. It’s been as much a journey of self-discovery for its authors
as it was its protagonists. I love that. And Gareth is right – we
each bring our own magic which is what I think really makes it shine.
Can
you tell us a little bit about your next books or what you have
planned for the future?
Gareth:
So,
I have a few coming. In November is a solo project, Children
of the Fifth Sun: Rubicon,
which is the final installment in the series. It took me more than
twenty years to write overall, and the series reflects that. It’s
an awesome action adventure like Indiana Jones. Of course, you need
to read the first two in the series to appreciate it. Then in March
2021 I have Condition
Black
with Stu—I’ll let him talk about that—and then in May 2021 I
have my first Nordic Thriller, A
Time for Monsters.
It’s a very personal story, inspired by my turbulent childhood
growing up in a bad neighborhood in the 80s.
Stu:
Coming
up next for me is Condition
Black co-authored
with Gareth. An exciting, near future medical/military thriller, it
represents our third outing working together. Thanks to Gareth the
science is fantastic and there’s a really interesting twist! After
that I’ve got two more solo outings in different stages of
development. The first, S.H.R.E.D:
Gorgon Rising,
is a superhero styled action/adventure story. The second, in final
stages of development, is an action-packed Cyberpunk thriller with a
neo-retro 80’s vibe.
How
long have you been writing?
Gareth:
I
started when I was probably thirteen, writing short stories but
seriously when I was around thirty, with my first series. Dan Brown’s
The
DaVinci Code
actually inspired me because I love combining facts and conspiracy
theory to produce a novel that might just be plausible.
Stu:
Around
2005 just after starting my police career. I’ve always had a wild
imagination and made short films all through high school and college.
When police work made doing that difficult, I transitioned to
writing. I had no idea what I was doing back then and that first
novel and Through
the Fury to the Dawn took
me 6 years to self-publish. I never thought I’d keep doing it.
Can
you tell us a little bit about the characters in In The Shadow of A
Valiant Moon?
Gareth:
I wrote Demitri and Vedmak, and they
represent a typical abusive relationship. Demitri is beaten down and
bullied he point he doesn’t believe he has the strength to deal
with anything, to the point that when he does get reprieve from the
onslaught he almost misses it because he knows nothing else. Vedmak
is the abuser and his power comes from making Demitri weak. Through
the two books in this duology you see how the power see-saws between
them until breaking point.
Stu:
Mila is incredible. She’s one of my
favorite characters I’ve ever created and her journey is one of
self-discovery. There’s a nagging in her spirit. The feeling like
she was meant for something more – to serve a purpose greater than
herself. It’s that pull that sets her in motion in book one. In
book two she starts to discover the difficult other side of this coin
– standing your ground in the name of what you believe sometimes
comes at a price.
If you could spend
the day with one of the characters from In The Shadow of A Valiant
Moon, who would it be? Please tell us why you chose this particular
character, where you would go and what you would do.
Stu: This
one is easy for me. I’d go find master Ghofaun, the fabled warrior
monk. He also happens to be and Mila’s friend and martial arts
mentor. I’d ask for him to take me on as a student, get beat up,
learn a thing or two, and maybe share with him a bottle of his
homemade sake, dreamy clouds.
About Stu Jones
A veteran law enforcement officer, Stu Jones has worked as a beat cop, an
investigator, an instructor of firearms and police defensive tactics and
as a member and team leader of a multi-jurisdictional SWAT team.
About Gareth Worthington
Gareth Worthington BSc PhD EMBA is a trained marine biologist and holds a
doctorate in comparative endocrinology. Gareth works in the pharmaceutical
industry helping to educate the world's doctors on new cancer
therapies.
Contact Links
Instagram: @garethworthington @stujonesfiction
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