The Cyborg's Crusade - Day of the Deus Ex Machina
by Benoit Lanteigne
GENRE: Science Fiction
BLURB:
How did it come to this? My life used to be so simple. Back then, I hated it; I found it boring. Let me tell you: boring’s good. Boring’s great! I should’ve been thankful…
It was supposed to be a date like any other for James Hunter, a simple convenience store clerk. Nothing more than watching a movie in the town of Moncton. A place as unknown and unimportant as he considered his own existence to be. And yet, while walking to a cinema, James teleports to another world. There, a hostile crowd surrounds him, including various mutants with strange deformities.
Before he can even gather his wits or make a dash for it, a lone ally presents herself in the form of a winged woman named Rose. An important cultural figure in the country where James appeared, she offers him both protection and a home.
Soon, James learns that this new world is divided by a cold war. On one side is Nirnivia, home to Rose. The other, Ostark, led by a mysterious cyborg. James is unaware that the cyborg has him in his crosshairs, thinking of him as the Deus Ex Machina that will end the war in his favor.
But, the cyborg is far from the only potential threat to James. Soon after his arrival, BRR, a terrorist organisation, kidnaps him.
What would a rogue group out for revenge seeking to turn the cold war hot want with someone like James? Is there anyone also aware of this other world who will try to find him? Or is he on his own? If so, how is he supposed to escape? If that's even an option...
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Purchase The Cyborg's Crusade - Day of the Deus Ex Machina on Amazon
Excerpt:
The world whirled around James. Soon, all distinct shapes vanished, superseded by a haze of colors. Shades of green, red and blue filled his vision. An agonizing pain flared across his body, and James screamed. His stomach floated up to his throat, while his intestines… he preferred not to think about them. Then, at last, the forms returned, though muddled. The sensation lasted only a few seconds, but it brought James to his knees as he gagged and vomited on the pavement. Once done, he wiped his mouth and coughed. Revolted screams erupted around him.
James almost mumbled an apology for the mess, but then he realized: who was yelling? He and Nadia stood alone and yet… wait, those dark figures surrounding him on the ground… shadows? And over there, feet and legs… where had these people come from?
Perplexed, James tried getting up, but he wobbled and fell. His new position gave him a view of the trees he had scrutinized before the incident, except they had morphed into a yellow brick building. James’s heart raced and his body tensed. Trying to relax, he took a few deep breaths through his nose and scowled. That stench, a mix of decayed food, feces, and puke, permeated the air. Of course, his own actions explained the last odor, but still, Moncton never smelled so bad. No wonder, with all the garbage littering the street. However, the road he’d strolled along had been so clean just moments ago.
As he pondered the change in scenery, James’s vision cleared. He took it as a good sign and attempted to stand up again. Though he swayed, he remained on his feet. Perhaps because of his movement, the confused chatter around him intensified. Bronze-skinned people glanced at each other and recoiled, a few pointing at him. James scanned the crowd in search of Nadia. Unable to locate his lover, he found his attention drawn to a stranger in the distance instead. The man held a leash, but without a dog at the end. A pink glob of goo replaced the expected canine. The horror waved its many tentacles, sometimes caressing passersby. James gasped. Covered in perspiration and shaking, he averted his gaze and spotted a young boy with a miniature leg sticking out of his belly through a hole in his shirt.
Interview with Benoit Lanteigne
Any weird things you do when you’re alone?
Yes. One of them is I play with a shoelace. Just run it through my fingers and things like that. It helps me think and focus. I’m not sure why, but it might be related to the fact I have cerebral palsy. Don’t worry, it’s the lowest possible level of cerebral palsy. Most people can’t see any difference.
What is your favorite quote and why?
Oh boy, that’s a hard one. So many good quotes out there. I’ll go with “They couldn’t hit an elephant at this distance.” Which was allegedly said by General John Sedgwick. On its own, it’s nothing special, but it gets a whole new meaning when you consider they were supposedly the general’s last words, right before being hit by a sharpshooter. There’s a sense of bitter irony in there that speaks to me.
Who is your favorite author and why?
I’m going to go with JRR Tolkien. While his books might not technically be my favorite, I have enormous respect for how much effort he put into his world-building. I haven’t read anything else with such a large ambition. Sure, some aspects of Middle Earth can feel cliché now, but it’s largely because so many writers were inspired by it. JRR Tolkien’s work inspired me to improve The Cyborg’s Crusade world-building beyond what was necessary. I’d never dare think I reached his level, but he inspired me to push myself beyond what I thought were my limits.
What, in your opinion, are the most important elements of good writing?
Characters. If you can write good, believable characters, you’re (more than) halfway there. People relate to characters, so most readers, if they love your characters, they’ll overlook some weaker aspects of your work. Well, to some extent, you should still put your best effort into every other aspect of your writing.
Where did you get the idea for this book?
So, it all started at my grandmother’s house. My mom, aunt, and grandma were in the kitchen talking about spiritual topics. My mom is into those kinds of things. Anyway, I was in the next room and only semi-paying attention to their conversation. Still, I guess it inspired me somehow since an image of a winged red-haired woman in a white dress popped into my head for a second, two at most. I’m not sure why, but that woman stuck with me and started wondering who she was and where she came from. Little by little, I came up with her back story and built a world around her. Eventually, these concepts developed into The Cyborg’s Crusade. Pretty crazy how something so small grew into such a massive project.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
So, my name is Benoit Lanteigne and I’m a French Canadian (outside of Quebec) who’s trying to write in English. That can be tricky. I’m a computer programmer and I enjoy it. I see many inspiring writers who hate their jobs and hope to quit someday, but that’s not my case. Mostly, I’ve worked on websites and web applications.
Back in school, I enjoyed writing and according to my teachers and classmates; I had a talent for it. Well, not so much for grammar and spelling, but they liked my stories. Once I went to university, I dropped writing as a hobby. There were other things I wanted to focus on, such as my career. Then, in the early 2000s, around 2006 I’d say, I had a flash of inspiration. At first, it was a single character: a winged woman with red hair. I didn’t even know who she was, but the image stuck with me. From there, I began figuring out details about her origins and her world, but I only started writing for real in 2009.
It’s been roughly 10 years now, and it’s not yet finished. That’s in part because I write in my spare time, and in part because the scope of the project is huge. Maybe too much so. Still, I’m getting close to the point where I could release something. The question is what’s next? Self-publishing? Attempt traditional publishing? Nothing? I don’t know the answer yet, I’m trying to figure it out. Frankly, sharing my writing is difficult for me, and whatever I end up doing, as long as I make it available to people I consider the experience a victory no matter what comes out of it.
Connect with Benoit Lanteigne
Website ~ Newsletter ~ Hub
Facebook ~ Twitter ~ YouTube ~ TikTok ~ Instagram
5 comments:
Thank you so much for participating in this tour and featuring today's author.
I enjoyed the interview in the post. Sounds like a good book.
Great excerpt and interview. Sounds like a interesting book
This sounds like a good book and I really like the cover.
looks like a fun one
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