Gliese 581: The Depature

Gliese 581: The Departure

Christine D Shuck

guest post by Evan C

Genre: Science Fiction

Sub-genre: Colonization/Apocalypse

Novel, novella, short story: Novel

Serial or stand alone: Serial

Setting: Earth/Deep Space/Gliese 581

Synopsis: In the final days of the 21st century, Daniel Medry and a crew of brilliant and talented scientists and researchers leave Earth on a mission to the Gliese system – the first extra-solar journey of its kind. Shortly after their departure, a terrible virus is unleashed upon Earth, highly infectious and nearly 100% fatal. Soon the colonists will learn that they are some of the last unaffected humans left. And if the challenge of establishing a colony on a distant alien world and re-creating the human race wasn’t enough, someone on board is trying to kill them all. Will Daniel and the rest of Calypso’s crew survive the journey?

Thoughts: What a great story! There are two major plot points going on here… one, a deep space colony ship is making its way to a planet that is (hopefully) suitable for mankind. Two, Earth is succumbing to a virus that will make certain that this is a one-way trip.

The colony ship is not a generational-ark, but rather the crew is placed into hibernation, using a skeleton crew to simply to make sure things run smoothly during the trip. What they don’t know is that someone (or something) wants to make sure they never arrive. The suspense is palpable during the ship scenes.

On earth, corporate greed raises its ugly head and in the race for profit, a virus of sorts is accidentally released into the world that will make you think twice every time you have hunger pains. Seriously, I freak out a little bit every time my stomach growls now. Thanks, Christine! 😉

And that cliffhanger ending… Wow! You can be damned sure I’ll be reading the next book when it’s released!

I recommend this book for those who like deep space colonization stories with a nice little apocalypse thrown in for good measure.

About the author: Christine Shuck is a writer, community educator, business owner, homeschool mom, and organic gardener. She lives in an 1899 Victorian in Kansas City with her husband and youngest daughter.

A self-described auto-didact and general malcontent, Christine can be found outside in the warm months, tending her garden, laying brick walkways, and threatening her chickens. In the cold months you will find her inside, painting walls, creating art, hand-sewing curtains, and trying out new recipes in the kitchen.

At all times you will find her brain filled with words, plot twists, and characters just waiting to get out. Just ask her, she’ll smile secretively and nod.

Christine writes cross-genres. At present, all of her fiction is linked through families and shared characters in a shared universe known as the Kapalaran Universe.

She also blogs regularly at:

The Deadly Nightshade – http://thedeadlynightshade.com

The Homeschool Advocate – http://homeschooladvocate.org

You can also find the latest updates on her writing adventures at: http://christineshuck.com

Links

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Gliese-581-Departure-Christine-Shuck-ebook/dp/B01FIRKNRY/  

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cshuck1970

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Christine.D.Shuck/?fref=ts

About Evan C.: Evan a devout fan of all things post-apoc. Thankfully (for me at least) he’s also got a bit of in the stars sci-fi love as well. If you have an interest in post-apoc books, films, or art, Evan is THE Man to see. He can be found here:

Website: https://fromthewastes11811.wordpress.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/FromTheWastes

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FromTheWastes/?fref=ts

Making Monsters

Making Monsters

by Joe Turk

guest post by Evan C

Genre: Science Fiction

Sub-genre: Dystopian/Post-Apocalypse

Novel, novella, short story: Novel

Serial or stand alone: Stand Alone

Setting: Planet EarthSynopsis:   Making Monsters is an apocalyptic horse race. Ozark reluctantly participates in a half-baked conspiracy to overthrow the United Corporations of America. But time is running out. Manmade earthquakes create sinkholes that devour the landscape. Engineered sterility devastates crops and plant life. Chemically induced insomnia spreads like a virus. Scorned militants indulge dark desires. And ancient, subterranean nightmares will compete to bring the era of man to an abrupt and unmerciful conclusion. The end is near…and it’s corporately sponsored.

Thoughts: Joe Turk describes Making Monsters as “dystopian humor with an apocalyptic chaser.” I’d say that hits the nail on the head. The humor can be fairly dark, but this is story about the end of things, so that goes without saying. We get to travel along with the characters as the world is being broken right before our eyes. It’s like Doctor Strangelove meets the Cthulhu Mythos. I never once got bored reading Making Monsters and if it wasn’t for this ridiculous thing called being an adult and having to work, I would have read it in one setting.

I absolutely enjoyed the hell out of this book. There’s a cautionary tale going on here and I’m not quite sure if I should pass it off as fantasy or be scared to death that something like this might happen. Ya never know…

p.s. I liked this book so much and got such an awesome vibe from Joe, that I asked him to write a guest post on my blog… you can go here and read it if you’re so inclined.  https://fromthewastes11811.wordpress.com/2016/06/03/a-corporately-sponsored-apocalypse-guest-blog-by-joe-turk/

About the author: Joe Turk was born a second son. At the age of sixteen, his working class family moved from his rural childhood home to a university town where he graduated high school and received a bachelor’s degree in Architecture. After college he traveled to Paris, Rome, Barcelona, Rio de Janeiro, and much of the US, before taking up residence in Dallas, then later Oklahoma City, and finally Charlotte, working at each stop as a residential architect. In 2008, the Great Recession hit and he lost his job. With few job prospects in the city, he sold his home and moved back to the grasslands where he dedicated himself to writing fiction and making oil paintings. Four years later, he found gallery representation for his art with Obsolete in Venice, California and Kasum Contemporary in Oklahoma City. In 2014, he published his first novel, titled ‘Making Monsters’.

Links

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Making-Monsters-Joe-Turk-ebook/dp/B00IM4RG5S/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/joeturk182

About Evan C.: Evan a devout fan of all things post-apoc. Thankfully (for me at least) he’s also got a bit of “in the stars” sci-fi love as well. If you have an interest in post-apoc books, films, or art, Evan is THE Man to see. He can be found here:

Website: https://fromthewastes11811.wordpress.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/FromTheWastes

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FromTheWastes/?fref=ts