Jess was born a prisoner, grew up a prisoner and at sixteen knew he would die a prisoner.
When his turn comes to try to break through the traps protecting a spaceship it seems his day to die has come.
Description:
Jess was born a prisoner, grew up a prisoner and at sixteen knew he would die a prisoner.
When his turn comes to try to break through the traps protecting a spaceship it seems his day to die has come.
The ship, and others like it, have already claimed hundreds of prisoner's lives. Instead he manages to avoid the traps and gain access to the ship with two other prisoners, beginning a frantic flight to freedom.
Soon Jess finds himself loose in a brutal universe ruled by the Empire and riddled with pirates, slave traders and worse.
Can Jess manage to learn the rules of the universe and the capabilities of the ship he has stolen in time to stay alive?
"This novel is a brilliant example of the perfect sci-fi/space opera. Hard edged, but soft hearted, the bond between the ancient ship, Wanderer, and Jess is beautiful. [...] The pacing is perfect, I never once had to skip long winded, boring sections. The battles were vivid, heartbreaking, and very well done. All the characters were very well fleshed out, including Wanderer." - Goodreads, Cheryl
Jess went to stand up, to lean forward, found that he couldn’t. His back and head were stuck to the chair.
“I’m caught on something. Can you see what?” he asked.
Sal leaned forward to look then let out a cry.
“My God! Matt, look!”
“What?” Jess asked, scared. “What is it. Why can’t I move.”
Matt let out a curse. Jess started to try to pull free, but Matt quickly took hold of his shoulders to hold him in place.
“Don’t move boy. Please. Hold still for a moment. There’s some sort of web between you and the seat. Now don’t panic, but it looks like some strands are going into your head. Like you’re being linked to the ship. How do you feel?”
Jess took a ragged breath, trying to slow his hammering heart. “A bit dizzy. My head has been tingling. I’ve been feeling pain when the ship was hit. And I seemed to just know things about the ship. What’s happening to me?” He started to struggle again, but his head was locked firm. He could turn to the sides a little, but not move forwards.
“Steady. Steady!” Matt’s hands pressed down on his shoulders again. “If those are connected into your brain then ripping them out could kill you. Take it easy.”
Jess felt himself relaxing. Not at Matt’s words. A warm feeling was spreading through his body, easing the tension from his muscles as it went. He felt an image, a feeling, pushing into his mind. It wasn’t his thought, wasn’t trying to disguise itself as coming from him. It came from the ship, he was sure. The image was of him being held safely. Being cared for. What was happening was to help protect him. He relaxed some more.
“It’s OK, I think,” he said. “Really. It’s a bit scary, but I’m sure the ship doesn’t want to hurt me. It’s doing this for me, to help me somehow.”
Sal gently stroked the side of his face, studying him closely.
“You sure?” she asked. “It’s definitely you saying that?”
Jess went to answer, then closed his mouth again. Gave the question some thought. Then nodded, as much as he was able.
“Yes. I’m still me. The ship is… reaching out to me, I guess. It’s trying to connect me and it, but no more. It’s not trying to control me or anything.”
She stared hard at him for another few seconds before nodding.
“OK. But I’m not leaving you on your own. Matt, go explore. Tell us what you find. I’ll keep an eye… I mean, I’ll keep Jess company.”
As Matt headed back to the main room she crouched down, reached out, taking Jess’s right hand in both of hers. The way she looked at him brought a lump to his throat. His memories of his mother were vague but he remembered her using that look. He gave Sal a smile then closed his eyes, letting the rush of information from the ship wash over him again.
EXCERPT
Jess went to stand up, to lean forward, found that he couldn’t. His back and head were stuck to the chair.
“I’m caught on something. Can you see what?” he asked.
Sal leaned forward to look then let out a cry.
“My God! Matt, look!”
“What?” Jess asked, scared. “What is it. Why can’t I move.”
Matt let out a curse. Jess started to try to pull free, but Matt quickly took hold of his shoulders to hold him in place.
“Don’t move boy. Please. Hold still for a moment. There’s some sort of web between you and the seat. Now don’t panic, but it looks like some strands are going into your head. Like you’re being linked to the ship. How do you feel?”
Jess took a ragged breath, trying to slow his hammering heart. “A bit dizzy. My head has been tingling. I’ve been feeling pain when the ship was hit. And I seemed to just know things about the ship. What’s happening to me?” He started to struggle again, but his head was locked firm. He could turn to the sides a little, but not move forwards.
“Steady. Steady!” Matt’s hands pressed down on his shoulders again. “If those are connected into your brain then ripping them out could kill you. Take it easy.”
Jess felt himself relaxing. Not at Matt’s words. A warm feeling was spreading through his body, easing the tension from his muscles as it went. He felt an image, a feeling, pushing into his mind. It wasn’t his thought, wasn’t trying to disguise itself as coming from him. It came from the ship, he was sure. The image was of him being held safely. Being cared for. What was happening was to help protect him. He relaxed some more.
“It’s OK, I think,” he said. “Really. It’s a bit scary, but I’m sure the ship doesn’t want to hurt me. It’s doing this for me, to help me somehow.”
Sal gently stroked the side of his face, studying him closely.
“You sure?” she asked. “It’s definitely you saying that?”
Jess went to answer, then closed his mouth again. Gave the question some thought. Then nodded, as much as he was able.
“Yes. I’m still me. The ship is… reaching out to me, I guess. It’s trying to connect me and it, but no more. It’s not trying to control me or anything.”
She stared hard at him for another few seconds before nodding.
“OK. But I’m not leaving you on your own. Matt, go explore. Tell us what you find. I’ll keep an eye… I mean, I’ll keep Jess company.”
As Matt headed back to the main room she crouched down, reached out, taking Jess’s right hand in both of hers. The way she looked at him brought a lump to his throat. His memories of his mother were vague but he remembered her using that look. He gave Sal a smile then closed his eyes, letting the rush of information from the ship wash over him again.
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About the author:
Simon Goodson is the author of the massively popular and highly rated Wanderer's Odyssey science fiction series which has been downloaded more than 80,000 times in just two years. Simon has also written the exciting Dark Soul Silenced fantasy books.
His speculative fiction short stories cover science fiction, fantasy and other styles. Several are freely available from www.simongoodson.com, while many more are available in the collection 'Last Sunrise & Other Stories'.
Simon fits in writing around a full time job as an IT Consultant and a hectic family life looking after his son and two daughters. He squeezes in writing during lunchtimes and while commuting on the train.
5 comments:
The intriguing part of this book is the "other world" out there in space. I'd like to read about how these people became prisoners and escaped, yet really didn't escape the control. :)
The intriguing part is the full on adventure and other world concept
I'm just a sucker for this kind of space opera.
the intriguing part is the adventure
I love that show the 100 and this is a great book that I think I would like, it kind of reminds me of that, I love reading books that are a subject I love!! Sounds great.
Thanks for a giveaway
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