Friday, January 8, 2016

Special excerpt from sci-fi novel New Siqdor by Stephen J. Carter

Today is a special excerpt from the sci-fi novel, New Siqdor, by Stephen J. Carter.

During his virtual book tour, Stephen will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit his other tour stops and enter there, too!

A little bit about the novel:
The environmental stilling on the planet of Nebura escalates, threatening to advance even beyond the world-girding storm ring. Meanwhile, Levrok's plan to arm a resurgent Siqdori Empire with a tulvar arsenal nears completion, and his departure off-world is imminent. Two survivors' groups join forces as events spiral out of control.

New Siqdor is the 2nd book in the Zero Point Light SF series, and delivers a thrill ride of untold mayhem, hair-raising escapes, space colonization gone awry, and a descent to the ocean floor and beyond!


Excerpt from New Siqdor:
The truck’s solenoid drive was slow accelerating but otherwise it moved Mick and Turok along much as a crystal-powered vehicle would. It really seemed to get its second wind after it powered along for a few miles. Acceleration could then be brought onstream with barely a touch on the controls. Turok sat behind the steering wheel staring ahead down the 4-lane road. Like everything the Kalaal built, the road’s surface seemed to show few ill effects after more than two centuries.

Turok turned and glanced at Mick in the passenger seat. “What is it with the Kalaal?” he said with exasperation. “Nothing they built seems to deteriorate!”

“What about the base?” Mick pointed out.

“Point taken. But that just deepens the mystery. The base is falling apart, as you’d expect. But this road, and Watyra too, have hardly changed.”

“Yes. I can’t figure it either.”

“I’m almost afraid to ask, but what does Franklin think?”

Mick laughed. “You wouldn’t believe it.”

“Tell me, I need a laugh.”

“He thinks the Kalaal could manipulate the sub-atomic temporal signature of objects.”

“I’m not laughing here, Mick. Maybe you left out the funny bit?”

Mick picked up a thermos from the seat between them, and held it out. “Imagine if they could make it so time passed more slowly for any inanimate object. Two hundred years goes by, but for Mr. Thermos here it feels like ten.”

“Lucky Mr. Thermos.”

Mick shrugged. “Franklin has been known to be wrong.”

“You think he’s wrong on this?”

“Yeah. He sees the holes in that particular theory too.”

“But it’s a stepping stone, I guess.”

Mick looked at him.

“To other ideas, with fewer holes.”

Mick nodded. “Looking like a horse’s ass today so you can be a brilliant ass tomorrow.”

Turok grinned. “You just found the funny bit. Took you long enough.”



A little bit about the author:
Stephen J Carter is a Canadian writer living in Chiang Mai, Thailand. He completed a PhD in Social and Political Thought at York University in Toronto in 1997. This led to an 8-year period of teaching at universities in South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. In 2006 he settled in northern Thailand, and began writing fiction full-time in 2007.

In his early years he made several short-term forays into film and video production while involved full-time in academia. Along the way he tried his hand at writing non-fiction in and out of academia, and 8 years ago finally committed full-time to writing fiction. 

For Stephen there is something about this northern Thai city that makes it a perfect place to write. His preferred genres to date have been horror and science fiction. On the one hand, he sets his horror novels in Thailand because Thais have such vivid customs that touch the supernatural. On the other hand, disheartened by the cultural Marxism that dominates social discourse now in the West, he feels drawn to writing science fiction for the rational optimism over possible futures it affords. Approaching SF formerly as pure escapism, he finds in it now a source of hope and forward thinking that can be very inspiring. 

Stephen looks forward to writing several more novels in his two current series, Zero Point Light and Z Inferno.

Links:

Thanks, Stephen!

a Rafflecopter giveaway









7 comments:

  1. I really enjoyed this tour. Best wishes for success with your new release! Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Ree Dee, thanks I'm glad you enjoyed it. I like to have a new release 2 or 3 times a year so the disappointment is brief, and then I feel optimistic for the next one! LOL All the best to you.

    ReplyDelete
  3. My thanks to Lisa Hazelton's Reviews & Interviews for hosting my book!

    ReplyDelete
  4. hi Patrick, thanks I'm glad you've enjoyed this process. I've found it rewarding to reply to comments. All the best in 2016!

    ReplyDelete
  5. What song would you say best sums you up?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sounds like a great book-can't wait to read it! I've enjoyed following the tour and learning more about you and your book! Happy writing!

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.