A man hell-bent on revenge for the death of his friend, in battle!
Seeking revenge for the death of a friend ten long years ago, Major Jake Nanden has pursued his own personal demons with an almost religious fervour through life and through battle.
He is a soldier so highly decorated for bravery that his fame reaches far beyond the desolate Jupiter moon, Io, where his battalion is stationed. His victories in the Jupiter Wars are hollow though, for he is a man scared of his own soul.
His life seems to be a trap from which he cannot escape. His is the Replicant Company, and replicants, or clones, are despised by all.
Likened to a cross between Blade Runner and Paths of Glory, you simply must read this beautifully constructed, intensely dark and powerful Science Fiction thriller with a twist, if you love Phillip K. Dick and Isaac Asimov.
Character interview with Jake Nanden.
Name (s): Jake Nanden
Age: 34
Please tell us a little about yourself.
I am 5'11', dark hair, short - Army cut, slightly curly. Green eyes.
Describe your appearance in 10 words or less.
Getting middle aged, slightly paunchy with drying skin - like paper in places - except my mech arm. That's synthetic skin on there and as smooth and supple as the day it was sprayed on. I even had mine tattooed but don't tell anyone.
Would you kill for those you love?
I kill every day - most days - to keep my culture intact. I would say that is killing for those I love. Of course there is a moral code... And as a soldier the moral code is almost everything. After a while... killing... it sometimes seems to be the only thing you have left. Family are too far away.
Do you like animals?
I love animals. Their love is unconditional. You can never quite be sure with humans, can you?
Do you have a family?
Ha! Ha! Yes. A test-tube. No seriously my mother - Mary, my sister Justine and a dog - a collie called Frisky. My adoptive dad was the famous robotics designer Robert R. Nanden but he's dead. My mother was his assistant and pretty accomplished at that!
Can you remember something from your childhood which influences your behaviour?
I am not sure about any of my childhood memories. They are probably all implanted. I am a replicant. The first memory I am sure about is playing on the grass with my adoptive mother watching me playing cricket.
She shouted out, "Jake! You are such a talented cyborg!"
Even at my tender age, I knew a replicant was not the same thing as a cyborg and I knew that she should know, as her first husband had been a famous robot designer. Her words had always stuck in my head.
But anyway, adoptive parents of replicant children are always told to create some vivid experience for their kid in the first few days so that the imprinting takes properly. So it's probably not significant.
Do you have any phobias?
Mirrors. Can't stand them. They make me sweat and... well, I'm very nervous around them. I avoid them.
Please give us an interesting and unusual fact about yourself.
I write books - well, I am writing my first; a detective thriller. It's kind of Raymond Chandler-ish. I call it Chandleresque, but I guess that's bad English. My adoptive parents are first generation J5 - that's a space station - so they kinda inherited a USAC - United States of America and Canada - accent. Anyway, I am rambling. The main character is Dusty. He'd a sucker for the pretty ladies!
This book is the second in the The War for Iron: Element of Civilization series, although the first is really a prequel. It has constantly sold well since it was first published in 2013. A typical review is the following (from Google Play):
Adrian Velcich
June 2, 2015
Excellent, inspiring work Smooth, solid character development against a good gritty science background. Explores aspects of humanity in a different setting, allowing for naked exploration of our existence. We need more Sci Fi like this
The little voice asked, after peering out of another portal at an earlier moment in his life, “Is it possible to time travel for I perceive that I can?”
“Only after you leave this life,” a voice, high and mighty, said.
Then the little voice changed its tone for it had grown angry. “But that’s not fair! For, the one thing I wish I can’t have.”
“Until you leave this life,” the high voice said.
“Yes.”
“Then now you can see advantages to moving beyond this life you have.”
And the little voice perceived that all his previous angers, about matters of the flesh and daily living were not proper angers. A proper anger is the anger that desirable things lay beyond the portal of death. And so from that moment on his struggles to survive, to fight against the current, seemed improper to him and yet he could not help himself.
Two of the Ionian Militia sat on top of Przeltski, ripping his helmet off while another aimed his laser at his eyes. In the vacuum of Io’s atmosphere, Przeltski mouthed the words, ‘save me’ but it was too late. I knew I couldn’t and had to try and save myself. I turned to get away but I could still see his eyes half closing, then looking up and his mouth rapidly shaping the words of the ‘Hail Mary.’ The IM would turn their lasers down to the lowest setting and first shoot out the eyes, then take off the arms and, if he was lucky, then they would aim for his heart. If he wasn’t lucky, the dismemberment could go on and on for as long as they wanted. I wanted to look away but I couldn’t. I struggled and struggled and then I woke and knew it had been the nightmare.
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Portuguese
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Already translated.
Translated by Jadson Resende
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Author review: Jadson was very fast and efficient. His understanding of grammar and feel for authentically retaining the author's meaning is superb. I have no hesitation in complimenting and recommending him to other authors. |
