A military science fiction thriller portraying a dystopian future of corporation greed, exploitation and deadly secrets.
It started as just another assignment.
Invited by big-hitting corporation ARTOK, combat journalist David Chambers, is visiting the planet Parnassus to report on the ‘Human Enhancement Programme’ when he witnesses the unthinkable, a crash site of an alien ship.
The huge structure contained alien bodies and, more importantly, alien technology, but, before Chambers could digest the scene, a rival corporation invades, and Chambers barely escapes with his life.
Chambers retreats to the safety of his habitat of Orchard accompanied by Richter and his team, but, Chambers is unaware of the extent of the corporation’s reach. On their arrival, they are arrested, and, mysteriously, only Chambers is released, but, not before he is threatened into silence.
Richter, however, needs to be heard, his avatar reaches out to Chambers with harrowing tales of special forces, secret missions, violence and trickery resulting in the creation of half-humans, half-machines – cyborgs like himself. Richter recruits Chambers to tell his story and expose the terrifying truth of the corporation’s despicable plans for humanity.
But with billions of dollars at stake, the corporations cannot let the story break and will do everything in their power to keep their secrets safe.
Prior to his SF novel series set in the galaxy of The Deep Wide Black, JCH Rigby (Charlie) wrote well-received short stories and professionally-performed plays, on subjects as diverse as a comedy about a mediaeval bishop who takes up piracy, and a satirical near-future in which motorbikes are forbidden until a covert brotherhood of bikers reclaim their ancient freedoms. In the 1990s he published and edited the Science Fiction and Fantasy magazine Far Point. Later, he developed "Nano Futures", mini short stories which distil SF tropes into one hundred words. After Ampleforth and Oxford, Charlie served with the Royal Air Force Regiment in Cold War West Germany, in Northern Ireland, in Cyprus and in the Falkland Islands. When his first military exercise was launched, he watched from underneath his steel helmet as a squadron of Vulcan bombers scrambled from a Cambridgeshire runway. There and then, he knew he'd made the right career choice. The "big boys' toy box" thrills continued with Scorpion and Spartan light armoured vehicles, cross-country motorbikes, helicopters, Hercules transport aircraft and a huge range of things which went bang, generally when they were intended to. Much of the rest of his service seemed to involve carrying heavy things while running, generally in bad weather. He subsequently worked in the print industry and in publishing. Born in Newcastle, he lives in Grantham, Lincolnshire, with his extremely tolerant wife and the world's fastest Labrador retriever. Father to three daughters, he is joyously surrounded by smart and wonderful women.
Duncan is a freelance illustrator/Concept Designer, experienced in working in the entertainment industry, for small publishers, and private clients. Duncan's work portrays his unique vision of the future, transporting the viewer on a journey through expansive windswept alien landscapes, the deep vacuum of outer-space, and the seedy underbelly of future metropolises. A native of Minnesota, he now resides in Belgium with his wife, daughter, and aged English Pointer.
