Dusk Before the Dawn

A billion-years old alien species; space wars with megalomaniacal leaders vs. old bureaucratic galactic governments; hidden wormhole networks; artificial intelligence; and the universal drive to survive! All in a beautiful NightShadeBook wrapper!

Fassin Taak is a Seer, a human who goes into Jupiter-like gas giants and slows down to the time speed of the Dwellers, the most ancient species known in the Universe. He lives in a system that has been cut off from the reset of the Mercatoria (the galactic governmental bureaucracy) when it’s wormhole was destroyed by rebel forces known as The Beyonders. A new wormhole is being towed in, but an invasion force from the Starveling Cult, led by the well-named Archimandrite Luseferous is headed for the Ulbis system where Fassin Taak is as well.

In one of his “delves” to talk to the ancient Dwellers on the gas giant Nasqueron, Taak apparently uncovered hints of what is called “The Dweller List”, which is a list of hidden wormholes the Dwellers use to move around the universe from gas giant to gas giant. (more…)

I got a tai chi practice sword last week from my Sifu (and promptly cut my toe, but my lack of coordination as a 45 year old martial artist is not the point of this story) .

Tradition says that you are supposed to name your sword. I was looking for something meaningful, like Quiet Teacher, the name my fellow author and martial artist Arthur Rosenfeld gave his tai chi practice sword; it also becomes the sword of the main character in his novel, The Cutting Season, so the name not only has class, but dual purpose.

My well-traveled, intelligent, thoughtful but somewhat wise-cracking sixteen year old son praised my sword when he saw it, so I asked him for a suggestion of a good name.

“Dad”, he says, mostly serious, “you can take the name I have for my sword in one of my video games.”

“What would that be?” I asked, thinking I had found the solution to my problem.

“The Pimpsickle,” he replied. “It was green and it slew lots of bosses who had more HP (health points) than me.”

Hmmmmm. Not sure how I’d explain the name to my Sifu, but it does have a catchy ring to it……but if anyone else has a suggestion, I’m all ears and bloody toes.