Big Red Review

Big Red

By Damien Larkin

We have always been here...

Suffering the side effects of Compression travel, soldier Darren Loughlin wakes up screaming from a gunshot wound that isn’t there. Despite a fractured memory, he is forced to recount his year-long tour of duty on Mars to uncover the mysterious fate of Earth’s off-world colonies and the whereabouts of his shattered battalion.

With time running out, Darren recalls his tour of duty with the Mars Occupation Force in New Berlin colony, their brutal MARSCORP masters, and the vicious war against the hostile alien natives.

But as he exposes the truth, Darren suspects he is at the centre of a plot spanning forty years. He has one last mission to carry out. And his alien enemy may be more human than he is…

Release date - May 14, 2019

$18.95, 6x9 trade paperback, 304 pages

Science Fiction - Military FIC028050/Alien Contact FIC028090/Alternative History FIC040000

Print ISBN 9781939844606 / EBook ISBN 9781939844613

$4.99 EBook available in all formats

Bio:

Damien Larkin is a full-time stay-at-home father of two loud (but happy) young children. When not tinkering with apps as a side project, you can find him reading everything and anything to do with psychology, history and science fiction. He enjoys turning terrifying nightmares into novels and currently resides in Dublin, Ireland.

Links:

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

Amazon

ITunes

Goodreads

Dancing Lemur Press offered me the opportunity to read and review this book before publication, and I happily accepted. I'm always eager to read a new science fiction book, after all. 

Without further delay, here is my review!

Big Red can be described in a lot of ways. It’s military science fiction. It’s also an alternate history story. Most importantly, though, it’s the story of people who have been thrown into extraordinary circumstances that test the very limits of human endurance. I found myself rooting for these characters as they struggled for survival and understanding in a hostile environment.

The story opens with soldier Darren Loughlin as he regains consciousness. He is disoriented and trying figure out how he got there and what’s happening to him. The urgency mounts as those around him demand to know what happened to him and the people he was serving with. There is a very real sense that time is of the essence as he tries to pull together the fragments of his memory.

Throughout the novel, the reader journeys with the protagonist between past and present. We learn his history as he begins to recall it, seeing how he ended up on Mars against his will and all that he was expected to do while he was there. There were moments of humor and camaraderie that left me rooting for these characters. There were also moments of heartbreak and horror. As the story unfolds, we get clues that indicate all is not as it seems.

The technology was fascinating, and I thoroughly enjoyed how the time travel aspects of the story played out. This story is full of twists that kept me turning the page, and it all resulted in a satisfying conclusion. All in all, this is a great read for sci-fi fans!

The Remakes Blogfest

It's time for the Remakes Blogfest!  Our hosts for this one are Alex J. Cavanaugh and Heather M. Gardner.

Let's face it.  Remakes abound these days.  A lot of the time, remakes are made to cash in on nostalgia, and they're often done so poorly it hurts.  In a world filled with terrible remakes, it might be reassuring to know that remakes can be done well.

The process of writing this post was more difficult than I originally imagined it would be.  I've seen a lot of remakes, some of which I didn't realize were remakes until much later, and that got me to thinking about what makes a good remake.  I can't quite plot the trajectory I ended up taking, but one thing led to another, and all of the sudden I found myself debating the terms remake, reboot, and retelling.

In general, these terms aren't so easily defined.  People seem to have different ideas of where the lines are drawn.  It's generally agreed that remakes stick close to the original source material.  The primary reason to make a strict remake tends to be to make use of updated special effects.  And to make money, of course.  This might be one reason why I find a lot of remakes dissatisfying.  They ultimately seem pointless.  If the original was so wonderful that you want to make a completely faithful remake, then why bother?

Reboots happen a lot these days too.  These take the original premise, but often take the story in a different direction.  This can be an interesting route to take.  You can explore how beloved characters react to new scenarios and contemplate the alternate paths history might have followed under other circumstances.  The recent Star Trek films are an example of this.  While they're not perfect, I have enjoyed them for what they are.  As long as you stay true to the heart of the source material, a reboot can be a good way to entertain old fans while drawing in new ones.

Then comes the category I personally find most intriguing: the retelling, aka the re-imagining.

The retelling is the least loyal of the three.  Here you can have wild divergence from the original source material, though you can still see it there, hidden in the bones of the piece when

you pick it apart.  It serves as inspiration, helping to lay the foundation for something new.  Why do this, though?  Why are we compelled to retell stories across time?  There are untold worlds worth of stories to be told, but we keep coming back to the same ones and reexamining them.  Why do we keep adapting Shakespeare's plays?  Why do we keep making new works based off The Odyssey?

I think a part of it has to do with the themes of these classic stories.  Shakespeare's plays continue to resonate because they speak to love and loss and greed and pain.  No matter how much society changes, those human emotions stick with us.  Those old stories are a part of us.  We grew up with them, and we continue to relate to them.

That being said, we also live in a time vastly different from Shakespeare's day.  While our humanity remains, our worries about the world are different.  We live in a world where the wonders of science both excite us and frighten us.  We value what science has made possible while also worrying about how our own human failings may lead to disaster on a much larger scale than was previously possible.  In retelling these old tales in a new context, we can explore what it means to be human in modern times.  We can examine where we've come from and speculate about where we may be going.

That brings me to one of my favorite retellings.  It may not be a remake in the strictest sense, but I feel like it falls within the spirit of this blogfest.  I have fond memories of watching this film as a kid.

Forbidden Planet sends Shakespeare's The Tempest into deep space.  The story has been greatly changed, obviously, but it's still there, repackaged in sleek metal and special effects.  It explores the old themes in a new context.  I'd recommend watching this video to learn more about the relationship between Forbidden Planet and The Tempest.  It's pretty brilliant.

What are your feelings about remakes?  What remakes have you enjoyed?

2018 Young Explorer's Adventure Guide-Kickstarter

Hey everyone!  I hope you all had a great weekend.

I'm here to let you all know about the latest anthology project I'm privileged to be a part of.  The 2018 Young Explorer's Adventure Guide is composed of 24 stories written for middle grade readers, though all are free to enjoy them.

The publisher, Dreaming Robot Press, just launched a Kickstarter campaign to help with publication costs.  One thing they aim to do is donate copies of the book to libraries, and the Kickstarter helps make that possible.

Please help me spread the word!  I want this campaign to be a success.  Here's a pre-written tweet for anyone who'd like to give this project a shout out.

Help support the #Kickstarter for the 2018 Young Explorer's Adventure Guide! #anthology #scifi @dreaming_robot https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/815743020/2018-young-explorers-adventure-guide-sf-anthology?token=27657a59

Thanks in advance for any help you can give!

A Special Announcement!

In my post on Friday, I said I had two pieces of exciting news to announce, but I had to wait until the right time.  Well, I can announce one of them now.  The other will have to wait just a bit longer.

I recently submitted a story for an anthology.  Circuits & Slippers features classic fairy tales told through the lens of science fiction.  I decided to write and submit a science fiction retelling of Beauty and the Beast.  I was thrilled when I found out my story "Treating the Beast" was selected to appear in the anthology!

Circuits & Slippers is scheduled to be released in September of this year.  Click here to see the complete list of authors included in the anthology.

I'm so excited to be a part of this project!

The Insecure Writer's Support Group Anthology Cover Revealed!

So, I've got something exciting.  Do you want to see it?  Why am I even asking?  Of course you do!

I have the cover and synopsis for the Insecure Writer's Support Group anthology.

Parallels: Felix Was Here

Anthology
Print ISBN 9781939844200
eBook ISBN 9781939844118
Science Fiction/Alternate History

Enter the realm of parallel universes!

What if the government tried to create the perfect utopia? Could a society linked to a supercomputer survive on its own? Do our reflections control secret lives on the other side of the mirror? Can one moment split a person’s world forever?

Exploring the fantastic, ten authors offer incredible visions and captivating tales of diverse reality. Featuring the talents of L.G. Keltner, Crystal Collier, Hart Johnson, Cherie Reich, Sandra Cox, Yolanda Renee, Melanie Schulz, Sylvia Ney, Michael Abayomi, and Tamara Narayan.

Hand-picked by a panel of agents and authors, these ten tales will expand your imagination and twist the tropes of science fiction. Step through the portal and enter another dimension!

Available from Freedom Fox Press, an imprint of Dancing Lemur Press, in Spring 2016.

Deja Vu Blogfest 2015

It's that time of year where we look back at the past year and dust off an old blog post that we're particularly proud of or that we feel didn't receive enough attention.  That's right.  It's time for the Deja Vu Blogfest!  I'd like to thank DL Hammons for making this blogfest possible.

My post comes from the A to Z Challenge.  I experimented with Choose Your Own Adventure stories, and I had fun writing them.  This story was posted on April 28th, and it was based off the word "xenocracy."

Enjoy!

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I have a Choose Your Own Adventure story for you today!  This is the last one for the A to Z Challenge.  These little things have been fun, but also challenging.  Then again, I think that's the point of this, isn't it?

Today's word is: XENOCRACY

A xenocracy is a government by composed of a body of foreigners.  I decided to go the alien invasion route with this one.

Enjoy!

Xenocracy

Life post-invasion isn’t all roses, sure, but you can at least say that you snagged a decent job.  Okay, people in the street call you a traitor and throw things at you, but the benefits are good.

Well, they’re tolerable, anyway.  And pre-invasion you wouldn’t have been excited about cleaning the toilets for the new seven-foot-tall, green skinned leaders of the xenocratic government that now rules all of Earth.  Considering the other jobs available, though, you’ll take what you can get.  Most days, at least.

Today, however, you are about to deliver some unpleasant news.  All of the toilets in the palace are overflowing, and you suspect it was sabotage of a most disgusting nature.

When you get to the throne room, the door is guarded by a formidable man.  “There is a meeting at this time,” he says in a stout tone.  “Whatever business you have, it must wait.”

A.)  If you decide to ignore him and insist that it is too urgent to wait, click HERE.

B.)   If you resign yourself to waiting, click HERE.

*     *     *

Thanks for reading!  Be sure to visit some of the other participants!

WEP December Challenge and Self-Help 101 Blog Tour Day #12

I'm here with my entry for the Write . . . Edit . . . Publish December Challenge: Celebrations That Are Out of This World!  Before we get there, though, I'd like to take care of one order of business.

This is the final day of the blog tour for my Christmas novella Self-Help 101 or: How I Learned to Take Over the World Through Tolerating My Family.  Today I'm with Cathrina Constantine.  The subject for the day is mistletoe.

Also, this is your last chance to enter to win a free copy!  What are you waiting for? Enter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now let's get on with the challenge!

Unity Day

“Our days together are passing far too quickly,” I whisper.  I run my trembling fingers through Rafael’s dark hair as the sun rises again, bathing us both in light.  The rays catch Earth’s atmosphere for a few moments, making it flash a vibrant blue, and it looks as if the entire planet hasn’t been rendered uninhabitable by a brutal war.

This is sunrise number eight.  Our time together is halfway over.  Eight mini-days remain. 

“That’s why we’re going to make the most of them,” Rafael says.  “It’s beautiful, isn’t it Anouk?  Imagine how different it would be if we could live down there.”

It’s a breathtaking thought, even more stunning than the marble of a world rotating quietly below us or the deep brown of Rafael’s eyes.  Maybe it’s masochistic to even entertain the notion, but this is the one 24-hour time period out of the entire year when I allow myself to do it.

“We’d get a house,” I say.  “I’ve seen some pictures of what they looked like.  We’d have a house with a lot of rooms, a porch, and a yard with grass.”  There, inside our house, all of our days were long and full.

Rafael hums in approval as he reaches for my hand.  His palm is calloused from years of hard labor.  In his section of the station, everyone who’s capable of doing so is expected to start working full time at age fourteen.  Seven years have passed since then, and I’ve seen plenty of other changes that came along with the roughened skin.  His smiles came more easily.  His laughter once shook his whole body with its strength.

“Grass.  I wonder what grass smells like.”

I shrug.  “No one knows, so I guess that means whatever we imagine is the truth.  There’s no one here to tell us otherwise.”  It’s a childish idea, and I know it.  No matter how hard I try to ignore reality, it won’t go away. 

We have eight orbits left.  Eight more cycles of ninety minutes apiece before we go back to our respective lives.

“Our own little truth that no one else knows.  I like that.”  He smiles.

“Me too.”

I cast my eye around the mess hall that’s been rearranged for the day.  The banner proclaiming “Happy Unity Day!” is drooping above the doorway and looking rather ragged around the edges.  This is understandable considering it’s been used for at least the last five years.  Supplies are limited, so this holiday that was conceived on our little island in space doesn’t typically have much in terms of decorations, but that isn’t much of a problem.  It’s sandwiched snugly between Hanukkah and Christmas this year, the timing meant to piggyback off the general feeling of goodwill that’s supposed to abound.  Judging by the distance separating the small clusters of humanity that dot the room, the feeling of goodwill wore off a little while ago.  Most people have already made their way back to their respective parts of the station.

“Do you think your mother is still watching?” Rafael asks.  He must think that’s the reason for my distraction.

I can almost feel the gaze of the camera piercing my back.  “I’m sure she is.  She says that she’s obligated to keep a close eye on things since this entire station is her responsibility, but I know better.”  She’s never liked that I fell in love with a Laborer.  She’s reminded me time and again that there’s no future in it, and I know she’s right.  As an Administrator, I’m destined to end up with a fellow Administrator.  If only she understood that I can’t just turn my feelings off.

“What if we could run?  We’d go and hide in another part of the station for a few hours,” Rafael says wistfully.  “We could pretend we’re in our house where we can spend our days however we like.”

I’ve pictured this many times before.  What would it be like to steal a few private moments, to have something more than the supervised hours of daydreaming a life together?  Unfortunately, time alone could lead to unsanctioned babies, and had in the past.  That’s why this holiday is governed by such stringent rules.

Each section of the station needs to maintain a certain population size, and the people who live there perform their predetermined tasks.  They have children with people within their section.  Educational resources are allocated accordingly.  We’re told that, with such a small population, we need to do all we can to maintain stability.  The sacrifices we make are for the greater good.

Sometimes I even believe that, but not today.

“That would be amazing.”  I lean against his shoulder, savoring the feeling of his arm sliding around my waist.  The rules might be taking a lot away from us, but they can’t take this away.  Not yet, at least.

One year, hopefully a long time from now, Rafael will tell me that he’s married someone he can have a future with, or it will be me telling him the same.  We’ll both look back at the previous Unity Day and reflect on how we didn’t know it would be the last one we spent together.

We’ll have children with other people, as we’re expected to do.

We’ll live according to the rules of our classification.  There’s no other choice.

Until then, we’ll spend this holiday pretending each turn around Earth represents one full day, and we’ll fill that time with all the happiness we can. 

Eight miniature days left. Eight orbits around a dead world.  While it’s impossible not to think of what might have been, I don’t want that to be all we have.  I kiss his cheek, the stubble scratching at my skin as I slowly pull away.  “You know what is amazing, though?”

Rafael is running his fingers through my hair now.  “What?”

“This here.  This is pretty amazing too.”

987 words/FCA

Cosmic Seasoning is Now Available!

It's crazy!  I've published two books within a month's time.  It's been a lot of work, but I think it's going to be worth it in the end.

My science fiction short story collection Cosmic Seasoning is now available at Smashwords for FREE!  Feel free to check it out and spread the word if you can.

A Silent Soliloquy Blog Tour: Day #2

Today is the second day of my blog tour.  You can find me over at T.F. Walsh's blog where I'm talking about the world building involved in writing A Silent Soliloquy.  So, if you're curious about how I went about building the world in which my novella takes place, please stop by!

FSF: Innocence Lost

It's time once again for Five Sentence Fiction!  The word for this week is INNOCENCE.

My ongoing story "A Life For Sale" features Aurora and her struggle to survive in a world that treats her as a commodity.  To read this story from the beginning, go to this PAGE.

Chapter 5

Innocence Lost

Source

The house before Aurora was in pristine condition, and it was far larger than the apartment building that she inhabited eleven months out of the year.  Though she knew it wasn’t the same, the look of this home put her in mind of the place where her innocence was first lost, and she learned once and for all that the world simply didn’t care about people like her.

Her daughter’s face flashed through her mind, and a deep sadness tugged at her heart as she acknowledged the fact that her daughter would grow up to face the same sad life as her, as would any grandchildren that might also come into the world.

The woman in the green dress, who had introduced herself as Drucilla on the ride over, studied Aurora’s face for a long moment, as if trying to discern her innermost thoughts, before going on to say something entirely unexpected.  “I can’t even begin to imagine what you’ve had to go through in the other homes where you served, but I can promise that you won’t be made to suffer here.”

FSF: Behind Closed Doors

It's time once again for Five Sentence Fiction!  The prompt for this week is DOORS.

This chapter continues the saga of "A Life for Sale" where young Aurora must tread carefully in a world that treats her as a disposable distraction for wealthy patrons.  To read her story from the beginning, click HERE.

Chapter 4

Behind Closed Doors

Image courtesy of
traffic-sky/DeviantArt

A young woman adorned in a crisp emerald gown and golden bracelets and baubles earned the right to the next month of Aurora’s life.  Some might assume this is a good thing, but she knew from experience that the appetites of some women could be just as twisted and cruel as the worst of the violent men she’d come to know.

Someone could appear respectable to all the world as long as they dressed in the right way, and spoke as a cultured individual should.  Yet it is only behind closed doors that the real person is revealed, as that is where they strip away the mask that society compels them to wear.

As Aurora was escorted away from the auction block and ushered into a sleek white car, she wondered who this lady would prove to be once the door closed behind them.

FSF: Freedom is a Costly Dream

I know it's been awhile since I've posted for Five Sentence Fiction.  I was busy working on a novella, and then I participated in the A to Z Challenge. That's kept me pretty busy. Still, I'm here now!

The word for this week is FREEDOM.

You can find the entire story of "A Life for Sale" on this PAGE.

Chapter 3

Freedom is a Costly Dream

Image courtesy of oO2bored2careOo/
DeviantArt

Well-dressed ladies and gentlemen crowded the floor in front of the auction block, and Aurora tried to imagine what it felt like to stand in their place.  How would it feel to look upon the unwashed, emaciated bodies of the poorest in the city?  How would it feel to shop for your annual human distraction rather than fear who would purchase you for the month of your life you have no choice but to sacrifice?

With the dream of freedom in her mind, Aurora heard her number being called.  She stepped forward and watched as hands waved the numbered cards in the air, wondering if she would ever be able to pay the price for her freedom.

Z is for Zoo

Wow.  This is the end.  We've drabbled all the way to the end of April.  I'd like to thank all of you who went along with me on this journey.  It's been amazing for me.  I'm lucky to be part of such a great blogging community.

Zoo

The bars of my cage are rusted and dirty.  No one has cleaned them for years.

The surrounding cages are silent too.  They’re not empty, but those that occupy them are motionless.  I can’t recall the last time I saw one of them stir.

Life in the zoo was never easy.  Androids were outlawed when a Luddite faction took control of the government.  We were placed in zoos as a warning of the dangers of technology.  Children would come to taunt us.

There was a war.  I heard artillery at night, but it stopped long ago.

Now no one comes.

R is for Rain

Here's another science fiction drabble.  Wow.  I've been noticing a bit of a theme the last few days.  Oh well.  Science fiction has been such a large part of my life that this hardly comes as a surprise.

Enjoy!

Rain

The cracked red dirt sent up puffs of dust around Delphine’s feet.  Dark clouds were gathering on the horizon.  She shuddered.  Much as she longed for some water to cool her heated skin, the rain waiting to be unleashed from those clouds would be anything but refreshing.

It hasn’t rained for months, Delphine thought bitterly.  It figures that it would happen now when I’m nowhere near shelter.

Resigning herself to the fact that she couldn’t avoid it, she continued to walk.  When the droplets began falling from the sky, they cut right through her, stripping the flesh from her bones.

Q is for Qualifying

This drabble was inspired by my undying love for science fiction.  This is a near future scenario, and the theme is not a new one.  I'm not breaking the mold with this piece.  I'm simply taking a peak at the lives of two people.

Qualifying

“Do you think it’ll work out this time?” Mark asked, his fingers clenching the steering wheel.

Martha shrugged, trying to convince herself that she wasn’t terrified.

Qualifying wasn’t easy.  The standards were strict.  Out of a batch of ten embryos, there was no guarantee they’d have one deemed acceptable.  They’d walked away disappointed three times already.

Embryos had to have a potential IQ of 125, and no genetic defects.  That meant perfect eyesight, no mental illness, no risk factors for cancer.  And even if one embryo met the criteria, aptitudes were taken into account. 

The needs of society decided all.

O is for Original

The inspiration for the following drabble clearly comes from the fact that my brain has been saturated with science fiction.  I am in no way claiming this is a bad thing.  It's a simple fact of life.

I hope you like it!

Original

The world places value on originality, all the while peddling knock-off clothing and accessories so people can all look the same.  It’s laughable just how deluded people can be.

People say originals are precious because they can never be replaced.  Original paint jobs, original parts, untarnished by time.

Of course, people try to replace the irreplaceable.  That’s why I exist.  A clone, a replication of a once-living original.  I came with a blank slate, though family members pretend not to notice.  They’d much rather embrace the delusion and ignore the fact that I’m not even the original me.

N is for Newcomer

Now it's on to my drabble for the letter N!  N-joy!  Get it?  It's "enjoy" except spelled . . .  Oh nevermind.  I find it increasingly difficult to defend my bad jokes.

Newcomer

Newcomers are treated with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion.  I know this from my childhood.  Being an army brat, I was always the new kid in school.

Now, as a diplomat, I get to experience it again on a whole new level.  First contact with an alien species.  I’ve been living on a starship for the last three years just in case we encountered anyone.  I’d almost given up on the possibility of it happening.

It’s even more intimidating that we’re meeting on their home world.  I stroll into the room, the lone human.  I am the alien here.

Wormfest 2014!

It's time for Wormfest!  It's going on all week, so feel free to jump in!  It's going to be lots of fun, I can promise you that.

This event is hosted by Stephen Tremp, L. Diane Wolf, and Alex J. Cavanaugh.

Here are the rules:

For 2014, the theme is to name one thing where science advances mankind, and one where technology with unforeseen consequences will go too far and set mankind back. Example: De-Extinction, or bringing back extinction species through back breeding, genetic engineering, and cloning. With all the breakthrough discoveries mankind is on the cusp of, are we playing God?

As technology grows smaller and more powerful, it's bound to become more integrated with our bodies.  The idea of implanting microchips into the brain, either enhancing humans in some way or allowing human beings to network with one another used to be placed firmly within the realm of science fiction.  Yet, as often happens, science is catching up and aligning this once seemingly far-fetched idea with reality.

Right now, implants in the brain are being used for medical purposes, helping people deal with medical conditions such as epilepsy.  This has been happening for awhile, and it's definitely encouraging that we are learning to relieve the suffering of others through such technological advancements.

Scientists are also hoping to use microchips to implant memories into patients with damaged brains.  This could potentially assist those with memory loss induced by accidents, are those suffering from Alzheimer's.

It would be great if this technology could be used to help people, but we also need to be aware of the potential dangers.  I'm not saying we should desist in this line of research, but if we want to avoid the pain its misuse would cause, we need to be aware of the possibilities.

Could someone use such technology to implant false memories?  What if someone witnessed a crime being committed, and someone wanted to alter their memories of the event?  What if the government decided that reprogramming convicts to make them into more productive members of society was the way to go?  Could such a thing even be done, and what are the ethical consequences of such an action?  Would this be considered legitimate therapy, or is changing the core of who a person is going too far?

And what if we used microchips to plug into the internet, or to network directly with one another?  It might make interactions more efficient, but there are also potential dangers involved.  How would a virus transmitted through the internet affect the human brain?  How would we ever have any privacy?

Science is a wonderful thing, as is science fiction.  While scientists work to make groundbreaking discoveries that will transform the world in which we live, science fiction will mull over the possibilities, bringing to light the potential consequences of technological advancement.  It also entertains us at the same time, which makes it even more amazing!

Oh, speaking of amazing things, I should mention, Escalation by Stephen Tremp is available today!