Chris Jags's Blog - Posts Tagged "robots"
The Starless Market: A sci-fantasy action drama!
For as long as I can remember - well, since I first saw Star Wars at a drive-in in the days when Han Solo still shot first - I've been fascinated by aliens and robots. As time went on, I became more intrigued by horror, fantasy, and that winning combination of the two, dark fantasy. But I've never gotten over the wonder that sci-fi world-building brings.
Enter THE STARLESS MARKET ! It's not true sci-fi... there are heavy fantasy elements at play as well, along with a coming-of-age story, a dash of soap opera, and - at least in the opening - a pinch of backwoods horror. In short, it's a genre-defying mashup - but it's primarily focused on the aliens and robots that have been rattling around my head for decades.
As such, it's new territory for me, from a writing perspective. Dark fantasy has been my wheelhouse for so long that dabbling in (science-free) sci-fi was an enjoyable breath of fresh air for me. Previous readers will no doubt recognize some of my tricks, but I feel safe in saying that I have expanded my horizons with this one!
The story follows Jackson, a teenager relocating to the countryside after the death of his parents; following a dramatic accident, he is whisked away to a town existing in a pocket between dimensions, a hub at the center of a great crystalline flower where dozens of alien species come to meet and trade.
With no prospect of returning home, Jackson struggles to navigate the various unfamiliar cultures he must now contend with. He has arrived at a dangerous time: the Hub is suffering a series of devastating attacks from an unknown terrorist. He barely has time to accept his bizarre situation before such an attack occurs.
With strange new friends and allies - including the only other human ever to visit the Hub and her plant-like clone, an amiable young beastman, and a devil of a love interest - Jackson must unravel the plot to destroy his new home... and help defend it!
I'm hoping for some traction with this one, as this is a world I would very much like to revisit.
The Starless Market - releasing Sept 22, 2022! Now pre-orderable from Amazon
Enter THE STARLESS MARKET ! It's not true sci-fi... there are heavy fantasy elements at play as well, along with a coming-of-age story, a dash of soap opera, and - at least in the opening - a pinch of backwoods horror. In short, it's a genre-defying mashup - but it's primarily focused on the aliens and robots that have been rattling around my head for decades.
As such, it's new territory for me, from a writing perspective. Dark fantasy has been my wheelhouse for so long that dabbling in (science-free) sci-fi was an enjoyable breath of fresh air for me. Previous readers will no doubt recognize some of my tricks, but I feel safe in saying that I have expanded my horizons with this one!
The story follows Jackson, a teenager relocating to the countryside after the death of his parents; following a dramatic accident, he is whisked away to a town existing in a pocket between dimensions, a hub at the center of a great crystalline flower where dozens of alien species come to meet and trade.
With no prospect of returning home, Jackson struggles to navigate the various unfamiliar cultures he must now contend with. He has arrived at a dangerous time: the Hub is suffering a series of devastating attacks from an unknown terrorist. He barely has time to accept his bizarre situation before such an attack occurs.
With strange new friends and allies - including the only other human ever to visit the Hub and her plant-like clone, an amiable young beastman, and a devil of a love interest - Jackson must unravel the plot to destroy his new home... and help defend it!
I'm hoping for some traction with this one, as this is a world I would very much like to revisit.
The Starless Market - releasing Sept 22, 2022! Now pre-orderable from Amazon
