A Light in the Dark

by Nathan Lowell

When Captain Bjorn Gunderson docks with what he thinks is routine cargo, he embarks on an unexpected voyage. On a milk run from Welliver to Breakall, a tiny rock punctures his ship and leaves the crew adrift twenty-thousand years from home. With food, water, and air running out, a desperate crewman takes a reckless gamble, risking his life in a daring bid to find safety. What he finds instead puts them all at risk. Join Captain Gunderson and his crew on the final voyage of the Solar Clipper Wanderer in book one of Tales from the Deep Dark -- A Light in the Dark. An award winning producer of science fiction and fantasy podcasts, Nathan Lowell has produced eight novels totaling over 160 episodes and 70 hours of podcast fiction. Since 2008, four of his productions have been finalists in the Parsec Awards and his book--Captain's Share--won the 2010 Parsec Award for Best Podcast Fiction (Long Form). In 2010, Ridan Publishing began producing his work in paper and ebook formats. Those books are available online from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, the iBook Store, and from Ridan Publishing. A Light In the Dark is the first of a series of novellas set in the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper. The series focuses on the happenings in and around a renegade outpost, a place outside the jurisdiction of the Confederated Planets--a place where the normal rules don't apply and where anything might happen. Novel Nibbles are a series of shorter works offered in ebook only format for those who would like something to read on their smartphones and other small mobile devices. Coming in at around 20,000 words, they're shorter works for smaller screens.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Space Opera, Space, Science Fiction Fantasy, Ebooks, Novella

156 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 22, 2011

About the author

Nathan Lowell has been a writer for more than forty years, and first entered the literary world by podcasting his novels. His sci-fi series, The Golden Age of the Solar Clipper grew from his long time fascination with space opera and his own experiences shipboard in the United States Coast Guard. Unlike most works which focus on a larger-than-life hero (prophesized savior, charismatic captain, or exiled prince), Nathan centers on the people behind the scenes--ordinary men and women trying to make a living in the depths of space. In his novels, there are no bug-eyed monsters, or galactic space battles, instead he paints a richly vivid and realistic world where the "hero" uses hard work and his own innate talents to improve his station and the lives of those of his community.

Dr. Nathan Lowell holds a Ph.D. in Educational Technology with specializations in Distance Education and Instructional Design. He also holds an M.A. in Educational Technology and a BS in Business Administration. He grew up on the south coast of Maine and is strongly rooted in the maritime heritage of the sea-farer. He served in the USCG from 1970 to 1975, seeing duty aboard a cutter on hurricane patrol in the North Atlantic and at a communications station in Kodiak, Alaska. He currently lives in the plains east of the Rocky Mountains with his wife and two daughters.

Awards & Recognition
2008 Parsec Award Finalist for Best Speculative Fiction for Full Share
2008 Podiobooks Founder's Choice Award for Double Share
2008 Parsec Award Finalist for Best Speculative Fiction for South Coast
2009 Podiobooks Founder's Choice Award for Captain's Share
2009 Parsec Award Finalist for Best Speculative Fiction for Double Share
4 out of 10 Books on Podiobooks.com Top Overall Rated by Votes (2. Double Share, 3. Quarter Share, 5. Full Share, 8. Half Share) -- as of Jan 4, 2009
6 out of 10 Books on Podiobooks.com Top Overall Rating (1. Ravenwood, 2. Quarter Share, 3. Double share, 4. Captain's Share, 5. Full Share, 7. South Coast) -- as of Jan 4, 2009

Reviews

[Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW, just when I thought I'd given up on the written word (I have been listening to podiobooks/audiobooks and not actually reading for over a year) I go and read this little marvel in about two hours. Way to go, Nathan, way to go. I am looking forward to more of these tidbits and longer stories from you.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice short story in the Solar Clipper universe.

[Debrac2014 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gunderson's back story!

[Teresa Carrigan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a novella, in the same universe as Quarter Share, etc, but with different characters. It was ok, but I didn't find it satisfying. I read the Kindle version.

[Becky Black · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always enjoy Nathan's writing, but this felt a bit rushed. Like there was too much story for the short format. I know it's a setup for a series, but I did feel it hopped to fast from one event to the next, which is definitely not what I'd usually expect from this writer.

I'm also still deciding what I think about what the Captain did - which I won't mention for spoilers - to another character, and wondering if that will come back to bite him in the ass.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yay, a new Golden Age story! As I read it, I could hear Nathan Lowell narrating it in my head.

[David Siegel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting Side Story

This short novel is set in the same continuity as the "Trader Tales" focused on Ishmael Wang. It recounts the story of a ship disabled by accident in the "deep dark", far from any station or planet or sun.

There is less character development than I would have wished for,and less than in other novels by this author.

There is a clear connection to unstated activities hinted at in other books in this setting.

I enjoyed this book and might buy a sequel.

Spoiler: This is the origin story for Odin's Outpost, which appears in other novels.

[Sarah Barber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love the deep dark....

This is a great short story for those who know about the deep dark. For those who don't, it's a good way to learn.

As always, well written, good character development and good storyline.

I love everything else Nathan Lowell has written. I have all of the "......share" books in paperbacks and the rest of his books are high on my wish list.

Please Mr Lowell, keep writing 'cos I'll surely keep reading!

[Roy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice novella introducing the Trader Series which I haven't yet read. This fits also in nicely as an addition to explaining a space station feature of the light sail merchant series that I have read.
The place to start is still probably "Quarter Share". I greatly enjoy Lowell's stories and the future they represent.

[Locksley Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

if you like Space, read Nathan Lowell

I’ve been a fan of space opera for many years, but Nathan Lowell is about the people, and is a great storyteller. His world is interesting and his thoughts on leadership and capitalism are interesting to think about. He’s a guy you’d like to buy a glass of wine for just to talk with. Start with his traders tales and read them all.

[Reneeg1957 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the solar clipper and other works in the universe

My only regret is that I have now finished reading all of the available works in this setting...now I have to go find something else as enjoyable! Fortunately, I haven't read everything that he's written, yet.

Very good!

[john r thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bravo!

I say there ! Solar wind sailing series. I've been burning through this author steadily for a week or so. Read them up to this ,origins left. Gonna savor them!! Great,well rounded, and smooth reading. I Recommend them. Bravo!

[Shirley A. Coale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good background

I like anything Nathan Lowell writes. But was especially glad to find a story that build background for the deep dark.

[Peter Lento · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice back story

A good story to tie into his other series. Explains how Something that plays a role got to be where it is in a logical way.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This isn't a long read but it's interesting, I enjoyed it.

[Thomas James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Lowell Masterpiece

This just goes to show that even a trivial mention in a story has its own story. I didn't tumble to Oden's Outpost until the very last. Well done!

[Lyn Misselbrook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

Another great read from Powell. A pleasing origin story for those of us who’ve read the other clipper tales ...

[Mark McGowan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick read

Read this a day. Can't wait for the rest. The book has introduced the main characters and some back ground on them.

[Ruth Temple · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice backfill story

Nice to get some of the backfill story on the origins of one of the notable waystations in the Deep Dark that we pass through in other books. A delightful read.

[MELISSA · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting space story as a crew is adrift in the deep dark of space awaiting/hoping for rescue. Author Lowell is a master of this particularly with characters so real and dialogue seeming so appropriate to time and place. And the story is not bleak as some space fiction can be.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

The characters continue to drive these stories, full of humanity and making good and bad choices that they learn from. I love this universe.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

As indicated in the blurb, this novella is set in Lowell's fascinating "Golden Age of the Solar Clipper" universe. And as always, he delivers a wonderful story. I've been a fan of his for a few years now, have listened to all of the Trader's Tales books (more than once), and have read the Kindle versions of those that are currently available. I've also listened to the audio versions of "South Coast" and "Ravenwood", as well as some of the other works he has voiced - so as such, my review may be viewed as a bit slanted (though I would point out that if it weren't for his talent, I would NOT be a fan - so how's that for circular logic?). As such, I jumped in with both feet when I learned of this novella, and was NOT disappointed.


To do a proper review, I suppose I have to release at least one spoiler, so if you're the type of reader that doesn't want to know anything at all about the story, then stop reading now.


Still here? :)




All right, you have been warned.


"A Light in the Dark" is the story of the origin of Odin's Outpost, a place briefly (and tantalizingly) mentioned in the one of the Trader's Tales novels. I'm embarrassed to admit I don't remember which one, but I recalled the reference, and was happy to find this follow-up. As with all of Lowell's writing, the setting is well described, characters are well developed (especially for a novella - where space is limited), and the prose in general is quite well done. As I said, the man is a very talented writer.

My only criticism at all is there were a couple of places where the editing fell through and pulled me briefly out of the story. However, now that I try to remember where this occurred, I can't for the life of me do so. Obviously, it wasn't all that jarring, eh?

For readers who are interested in a further exploration of the universe that helped shape Ishmael Wang, or those who want to dip a tentative toe in to see what all the fuss is about - I heartily recommend "A Light in the Dark". I consider it 99 cents well spent.

[Charlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fine story and one that can serve as a brief introduction into Nathan's Trader's Tales sequence. If this is your first venture into the Trader's Tales, I envy you the journey you are beginning.

This offering is a bit of a departure for those of us familiar with the Trader's Tales. To those used to the Nathan's usual [i.e., novel-length] fare, the brevity of the story might seem a bit of a letdown. Nathan has said that this length of story was an experiment. To my way of thinking, it was a successful one.

In fairness, I am a fan of Nathan's work - having first heard Quarter Share as a podcast on iTunes. I spend much of my day commuting back and forth [on foot and on train] and I listen to a fairly broad range of material. The Trader's Tales are stories I return to - and with good reason, but I leave you to discover that for yourself. I will be more than happy to listen to or read anything that Nathan chooses to share with the wide world. In point of fact, it took Nathan releasing this story in eBook format for me to establish an account with Amazon's Kindle store and download the app to my Mac and iPod Touch.

Give it a try, I think that you will find it a good read.

Safe journey.

[Paulette Jaxton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Light in the Dark is a novella by Nathan Lowell and takes place in his Golden Age of the Solar Clipper series. While not strictly a part of the Trader Tales series, it stems from a few paragraphs in Captain's Share and tells the tale of how Oden's Outpost came to be.

I read this one lazy Sunday afternoon while I was nursing a sour tummy on the couch, and really that's the best way to enjoy a story of this length. It's just long enough to engage you (and take your mind off what ails you) but not too long to finish reading in an afternoon.

As with most of his works, Mr. Lowell fills this story with great characters, rich world building, and well paced plotting. You discover who these people are quickly and if some of the details of their back-story are missing that's actually a plus. I like the fact that the reader isn't given all the gory details of what's going on behind Captain Bjorn Gunderson's back, if it means we get to know him well enough to understand why he does what he does about it.

I liked this story a lot, and I'm looking forward for more of these nommy nibbles from Mr. Lowell in the future.

[Dava Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first, I was afraid the jargon would impede my enjoyment of the story. But within a page or so, I didn't even notice it anymore -- and that is the mark of a good story.

My only criticism is that I got a little lost with the character names. Some characters are called by the first names and other by their last names -- or maybe sometimes one character is called by her first name and others by her last name? Sometimes they were also referred to by their position on the crew. Anyway, it took awhile to work out who was who.

This is sci-fi and I recommend it to people who like sci-fi. Something about it (not sure what, exactly) put me in mind of older sci-fi. Maybe "classic" is the word I'm searching for. It wasn't fantasy or steampunk or anything other than some folks in a space ship in deep space.

[Ryan Burt · Rating 4 out of 5]

1) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

2) Genre: Science Fiction

3) Synopsis: Wanderer is just going on a short (3-hour??) cruise when they are stranded in the deep dark. Not stranded on an island but out in the middle of nowhere is even worse.

4) Feelings: I am a big Nathan Lowell fan. Maybe because this is shorter in length I was left wanting more. Nathan's books usually have a build up where you really learn to connect to several of his characters. This one didn't have as much time to develop that.

5) Final recommendation: Certainly, worth the $0.99 I paid for it. A fun read with some interesting possibilities. Pick it up.

Ryan James Burt
Husband, Father, and Writer
http://ryanjamesburt.wordpress.com/

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll read (or listen!) to anything in Nathan Lowell's "Golden Age of the Solar Clipper" universe, but this is an odd one. A quick, engrossing read, it felt like too big of a tale to fit into one short story/novella. Some parts felt rushed or glossed over or even unexplained. I realize that eventually there will likely be more to come, but my opinion is A Light in the Dark could have benefitted from some fleshing out. Having said that, if you like the "Share" series of novels, you can't beat this addition for only 99 cents on the kindle.

[Jan Bear · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of Nathan Lowell and love, love, love his narration. This one needed to be longer, to give more time to develop the characters and their motivations, as he does so well in ask his other books.

The end comes out of the blue (or the black) without the emotional build-up his other books have. It's not that the events are undramatic, but the author seems to dive for the finish line.

If you haven't read Nathan Lowell's books, start with Quarter Share and work your way back here. This is back story and will make no sense if you haven't read the series.

[Betsy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing. Much too short. And I still don't understand what happened at the end. Maybe if I had read all of the other Solar Clipper books I would understand, but I haven't because they're not all out yet except as podcasts.

But even without that lack of understanding the end, I thought it was too short and gave short shrift to the characters, the situation, the background, the story.

Not what I'm used to from Lowell.

[Andreas · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novella is set several decades before Ishmael's adventures in Trader’s Tales from the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper. Captain Gunderson and his crew run into a small rock way out in the Deep Dark, leaving the jump engine disabled. They are off the shipping lanes and slowly running out of consumables.

This was enjoyable for the character interactions but nothing groundbreaking. A pleasant diversion.

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