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18 days and 07:10:54
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Always On: Tech Array [AOU,01,01]
Win a free print copy of this book!
18 days and 07:10:54
3 copies available
U.S. and Canada only
124 pages, Paperback
Published November 30, 2023
1 person is currently reading
1459 people want to read
About the author
Helena Trooperman
5 books21 followersHelena writes optimistic near-future sci-fi. She loves introducing her readers to ordinary characters that find their fantastic and learn to use it.
Author Bio:
PLANET: Helena is a human of Earth, an organic in love with the machine. The future starts now, here. She’s fascinated with humanity’s quest to become multi-planetary and beyond. Her only regret is, she probably won’t live to see it. However, she can live it through story.
If Trooperman were a tree, this is how she’d be described…
ROOTS: British by birth. Born in Dorset and grew to adulthood in Hampshire. She also lived on the Wirral for several years before picking up her roots and moving with her family to Ontario, Canada in 2006. A little town called Dundas. The earth that keeps her rooted and nourished is her five grown children and her husband. Where they go, she goes. They are home.
Read more at… https://www.helenatrooperman.ca/about/
Author Bio:
PLANET: Helena is a human of Earth, an organic in love with the machine. The future starts now, here. She’s fascinated with humanity’s quest to become multi-planetary and beyond. Her only regret is, she probably won’t live to see it. However, she can live it through story.
If Trooperman were a tree, this is how she’d be described…
ROOTS: British by birth. Born in Dorset and grew to adulthood in Hampshire. She also lived on the Wirral for several years before picking up her roots and moving with her family to Ontario, Canada in 2006. A little town called Dundas. The earth that keeps her rooted and nourished is her five grown children and her husband. Where they go, she goes. They are home.
Read more at… https://www.helenatrooperman.ca/about/
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 30, 2023
Review of: “Always On” – Helena Trooperman
30th November 2023
I was sent an advanced copy of the story ‘Always On’ and asked to review it. I have never read any speculative fiction before so had no idea what Helena’s work would bring to me.
As it happens, I was pleasantly surprised, the story is strong and well written, and held my interest well. The main characters are well described and likeable and fit neatly into the plot, you want them to do well given their circumstances and coming from different backgrounds.
The subtle underlying theme of the story which colours the background is the struggle for countries of the world to be persuaded to move away from the overuse of fossil fuels and instead to develop other ways of producing energy for our use. Of course this is not what the major Oil Companies want to happen.
Without giving too much away, the main character, Athena having been widowed several years previously, struggles to bring up their five children on her own on limited funds. As the children mature she is able to return to her challenging developmental technological work. The story line develops from here as her life changes because of the challenging nature of her design and production skills and the barriers that stand in her way.
I found this a thoroughly enjoyable read and am looking forward to the next installment.
Hazel Newman
30th November 2023
I was sent an advanced copy of the story ‘Always On’ and asked to review it. I have never read any speculative fiction before so had no idea what Helena’s work would bring to me.
As it happens, I was pleasantly surprised, the story is strong and well written, and held my interest well. The main characters are well described and likeable and fit neatly into the plot, you want them to do well given their circumstances and coming from different backgrounds.
The subtle underlying theme of the story which colours the background is the struggle for countries of the world to be persuaded to move away from the overuse of fossil fuels and instead to develop other ways of producing energy for our use. Of course this is not what the major Oil Companies want to happen.
Without giving too much away, the main character, Athena having been widowed several years previously, struggles to bring up their five children on her own on limited funds. As the children mature she is able to return to her challenging developmental technological work. The story line develops from here as her life changes because of the challenging nature of her design and production skills and the barriers that stand in her way.
I found this a thoroughly enjoyable read and am looking forward to the next installment.
Hazel Newman
December 29, 2025
Always On: Tech Array [AOU,01,01] is a smart, fast-paced science fiction novel that explores the cost of constant connectivity and the quiet dangers of a world that never truly powers down. Helena Trooperman builds a tech-saturated future that feels both advanced and unsettlingly familiar.
What stands out most is the novel’s exploration of dependence on systems, networks, and automation and how that reliance reshapes identity, agency, and trust. The technology at the center of the story is not merely a backdrop; it actively shapes decisions, relationships, and the balance of power. Trooperman skillfully shows how innovation can blur the line between convenience and control.
The pacing keeps the story engaging while allowing room for reflection, particularly around themes of surveillance, autonomy, and what it means to remain human in an always-connected environment. The speculative elements feel grounded in plausible progression, making the narrative resonate as both cautionary and compelling.
Always On is an engaging start to the Tech Array universe ideal for readers who enjoy near-future science fiction that interrogates modern tech culture while delivering tension, intrigue, and thoughtful worldbuilding.
What stands out most is the novel’s exploration of dependence on systems, networks, and automation and how that reliance reshapes identity, agency, and trust. The technology at the center of the story is not merely a backdrop; it actively shapes decisions, relationships, and the balance of power. Trooperman skillfully shows how innovation can blur the line between convenience and control.
The pacing keeps the story engaging while allowing room for reflection, particularly around themes of surveillance, autonomy, and what it means to remain human in an always-connected environment. The speculative elements feel grounded in plausible progression, making the narrative resonate as both cautionary and compelling.
Always On is an engaging start to the Tech Array universe ideal for readers who enjoy near-future science fiction that interrogates modern tech culture while delivering tension, intrigue, and thoughtful worldbuilding.
December 1, 2023
Trooperman’s introductory novel is a journey through the mind of widow, single mother and inventor Athena Cartwright. She naively invents a free source of energy, thinking it’s her ticket to financial security. Always On reminded me of works by Ginger Booth. If you enjoy her novels, you’ll love Always On by Helena Trooperman.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews