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Beyond Hercules
Beyond Hercules is the story of a charismatic techno-geek who discovers anti-gravity not knowing the galaxy is patrolled by a derelict weapon that annihilates anyone using anti-gravity technology.
281 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2014
9 people are currently reading
120 people want to read
About the author
Paul A. Bussard
12 books8 followersAfter retiring from a thirty-year career in aerospace, then working another ten in communication, Paul A. Bussard is finally free to devote his time to writing. Mostly he likes to write hard science fiction, but he’s also a published poet. He earned a B.S. degree in Mathematics from Wichita State University and has a heavy background in the physical sciences. Mr. Bussard lives near Houston, Texas where he is an active member of the Woodlands Writers’ Guild.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 8, 2014
A sci-fi thriller beyond imagination
When I started to read Paul Bussard book “Beyond Hercules” I didn’t know what to expect. He was a new sci-fi writer for me. But what an amazing sci-fi writer-thriller he is. It was beyond my imagination. I could hardly put it down to go to sleep.
Loved it from the first page to the last.
Duke discovered anti-gravity and didn’t know what he had created. Only when he saw the big hole in his garage floor, he thought that it must be something big. And it was, for sure. Anti-gravity.
Everyone who loves sci-fi, as I do, must read Paul Bussard book.
It’s beyond wonder. Words fail me to describe it. Very well done. Loved it.
When I started to read Paul Bussard book “Beyond Hercules” I didn’t know what to expect. He was a new sci-fi writer for me. But what an amazing sci-fi writer-thriller he is. It was beyond my imagination. I could hardly put it down to go to sleep.
Loved it from the first page to the last.
Duke discovered anti-gravity and didn’t know what he had created. Only when he saw the big hole in his garage floor, he thought that it must be something big. And it was, for sure. Anti-gravity.
Everyone who loves sci-fi, as I do, must read Paul Bussard book.
It’s beyond wonder. Words fail me to describe it. Very well done. Loved it.
December 8, 2014
Unplug the TV. Switch off your phone. This is entertainment. I've read a lot of SF and BEYOND HERCULES told me from the start that I was in for something good.
A race of beetle-like beings on a world beyond the Hercules constellation decides to hoard the secret of antigravity, and they create a space weapon to destroy any other race developing this technology. They don't think as fast as the computer of the weapon does, so it's good night from them. The weapon waits, until it picks up a trace of antigrav a long way off - on Earth. Pleasantly, the weapon has been programmed to believe that it is singing, not destroying. All it wants to do is sing.
Duke Wainwright experiments in his garage, to the displeasure of his neighbours, and one day he does actually manage to blow the place up. He can't see how it happened, but there's a hole a mile deep in the concrete floor and he barely manages to hide it from the cops. He decides to conduct repeat experiments somewhere away from other people, in an old mine outside Sedona.
Duke is popular with the ladies, but he never realised that seventeen-year-old Angie Sgambelli had a crush on him. The gifted youngster used to help with his experiments, but since America doesn't have a space programme any more in their time, she's headed off to Russia to study. Angie is a great character and we get many excellent insights into the difficulties and successes of Americans working in the space industry in Russia.
Duke learns that the International Space Station, Hubble Telescope and many satellites are being perturbed in orbit. He starts to worry that the antigravity he seems to be generating so easily, and using even for mine access, could be causing the disruption. The reader doesn't know if this is the case, or if it is something worse....
We also enjoy the element of First Contact running through this lively tale, and astronomers conducting code-breaking. Author Paul Bussard with a background in aviation engineering and communications technology has put his knowledge to excellent use. Some pages are a little technical, and require expertise to follow; a reader can skip the fine-tuning and go to the outcome on the next page. Most of the writing is extremely accessible so that a young adult reader could read this book, bar some mild swearing, though it's aimed at a general SF audience. I actually loved the beetles and how well they were realised; everyone will take their own favourite piece away from the story as there is so much to watch.
I have to say bravo to Paul Bussard for giving us such an entertaining, educational and well-written book; I'm hoping there will be many more to follow BEYOND HERCULES.
A race of beetle-like beings on a world beyond the Hercules constellation decides to hoard the secret of antigravity, and they create a space weapon to destroy any other race developing this technology. They don't think as fast as the computer of the weapon does, so it's good night from them. The weapon waits, until it picks up a trace of antigrav a long way off - on Earth. Pleasantly, the weapon has been programmed to believe that it is singing, not destroying. All it wants to do is sing.
Duke Wainwright experiments in his garage, to the displeasure of his neighbours, and one day he does actually manage to blow the place up. He can't see how it happened, but there's a hole a mile deep in the concrete floor and he barely manages to hide it from the cops. He decides to conduct repeat experiments somewhere away from other people, in an old mine outside Sedona.
Duke is popular with the ladies, but he never realised that seventeen-year-old Angie Sgambelli had a crush on him. The gifted youngster used to help with his experiments, but since America doesn't have a space programme any more in their time, she's headed off to Russia to study. Angie is a great character and we get many excellent insights into the difficulties and successes of Americans working in the space industry in Russia.
Duke learns that the International Space Station, Hubble Telescope and many satellites are being perturbed in orbit. He starts to worry that the antigravity he seems to be generating so easily, and using even for mine access, could be causing the disruption. The reader doesn't know if this is the case, or if it is something worse....
We also enjoy the element of First Contact running through this lively tale, and astronomers conducting code-breaking. Author Paul Bussard with a background in aviation engineering and communications technology has put his knowledge to excellent use. Some pages are a little technical, and require expertise to follow; a reader can skip the fine-tuning and go to the outcome on the next page. Most of the writing is extremely accessible so that a young adult reader could read this book, bar some mild swearing, though it's aimed at a general SF audience. I actually loved the beetles and how well they were realised; everyone will take their own favourite piece away from the story as there is so much to watch.
I have to say bravo to Paul Bussard for giving us such an entertaining, educational and well-written book; I'm hoping there will be many more to follow BEYOND HERCULES.
November 7, 2014
This review was published under Kurt's Frontier on Invincible Love of Reading.
Synopsis:
Imagine you were an inventor who blew a mile deep hole into your garage. Suppose it turned out you discovered antigravity. That is what Duke Wainwright did in his Arkansas home. From a simple fiber optics experiment in his home, he goes to an isolated mine out in Arizona to experiment with this new technology. Joined by a teenage sweetheart, an out-of-work astronomer, and a Russian cosmonaut whose ship was brought down by Wainwright’s device, Wainwright must dodge intelligence and defense agencies from around the world, including the United States. The complications multiply when they realize that a robotic weapon programed to destroy any civilization using antigravity has taken aim at earth. This unlikely team must mount a defense before the weapon can attack.
Review:
Paul A. Bussard’s Beyond Hercules is a first contact science fiction story. His background in aerospace and communication serves Mr. Bussard well as he weaves a tale of hard science fiction. It explores the political implications of scientific discoveries. However, the science doesn’t get in the way of the story telling, as often happens in science fiction. Once the story gets going it is hard to put down.
Synopsis:
Imagine you were an inventor who blew a mile deep hole into your garage. Suppose it turned out you discovered antigravity. That is what Duke Wainwright did in his Arkansas home. From a simple fiber optics experiment in his home, he goes to an isolated mine out in Arizona to experiment with this new technology. Joined by a teenage sweetheart, an out-of-work astronomer, and a Russian cosmonaut whose ship was brought down by Wainwright’s device, Wainwright must dodge intelligence and defense agencies from around the world, including the United States. The complications multiply when they realize that a robotic weapon programed to destroy any civilization using antigravity has taken aim at earth. This unlikely team must mount a defense before the weapon can attack.
Review:
Paul A. Bussard’s Beyond Hercules is a first contact science fiction story. His background in aerospace and communication serves Mr. Bussard well as he weaves a tale of hard science fiction. It explores the political implications of scientific discoveries. However, the science doesn’t get in the way of the story telling, as often happens in science fiction. Once the story gets going it is hard to put down.
August 24, 2014
Paul Bussard’s novel “Beyond Hercules” is a rare gem in the genre of hard science fiction with high tech stories. There are far too many new writers whose novels are little more than muddled, poorly written theories gleaned from watching episodes of television shows on the science channel. This is not the case of Bussard. The man can wrangle words into a tight, exciting, and thrilling story filled with beautiful women, guys who are too smart for their own good, and aliens who…well…let’s just say, first contact could be a bit touch and go.
Building the first anti-gravity generator, even by accident, should be a good thing, right? Well, crap! What if you make it out off the shelf parts and any six year old can build one that might destroy Earth? Oh, no! Double Craaaaap! What if you build a perfect anti-gravity generator that can resolve all of the worlds energy problems, but there is an alien machine that cruises the galaxy, just looking for anti-gravity signatures to kill? Would you even know your dead until it is too late?
Bussard knows his tech and he knows a good story. I recommend this book and this writer.
Building the first anti-gravity generator, even by accident, should be a good thing, right? Well, crap! What if you make it out off the shelf parts and any six year old can build one that might destroy Earth? Oh, no! Double Craaaaap! What if you build a perfect anti-gravity generator that can resolve all of the worlds energy problems, but there is an alien machine that cruises the galaxy, just looking for anti-gravity signatures to kill? Would you even know your dead until it is too late?
Bussard knows his tech and he knows a good story. I recommend this book and this writer.
April 14, 2016
A fun, quick moving story. This book had plenty of well researched science details without getting bogged down or slowing down the story.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews