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The Silent Earth #3
The Fires of Yesterday
The Earth is in ruins. Cities and nations are destroyed.
Brant is a synthetic, a machine made in the image of man who dreams of bringing humans back into the world. Close to achieving his goal, his tiny cradle of life is now threatened by ominous black clouds that roll in from the north and bring darkness to the land.
In the wasteland, the cannibalistic Marauders begin to escalate their war with the resistance fighters of Ascension. As resources dwindle, both sides become more ruthless, endangering all within the region.
Brant will be forced to once again return to the wasteland and into the midst of the battle to confront the source of the darkness in an attempt to save all that he has created.
The Silent Earth Series
Book 1 - After the
Book 2 - The Seeds of New
Brant is a synthetic, a machine made in the image of man who dreams of bringing humans back into the world. Close to achieving his goal, his tiny cradle of life is now threatened by ominous black clouds that roll in from the north and bring darkness to the land.
In the wasteland, the cannibalistic Marauders begin to escalate their war with the resistance fighters of Ascension. As resources dwindle, both sides become more ruthless, endangering all within the region.
Brant will be forced to once again return to the wasteland and into the midst of the battle to confront the source of the darkness in an attempt to save all that he has created.
The Silent Earth Series
Book 1 - After the
Book 2 - The Seeds of New
287 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 14, 2015
11 people are currently reading
52 people want to read
About the author
Mark R. Healy
16 books63 followersMark R. Healy is an author and musician from Brisbane, Australia. From an early age he loved to create, and often assembled his own illustrated books with accompanying stories - and then forced his parents to buy them.
Unfortunately this model was not scalable and Mark now seeks to promote his works to a wider audience.
Mark has also combined his storytelling prowess with music, creating a project called ‘Hibernal’ through which he interweaves original sci-fi stories with his own music to create an immersive theatrical experience for the listener. Combined with a professional voice cast and sound effects, these “audio movies” are available online through iTunes, Bandcamp and Amazon under the name ‘Hibernal’.
Unfortunately this model was not scalable and Mark now seeks to promote his works to a wider audience.
Mark has also combined his storytelling prowess with music, creating a project called ‘Hibernal’ through which he interweaves original sci-fi stories with his own music to create an immersive theatrical experience for the listener. Combined with a professional voice cast and sound effects, these “audio movies” are available online through iTunes, Bandcamp and Amazon under the name ‘Hibernal’.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
May 17, 2015
End of a great series
I didn't want this story to end. I have read many indie books and this series was one of the best. Great writing, great characters, and very few typos. I highly recommend.
I didn't want this story to end. I have read many indie books and this series was one of the best. Great writing, great characters, and very few typos. I highly recommend.
July 20, 2015
Great series!
Great story, great characters. The continuity was perfect! Too many times I read series that can't keep names, places, ages, etc straight. Not this series. Definitely a great read!
Great story, great characters. The continuity was perfect! Too many times I read series that can't keep names, places, ages, etc straight. Not this series. Definitely a great read!
April 1, 2019
A great conclusion to a trilogy I wasn't sure as to what direction it was going to take. This could have went in so many direction but this was not the one I had thought it would take. It takes you through the struggles of seeing a parent leave, finding love, losing friends, trust and revenge. All this is one book has led to and undeniably pleasing ending.
I like that the book is left open for a possible fourth.
May 18, 2017
Loved this series
Well thought out and executed tale of the end and beginning of humankind, a cautionary story of life without the grid. Believable, lovable, hateful, snide, thoughtful, very human-like machines hold the fate humans in their hands. Well worth reading these 3 books. Attaboy to Mark Healy. Thank you.
Well thought out and executed tale of the end and beginning of humankind, a cautionary story of life without the grid. Believable, lovable, hateful, snide, thoughtful, very human-like machines hold the fate humans in their hands. Well worth reading these 3 books. Attaboy to Mark Healy. Thank you.
August 15, 2017
great series - enjoyed it
June 6, 2018
Great story, loved how fleshed out the characters were, took a while though to get into it. Book 1 was hard at the beginning but well worth it!
March 30, 2021
Tied up all the loose ends. Did not have the same journey into the unknown feeling as the first book but an enjoyable read.
January 31, 2016
"The Fires of Yesterday" is the final book in Mark R. Healy's excellent "Silent Earth" trilogy and it is insightful, fast-paced, and full of hair-raising adventure. Within its pages you will find love, betrayal, tarnished ideals, and some truly memorable characters.
In short, it is wonderful.
For those who haven't read the first two books - and if you haven't, you should - "The Fires of Yesterday" is set on an Earth that has been devastated by war leaving no humans alive. Instead, the planet is populated by synthetics - androids fashioned to look and mimic humans. Two synthetics have been tasked to repopulate Earth by caring for and then bringing to life frozen human embryos. The synthetics - Brant and Arsha - are not always in complete agreement as to how that should be done, however, which makes for some intriguing interaction. Add to that the fact that Brant has spent years away from the project while trying to lead murderous androids away from it and you have an interesting dynamic that Healy handles with great skill.
The other androids on Earth - and there are thousands of them - are broken down into two main groups: Marauders - rogues who prey on other androids so they can harvest their parts in order to prolong their own lives, and Ascension - a military style dictatorship.
Without giving away too much of the plot, let me say that in "The Fires of Yesterday" Brant and Arsha - having successfully brought to life four children - are confronted with an environmental issue that threatens to undo all that they have done. With no other options, Brant is once again forced to leave the project in an effort to locate the source of the problem and then find a way to solve it. His adventures while on that quest provide much of the storyline and give Healy an opportunity to introduce more - and equally fascinating - characters into the series.
The narrative is seamless, as it is in the first two books in the series - and the writing is exceptional. Healy is at his best, in my opinion, when he is fleshing out characters and describing the intensity of battle scenes. In this installment he has ample opportunity to do both. What sets him apart from many other writers of dystopian novels, however, is his ability to weave questions of morality, ethical behavior, and environmental issues into the storyline without preaching. He makes his characters - and, therefore, his readers - confront important issues in the narrative. It is not easy to do that gracefully but he has found a way.
The verdict: An excellent conclusion to a truly excellent trilogy, "The Fires of Yesterday" is a book I heartily recommend.
In short, it is wonderful.
For those who haven't read the first two books - and if you haven't, you should - "The Fires of Yesterday" is set on an Earth that has been devastated by war leaving no humans alive. Instead, the planet is populated by synthetics - androids fashioned to look and mimic humans. Two synthetics have been tasked to repopulate Earth by caring for and then bringing to life frozen human embryos. The synthetics - Brant and Arsha - are not always in complete agreement as to how that should be done, however, which makes for some intriguing interaction. Add to that the fact that Brant has spent years away from the project while trying to lead murderous androids away from it and you have an interesting dynamic that Healy handles with great skill.
The other androids on Earth - and there are thousands of them - are broken down into two main groups: Marauders - rogues who prey on other androids so they can harvest their parts in order to prolong their own lives, and Ascension - a military style dictatorship.
Without giving away too much of the plot, let me say that in "The Fires of Yesterday" Brant and Arsha - having successfully brought to life four children - are confronted with an environmental issue that threatens to undo all that they have done. With no other options, Brant is once again forced to leave the project in an effort to locate the source of the problem and then find a way to solve it. His adventures while on that quest provide much of the storyline and give Healy an opportunity to introduce more - and equally fascinating - characters into the series.
The narrative is seamless, as it is in the first two books in the series - and the writing is exceptional. Healy is at his best, in my opinion, when he is fleshing out characters and describing the intensity of battle scenes. In this installment he has ample opportunity to do both. What sets him apart from many other writers of dystopian novels, however, is his ability to weave questions of morality, ethical behavior, and environmental issues into the storyline without preaching. He makes his characters - and, therefore, his readers - confront important issues in the narrative. It is not easy to do that gracefully but he has found a way.
The verdict: An excellent conclusion to a truly excellent trilogy, "The Fires of Yesterday" is a book I heartily recommend.
December 18, 2015
There is some uncertainty at the start of Book 3 in the Silent Earth trilogy as to how the Author will conclude the epic of Brant, Android protector of the only living humans remaining on Earth. Brant and his android partner Arsha have restored and raised a small group of human children from cryogenically frozen embryos and must decide how to protect the children and their fragile food supply from marauding bands of psychopathic androids that kill anything in their way while cannibalizing other androids for body parts to survive.
The Fires of Yesterday also develops the story of a competing group of Androids known as Ascension who appear as an altruistic paramilitary with unknown intentions. Ascension and The Marauders appear to set to engage each other in a regional war of androids versus androids, with Brant's proxy family of survivors caught between the two forces.
Foreshadowing of the story's arc comes in the form of growing darkening skies, a pseudo-nuclear winter that threatens the children's food supply from a carbon blackout of sunlight. Brant must decide whether to flee with his group from the the unknown source of the smoke and fires for a distant land where he and Arsha can cultivate food for the children, or search out the source of the smoke (the "fires"), to stop it from exterminating the only remaining chance for humans to live again on Earth.
The novel takes exciting and unforeseen turns, different from the previous two books which were more sojourner and world-building literary pieces; "The Fires" thrusts the protagonists into a war of good versus evil, adding Orwellian concepts and the fog of war that obscures who truly is fighting for what is right, or what is true.
The fate of mankind's legacy clearly rests on the shoulders of Brant as he weaves and navigates through the climactic battles between Android armies, but the reader will see the clear comparison between ourselves and our creations.
The androids have truly been built in the image of man, with all the flaws, hubris, and fallibility that come from having been expelled from the garden of eden, which makes for a good story.
The Fires of Yesterday also develops the story of a competing group of Androids known as Ascension who appear as an altruistic paramilitary with unknown intentions. Ascension and The Marauders appear to set to engage each other in a regional war of androids versus androids, with Brant's proxy family of survivors caught between the two forces.
Foreshadowing of the story's arc comes in the form of growing darkening skies, a pseudo-nuclear winter that threatens the children's food supply from a carbon blackout of sunlight. Brant must decide whether to flee with his group from the the unknown source of the smoke and fires for a distant land where he and Arsha can cultivate food for the children, or search out the source of the smoke (the "fires"), to stop it from exterminating the only remaining chance for humans to live again on Earth.
The novel takes exciting and unforeseen turns, different from the previous two books which were more sojourner and world-building literary pieces; "The Fires" thrusts the protagonists into a war of good versus evil, adding Orwellian concepts and the fog of war that obscures who truly is fighting for what is right, or what is true.
The fate of mankind's legacy clearly rests on the shoulders of Brant as he weaves and navigates through the climactic battles between Android armies, but the reader will see the clear comparison between ourselves and our creations.
The androids have truly been built in the image of man, with all the flaws, hubris, and fallibility that come from having been expelled from the garden of eden, which makes for a good story.
February 15, 2016
Great story This trilogy by Healy is great
I say the trilogy ,as when I was half way through book 1 I was hooked ...so went on Amazon and purchased the OTHER TWO BOOKS! Yes it was that good!!! This indie Author is excellent knows how to spin a tail and keep the reader into it . To add much I liked his style and ability I just purchased 3 of his REACH BOOKS and will get back to you all to tell you if his efforts are superb and continuing ! Enjoy
I say the trilogy ,as when I was half way through book 1 I was hooked ...so went on Amazon and purchased the OTHER TWO BOOKS! Yes it was that good!!! This indie Author is excellent knows how to spin a tail and keep the reader into it . To add much I liked his style and ability I just purchased 3 of his REACH BOOKS and will get back to you all to tell you if his efforts are superb and continuing ! Enjoy
May 3, 2015
The perfect end to an excellent trilogy. The pace is relentless in this one and it's a very exciting read from start to finish. I have really enjoyed this series of books and found the style very engaging and refreshing. The author draws you into his world and introduces you to characters that you care about.
I'm very much looking forward to reading whatever he moves onto next. Give it a go
I'm very much looking forward to reading whatever he moves onto next. Give it a go
July 14, 2016
And it all turned out well
I read all three stories and enjoyed them all. My favorite was the first but each book had it's unique appeal. Mr.Healy is a good author who really holds your attention. I believe we will be entertained by him for a long time to come. I highly recommend this book especially to the sci-fi lovers out there.
I read all three stories and enjoyed them all. My favorite was the first but each book had it's unique appeal. Mr.Healy is a good author who really holds your attention. I believe we will be entertained by him for a long time to come. I highly recommend this book especially to the sci-fi lovers out there.
April 1, 2016
Good series!
June 28, 2016
Great read!
I very much enjoyed this series, I wish there were more coming! Do your self a favor and give them a try.
I very much enjoyed this series, I wish there were more coming! Do your self a favor and give them a try.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews