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Skysplitter
'Readers Favorite' & 'PnP Authors' Award Winning author of 7 books across genres, Deepak Menon returns with his 2nd Science Fiction novel, a scintillating adventure story of interstellar travel and alien contact. John Kriel, the indomitable hero of 'Skymerge' arrives at his destination after a decade long voyage across the void of space, to find that the Planet he had chosen as his destination was habitable and already inhabited by intelligent beings. Entering the atmosphere he receives a rude shock! His first contact with the beings on the planet is a cannon shot fired at his spacecraft. Escaping, he finds himself in a desolate, uninhabited, frozen place. He finds refuge in an icy cave in a mountain and prepares to survive, knowing that the only food available in that desolate terrain is hunting or fishing. In the meanwhile, the two intelligent and dominant species on the planet throw aside their century old differences, and launch a planet wide search for the Alien craft. Alone, with no means of contacting Earth for support, it is a situation of one man against the entire planet! Will John Kriel be able to survive and keep himself alive till help arrives from Earth?
304 pages, Paperback
First published July 9, 2015
About the author
Deepak Menon
24 books14 followers Deepak Menon, a banker with a difference,left his job as a senior officer in a commercial bank in India,in Sept 2011 to write stories to delight and gladden the hearts of adults and children alike. He writes across genres - so far has written 3 Books of Tales, 4 Volumes of Classical Structured Poetry & Quatrains and 3 Science Fiction Epic novels set in outer space
1. Tales & Fables:- He narrates stories of great adventure and thrilling rescues undertaken by a little Pixie and his amazing OctoDoll, with help from myriad fantasy creatures of the enchanted Booga Dooga Land. The author has filled his books of the Series - "Tales of the Booga Dooga Land" :- Pickwick's Plan, The Wormus and the just published "The Horus" with brilliant wordplay, designed to bring chuckles to readers of all ages, while they read through these sparkling "family together" children's books, where the author has created an entirely original and fascinating new wonderland - the Booga Dooga Land.
The author does not forget to integrate little lessons into the events which are written about in the book, designed to promote what he considers to be the most important aspect of life, “Family Values” .
These are wonderful books where he has introduced a new meaning to the word “Plan”, straight from the Booga Dooga Land.
His debut book Pickwick's Plan- is a 5 Star award winner of the 2013 Reader's Favorite International Book Award Contest in the "Fables Category".
The Illustrations have been painted by Julie Sneeden of South Africa, a wonderful visualizer and internationally renowned artist whose sparkling illustrations have lighted up the book immeasurably. These books deserve a place of pride on every adult and child's bookshelf.
2. : He has republished his well received Volume of structured poetry - Quatrains - with the title "All Pure - Poems of Passion - A tribute to Omar Khayyam", which is also being well received.
Deepak has published a 2nd volume of longer poems "What Worth My Tomorrows"
3. : His first Book was "Skymerge" which has started with several 5 Star Amazon Customer Reviews as well as a Readers Favorite 5 Star review, an epic well researched 311 Page Novel of Interstellar travel and adventure which touches several planets Skymerge shows us a window which may make Interstellar Travel a distinct possibility tomorrow ...
Deepak followed up Skymerge with his 2nd Sci Fi thriller of interstellar adventure and travel - Skysplitter - which also started with Readers Favorite and Amazon Customers with 5 Star Reviews.
His third Sci Fi Thriller SPACEVASION has just been published in Print and Kindle editions and promises to be an eyeopener for the people of Earth
1. Tales & Fables:- He narrates stories of great adventure and thrilling rescues undertaken by a little Pixie and his amazing OctoDoll, with help from myriad fantasy creatures of the enchanted Booga Dooga Land. The author has filled his books of the Series - "Tales of the Booga Dooga Land" :- Pickwick's Plan, The Wormus and the just published "The Horus" with brilliant wordplay, designed to bring chuckles to readers of all ages, while they read through these sparkling "family together" children's books, where the author has created an entirely original and fascinating new wonderland - the Booga Dooga Land.
The author does not forget to integrate little lessons into the events which are written about in the book, designed to promote what he considers to be the most important aspect of life, “Family Values” .
These are wonderful books where he has introduced a new meaning to the word “Plan”, straight from the Booga Dooga Land.
His debut book Pickwick's Plan- is a 5 Star award winner of the 2013 Reader's Favorite International Book Award Contest in the "Fables Category".
The Illustrations have been painted by Julie Sneeden of South Africa, a wonderful visualizer and internationally renowned artist whose sparkling illustrations have lighted up the book immeasurably. These books deserve a place of pride on every adult and child's bookshelf.
2. : He has republished his well received Volume of structured poetry - Quatrains - with the title "All Pure - Poems of Passion - A tribute to Omar Khayyam", which is also being well received.
Deepak has published a 2nd volume of longer poems "What Worth My Tomorrows"
3. : His first Book was "Skymerge" which has started with several 5 Star Amazon Customer Reviews as well as a Readers Favorite 5 Star review, an epic well researched 311 Page Novel of Interstellar travel and adventure which touches several planets Skymerge shows us a window which may make Interstellar Travel a distinct possibility tomorrow ...
Deepak followed up Skymerge with his 2nd Sci Fi thriller of interstellar adventure and travel - Skysplitter - which also started with Readers Favorite and Amazon Customers with 5 Star Reviews.
His third Sci Fi Thriller SPACEVASION has just been published in Print and Kindle editions and promises to be an eyeopener for the people of Earth
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 14, 2017
The powerful, detailed opening of this Science Fiction adventure introduces the protagonist with an eerily beautiful image: a spacecraft spinning lazily through hyper space, without a sound. Inside, “Only a faint luminescence of LEDs” reveals the craft’s instrument panels, equipment, paraphernalia, and the cylindrical pod with a man inside. John Kriel, a billionaire astronaut/explorer, is apparently lifeless. All of a sudden, lights, panels and monitors switch on, electrical currents run through his body, and he is awakened from a fifteen-year hibernation before landing his space craft on a planet lightyears away from Earth.
A sequel to Deepak Menon’s "Skymerge", "Skysplitter" stands well on its own. Obviously written by a lover of science, the gadgets and machines and astro-technology are pure wizardry.
Kriel lands in a country called Plethor, where technology is about a hundred years behind present-day Earth. While Kriel sets up camp in a hidden cave, we switch back and forth between the viewpoints of Kriel and the locals, getting an interesting glimpse of an alien nation that sees an Earthling as a great threat. Occasionally, the author provides a tongue-in-cheek commentary from the Plethorian point of view: “The aliens have developed such high technology that they are in the process of exploring the Universe to seek out other intelligent beings to connect with. This is a favorite topic of our science fiction novelists.”
In a wildly imaginative way, the Plethorians and Yangars join forces to commandeer the invading species. Snooping Vexvs, hoverbots, dirigibles, and six-limbed Bailors are dispatched to capture the strange “airwagon” that was sighted but seems to have disappeared. One plot twist after another, and Kriel becomes embroiled in a local conflict over oil fields, while back at Earth, his son secretly plans to teleport to Plethor to join him.
I especially recommend this book for space nerds who delight in details of quantum travel and the Theory of Relativity, and who would enjoy an endlessly amusing, outer space cast. No graphic violence, no foul language, no sexual content. A light, fresh read with political, social, and ethical themes. Most enjoyable!
A sequel to Deepak Menon’s "Skymerge", "Skysplitter" stands well on its own. Obviously written by a lover of science, the gadgets and machines and astro-technology are pure wizardry.
Kriel lands in a country called Plethor, where technology is about a hundred years behind present-day Earth. While Kriel sets up camp in a hidden cave, we switch back and forth between the viewpoints of Kriel and the locals, getting an interesting glimpse of an alien nation that sees an Earthling as a great threat. Occasionally, the author provides a tongue-in-cheek commentary from the Plethorian point of view: “The aliens have developed such high technology that they are in the process of exploring the Universe to seek out other intelligent beings to connect with. This is a favorite topic of our science fiction novelists.”
In a wildly imaginative way, the Plethorians and Yangars join forces to commandeer the invading species. Snooping Vexvs, hoverbots, dirigibles, and six-limbed Bailors are dispatched to capture the strange “airwagon” that was sighted but seems to have disappeared. One plot twist after another, and Kriel becomes embroiled in a local conflict over oil fields, while back at Earth, his son secretly plans to teleport to Plethor to join him.
I especially recommend this book for space nerds who delight in details of quantum travel and the Theory of Relativity, and who would enjoy an endlessly amusing, outer space cast. No graphic violence, no foul language, no sexual content. A light, fresh read with political, social, and ethical themes. Most enjoyable!
July 19, 2015
This Science Fiction narrative catches you from the first page and keeps you glued right till the last page - and still leaves you gasping for more.
The story-line is simple and masterfully executed. The protagonist John Kriel lands on a planet where the local population is remarkably human (some of them have tails though) and have reached a level of development just slightly behind our present level on Earth. It takes a great writer to create a story that blends the future with the past so simply and beautiful.
It is not necessary too read Deepak Menon's earlier book to enjoy this book. The protagonist is the same but the adventure, the story-line is entirely different. There are one or two small references to the planet of the earlier adventure but that does not distract you from the current story.
The narrative is tight and always unpredictable - the edge of the seat kind of story. There is plenty of action with the earthlings (aliens for the locals) embroiled in a war between three countries. The story is ideal for making a movie and I am sure someone will make a movie out of this soon enough. But don't wait for that. I recommend that you grab the book and read it now.
The story-line is simple and masterfully executed. The protagonist John Kriel lands on a planet where the local population is remarkably human (some of them have tails though) and have reached a level of development just slightly behind our present level on Earth. It takes a great writer to create a story that blends the future with the past so simply and beautiful.
It is not necessary too read Deepak Menon's earlier book to enjoy this book. The protagonist is the same but the adventure, the story-line is entirely different. There are one or two small references to the planet of the earlier adventure but that does not distract you from the current story.
The narrative is tight and always unpredictable - the edge of the seat kind of story. There is plenty of action with the earthlings (aliens for the locals) embroiled in a war between three countries. The story is ideal for making a movie and I am sure someone will make a movie out of this soon enough. But don't wait for that. I recommend that you grab the book and read it now.
June 1, 2021
Public Review :- Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite
5 STARS
https://readersfavorite.com/book-revi...
In Skysplitter by Deepak Menon, the story commences with the main character John Kriel recovering from his hibernation. He watches the image of a planet through the radio-optical telescope of the craft. As Skysplitter makes its landing and John Kriel starts his exploration of the new planet, he realizes that the inhabitants are like humans and they are intelligent too. The planet is developed, though not as much as Earth. His eventful days living in the new planet expose him to many new experiences and exciting adventures with a lot of action. John Kriel becomes friendly with the local inhabitants and also gets involved in their war with other countries.
The book is hard-core science fiction and makes a perfect movie script. Though it is science fiction, it will appeal to all types of readers due to the author's narration and descriptions which make the story very visual and alive. The book is exciting from beginning to end and will keep readers glued. John Kriel trying to survive in the new planet as he is cut off from Earth is interesting. The book is descriptive and all the characters that support the protagonist are well sketched. It's quite interesting to read about another planet having human inhabitants, and thinking and behaving like humans. The author's writing style is simple and fluid, which gives the story a good pace and movement.
5 STARS
https://readersfavorite.com/book-revi...
In Skysplitter by Deepak Menon, the story commences with the main character John Kriel recovering from his hibernation. He watches the image of a planet through the radio-optical telescope of the craft. As Skysplitter makes its landing and John Kriel starts his exploration of the new planet, he realizes that the inhabitants are like humans and they are intelligent too. The planet is developed, though not as much as Earth. His eventful days living in the new planet expose him to many new experiences and exciting adventures with a lot of action. John Kriel becomes friendly with the local inhabitants and also gets involved in their war with other countries.
The book is hard-core science fiction and makes a perfect movie script. Though it is science fiction, it will appeal to all types of readers due to the author's narration and descriptions which make the story very visual and alive. The book is exciting from beginning to end and will keep readers glued. John Kriel trying to survive in the new planet as he is cut off from Earth is interesting. The book is descriptive and all the characters that support the protagonist are well sketched. It's quite interesting to read about another planet having human inhabitants, and thinking and behaving like humans. The author's writing style is simple and fluid, which gives the story a good pace and movement.
May 7, 2019
Skysplitter is a sequel to the author's Skymerge. Though the two books have the same set of protagonists, they are as different as chalk and cheese. In brief, Skymerge was about how humanity made contact with an alien civilisation and also learned interstellar travel. Skyspliiter is about the protagonist of the series John Kriel, who travels to an inhabited planet in another part of the Universe and gets entangled with the political intrigue of that place.
While Skyslitter is free from the flaws afflicting Skymerge, it does not have the mysterious uneasiness that gripped the readers in the latter, where there was something menacing and unknown always lurking in the corner. Skysplitter follows the familiar pattern of the Space Opera that will be of interest to fans of Star Wars or Star Trek. It is interesting to note that all three books of the same series are drastically different in approach. While Skymerge was like Interstellar, this one is Star Trek. And the final part Spacevasion, which is about an alien attack on Earth, promises to be akin to Independence Day.
While Skyslitter is free from the flaws afflicting Skymerge, it does not have the mysterious uneasiness that gripped the readers in the latter, where there was something menacing and unknown always lurking in the corner. Skysplitter follows the familiar pattern of the Space Opera that will be of interest to fans of Star Wars or Star Trek. It is interesting to note that all three books of the same series are drastically different in approach. While Skymerge was like Interstellar, this one is Star Trek. And the final part Spacevasion, which is about an alien attack on Earth, promises to be akin to Independence Day.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews