Satellite Attack

by Dion Perry

Seraphina has a unique skill that allows her to know the answer to any question as long as it isn’t a future prediction. Under the guise of being exiled to Earth, Seraphina must use her skills to prevent a satellite attack which will end civilization on Earth as we know it. However, a faction within the Galactic Council have awoken a sleeper agent who is the acting Head of Earth’s Department of Extra-terrestrial Affairs, and he orders the military to stop them. In a race against time, Seraphina, along with her sister and co-pilot and a handful of Earthling, must obtain DNA, break into a secure compartmented information facility within a secure government building, obtain a special key and erect a satellite dish in order to stop the satellite attack. When things go terribly wrong, they risk a dangerous manoeuvre of a timeline shift, plunging them into a different reality.

ebook

Published October 31, 2018

About the author

Dion is an author of three books. His fiction works focus mostly on speculative fiction in the genre of sci-fi and urban fantasy. Dion has also written a non-fiction autobiographical history which will be published in the second half of 2019.

I am a martial artist and have had several years training in aikido. I was a student of a contemporary mystery school RSE for over 10 years but I am currently taking a hiatus. I love films and I am a member of the ANU Film Group. I am also a member of the ACT Writers Centre and also the Canberra Speculative Fiction Guild (CSFG). I am also the current convener of the CSFG Novel Critique Group.

Of a weekend I spend time with my wife and dogs on our small farm in the NSW Southern Tablelands where we are slowly implementing a permaculture design.

Paperback copies of my book Target 2013 can be purchased from The great work online bookstore.

Reviews

[cajetane · Rating 2 out of 5]

Satellite Attack is a grand alien invasion adventure packed full of confronting ideas, jaw dropping tech and a few home truths about the consequences of humanity’s lack of care for their only planet. While the publisher clearly did not invest in an editor, if you can get past the irritant of an unpolished manuscript the story itself is compelling. For those in the know, the setting of the story in Australia’s capital city and across its unique landscapes adds an additional layer of enjoyment. With its relentless pace, challenging ideas and sharp humour, Satellite Attack is worth a read. Harking back to earlier waves of hard science fiction, it’s a great anti-dote to the recent flood of lovelorn, dystopian YA.

As an accredited editor, I found the lack of care taken with this story by the publisher to be very disappointing. The full potential of this novel has not been realised, which is why I've only given it two stars. The story could easily be 3 star or better with more polish.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

[Paula Boer · Rating 3 out of 5]

For lovers of alternate/parallel universes, this is a good story with some interesting explanations, though it is described through heavy-handed dialogue. The characters are rather two-dimensional and lack emotion, and the book needs a thorough edit which made getting in to it frustrating, but the story arc is strong. There is a bit too much preaching about how awful humans are with regards to their planet, albeit true, but it is central to the story. Although a slow and difficult start, the pace picks up from the mid-point and becomes a thriller of a read towards the end. Nice to see a sci-fi story based in Australia rather than the usual USA or UK for Earth-side scenes.

[Chris Andrews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Human society is about to be destroyed by nanobots, and Seraphina and a handful of new friends are the only people who can prevent it.

While the characters could use a little work, there's plenty of potential in their relationships. My favourite element was Seraphina's gift of knowing: if she frames a question she instantly knows the answer, the answers limited to the present as opposed to what might be. Need a password or the answer to a difficult question – sorted. Want next week's lotto numbers – not so much. Her gift comes in pretty handy throughout the story, even though it's as much a get-out-of-goal card as it is story enabler.

Story-wise, the justification behind the impending satellite attack which Seraphina is trying to stop is that humans are destroying their world. As a story concept this works, although it rides on the tired coattails of global warming, deforestation and similar environmental issues, and is delivered with such a heavy hand it comes across as preachy and off-putting. Similarly, the storytelling itself contains a lot of exposition, and the dialogue and prose are wordy, but if you're willing to look past that it's a debut novel showcasing an author with a lot of promise. All it needs is a little more polish to buff out the kinks.

Overall, Satellite Attack has a solid premise, good world building, and tension which builds nicely as the pace picks up and the clock counts down.

The race to save the world is far from assured.