Excellent opening. It's a fun read, and the stakes couldn't be higher for the people on board. I love that you share this as you progress with the rewrite. It's no easy task! It's clear you love the story, and it shows. That's what I love about Substack; it encourages sharing and writing more openly, which otherwise would be a very solitary endeavour, and it still is, for the most part.
Calling all SF-inclined readers to join the Journey to Kyron.
Thank you Alexander, hopefully I can get feedback and contributions from people to help shape the story this time too. That's been a dream of mine since the beginning but I couldn't think of a mechanism to make it work...until now.
That's a great first instalment - I really enjoyed it. I especially love your opening paragraph with the meteoroid. It has a lovely visual quality to it, like the opening scene in the movie version.
I have a similar 'arrival' story, although there are noticeable differences to yours (mine is a little influenced by Shakespeare's Tempest) - first, it's the Centauri system and it's already long-since inhabited, so the natives know everything about humans, and second, the ship has engines at both ends (with the rotating habitat in the middle), so they don't need to flip over to decelerate. If I remember correctly that's partly based on Project Daedalus (fusion powered).
I do, however, think this is one of the most important stories for human history. If it doesn't happen then humanity will not last very long, in the grand scheme of things. If it does happen, then it will only do so if those who are already out there allow it to happen. And that means humanity will have to change its ways quite drastically... Until that time, it's quarantine. For simple and understandable purposes of self-defence.
Thanks Evelyn, really glad you liked it! Designing a spaceship is definitely one of the major challenges of this kind of book. I went with the O'Neill cylinder and took some inspiration from Rama by Arthur C Clarke because I felt like it would be streamlined well for rapid interstellar travel. I opted for an imaginary star to give myself a bit of freedom to stray from actual observations. Are you also publishing as a serial?
I published my novella already as an e-book (I think there's a link on my homepage), although I am definitely thinking of publishing it here on my Substack - aside from anything else I get more reads! My version is maybe 50k words, so if I did opt to do it here on Substack then it would work - serialisations are definitely a way to go.
I am getting the impression already with your story that once you get through the initial arrival difficulties it's all about the characters. My version is like that. I am really, really, looking forward to your next instalment though, as you've done a brilliant set up. And if I'm not surprised, I would imagine you'll win the lunar awards first chapter thing, as I haven't read any of the other entries that is as good as your one. It was an especially good cliffhanger.
I also have another version in which it's a smaller ship with only one person on board, so it gets really psychological. I think this scenario is so open for amazing stories...
Wow that's so lovely of you to say, I really appreciate it. You're right that it's very much a character based story, but the world is as detailed as I can imagine it. Did you subscribe to get the next chapter in your inbox? I don't recall but I don't recognise everyone by their email address of course. I'll check out your homepage to get more insight into your works too 😊
Thanks Dawn, your support is so welcome! It's getting a big overhaul so I can't send you the draft right now even if I want to. I'm also looking forward to the evolution.
Excellent opening. It's a fun read, and the stakes couldn't be higher for the people on board. I love that you share this as you progress with the rewrite. It's no easy task! It's clear you love the story, and it shows. That's what I love about Substack; it encourages sharing and writing more openly, which otherwise would be a very solitary endeavour, and it still is, for the most part.
Calling all SF-inclined readers to join the Journey to Kyron.
Thank you Alexander, hopefully I can get feedback and contributions from people to help shape the story this time too. That's been a dream of mine since the beginning but I couldn't think of a mechanism to make it work...until now.
That's a great first instalment - I really enjoyed it. I especially love your opening paragraph with the meteoroid. It has a lovely visual quality to it, like the opening scene in the movie version.
I have a similar 'arrival' story, although there are noticeable differences to yours (mine is a little influenced by Shakespeare's Tempest) - first, it's the Centauri system and it's already long-since inhabited, so the natives know everything about humans, and second, the ship has engines at both ends (with the rotating habitat in the middle), so they don't need to flip over to decelerate. If I remember correctly that's partly based on Project Daedalus (fusion powered).
I do, however, think this is one of the most important stories for human history. If it doesn't happen then humanity will not last very long, in the grand scheme of things. If it does happen, then it will only do so if those who are already out there allow it to happen. And that means humanity will have to change its ways quite drastically... Until that time, it's quarantine. For simple and understandable purposes of self-defence.
Thanks Evelyn, really glad you liked it! Designing a spaceship is definitely one of the major challenges of this kind of book. I went with the O'Neill cylinder and took some inspiration from Rama by Arthur C Clarke because I felt like it would be streamlined well for rapid interstellar travel. I opted for an imaginary star to give myself a bit of freedom to stray from actual observations. Are you also publishing as a serial?
I published my novella already as an e-book (I think there's a link on my homepage), although I am definitely thinking of publishing it here on my Substack - aside from anything else I get more reads! My version is maybe 50k words, so if I did opt to do it here on Substack then it would work - serialisations are definitely a way to go.
I am getting the impression already with your story that once you get through the initial arrival difficulties it's all about the characters. My version is like that. I am really, really, looking forward to your next instalment though, as you've done a brilliant set up. And if I'm not surprised, I would imagine you'll win the lunar awards first chapter thing, as I haven't read any of the other entries that is as good as your one. It was an especially good cliffhanger.
I also have another version in which it's a smaller ship with only one person on board, so it gets really psychological. I think this scenario is so open for amazing stories...
Wow that's so lovely of you to say, I really appreciate it. You're right that it's very much a character based story, but the world is as detailed as I can imagine it. Did you subscribe to get the next chapter in your inbox? I don't recall but I don't recognise everyone by their email address of course. I'll check out your homepage to get more insight into your works too 😊
Partly for all of your next chapters of course! But I shall also endeavour to go through your back catalogue… Am really looking forward to it.
Love it Shoni. It’s going to be hard to wait - I want to read it ALL tonight!
Thanks Dawn, your support is so welcome! It's getting a big overhaul so I can't send you the draft right now even if I want to. I'm also looking forward to the evolution.