Ascension

by N.J. Tanger

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Pub Date May 01 2017 | Archive Date May 31 2017

Description

Halfway between Earth and a distant colony planet, the Chimera’s navigator dies in mysterious circumstances. The artificial intelligence that makes faster-than-light travel possible rejects all her backup navigators, including Navigator’s Assistant Ashley Samuelson. Something has corrupted the ship’s intelligence, and unless Samuelson can figure out what, all 40,000 colonists and crew aboard the ship will die.

The Chimera personally tasks NA Samuelson with locating a new navigator by testing every person on the ship, but the testing criteria don’t seem to make sense and time is short. Working with his talented girlfriend Amaya, Samuelson does as the Chimera asks, while also trying to find the source of the fault in her system that caused her to reject her backup navigators.

With the ship in limbo, social order begins to break down and anarchy ensues. The corporate interests who paid for the journey institute martial law to preserve order, adding a new layer to the atmosphere of distrust and misinformation. As Samuelson and Amaya close in on answers about what happened to their ship and navigator, a brutal coup d’état erupts, engulfing the ship in chaos.

Working against the new, self-appointed captain of ship, Samuelson and Amaya discover a dark presence at work on the ship, one intimately connected to Samuelson’s past. Only by overcoming his personal demons can he save the Chimera, and in turn, the woman he loves and their unborn child—if he doesn’t lose his sanity, and all hope for the Chimera, in the process.

Advance Praise

Praise for the Universe Eventual series:

"I loved the world, and thought the authors walked the line between great description and action perfectly ... a cracking start to what promises to be an amazing series."

—Tash McAdam, International Bestselling Author of the Psionics Series

“N. J. Tanger has done what many are saying can’t be done: put a fresh face on YA dystopian sci fi. This book almost skirts the edges of that genre, but if you enjoyed Ender’s Game, City of Ember, or The Hunger Games, you’ll find a lot to like in the pages of Chimera.”

—Sarah Read, editor Pantheon Magazine

“Chimera is an epic tale of rebellion, prophecy, and perseverance. With touches of Ender’s Game, and echoes of Asimov and Heinlein, this visionary story is a tense, exhilarating ride.”

—Richard Thomas, author of Disintegration

“Inventive and imaginative story of a distant colony cut off from Earth, complete with engaging characters and plenty of action. CHIMERA provides an intriguing start to what is obviously a larger story.”

—John E. Stith, author of Manhattan Transfer

"Chimera features a wonderful worn-down other world in which many long to be chosen for a perilous journey back to the mother planet in the reconstructed ship that brought their ancestors to the new world. The writing is vibrant and direct with young characters who show the same bravery, impatience and enthusiasm as their real-world counterparts. The alien world and its inhabitants have the ring of reality no matter how far from our reality they may be, a trait shared with some of the best work of Asimov and Anne McCaffrey. I highly recommend a trip into deep space on the Chimera.”

—Brendan Foley, author of Under the Wire, director of The Riddle

“Reminiscent of Orson Scott Card’s early work, especially Treason and Ender’s Game, the storytelling has been well crafted – inviting the reader into a new world that is fresh and deep yet utterly recognizable … skillfully pulls from the best ideas of the genre. In lesser hands, this quest for survival in deep space would become a cliché, but they write like seasoned veterans – clean and crisp.”

— Red Eagle's Legacy Book Blog

“…it's more like a real SF novel with adolescent protagonists. Many of the best fantasy and SF authors have written such novels, from Brandon Sanderson and China Miéville to Paolo Bacigulpi. I found this particular book to be a page turner. I couldn't put it down. So if nothing else, it deserves a thumbs up for being a good read.”

—Vanessa, Goodreads Review

“This book grabbed me by the spine and yanked me through its pages in just a few fast days. Packed with action. Wall to wall conflict. Real human emotion and intrigue. And I don’t even read science fiction!”

—Michael Pugh, Goodreads Review

Praise for the Universe Eventual series:

"I loved the world, and thought the authors walked the line between great description and action perfectly ... a cracking start to what promises to be an...