Star Wars has hyperdrive, Star Trek has warp engines, Stargate has a stargate, Farscape has a living ship that can starburst, and Babylon 5 has jump points.
Firefly inspired many elements in the Backworlds series, but not how my people travel. For one, Firefly never really said how they accelerated the ship or whether they were traveling between stars. Sometimes I had the impression they were traveling within one solar system. Shrug. Whatev. I needed a way to get my ships from star to star.
I borrowed from Babylon 5 and used an accelerator or 'jump points'. I call it the Lepper System. A ship can travel faster within the Lepper System than outside it.
My planets are all clumped in one arm of the galaxy, still the arm Earth is located in -- the Orion Arm -- and they're fairly close together. Humanity has colonized space in the Backworlds, but we haven't moved terribly far yet.
There's still a lot of wonder to discover... as the discovery of planets beyond our system reveals - planets made of diamonds, super Earths, planets more habitable than our own. Wouldn't it be marvelous to go there and see them? I think so. That's why I love writing stories set in space.
Precipice, Backworlds Book 6
In the far future, humanity settles the stars, bioengineering its descendants to survive in a harsh universe. This is the sixth book in the science fiction series, The Backworlds. A space opera adventure.
The Backworlds hang by a Quantum string, a thread about to snap. Annihilation is coming if Craze can’t stop it.
The genocidal alien he had trapped breaks free, destroying a ship belonging to the Backworlds’ oldest enemy, the Fo’wo’s. The murderous alien wants to overtake the galaxy. The Fo’wo’s want another war.
The Backworlds’ best chance to survive is to overcome a century of hate and forge an alliance with the Fo’wo’s. Because of his history with the alien, Craze is recruited to represent his people. Now he’s the most hated man in the galaxy.
The looming war will be a holocaust unless Craze can stop it, knowing salvation comes at a price.
Edited by Kelly Schaub
Cover by: EDHGRAPHICS
Oooh.
ReplyDeleteAnd I love that the hero is the most hated man in the galaxy. I suspect there is a lot of truth in that.
It makes for an interesting tale to weave.
DeleteThere is so much to discover out there. Craze has his hands full trying to sort things out. Congrats on Precipice!
ReplyDeleteHe does. He hates me more than ever.
DeleteHow wonderful it would be to go out there and explore. Just as long as chocolate isn't that rare! Congratulations, Mary. :)
ReplyDeleteYes, heaps of chocolate! It would be wonderful to explore.
DeleteCongrats, Mary! I love the idea of the Lepper System. There needs to be some way to travel faster in space. Otherwise it takes a long, long time to get anywhere.
ReplyDeleteYeah, it'd be a snoozefest to read. The plot would take forever.
DeleteTHree cheers for your latest release, Mary!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Angela.
DeleteCongrats, Mary! All the best. :-)
ReplyDeleteTotally awesome blurb, Mary!!!
ReplyDeleteand I agree - I wondered how Firefly was getting from star to star, or if they were. I think the Lepper system is cool. :)
Wonderful, Mary. Best of luck with the new release.
ReplyDeleteThanks all!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the new release. I love the illustration. It looks 3D, so I love it even more!
ReplyDeleteI've only watched the first episode of Firefly. I liked it a lot, but my husband didn't so I've got to find time on my own to watch it. Usually, I'm not a fan of sci-fi (space straight up creeps me out) but I like the way you word it. Book sounds interesting and awesome cover!
ReplyDeleteGreat book! Can't wait for the next one to find out if Craze can stop the war and regain the trust of his friends and fellow backworlders. Wonderful series. I hope it goes on a long time.
ReplyDelete