Is this new novel better than Star Wars?

When I was a kid, I adored Star Wars. 

I knew all the characters' names, including Ponda Baba. What kind of a geek knows that? Me. By age 7. I even had his action figure. He's the punk who loses his arm in the cantina.

I was in deep.

And for good reason. Star Wars transformed a generation. It deserves its legendary status. Its archetypes come from a story that belongs to all of us. I love the heart of it--the mythical aspects, the heroism, and the epic struggle between light and darkness.



But I got a little disenchanted with it as I grew up. (Just a little.) You have to admit that some of the later films got less mature. (I'm looking at you, Jar Jar. And don't get me started on Canto Bight.) As an author, I began to see some missed opportunities too--not when Star Wars was bad, but when it wasn't as wholly itself as it could've been. I'll give you one small example. (And please forgive me if it sounds like I'm dissing on Episode IV--I actually love that movie.) Princess Leia's home planet gets blown up by the Death Star--BOOM!--and all we get out of her is a mild, "NO!" That's it. I wanted more. I wanted to feel those millions of voices crying out in terror, like Princess Leia surely must have. I wanted to see her crying alone, caught unawares when needed on the battle deck, morose and distraught. I wanted to see the devastating repercussions of losing her family and friends. We miss that entire arc of her character. The loss of Alderaan is epic! But we hardly hear any echoes of that epicness. 

I still adore Star Wars.

But as I got older, I wanted more from it. I wanted the best space opera to go deeper, to reach even more of its potential. I wanted to explore those types of characters more. I wanted to witness not only the heroic actions but the philosophies behind them.

And that's why I wrote STARCHILD.





You may have already seen the tagline: "It's a story for people who grew up with Star Wars but who wanted Star Wars to grow up too." It's an audacious claim. At least a little controversial. To be clear, I'm not saying Star Wars isn't spellbinding. I'm saying what we haven't yet seen may also leave us spellbound. 

Here's a story you might not have heard: George Lucas loved the Flash Gordon TV show as a kid (see George Lucas: A Life). It inspired him to make a space opera of his own (Star Wars), which he actually called his "Flash Gordon thing." Can you believe that's what he used to call Star Wars! He built on what he loved as a kid and took it to another level. STARCHILD has a similar backstory. Rather than detracting from the Star Wars mythos, it magnifies it, giving us another chance to become lost in a galactic epic. I'm not sure STARCHILD makes the same leap as the gap between Flash Gordon and Luke Skywalker, but I hope it does.

STARCHILD is an homage to a great predecessor, and it's much more than fan fiction. The story dives into the hearts of a cast of lovable (and loathable) characters. The galactic setting is exquisite, and it’s based on actual scientific discoveries, with worlds like you’ve never imagined but which likely exist in our own galaxy. The magic system is based partly in fact and might have you personally testing whether it’s real. The story itself is a fast-paced ride that will leave you hungry for more adventure, and luckily, the sequels are already here.

The full synopsis is below. If you're on the fence after that, most readers decide by reading just the first chapter, which you can preview free on Amazon.

I'm excited to hear from you in the comments below and in your reviews on Amazon!

And thank you for being a reader.

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It’s a story for people who grew up with Star Wars but who wanted Star Wars to grow up too.

* * *

Tyranny rules the galaxy.

President Taiberos controls the interstellar gates, regulates the media, and monitors the civilians. Like the grip of his cybernetic hand, he maintains a relentless hold on the populace, keeping anyone else from gaining too much power. And the power he hates most of all is the magic of the Song—a force so strong it flows out as light from the eyes. His Witch Hunters kidnap and torment anyone with such abilities.

And the people are afraid to fight back. Afraid to stand together.

Afraid to rise up.

Still, a planet named Solace is poised to counter these fears and strike against the tyranny. One person holds the key to calling its citizens to arms: She’s a radiance named Kalhette. But she too has been kidnapped—and is being held prisoner in the infamous depths of Building 13.

Only the most daring rescue might save her, and the consequence of failure is death.

Yet a small team of rebels dare to try.

Their mission requires a Bloody Wing: a priceless alien artifact with the power to travel outside the interstellar gates, off the grid, beyond regulations and the grip of the Witch Hunters.

So the rebels enlist a man who stole one of these ships from Taiberos himself—

A renegade pilot named Starchild.

* * *

STARCHILD is the story you’re looking for.

If your favorite space opera (wink wink) hasn’t quite lived up to your expectations lately… If you value flawed heroines, deep villains, mind-blowing plots, and spectacular worldbuilding, then this is it, the story you’ve been waiting for.

STARCHILD dives deep into the minds of an unforgettable cast of lovable (and loathable) characters. The galactic setting is exquisite, and it’s based on actual scientific discoveries, with worlds like you’ve never imagined but which likely exist in our own galaxy. The marvels of the magic system will make you envious, and its basis in fact might have you personally testing whether it’s real. The story itself is a fast-paced ride that will leave you hungry for more adventure, and luckily, the sequels are already here.

Get ready for a reading addiction like you haven’t experienced since you were a kid.

The moment you open the book, you’ll be transported away at lightspeed.

So, are you ready to take an intergalactic leap?