Interview with Andrei Livadny

Andrei Livadny has created several unique worlds, each unlike the previous. He wrote The History of The Galaxy with humanity itself as a protagonist. This sixty-book series creates a history of our future civilization and its contacts with alien races, forming a convincing and logical picture of humanity's development for two millennia from now. The English translation of Blind Punch (Expansion: The History of the Galaxy Book #1) is now available on Amazon. Andrei's recent involvement with the bestselling genre of LitRPG - books set in online roleplaying games - inspired him to create his most intriguing series to date, Phantom Server. Merging virtual reality with hard science fiction and space exploration.

Could you tell us a bit about yourself? Where were you born? What profession did you initially choose?

I was born in the South of Russia but my parents moved to the central part of the country when I was only one year old. I grew up in an area not far from St. Petersburg.

When I returned from conscription in 1989, I had to decide what to do next. Still, those were volatile post-Soviet times when we often had no say in our future plans. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Russia was plunged into severe chaos when most people didn't know what life would throw at them tomorrow. By then, I was already writing books; I was married to Lana and we'd had our first child. This was the worst possible time to go back to school: my family's survival was at stake. So I took up whatever jobs were available as long as they put food on the table. I'd work days and then I'd write at night.

That continued until 1997 when I signed my first publishing contract. Still I continued working full time. At a certain point, Lana told me that I'd taken on way too much. She said it was time for me to make up my mind about who I really was: was I a writer? Or just a dabbler with a "proper job"?

Her support was incredible. Lana is the woman I love. I don't like the word, "wife". Lana is my muse and my critic, she's my friend and in fact she's the dearest and most precious being I have on planet Earth. It was her who helped me to start viewing writing as my job.

History of the Galaxy booktrailer

Year 2197.

Earth is suffering from the consequences of an environmental catastrophe. Cities the size of continents are drowning in a toxic industrial fog.

Max Bourne is a typical teenager. Like billions of other people, he is forced to live in the protective shell of the individual life support module. His habitat is the virtual Layer. But one day, circumstances force the young man to leave the in-mode. He has no idea that fate will lead him through unimaginable hardships, bring him face to face with military AIs, and teach him to survive in the distant Outlands. He will come to understand that the sum of all technologies, possessed by the four leading corporations of Earth, can either open the way to the stars or destroy human civilization.

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Mirror World - 4: The Twilight Obelisk

The Twilight Obelisk
by Alexey Osadchuk

release - December 4, 2017

Amazon Kindle - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075DCMTPP

Chapter One

It's quarter past four in the morning. The dawn is nearing. The snowstorm has died down; the stars twinkle yellow in the distant sky.

"Would be nice to have some sunshine for a change?" I ask Prankster.

My pet is curled up at my feet, sniffing in his sleep. His ear twitches, betraying his eavesdropping. I already unsummoned Boris but let this lazy SOB to lounge around for a bit.

"I could use some peace," I tell him. "At least for a few days. Let's hope Laosh and his gang get here soon."

We have set up camp by the collapsed wall of the very same house where we met the Nocteans' attack. The crackling of the fire sounds so soothing. My hands reach out toward its warmth. Heaven!

I need to add some wood to the fire. The others need to get warm. The Caltean warriors are fast asleep. The city ruins reverberate from their heroic snoring.

Seet and Horm are making a remarkable recovery. No wonder: this new legendary order we've received does indeed work miracles.

The Grace of the Earth, what a strange name. Its effects are even stranger. It gives +25% to my group's regeneration times. By regeneration, however, the system means both Life and Energy. Excellent, what can I say? Just when we needed it, too.

Way of the Shaman, book 6: Shaman's Revenge

Way of the Shaman, book 6:
Shaman's Revenge

by V. Mahanenko

The book is going to be released August 20, 2017

Pre-order here - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074V8YB1M

Quick nav:

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3

Chapter One. Emergence

“Climb on out!” ordered a man’s voice so hoarse it sounded like its owner had been suffering from a long-term cold—and treating it with ice cream. “Or are you just going to lie there forever?”

Even though my cocoon’s lid had slid aside a while ago, I couldn’t summon the strength to get up and return to the real world. Fluorescent lights buzzed before my eyes—a standard fixture of every office, or in this case the facility where ex-prisoners were released from their confinement capsules—and still I went on staring, as if into infinity. My head was such a jumble that I concentrated on the only thing I knew to be true and then held onto it like a lifesaver to keep from drowning—I was free! I, Daniel Mahan, who had incurred the wrath of my entire city, had regained my freedom! I had managed to trade eight years of imprisonment for a mere eleven months of gameplay.

And yet, this realization did not make me happy.

The only thing rattling in my head was the terrible phrase that Anastaria had thrown into my face: “You’re useless now.” I tried to clear my mind yet again, but the last thirty minutes of my stay in Barliona kept surging to the forefront of my consciousness.

Perimeter Defense, book 4: A Game With No Rules

Perimeter Defense
by Michael Atamanov

The book is up for preorder - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074MVPFGJ

release - October 11, 2017

Balance of Power

"How is she?" I asked Miya as she entered the small dining hall. I was sure that the Truth Seeker would be able to guess who I was asking about but, if she didn't, she could always read it from my thoughts.

I noticed that my wife was looking remarkably tired and poorly rested today. Even the very expensive cosmetics and clothing she wore were unable to hide the black circles under her eyes, drooping in exhaustion. Might that have been her age showing? Obviously, it was difficult to maintain the appearance of a young woman at her... how many years had Miya racked up at this point? One hundred thirty? One hundred fifty? Two hundred?

"Alright, alright, Georg. That's enough!" the red-headed beauty rushed to intervene, giving yet another confirmation that she read my mind all the time without a second thought. "I get the message. I'll try not to come to breakfast before putting myself in order first again. It's just that I really am tired. Talking with the Dark Mother has always been quite hard on me, and our last conversation sucked all the lifeforce out of me."

Interview with Pavel Kornev

Pavel Kornev is a popular Russian science fiction and fantasy author whose writing crosses the boundaries of the sci fi thriller, fantasy adventure and steampunk. Genre mashing has long become his signature style. “His books are a page-turning mix of non-stop action and hard-boiled detective stories set in the edgy atmosphere of steampunk noir. Far from being a knight on a white charger, Kornev’s typical protagonist is an everyday man with his fair share of flaws who puts his talents to good use. His heroes struggle to survive and win their places in the sun; but most importantly, they manage to preserve their humanity even in the direst of circumstances.” Pavel is a professional economist who spent years working for a large bank – until his first novel, The Ice, became an overnight bestseller, allowing him to quit his day job. Pavel divides his spare time between jogging, swimming and beer brewing.

The Fallen (Sublime Electricity, book 3) 

has just become available on Amazon!

Normally, Russian science fiction authors come from either a military or an intellectual background. You, however, are a financial economist. How come you decided to turn to writing?

PK: I have my reading habit to thank for that. As long as I remember myself, I've been reading, mostly mysteries and speculative fiction. And at a certain moment I just thought, why not? I could write something like this myself, couldn't I? So I did. And it turned out to be addictive.

Citadel World: The URANUS Code

The URANUS Code
by Kir Lukovkin

release - September 17, 2017

preorder here - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0743666SX

1

The runner to the right fell down and Rick barely managed to move out of the way. The thick tip of a cracking whip flashed before his eyes, scratching his cheek. Rick did not stop. The man that fell was sure to die and had to be forgotten like last night’s dreams. An ivy would drag him into its lair and calmly digest him, as if he was a huge, sleeping fly.

Rick and the five other young men continued the Spring Run. Ten had been there at the start. Ten challengers, but only the strongest and most experienced would win in the end. The others would be lucky to complete the Circle alive.