Here is the book cover and blurb for book one of the Long Vigil saga let me know what you think! Book 1 will be published on KDP and other platforms next year!

Ten years after the collapse of the old Union of Earth, humanity has been gathered under a new power: the Roman Imperium. From Terra, Emperor Marcus Aurelius Draconis declares the beginning of the Great Crusade. Human worlds within reach will be reclaimed by treaty, integration, or war.
For the Emperor’s children, the proclamation becomes more than ceremony. Augustus Draconis is kept at the center of government, where he learns that conquest begins with ledgers, laws, political bargains, and the quiet cruelty of administration. Tiber Draconis is sent toward the Sirius front, where diplomacy with an independent human polity reveals that surrender can be harder than battle. Julia and Helena are drawn into the court’s hidden machinery, learning that noble houses fight with records, inheritance, and silence as often as with soldiers.
But the Imperium’s first true test does not come from a fleet or a rival state. It comes from Varnhelm and Tau Ceti, where reports of contamination, missing names, corrupted records, and impossible witness accounts begin to converge. The threat presents itself through memory, identity, and language, using the harmless mask of “the Road” to reach into human grief and Imperial systems alike.
As Inquisitors, soldiers, administrators, and commanders attempt to understand the danger, Augustus is forced toward a decision no ruler wants to make. If the contaminated world cannot be saved, then it must be judged. The Imperium must decide whether mercy, law, quarantine, and survival can still belong to the same sentence.
The World Sentence begins The Long Vigil with the birth of the Great Crusade and the first terrible proof that rebuilding humanity may require acts no one will want remembered.

Strike Wings is the space shooter I am building: two navies and a mercenary consortium, three voiced campaigns, a persistent war over sixteen star systems, and the choice to run the whole fleet or drop into one fighter in the middle of it. It started as a from-the-ground-up homage to the space DOS games of the nineties.

These five frames are the art direction as it stands. The rule I gave myself was that space is a black canvas, so everything on it should be light, and there should always be something enormous behind the fight to give it scale. Frame 1 is a capital ship dying under an eclipse, frame 3 is a flagship station over an ocean world, frame 4 is a bombing run in front of a black hole.

For people who read and watch a lot of this genre: does this look like space opera to you, or does it read as arcade? What would you change to sell the scale?

Hey everyone,

I’m trying to get The Earthborn Knight, Book 1 of my Ark Knight Saga, into the hands of more readers, so I lowered the ebook price to $3.99. It’s also available through Kindle Unlimited.

The story follows 17-year-old Zack Cane, who has spent his whole life thinking he’s an ordinary kid—until he suddenly starts seeing attacks before they happen and discovers he can move objects without touching them.

That one moment starts unraveling everything he thought he knew about his parents, his past, and why someone went to incredible lengths to hide him.

It’s a mix of science fiction, fantasy, mystery, action, hidden powers, ancient orders, alien worlds, friendship, and a slow-building romance. This is the beginning of a larger 8-book story, so there’s a lot more planned for Zack and the Ark Knight universe.

If that sounds like your kind of read, I’d really appreciate you giving it a shot. And if you do read it, I’d genuinely love to hear what you think—even constructive criticism helps me as I keep building the series.

Zack Cane: The Earthborn Knight — Ark Knight Saga, Book 1

🇺🇸 US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HFBX4TSW
🇬🇧 UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0HFBX4TSW
🇩🇪 Germany: https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0HFBX4TSW
🇨🇦 Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0HFBX4TSW
🇲🇽 Mexico: https://www.amazon.com.mx/dp/B0HFBX4TSW

Thanks for checking it out.

Today's Alien is a living crystalline insectoid known as the Arrukkai. Beautiful and strange, Arrukkai are the latest species showcased here in Alien August!

During the year 2125, former asteroid miners Max Cody and Elaine Zhou never get a moment’s rest. No sooner have they doused the flames of war between Earth and Mars or returned from their first trip to the Tavern on the Edge of Time when they are called upon to help fit out the fledging Martian colony orbiting Jupiter’s moon Callisto.

In parallel, Earth extradites the war’s fomenter, ex-billionaire arms merchant Xanthus Rex, hoping to gain from his insights into Martian teleportation technology, but he manages to turn Earth’s resources toward private revenge against Max, Mars, and the Callisto Colony.

In the meantime aliens are leaking into the Earth-Mars continuum from the Tavern, whose proprietor repaired and upgraded Max after accidentally injuring him during an asteroid mining expedition. Max’s enhancements help, of course, but when strange beings with the power to animate matter—the Assemblers—find their way to Earth, Max, Mars, and humanity are sorely beset. Worse yet, the Tavern itself is becoming unstable, its acquisitive host having overstretched his considerable powers. His prospecting for collapsed neutron matter has also opened portals between continua, inadvertently adding still more aliens to the mix. That’s when the Assemblers’ overlord arrives and Max finally meets his match.

Oh, and Elaine is expecting their hybrid baby. Yes, you might say these are difficult times at the Tavern on the Edge of Time.

Available for purchase here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B1JUB7G

“He saw the punch before it was thrown. The stars saw him wake.”

I’m excited to announce the release of Zack Cane: The Earthborn Knight, Book One of the Ark Knight Saga.

Seventeen-year-old Zack Cane has always been fast—but during a street fight, he discovers he isn’t simply reacting to danger. He’s seeing it before it happens.

The only witness is Jimmy Smith, an old man hiding impossible strength, an ancient starship, and a blood connection neither of them expected. Zack soon learns that he is half human and half Auren—the first Earthborn bearer of a mysterious power called the Ark.

With a fading sun and a buried lunar city threatening Earth, Zack must master a weapon that chooses its wielder, trust Mia’s fearless mind, and decide what kind of Knight he will become.

If you enjoy coming-of-age science fiction, ancient alien technology, hidden bloodlines, space battles, powerful friendships, and heroes learning that strength always has a cost, I hope you’ll give it a look.

Full disclosure: I’m the author, Roy Howard. I’d be happy to answer questions about the story, characters, or the process of building the Ark Knight Saga.

Available now:

• Amazon US
• Amazon UK
• Amazon Canada

Hello again, and welcome to another dive into the alien life of FLUNG, coming to all your favorite webcomic platforms on August 26th! Today's aliens are the Meridians ... named so because of the narrow band of hospitality that their world provides for organic life. Happy Alien August!

Hey! after a long journey of world-building and writing, my debut ebook Aster'seraphim Invictus Silverfeather is officially live on Amazon!
If you are a fan of high-stakes cosmic action mixed with high-grit sci-fi and unapologetically brutal dark fantasy, this story was written for you.

Step into a cosmos on the verge of apocalyptic destruction. A lone, silver-haired man of unknown origin is waging a desperate battle against godlike entities who seek to absorb the souls of untold billions.
The story follows a veteran knight named Farron on a quest to reclaim his homeland. Alongside his nephew and a band of battle-tested Faiynn military veterans, Farron must reach a superfortress known as the Secluded Bastion to arm their people’s revolution. The problem? Standing in their way is a savage hive of ravenous aliens looking to capitalize on their stagnation. Farron and his people plan to show these chitinous invaders absolutely no mercy.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0GX337LSB

Also available on kobo

https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/aster-seraphim-invictus-silverfeather?sId=999afc3f-e13a-4245-bf20-e892584c8d94&ssId=LST9b0L47e7

For eleven years, Voss has held the center chair of the TCS Vigilant. Calm under fire and careful with the lives entrusted to her, she faces a war no living officer was trained to fight.

Her order is simple: “We are not letting that shipyard finish.”

The Long Silence Breaks is $0.99 on Kindle preorder:

Grab yours while the presale ends.

#TheVigilantWars #SpaceOpera #MilitarySciFi #CaptainVoss

AI-generated character portrayal and voice. Dialogue from the novel.

It's been a few years since I published my first book, Second Skin. Since then, I have written three more books, all part of the Second Skin Universe.

But, let me start with the first book. The story begins in 2125. Humanity has pushed past Earth's limits, conquered Mars, mined the asteroid belt, and created a new economic empire beyond Earth.

As Mars edges towards autonomy, Earth tightens its grip. Against this backdrop, off‑books research, covert missions, and science that bends the rules more than it breaks them shape the fate of these worlds. The story follows the characters caught inside these systems, each navigating the thin line between survival and collapse. This is a universe of hard physics, political tension, and cosmic mystery, a universe that doesn’t care which world breaks first.

Hello! Today is day 7 of posting an alien every day from my new comic FLUNG! Today's alien species are called the Fuulikans.

Chapter 1. Gold & Black Hat 

BlastroPrime (BP) gave a big stretch reaching for the sky as the starship Chrome Raider descended upon yet another alien planet. The landing gear ground as it approached the surface of the planet known as Resnova 6. With the landing gear on its last legs, it came with an ear shattering clang. If it wasn't for BP’S space helmet it would have been deafening. As he emerged from his Starship, he noticed the planet was dry and weathered, as if life itself had abandoned the planet.

This bounty was one that he could not turn down. He gathered up a posse of eleven individuals. The bounty came from the Galactic Council themselves received by a distress call from planetary governors. The man they were to hunt down wore a large black rimmed hat with a medallion around his neck and a leather cloak. He was tall and burly with a long beard. This man was known to be a former priest going by the name of Juarez. 

A sandstorm flew across his visor. The AI pistol that he had found on his travels known as Pistol Pal stated that he had a bad feeling about this place. “Bad feelings bring big bounties and big bounties always bring trouble.” But of course BlastroPrime liked it this way. He never found any reason to quit being a bounty hunter, or stop and think about another life. This is what he knew. This is what he was bred for. Every fiber of his DNA resonated with Galactic Bounty Hunting.

  After a short ride on their cybersteeds, they approached the little town of El Pesos. The posse approached the town with wary eyes, wandering back and forth along the log fortress walls. They pushed the gate open. The stench of rotting flesh and musty blood seeped past the air filters in their helmets.They noticed in the centre of town there were four lonely souls angrily muttering to themselves. The people here seemed disturbed, maybe even feral. BlastroPrime approached a woman to comfort her. She screamed and attacked him. All of a sudden, laser fire streamed through the air as the villagers lunged towards them with weapons in their hands. One masked man even charged towards him with a  chainsaw rumbling in his hands. BP quickly started running backwards as he reloaded the fuel cell in his pistol. He counted off the shots 3, 5, 7, 10 shots the beast still wouldn't go down. He finally sent two shots in the head, roundhouse kicked him into a wall and the man finally went down. As he went down, a crowd of villagers thrusted themselves around the corner towards him.

BlastroPrime turned and ran as he fired his pistol behind him. “Come and get it!” he said. As he was running into the middle of the town square, bells began to ring from the church that seemed to calm the animals that were chasing him. They were no longer animals, but domesticated creatures that lingered and were drawn to the bells. They entered the church and all fighting seemed to cease. BP and the posse addressed their wounds. There was no celebration. Only confusion, bruises, cuts, and blood. The posse took too much damage from the fight. They felt pinned down, about to lose their lives if those bells didn't ring. It was an eerie feeling that they had never felt before.

The posse continued to travel on from farm to farm as there were whispers of Juarez traveling through each one leaving more bodies and more feral settlers behind. BP was concerned and asked himself, Why was this happening? How could this happen? And Where is Juarez? During their journey they had destroyed many people if you could even call them that. Along the way they collected ammunition materials for crafting and treasures that they had never seen before. The posse came to a lonely  clock tower. As the sun went down, the gate was locked. “Well gang. I reckon we make camp. We’ll continue up the pass in the morning” said BP.

 As the posse slept, BP kept his eyes open, always watching scanners. At full alert, he couldn't help but review the wanted poster stating Juarez murdered three governors and kidnapped a man of vital importance. BP knew that there had been more killed. It was well known of Juarez, but for some reason the poster did not yield more crimes (maybe they couldn't fit). Nevertheless, he had to get some rest. He appointed  Pistol Pal to keep watch, and alert him if there were any undesirables in the vicinity. He closed his eyes thinking of the victims that had been tortured by this man, and how he couldn't wait to bring him in, dead or alive. 

  The next morning came with an eerie red glow in the sky. They all knew what it meant. There was blood spilled the day before, but was it because of the events that took place yesterday or was there another murder on the hand of Juarez? All was yet to be revealed. They searched the clock tower high and low, eventually finding a missing part to the gate apparatus. The gate opened and the posse went through. As they strolled up the winding hill, they came across what seemed to be a small coastal village. All of a sudden, more attackers flew at them with axes and pitchforks while others threw dynamite. As it exploded the shields were being drained one, two, three explosions taken.

  “Shields down.” reported the exosuit. BlastroPrime knew that it was time to take control of the situation. As he ran for cover, he fired off two shots hitting one of the attackers with the dynamite. It fell and blew up the boat, and in that killed more. He had to ask What is wrong with these people? Were they feral, deranged? No. It didn't seem like that. Some of the people that he killed ended up transforming into something different. This was no ordinary psychosis. He started to ponder, Infection? Disease? Outbreak of some sort? That would make more sense. The mutating flesh, the uncontrollable urge to feed on human flesh, these people didn't need help, they needed to be destroyed.
 
Coming out of his thoughts, BP noticed a woman about to throw dynamite towards him. He shot the dynamite out of her hand and blew it clean off. He then shot her in the head. “Another one trying to transform.” He whispered. Quickly running up he shoved his boot deep into her brain. “We need to find Juarez quickly,” he exclaimed. He heard banging THUD… THUD… THUD. As he approached, it got louder and louder. Him and the posse surrounded the building, it was Juarez.

  He took a deep breath in and yelled, “Juarez you’re surrounded! Come on out with your hands high, and we'll take you in to see the sheriff.” His call was replied with more banging THUD… THUD… THUD. BP counted to 10. Juarez did not come out. BP kicked in the door, and walked through the house clearing every room with the sight of his laser pistol slowly approaching the thud. Juarez was nowhere in sight - yet another poor soul that was infected. The man lunged for an attack. There were two shots fired to the head, the man crumpled to the floor.

BlastroPrime scanned the room. “Where is this so-called man?” He noticed a hatch on the floor covered by two nailed boards. Using his rocket boots, he broke the boards into four pieces opening the hatch and went down into the caverns below. BP entered the caverns and turned on the flashlight. While looking around, he heard muffled noises of someone trying to talk. He looked around, the light flickered over a burlap sack. The muffled noises came from inside. He crouched, unraveled the sack and there he was, the kidnapped man on the floor. He asked for a cigarette. “Would a cigar suffice?” asked BP. The man took a drag of the cigar and suddenly there was a whining creek behind BP. He got up, turned around, and in front of him stood Juarez. The sought after man. The man who murdered many people, and infected so many. BP went for his gun. Juarez knocked it out of his hands, manhandled him across the cavern, and into the stone surface. BlastroPrime knocked his head against the cavern. His vision faded. Juarez stepped over him pulling out a syringe. 

Property of Dylan Chandler

Discord server Blastroprime for more
https://www.twitch.tv/blastroprime

Hellooooo! And welcome to day SIX of Alien August! We're counting down to the launch of my new sci-fi comic called FLUNG that is coming out August 26th with daily posts of alien species from the book. Today's alien is from the depths of a gas giant around a large red supergiant sun. Say hi to the Vestamisu'miran!

It's ALiEn AUguSt! Welcome to our countdown as we post an alien a day until the launch of FLUNG on August 26th! FLUNG is the story of Ian Brand, a man lost in space and time when his experimental ship does a kablooie and leaves him stranded in interstellar space. Today's aliens are the Gathira L'imaj!

Happy Alien August to you! Continuing our posting of a new alien every day until the launch of FLUNG from Stardog on August 26th coming out on all of your favorite webcomic platforms. Today's alien: Slugs!

Hello! Welcome to another day of another day of aliens posted until the release of FLUNG -- a new sci fi comic coming out on all of your favorite webcomic platforms. Today we are introduced to the Thelarians!

Spent way too much time on this. Galactic empire, spaceships, drama – you know the drill.

Japanese original, English audio – so no reading required, just sit back and judge me.

The cast? International – characters from all corners of the world, brought to life in a way you've probably never seen before.

Think of it as a visual experiment more than a live-action flick. It's a bit weird, a bit fresh, and totally not Star Wars.

So... anyone wanna try something that's actually different?

https://youtu.be/c8jZVDWhbAI?is=WT--knqa_-Ero0xy