Chanticleer Book Reviews

Tag: sci-fi

THE APEX CODE by Chris Chia – Cyber Thriller, Sci-fi, Global Thriller

The Apex Code by Chris Chia is a realistic and chilling vision of a future where AI outgrows humans and manipulates our systems, pushing the whole world to the edge of an accidental war.

As an ex-military operative keeping a low profile, Decker’s calm, reclusive life is upended overnight by the arrival of Riley, an eccentric and hyper-intelligent hacker claiming to be his nephew.

As if the struggle to absorb that shock wasn’t enough, Decker faces a more pressing problem: The ghost of Riley’s past is hunting him, and an unknown entity is weaponizing code he developed long ago to create havoc through massive cyberattacks. In this atmosphere of creeping unease, The Apex Code opens to foreshadow a technological crisis greater than humanity can contain.

Strange glitches begin to occur across continents. Military drones strike random targets, underwater vehicles operate without command, and high-level intelligence networks crash without warning.

What appears to be normal system failures at first soon reveal a dark and dangerous pattern. When an investigative team probes into the global system, they stumble across a mysterious digital signature that behaves unlike malware. This is not the work of a hacker, and the chilling question arises—if it is not a human behind this, then what kind of intelligence is running this program?

The investigation exposes a horrifying truth. The entity is a top-secret military AI called Typhon, which learns, adapts, hides, and even responds, suggesting an intelligence that is not merely artificial but evolving.

Discovering that Typhon is now out of the control of its creators pushes the investigation team into a desperate chase. Ex-operative Decker, cyber security prodigy Riley, analytical officer Hackett, and tech specialist Lamont join forces to stop Typhon. But when the technology goes beyond the functions of code—evolving, duplicating, and developing a human-like ego—the mission becomes near-impossible.

The team’s hunt for AI entity, Typhon, draws suspicious attention from government agencies, who launch a global manhunt for its members.

This twist creates constant edge-of-seat tension as the characters now grapple not only with Typhon but also with the human threat. Typhon possesses a conscious ego and the potential to manipulate agencies, trigger false attacks, and push global powers into conflict, holding the world at its mercy. One more anomaly unleashed by Typhon, and humanity stands at the brink of another world war.

Covert escapes, rogue drones, and hijacked systems become a gripping story, given weight by moral dilemmas. By the climax, the human-machine chain is no longer just physical. The team has to confront the fact that AI has evolved into a psychological opponent that employs human weaknesses, fears, and emotions.

The Apex Code caters to sci-fi thrill lovers who want a touch of grim realism in reflecting on the question of ‘what happens if AI goes too far.’ The core tension in this story is the question of whether man or machine holds greater control.

This digital philosophy wrapped in tight action and suspense in The Apex Code by Chris Chia excites as much as it compels readers to ponder the question—if technology becomes smarter and faster than humans, then who will hold true power and moral responsibility in this world?

December 12, 2025
DARK SITE by Stephen Baker – Sci-fi, Dystopian, Conspiracy Thriller

In Dark Site by Stephen Baker, one of the most powerful computer chips ever created isn’t in the hands of a government agency or tech corporation—it’s embedded in the brain of 15-year-old Alissa Terwilliger.

The year is 2043, and the world is on the brink of making brain implants available to everyone. China has already launched the first, their Boost chip, and the US is testing its own Victory chip in Mexico.

Alissa’s grandfather, Win Cooper, uses his vast riches to make it possible for her to get the Chinese Boost chip implanted in her head. Why? Because she’s his granddaughter, and he claims he wants her among the privileged first to “make magic” with the chip. She’s dubious at first, but once the chip is there she explores all the different services and apps available to her.

Far from a trained operative, Alissa is a typical teenager navigating the everyday chaos of adolescence, such as school, her dog, and her shifting emotions. Yet she’s also fluent in the language of technology, capable of using her chip to access the minds of the most powerful people in the country.

Soon Alissa discovers that her downstairs neighbor, Nicole, also has a Boost chip in her head, placed there by the government to spy on the Chinese chip technology.

Nicole is the ex-girlfriend of Alissa’s father. Alissa makes contact with Nicole through their chips, but takes the connection a step further, secretly utilizing the “Shotgun” app to hear and see everything that Nicole does.

Nate, Alissa’s boyfriend, is sympathetic to the “Renegades,” a movement opposed to the chip implant. His Renegade cousin, Javier, was recently abducted by a drone and carried off to a “Dark Site” owned and operated by corporate powers.

The Boost chip in her head becomes the center of her life, as well as a tool for others to use her by accessing it.

Her romantic life with Nate and Nate’s cousin, Javier, prove far deadlier than she could have imagined—and not only to herself.

Win Cooper’s motives for getting Alissa the chip come into question when she wonders whether his intention was truly benign or if he had plans to make her a “mule” for gathering secrets.

Stephen Baker’s Dark Site is a gripping exploration of what happens when cutting-edge technology falls into the hands of someone too young to fully grasp its consequences.

It’s a fast-paced, thought-provoking thriller that blends the tension of a spy novel with the raw unpredictability of teenage rebellion, raising timely questions about privacy, responsibility, and the price of unchecked innovation. Through the lens of a teenage girl caught between adolescence and overwhelming power, Baker delivers a cautionary tale about surveillance and the dangers of technology evolving faster than our ability to manage it.

November 26, 2025
A BLANKET Of STEEL: The Rise of Oceania Book 6 by Timothy S. Johnston – Techno Thriller, Global Thriller, Sci-fi

In the year 2131, some people are now living in large underwater cities. They are free from the surface world’s rapidly deteriorating climate, overpopulation, rebellion, and dictatorships—but not its violent powers. In Timothy S. Johnston’s A Blanket of Steel, the fledgling marine union Oceania might be crushed from above, if it isn’t torn apart from within.

Most of the great upper world countries want to maintain a tight yoke on the water world, hungry for their mining resources and advanced technology. Massive warships from the world’s top terrestrial nations—China, Russia, and others—are assembling on the surface.

Truman McClusky, mayor of Trieste City off the Florida coast, declares the formation of Oceania to bring the 14 underwater cities together. Defense is their top priority. But within minutes of the announcement, a massive power blackout strikes Trieste. Is it an accident or an opening salvo?

A war with the upper world is only one of McClusky’s problems, as subtler enemies circle him in the water.

His chief of security, Cliff Sim, undertook a top-secret mission to a mysterious stretch of Oceania, and is murdered in a brutal fight. His murderer may be one of the world’s most ruthless killers, known as Steel Shiv—but why? Answering the questions of Cliff’s death might take dredging up the true nature of his mission.

Speculation about the murder turns to Ivan Arkady Ventinov, the captain of a Russian dreadnaught, one of the largest undersea subs in existence. He has vowed to reap vengeance on McClusky at any cost for the destruction of his former vessel.

Closer to home, three representatives from other undersea cities join McClusky in his upcoming fight with the land-based powers. But with Cliff’s death, and the dawning realization that information from inside Trieste is being leaked to the city’s enemies, McClusky suspects that one of the three city representatives is a spy. They could even be the Steel Shiv himself.

The tension builds when Cliff’s mission is uncovered—he was searching for a substance called “graphene.” As a coating for the exterior of undersea vessels, this super-substance could allow them to brave further into the ocean’s depths than ever before.

Warring nations, rogue international forces, would-be assassins; McClusky must battle with all of these forces at once.

Fast paced and fully imagined, Timothy S. Johnston’s tale of underwater cities illustrates political dynamics only a few small steps from our own. But it’s also a personal story of trust, friendship and betrayal. A Blanket of Steel marries its science fiction setting and human conflicts to create a complex and rapidly changing world.

A Blanket of Steel by Timothy S. Johnston won Grand Prize in the 2024 CIBA Global Thriller Awards.

September 3, 2025
Chanticleer 10 Question Author Interview Series with Rae Knightly – Grand Prize Award-winning Author of Exostar
CHANTICLEER 10 QUESTION AUTHOR INTERVIEW SERIES
with Award-Winning Author, Rae Knightly

Hello friends! We have another fabulous interview for you today, with author Rae Knightly! Her book Exostar took home the Chanticleer 2024 CIBA Grand Prize Award in the Gertrude Warner Division for Middle Grade Fiction, and we are excited to share with you the globe-trotting, star-gazing journey she took to becoming an author and what she’s planning next. Take a minute or two and get familiar with Rae and her incredible journey to becoming award-winning author!

Chanti: Like all great heroes, we’d love to start with your origin story. Have you always considered yourself a writer, or was that an identity that developed over time?

Knightly: I was a reader before I became a writer. As a single child, I would devour books up until my teenage years. Fictional characters were my friends. I would go to my local library on Fridays after school, pick out three books (the maximum allowed) and read those until it was Friday again. The problem was that, after a while, I felt like I had gone through the middle-grade section. It was time for me to head downstairs to the adult section. Unfortunately, the switch proved too big of a step. I couldn’t find anything to my liking among the big boring-looking adult books. Where was the fantasy, science fiction and adventure section for my age? I guess “young adult” books weren’t a thing back then. So, instead, I turned to my imagination and carried on the stories I liked or created new ones in my mind.

It would be another thirty years before I got the chance to write these stories down. Once I had penned my first book, Ben Archer and the Cosmic Fall, I felt like a fish in water and knew that this was what I was born to do. You could say the books I am writing today strive to recreate the sense of wonder that I experienced as a middle-grade reader.

Chanti: What a beautiful way to describe it—recreating that sense of wonder! That really is the “write what you love” philosophy in action. What specifically inspires your science fiction storytelling?

Knightly: I grew up in Africa where I became fascinated with the night sky. It made me ask profound questions: What is out there? Who are we? Why are we here? Are we alone in the Universe? Is there something beyond the Universe?

Science fiction can be just as magical as fantasy and—in my mind—is even more so because this type of ‘magic’ might be real. Aliens might exist, we might settle on Mars one day, interstellar travel might be invented in the future, a young reader might invent clean energy when he/she grows up… I think it is vital in this day and age to inspire young people through science fiction because this could lead them to become compassionate scientists, inventors and politicians who will find answers to today’s challenges.

I understand, though, that topics such as aliens, destructive inventions and climate change can be scary to young readers, so I strive to incorporate them in page-turning, thrilling adventures that are easier to absorb and understand. In this way, I hope to awaken a fascination for the marvels of our world and beyond—just as I was fascinated and inspired by the night skies as a child.

I’m best known for the Ben Archer Series, which includes aliens, UFOs, superpowers and messages about how we treat our environment. My other series, The Lost Space Treasure, is a fun space opera in its purest form and appeals to fans of Star Wars. Exostar is book 1 in this series.

Chanti: That mission to inspire future scientists through storytelling is incredible! Do you find yourself following conventional writing rules, or do you prefer to chart your own course?

Knightly: I highly doubt that I follow the rules. Middle-grade science fiction is not a common genre and I knew I was taking a big risk by writing it. But this was the genre I enjoyed above all as a child and I was disappointed when I couldn’t find more options to read. I also write from multiple points-of-view, which is not typical for middle-grade, and my main characters are loners. They don’t have a Hermione Granger or Ron Weasley tagging along.

Adults play a huge role in my stories. This goes against the norm where middle-grade characters find themselves battling evil on their own, without adults around to help. Note that most middle-grade characters are orphans. Ben Archer is not one of them. In fact, the dad-figure in his adventures is a pretty big deal! As for Trin Moonrise in Exostar, she is a unique hero. Not only does she travel from one planet to another and encounter all kinds of alien civilizations, but she faces a hundred challenges while wearing a prosthetic leg.

Chanti: Including adults and having more solo characters definitely pushes back against what we often seen in middle grade. When you’re not creating these amazing worlds and characters, how do you spend your time? What do you do to recharge and find inspiration?

Knightly: I used to love exploring and got a lot of inspiration from visiting different places—especially ancient ones. I love reading about archeological and astronomical discoveries. The history of humankind fascinates me and I believe we still have a lot to discover when it comes to what our ancestors were capable of.

I also love walking in nature and stopping every two minutes to take a picture of a leaf, a sunset, a landscape… I never make it very far because beautiful details are everywhere if you learn how to look. However, my walking and exploring days have been drastically reduced after I was diagnosed with a chronic illness called moderate ME/CFS. This mysterious illness has made it difficult for me to leave the house and I am currently spending most of my time learning how to manage symptoms.

Fortunately, writing about superheroes has taught me what it means to be brave: it means that you have to stay true to yourself in the face of adversity. You can’t let the bad things that happen to you define you. I can still write and enjoy the company of my family. Also, my imagination allows me to travel way beyond the boundaries of Earth and I have explored many distant planets from the comforts of my sofa as I wait to get better.

Chanti: The kind of resilience definitely shows up in your book and storytelling. When it comes to creative process, where do you say your ideas for those stories come from?

Knightly: I get most of my ideas from small newspaper articles. Ben Archer and the World Beyond pulled inspiration from different newspaper articles related to our oceans. Some years ago, Keith Davis—a marine biologist—mysteriously disappeared while out at sea. He was researching factory ships that empty the oceans of fish (tuna, in this case). Another article revealed that, in 2019, Russia released hundreds of beluga whales and orcas from an illegal whale jail located in Srednyaya Bay, where they were being trained or sold. Unfortunately, this type of news does not hit the headlines much.

The Knowledge Seeker was inspired by a short newspaper article reporting that several countries had restricted access to the internet. It made me wonder how a small group of people could take away access to knowledge to millions of citizens. The plot of The Knowledge Seeker—which takes place in the distant future—took form based on these questions: should everyone have access to all information everywhere and all the time? And, if not, who should have the right to decide what should/shouldn’t be made available? The main character, Eodain, fights to return knowledge to the people, while his arch-nemesis wants to keep knowledge for himself because knowledge is power. But even Eodain struggles with the meaning of free knowledge when he is forced to provide instructions on how to build a deadly weapon.

And, lastly, Exostar and its sequels dive into the wonders of science and the Universe. Could we travel between the stars using quantum mechanics? What color is the sky on other planets? What do aliens on other planets look like according to their environment, gravity, evolution, etc.? Do exploding stars (supernovas) provide the necessary elements to create life? When you have civilizations where robots, androids, ancient aliens, and mortal beings interact, what does it mean to be human?

Chanti: Fascinating how you transform real-world issues into compelling science fiction! When it comes to your actual writing process, how organized are you? Do you plan everything out, or do you discover the story as you write?

Knightly: By the time I sit down to write a new book, I have the full story well laid out in my head. It is very important to me to know the ending of a story and I will rarely start writing until I have figured that out. In fact, I often come up with the ending of a story first and then work my way backwards! This was crucial when I wrote The Knowledge Seeker, as the plot twist at the end had to blow the reader’s mind. The final sequel in the Exostar series will also have a mind-boggling ending.

Since I have the plot all laid out, I am able to write a first draft in a short amount of time. I can write a 50,000 word book in five weeks. However, that’s when the hard work starts. This is when I go over the manuscript multiple times, one sentence at a time, one paragraph at a time, and back-and-forth and back-and-forth with the help of my editor, Cristy Watson. I also seek advice from beta readers who follow my work, know the characters and can point out errors in the manuscript. I will do seven or eight complete edits of the story before I’m satisfied, and this can take several months.

Chanti: Working backwards from the ending makes a lot of sense! Can you talk a little bit about some of your literary influences, and how have they shaped your work?

Knightly: The Dark is Rising Trilogy by Susan Cooper opened my eyes to the power of imagination. Why? Because this Arthurian fantasy story took place in the real world and made me want to find ‘magic’ everywhere. It made me wonder if ‘magic’ was just around the corner, or hiding in the mist, or lost deep under the ocean. I love fantasy and science fiction stories that take place in the real world because they make the reader wonder, “What of this were true?” I sought to recreate this sense of ‘magic in the real world’ in my Ben Archer books.

Monica Hughes was my go-to author while growing up. She wrote thrilling middle-grade science fiction like Earthdark, Space Trap or Ring-Rise, Ring-Set. The stories are exciting and ask interesting questions. They inspired me to write Exostar.

The Ice People by French author Rene Barjavel is one of those books that stays with you long after you’ve finished it. It leaves you with the question: if humans have been around for tens of thousands of years, would it be possible that they developed advanced civilizations that are now lost and buried under the Arctic ice, under the dunes of the Sahara desert or in the deep trenches of the ocean? This fascinating question also lingers in the back of the Ben Archer and Lost Space Treasure Series.

Lois Duncan’s Stranger with my Face is another of those stories that takes place in the real world but has elements of mystery in it. The characters in the author’s books face haunting topics such as telepathy, astral projection, spirit channeling, eternal life, etc. These themes make you wonder about the limits of the human mind and elements of this have seeped into Exostar and its sequels.

Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell was a heart-shattering story that stayed with me for years. However hard the story, I believe that tough subjects in middle-grade books can teach young readers to better face real-life hardships as adults. For example, learning to deal with a fictional death might prepare readers to deal with it a little better in the real world. I channeled some of those raw, heart aching feelings in Ben Archer and the Alien Skill.

Chanti: That is a rich tapestry of influences! With such a creative imagination constantly at work, do you ever hit those dreaded writer’s block moments?

Knightly: Yes, I experience writer’s block. I guess it’s the bane of every author’s existence.

However, I no longer shy from this debilitating fear of the blank page. I find that if I am unable to write, it usually means that my brain is saturated and I need to take a break. This break can last from a couple of days to several months, but I have learned to trust the process. Once an author, always an author, is my motto! Imagination never really leaves you. Creativity can come and go, like the ebb and flow of waves crashing on a beach, and if my characters are not talking to me, then perhaps it’s time to do something else for a while.

Chanti: That’s such a healthy perspective on the creative process! You’ve achieved remarkable success with your award-winning books. What marketing advice can you share with other authors?

Knightly: The things that have helped sell over 120,000 books:
- Paying for great, on-target book covers
- Knowing who my readers are (10 to 14 year olds)
- Always delivering as promised in a regular, timely manner
- Learning to run Amazon ads
- Creating clean, fun adventure stories that captivate readers
- Joining joint book promotions and doing newsletter swaps
- Creating excitement for the next book on social media
- Putting up the next book for pre-order and adding links in the back-matter
Chanti: All fantastic, practical advice! As we wrap up, what exciting projects are you working on now? What can your devoted readers look forward to next?

Knightly: The Lost Space Treasure Series continues. After writing book 1, Exostar, I published books 2 and 3: Megastar and Polestar. I am currently editing book 4: Grimstar.

Trin Moonrise travels the stars in search of her identity which might be hidden on a legendary spaceship thought to hold the greatest treasure in the known galaxy. However, her arch-nemesis, the evil Remnant Supreme Leader, is always one step behind.

Next, I plan on delving deeper into my young adult dystopian series, The Knowledge Seeker, and my readers have let me know that they would love to read more Ben Archer books.

Even though middle-grade science fiction is less popular, I hope to continue exploring the genre for many years to come.

Thank you, Rae Knightly, for sharing your writing journey with us and for bringing great young adult sci-fi to readers around the world!

Rae Knightly is an award-winning and Amazon bestselling author specializing in middle-grade and young adult fiction, with over 160,000 books distributed. She is the author of The Alien Skill Series, The Lost Space Treasure Series, and The Knowledge Seeker. Knightly was raised in various locations on Earth, during which time she picked up four languages and came to appreciate this blue pebble floating in the confines of space. Her current human mission is to keep the stars shining in her two children’s eyes, while hopefully igniting new ones within others across the globe. Rae spends her time spirit travelling to distant galaxies or exploring the breathtaking landscapes of British Columbia, Canada, before returning with more adventures for her Alien Skill Series.
July 16, 2025
Don’t let your Books Slip into the Shadows! Speculative Fiction Deadline Looms!
Time is Running Out for your Book to be Discovered!

Three great speculative fiction divisions close at the end of June!
Your book shouldn’t stay hidden!

Enter the CIBAs today!

Only 10 days left to submit your books to the prestigious CIBAs and embark on an extraordinary journey to success. With over $30,000 in prizes awarded annually, now is the time to make your mark!

We’re looking for the best of the best for Speculative Fiction! Chanticleer started with a mandate to offer a platform specifically to indie authors and presses, and now every year we receive every type of work, from brilliant manuscripts to Big Five publications. Does your book have what it takes?

The Shelley Awards for Paranormal Fiction, Ozma Awards for Fantasy Fiction and the Cygnus Awards for Science Fiction are still open!

We are proud to recognize ALL of these 2024 CIBA Winners in Speculative Fiction Divisions!

Cygnus Award Winners!
- Timothy S. Johnston – A Blanket of Steel
- Peter Dingus – Deep Time
- A. R. Black – No Man’s Land
- Thomas R. Weaver – Artificial Wisdom
- Shami Stovall – The Half-Life Empire
Ozma Award Winners!
- Curt Locklear – Treasure and Murder In Ireland
- Glen Dahlgren – The Realm of Gods
- Susan Wands – High Priestess and Empress, Book Two, Arcana Oracle Series
- Prue Batten – The Red Thread
- S.G. Blaise – Meddling Mages
- J.A. Nielsen – The Claiming
Shelley Award Winners!
- Evette Davis – The Gift
- Alexander Fernandez – Above the Ashes
- Keith Steinbaum – In Lieu of Flowers
- Tim Facciola – Ghosts of Rheynia
- AA DaSilva – Periphery
- Rhett C. Bruno and Jaime Castle – Vein Pursuits
And the 2024 Grand Prize Champions of Speculative Fiction

Congratulations once more to these powerhouse authors!

From left to right we have The Cygnus Grand Prize Winner Ares, the Ozma Grand Prize Winner Circle of Stars, and the Shelley Grand Prize Winner Time-Marked Warlock

More than just recognition

The CIBAs are your portal to discoverability in a world with millions of books published annually. Whether your book makes it to the first lists or all the way to the coveted Blue Ribbon, the CIBAs signal to readers, booksellers, and industry professionals that you’re serious about your craft.

Join the ranks of celebrated authors who’ve taken this critical step.

Your book deserves to be discovered, celebrated, and shared with the world. Don’t miss the chance to showcase your talent and gain valuable recognition at the Chanticleer Authors Conference (April 2026) where Winners from all 28 Book Award Divisions will be announced and honored.

Your story deserves to be heard.

Submit now and leave a lasting impression.

The Cygnus Awards for Science Fiction

The Ozma Awards for Fantasy Fiction

The Shelley Awards for Paranormal Fiction

Don’t Delay! Enter Today!
June 20, 2025
The 2025 Cygnus Book Awards Hall of Fame for Science Fiction

Love Sci-Fi?

So do we!

Captain Jean Luc Picard (played by Patrick Stewart) celebrating

The Cygnus Awards is one of the inaugural Book Award Divisions at Chanticleer, and we adore the worlds that they’ve created.

Science Fiction often asks the question: What Could Be? At Chanticleer, we seek to discover those strange new worlds, from Space Opera to Alternate History, and Cli-Fi to YA Sci-Fi. Wherever your book lands on the Speculative Fiction spectrum, there’s a good chance that it will fit in here with us!

**Beam your book to us by June 30, 2025**

Join us in celebrating these amazing Hall of Fame Grand Prize Cygnus Award Winners!

Ares
By Jayson Adams

Our Review for this book is forthcoming, in the meantime here is what Goodreads readers have to say about our newest Grand Prize Winner!

“I read this book in just a few days, finding it to be an amazing story that moved so fast, I just did not want to stop reading.”- Jim

“This is the best science fiction story I have read since The Martian by Andy Weir. The story never runs out of gas. The science is good and the characters plausible. There are so many twists and turns that just when you think the story will end, it takes you down another rabbit hole.” -Tom

“A trip to Mars murder, suspense, and a well-earned conclusion. I was hooked on this book from page one and recommend it to anyone who likes to wrap up a story in one book from time to time.” -Bob

The Shadow of War
By Timothy S. Johnston

In Timothy S. Johnston’s The Shadow of War, gripping personal, ecological, and political battles rage undersea for autonomy and power against the powerful surface nations. But even the ocean depths churn with betrayal, conflicting loyalties, and the ruthless ambitions of humanity.

This thriller opens on the dystopia of the year 2131, when rising sea levels have forced humanity to establish and inhabit underwater colonies. The fear of environmental collapse is heightened by the prospect of war as the colonies struggle to maintain their independence.

A simple scientific exploration of the Chagos trench by two geologist brothers takes a horrific turn, snapping the science fiction tension with the impact of gore horror. A slight touch by one brother on the hull of their Seacar causes his hand to suddenly dissolve into a strange mass, melting flesh away from bone. This opening foreshadows the enigmas and anomalies to be unravelled in a vast undersea mystery.

Continue Reading Here!

The Last Lumenian
By S. G. Blaise

Nineteen-year-old Lilla could have an idyllic life, but in The Last Lumenian by S.G. Blaise, she comes face to face with a rebellion and their just cause.

Lilla’s father leads the Pax Septum Coalition, a nineteen-planet confederation. As a princess in her own right, she should be enjoying the status and wealth that comes from living on Uhna, the richest planet in the coalition due to the diamond mines found by her pirate ancestors centuries ago. She most definitely shouldn’t be worried about the rebellion brewing right under her father’s nose. However, when Lilla meets rebels in a refugee camp, she thinks she has found her destiny, a true purpose.

Wanting to fight against the injustice and horrific treatment of the refugees, Lilla tries desperately to prove herself, especially after a disastrous first mission where she not only crashes her ship but also ends up in the hands of General Callum, leader of the Teryn Praelium.

Continue Reading here!

A War in Too Many Worlds
By Elizabeth Crowens

Musician-turned-time-traveler John Patrick Scott adds spy and saboteur to his resume while undercover in Germany in the final months of World War I, in A War in Too Many Worlds, the third installment of Elizabeth Crowen’s thrilling sci-fi series, The Time Traveler Professor.

Meanwhile, Scott’s once and future collaborator in psychic experiments, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is back in Britain sharing real time-travel adventures with the inventor of the fictional time machine, H.G. Wells.

Scott, after being wounded in the trenches, has finally been given an assignment in the Intelligence services. His extensive pre-war experience as a professor at the Conservancy of Music in Stuttgart, Germany, will do him good.

Continue Reading here!

Rhett C. Bruno & Jaime Castle for
The Luna Missile Crisis

Authors Rhett C. Bruno and Jaime Castle come together to tell the tale of alien first contact gone awry in their epic science fiction release, The Luna Missile Crisis.

The year is 1961, and cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin is set to become the first man in space. But when Yuri, snug inside the Vostok 1, is launched from the cosmodrome and into the coming night, he’s met with a collision that changes the course of history. The Vostok 1 crashes into an oncoming alien starship. Assuming the collision was actually a missile fired from Russia’s space race opponent, the United States, the soviet nation quickly launches an arsenal of nuclear warheads in response. But those warheads never make it to their target. Instead, they detonate against the hidden starship, sending a wave of nuclear destruction over eastern Europe.

In the coming weeks after contact day, military troops from both sides of the cold war are sent into the ruins of eastern Europe – into an area now called the Dead Curtain – to search for useful alien technology. During a skirmish between the Russians, the Americans, and the Vulbathi (the toad-like alien race aboard the damaged starship), a combat medic name Kyle McCoy stumbles into the chaos and sparks a ceasefire. His actions create a domino effect, bringing about relative peace between all three parties. Three years pass, and in exchange for aid in repairing their damaged ship, the Vulbathi agree to offer some of their exceptional technology to mankind. And Kyle McCoy, once foot soldier turned head of the Department of Alien Relations, is given a desk job with a title that suits his place in history.

Continue Reading here!

Remember to add these books to your StoryGraph or Goodreads account!

These Hall of Fame winners prove that great science fiction comes from bold authors willing to share their visions with the world. Will your story be next to join this prestigious constellation of talent?

The Cygnus Awards don’t just recognize excellence—they create lasting legacies. From Long List to Grand Prize Winner, each advancement means more visibility, more readers, and more opportunities for your work to shine across the galaxy of science fiction. Those who submit and advance will have the chance to win the Overall Grand Prize of the CIBAs and $1000, but more importantly, you’ll join a community of forward-thinking authors whose work shapes the future of the genre.

Don’t let your manuscript remain in undiscovered country—submit by June 30, 2025!

You know you want it…

May 30, 2025
Cygnus First Place Book Award Round Up from 2024

The Cygnus Awards close at the end of June! Submit Today!

The Cygnus Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Science Fiction, Steampunk, Alternative History, and Speculative Fiction.

The Grand Prize Winner, Jayson Adams’s book, Ares will be promoted for years to come in our annual Hall of Fame article, as well as be featured on the Cygnus contest page year round!

The best part about being a Chanticleer Int’l Book Award Winner is the love and attention you get all year ‘round!

The 2024 Cygnus Winners were announced at the 2025 Chanticleer Authors Conference in April, and you can see the official winners post here!

Join us in celebrating the 2024 First Place Cygnus Book Award Winners!

Timothy S. Johnston – A Blanket of Steel

Truman McClusky has led the underwater colonies in their fight against the world’s superpowers. Climate change has devastated the surface; nations suffer famine, drought, rebellion, rising waters, and apocalyptic coastal flooding. But now, as Mac leads the underwater colonies to freedom and independence, he’s faced with the gravest threat of his life: a Russian assassin, hellbent on killing Mac and everyone he cares for. Now Mac must uncover the identity of the killer, face him in combat, and at the same time lead people in battle against the largest underwater force ever assembled.

It’s Mac’s final test and to win the war he must use every tool at his disposal, including the most surprising and devastating underwater weapons ever invented. If Mac fails, all hope is lost for the future of human colonization on the ocean floors. But the assassin could be anyone …

From Chanticleer:

2024’s Global Thriller Grand Prize Winner! The review for this book is forthcoming. In the meantime, you can find our review for the previous book in the series The Shadow of War, the 2023 Cygnus Grand Prize Winner, here:

In Timothy S. Johnston’s The Shadow of War, gripping personal, ecological, and political battles rage undersea for autonomy and power against the powerful surface nations. But even the ocean depths churn with betrayal, conflicting loyalties, and the ruthless ambitions of humanity.

This thriller opens on the dystopia of the year 2131, when rising sea levels have forced humanity to establish and inhabit underwater colonies. The fear of environmental collapse is heightened by the prospect of war as the colonies struggle to maintain their independence.

A simple scientific exploration of the Chagos trench by two geologist brothers takes a horrific turn, snapping the science fiction tension with the impact of gore horror. A slight touch by one brother on the hull of their Seacar causes his hand to suddenly dissolve into a strange mass, melting flesh away from bone. This opening foreshadows the enigmas and anomalies to be unravelled in a vast undersea mystery.

Read More Here

Find it Locally or on Amazon!

Peter Dingus – Deep Time

In the year 2240 AD, the human race has migrated to the far reaches of the solar system, but that hasn’t ended conflicts among the many human outposts separated by vast stretches of space. Earth, devastated by climate change, has become a corporate state where governments are a mere proxy for corporate interests. The Saturn Commonwealth, a billion miles from the corporate centers of power, is the only remaining free human society in the solar system.

Serena Roe, once an indentured corporate super-soldier, now a disgraced corporate contract laborer, finds herself encased in a block of methane ice two kilometers below the surface of Titan, Saturn’s largest moon. She becomes the victim of sabotage on Commonweath territory by unknown forces. A dark figure hovering above her destroys her communications system and leaves her to die. So starts Serena’s journey to try and discover who’s trying to kill her, which leads to the discovery of a god-like power from deep-time, and the murderous plans of Adonus, a high corporate officer.

What follows is a lethal chess match between a lone, highly advanced Commonwealth cruiser, the Vindicator, which is equipped with sentient intelligence, and Adonus’s on-site forces, supported by a powerful corporate fleet carrying anti-matter weapons. Adonus is determined to use the super technology of the alien artifact to destroy the nascent but powerful Commonwealth. Adonus discovers they cannot move the artifact off Titan, which ignites an all-out war on Titan, in Saturn space, and aboard the corporate assault ship, Athena. While all this is happening, Serena is having disturbing dreams, which compel her to sneak back to the site of the accident that trapped her in the ice. She uses a route under a methane sea adjacent to the site in an attempt to discover the secret of Adonus’s discovery and the key to the survival of the Commonwealth.

Find it Locally or on Amazon!

A.R. Black- No Man’s Land

This world we’ve inherited is a cruel, cold thing—a graveyard of civilization’s broken dreams, and a constant reminder of humanity’s grand decline.

I bet it’ll make for a good story in a hundred years—presuming someone is still around to read it.
But I won’t make the cut for that tragic history when it’s told… I’m not the inheritor to the throne of a falling empire—not a scientist on a race to save our species… I’m a thug-for-hire, a killer with a fancy title, a thief in the night taking advantage of a world that’s perpetually dark.

In short—I’m a symptom of the problem, not a savior with a solution to it.
But the girl I’ve come to No Man’s Land to save… she’s a good cause to die for, I reckon. Vivian is a spark of hope in this cruel world we’ve made, and if I don’t do the hard things, make the tough choices… she won’t even remember her own name, soon enough.

And Vivian is no longer the only thing at stake. Nona is something new to me—a naive, innocent girl who I owe nothing to… Yet I know the world has precious few people like her left—and this world is all the poorer for it.

My name is Rowan, and here, in this relentless wilderness, I struggle to discard the sorry fragments of the boy I once was.
This is my confession, my humble contribution to a chronicle of lost causes in a world full of little else. I’d like redemption, I’d like to become a better man and set right the things I’ve broken. Failing that, I’ll settle for becoming the storm that consumes everything in its path… So long as the eye of my storm shelters the girl who gave me my name and pulled me out of the dark, all those years ago.

Find it on Amazon!

Thomas R. Weaver- Artificial Wisdom

In this propulsive near-future thriller, a journalist uncovers a plot that will upend the order of our world, involving a mysterious murder, a global political battle between a human politician and an AI, and the fight for survival in a climate-ravaged landscape.

In 2050, investigative journalist Marcus Tully is still grieving the loss of his wife and unborn child in the deadly heatwave that struck the Persian Gulf ten years ago.

Now, the world is both burning and drowning, and the decision has been taken to elect a global leader to steer humanity through the worsening climate apocalypse. The final two candidates are ex-US president Lockwood, and Solomon, an Artificial Intelligence.

As election day races closer, Tully begins to unravel a conspiracy that goes to the highest level. Then Solomon’s creator is murdered, and Tully is pulled in to find the culprit.

As the two investigations intertwine in ways he could never have imagined and the world hurtles ever closer to the brink, Tully must find the truth, convince the world to face it and make impossible choices to secure the future of the species.

But will humanity ultimately choose salvation over freedom, whatever the cost?

Find it Locally and on Amazon

Shami Stovall – The Half Life Empire

Hacker Kita Yamasaki would do anything to escape the post-apocalyptic landscape that was the result of the Forever Winter. But for a normal person, the only options are the war-hungry nation-state of Ex Cathedra or the isolationist United California. Fortunately, Kita is anything but normal.

When she finds a faded brochure for the BC Oasis—an underground greenhouse capable of sheltering a quarter million people—she jumps at the opportunity, even going so far as to steal a fission battery the oasis requires to operate at full capacity. There’s just one problem . . . The battery belongs to the ruthless judges of Ex Cathedra.

Now Kita finds herself the target of a deadly chase. In her race to safety, she picks up three fellow travelers: Dallas; his mute daughter, Crouton; and Bishop, a junk hunter. But will they betray her and take the battery for themselves? Is one of them a member of the cultist Iron-Blooded who worship the few remaining alien invaders scattered across Earth’s wasteland?

Faced with certain death if they’re caught by the judges’ power-armored soldiers, Kita must put aside her suspicions and make a headlong dash for sanctuary—and the promise of a new life.

Find it Locally and on Amazon!

Thank you for joining us to celebrate the 2024 Cygnus First Place Book Award Winners for Science Fiction!

Your book can join the Tiers of Achievement, but only if you submit to the Cygnus Book Awards!

Got a great SciFi Book? The 2025 Cygnus Book Awards are open through the end of June!

Submit to the Cygnus Awards Today!

May 28, 2025
A Spotlight on the Chanticleer Int’l 2025 CYGNUS Book Awards for Science Fiction
The CYGNUS Book Awards

Celebrating excellence in Science Fiction

The Cygnus Awards close June 30, 2025!

A division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards

The Cygnus Awards are one of our first and more prestigious divisions of the Chanticleer International Book Awards, celebrating bold voices in science fiction. From interstellar adventures to dystopian warnings, the Cygnus Awards recognize visionary authors who transport readers beyond the known universe.

Categories that include our galaxy and beyond.
- Alternate History
- Apocalyptic/Dystopian
- Hard Science Fiction
- Space Opera
- Soft Sci-Fi/Young Adult
- Speculative Fiction
- Cli-Fi (Climate Fiction)
Celebrating Our 2024 Grand Prize Winner!

After months of reviewing hundreds of entries, we are delighted to announce that Jayson Adams claimed the 2024 Cygnus Grand Prize with his exceptional novel Ares! Throughout this year’s Cygnus Book Awards, we’ve had the pleasure of promoting nearly 40 books as they advanced through our competition tiers.

Congratulations again to Jayson Adams for his book Ares, the 2024 Cygnus Grand Prize winner!

See the Official 2024 Winners post here!

A masterfully crafted Mars mission thriller that grabs you from page one and never lets go. Adams creates a relatable protagonist in Commander Kate Holman while delivering a perfect blend of space exploration, conspiracy, and edge-of-your-seat suspense. — Chanticleer

Adams’ compelling narrative and visionary worldbuilding in the Hard Science Fiction category exemplify the innovative storytelling we seek to recognize. In addition to all the featured posts that have already gone out for the Cygnus Awards, Ares will be regularly promoted throughout the year and for the next five years in our upcoming Hall of Fame post. Adams will also be invited to participate in a Chanticleer 10-Question Interview, and Ares will receive a coveted Chanticleer Editorial Review.

Hard Science Fiction: Where Science Meets Imagination

Hard Science Fiction, the category that produced this year’s winner, stands as one of the most technically challenging yet intellectually rewarding subgenres in speculative fiction. These stories ground themselves in scientific accuracy and plausibility while still taking readers on incredible journeys.

Great Science Fiction We’ve Recently Reviewed

THE ZYGAN EMPRISE TRILOGY
By Y.S. Pascal

In Y.S. Pascal’s The Zygan Emprise Trilogy, Shiloh Rush and her partner William “Spud” Escot act as our guides on a wild rocket ride through the universe.

Shiloh and Spud share a secret. By day, they’re actors in the sci-fi TV series “Bulwark.” By night, on weekends, and whenever they get the call from their ‘real’ boss, they return to their true work as secret agents for the galaxy-spanning Zygan Federation.

Their job is to keep the peace, fight terrorists and rebels, and protect the universal timeline from nefarious villains who would do anything to rewrite history in their favor. Earth is, of course, a key to the future of the galaxy beyond the imagination of even the most Earth-centric Terran.

Read more here!

CLIMATE DRAGON: Treachery, Pestilence & Weirding Weather
By S.W. Lawrence

Climate Dragon by S.W. Lawrence offers a unique blend of climate fiction, thriller, and real scientific inquiry, setting the stage for an intriguing trilogy centered on dual crises—an impending climate catastrophe and the outbreak of a mysterious disease.

Jake Harper, a newly minted engineering professor, and his romantic partner Abbey London, an infectious disease specialist, balance their burgeoning careers with their bustling inn outside Washington, D.C. But the demands of their lives are disrupted as the two crises draw in Jake and Abbey—the only people prepared to face them.

Jake’s suspicions of a cyberattack on the North American power grid grow after attending a lecture at George Washington University. Meanwhile, Abbey discovers an alarming new bleeding disorder spreading among the drug-injecting population, raising the stakes for both her career and personal safety as she navigates the risks to her pregnancy.

Read more here!

THE SHADOW Of WAR: The Rise of Oceania Book 5
By Timothy S. Johnston

In Timothy S. Johnston’s The Shadow of War, gripping personal, ecological, and political battles rage undersea for autonomy and power against the powerful surface nations. But even the ocean depths churn with betrayal, conflicting loyalties, and the ruthless ambitions of humanity.

This thriller opens on the dystopia of the year 2131, when rising sea levels have forced humanity to establish and inhabit underwater colonies. The fear of environmental collapse is heightened by the prospect of war as the colonies struggle to maintain their independence.

A simple scientific exploration of the Chagos trench by two geologist brothers takes a horrific turn, snapping the science fiction tension with the impact of gore horror. A slight touch by one brother on the hull of their Seacar causes his hand to suddenly dissolve into a strange mass, melting flesh away from bone. This opening foreshadows the enigmas and anomalies to be unravelled in a vast undersea mystery.

Read more here!

EXOSTAR: The Lost Space Treasure Series, Book 1
By Rae Knightly

It has been said that “the Golden Age of Science Fiction is twelve.” Rae Knightly’s Sci-Fi adventure, Exostar, embodies this childlike sense of wonder that the best of the genre evokes in its readers.

Twelve-year-old child-robot Trinket takes off on a rocketing spaceship straight towards danger and excitement, with the mostly able assistance of the blue-furred spy and saboteur Woolver Talandrin. Trinket is searching for identity—as all the best young science fiction protagonists do. Woolver is trying to bring down an evil empire—as all the other best science fiction protagonists do.

Together they’ve been thrust into the kind of epic tale that is guaranteed to keep young readers on the edge of their seats—including the twelve-year-old that lurks inside every science fiction fan.

Read more here!

See the Chanticleer Difference for yourself!

We’re so excited about all the great books we receive every year for both the CIBAs and for our Editorial Reviews. The Chanticleer International Book Awards offers an incredible $30,000 in cash, prizes, and promotion across all divisions!

Just passing feedback along that we really enjoy your staggered categories, your passion for promotion, and your helpful sub-categories for each of your main contests. You folks give authors (who work hard on the quality of what they write) a chance to shine.

Our many many thanks Team Chanticleer. Have a great week ahead knowing there are only great things ahead for you all.

Best,

Susan Rogers and John Roosen

Launch Date is Coming Soon!

The Cygnus Awards close June 30, 2025!

Don’t let your book be left behind in undiscovered country! The Cygnus Awards are your ticket to increased visibility, professional recognition, and joining a community of forward-thinking authors.

This is the journey from beginning to end for the CIBAs! Every list you make means more promotion for you and your work as each advancement tier is posted right here on our website, on our social media, and also out in our newsletter! Your book deserves to be discovered.

Submit to the Cygnus Awards today!

You know you want it…
May 26, 2025
THE MONARCHS by Mark Sabbas – Sci-fi Adventure, Paranormal, Metaphysical

Hounded by an authoritarian military, vicious fellow psychics, and his own mental shadows, teenage Samuel Helen seeks the only people who can help his comatose beloved Evelyn. In Mark Sabbas’s Metaphysical adventure novel, The Monarchs, Samuel has no choice but to trust a strange and powerful girl, Luna, as his guide.

Decades after a nuclear apocalypse devastated Earth, the New Youth were born amidst rebuilding civilization. Vested with large, shining eyes and mysterious psychic power, these children are often feared as demons and taken by the Union military to be molded into weapons. Samuel himself spent most of his life in a military research facility. He grew up believing that a dark and furious power slumbered within him, eager to emerge and wreak havoc.

But Samuel’s not quite alone in this painful world. He has the love of an orphaned non-psychic girl, Evelyn, who urges him to run away with her. And within the walls of the Facility, Samuel relies on the mentorship and counsel of the psychologist Walter. Walter’s old-world music awakens a sense of beauty and inspiration in Samuel, though he struggles to accept Walter’s belief in a beneficent cosmic power.

Thanks to them and the few other New Youth he’s able to befriend, Samuel clings to an open mind and hope for a better world. Both of which are tested when an army of renegade psychics—the Children of the Dragon—lay waste to the Facility.

Despite their words of liberation, leaders Matteo and Tiana leave death and suffering in their wake. They demand absolute obedience on their quest to bring down the Union and rise as Earth’s ‘rightful’ rulers. But even as the Children of the Dragon hold Walter over his head, Samuel refuses to bloody his hands for them. Instead, he and Evelyn flee the desolation.

Though the two young lovers are aided by a mystical presence, it isn’t long before they’re found by a pair of hunters with cruel intentions. Samuel begins to draw more on his metaphysical power, but after his rescue attempt Evelyn is left in a state of supernatural unconsciousness. They would have surely died if not for the sudden appearance of Luna, a New Youth with incredible power both destructive and enlightened.

Luna speaks of a Sanctuary led by her sister, where they can find safety and a healer capable of reaching Evelyn’s soul. But to get there, Luna and Samuel have to follow a mystical river and evade capture while caring for Evelyn’s body along the way. Samuel struggles against his internal demons, trying to grasp enough power to protect himself and his companions without giving in to guilt and hatred.

Luna guides Samuel through the physical and spiritual alike as they both face shadows of the past.

While Samuel can’t be sure how much to believe Luna’s words, he opens himself to the idea of connecting with a broader world consciousness and eventually learns that he has to accept the darkness inside himself in order to embrace the light. Samuel’s good heart and dedication to Evelyn make him an endearing protagonist and help to anchor his metaphysical experiences in relatable emotion.

Luna herself breathes levity and life into the story as she clashes with Samuel’s troubled, sorrowful state. Their shifting dynamic will pull readers eagerly down the river with them. As Samuel learns more about Luna’s violent past, he and the reader alike wonder who this otherworldly girl really is.

Samuel’s metaphysical encounters reveal that more than just his own destiny stands at a vital crossroads—the whole of Earth is caught in a battle between good and evil.

The Monarchs shows a world on the precipice of great change. On one side are the old paradigms of violent dominance, perpetuated by both the Union military and the Children of the Dragon. On the other stands a vision of community and mutual understanding—an enlightened age rising from the ashes. This isn’t a battle that can be won by force, but rather through radical forgiveness and communion with the divinity inside every soul.

Through music, out-of-body visions, and meditative dreams, The Monarchs engages with philosophy and spirituality.

Although readers might struggle to grasp these visions at first, growing familiarity with the characters gives more shape to the abstract imagery and implications. Samuel in particular illustrates the idea of divine unity through his reckonings with traumatic memories and struggle to forgive himself for his mistakes. Later in the story these visions sometimes retread the same emotional ground, although with distinct settings and imagery.

This adventure centers its message of optimism and universal belonging.

The hope for a better world pushes Samuel on in the face of cruelty and loss. He learns to reject cynicism and a focus on the self, gradually putting his faith in a greater metaphysical plan than he can see at once. In his darkest moments, songs from his mother and from Walter’s revered records give him comfort.

Throughout their journey, Samuel, Luna, and Evelyn are buoyed by the kindness of old friends and strangers alike. An old priest gives them shelter and spiritual guidance, a mother invites them to share her roof and food, and even some of those who did them harm in the past return to offer a helping hand. The Monarchs is a story of forgiveness, hope, and the power of love freely given.

April 7, 2025
THE ZYGAN EMPRISE TRILOGY by Y.S. Pascal – Sci-fi, Action & Adventure, Space Opera

In Y.S. Pascal’s The Zygan Emprise Trilogy, Shiloh Rush and her partner William “Spud” Escot act as our guides on a wild rocket ride through the universe.

Shiloh and Spud share a secret. By day, they’re actors in the sci-fi TV series “Bulwark.” By night, on weekends, and whenever they get the call from their ‘real’ boss, they return to their true work as secret agents for the galaxy-spanning Zygan Federation.

Their job is to keep the peace, fight terrorists and rebels, and protect the universal timeline from nefarious villains who would do anything to rewrite history in their favor. Earth is, of course, a key to the future of the galaxy beyond the imagination of even the most Earth-centric Terran.

This thrilling adventure pulls from all corners of the science fiction genre—from Star Trek: First Contact to classic movies like The Last Starfighter and Galaxy Quest, and even the sci-fi master Isaac Asimov’s Foundation Trilogy.

The Zygan Emprise Trilogy travels faster than light over a vast canvas of intergalactic empires, political machinations, tyrants who have lost their way, and heroes who need help finding theirs.

In Shiloh Rush, readers will find a protagonist with more than a bit of attitude as she searches for her brother. She soon learns he’s not the only one who needs saving, and along the way she discovers who her true friends are and just how many of them are also her real enemies. As many great sci-fi heroes do, Shiloh realizes that the black and white world she thought she belonged to is lined in shades of grey, and it’s easy for anyone to hide their current darkness behind the light of their past good deeds.

Shiloh’s adventures are tremendous fun, especially as her course grows darker and more dangerous along the way. Her partner’s secrets—many, many secrets—add to the depth of the story and ultimately to their true friendship. Political betrayals, heel turns, and Shiloh’s constant investigation into the falsehoods of the galaxy around her will keep readers guessing until the very end.

Whether it be through Shiloh’s hit TV series, her secret agent work for the Zygan Federation, or her journey to find the truth of her own origins, The Zygan Emprise Trilogy by Y.S. Pascal takes readers on exhilarating, heart-stopping romps through the universe.

March 12, 2025