For the last year I have been writing and revising my novel Neo Ace. It was just published as an Amazon ebook in the UK, USA, and Canada in June 2014. This novel is about the story of Jake and Mayumi, two cadets at the Neo Ace Academy, who are going to be involved in events that will shape the future for both human and Newt. This story is military SF, but with a good touch of anime inspired mecha tropes (since mechs are Japanese inspired anyhow). While the protagonists are teens, a rich cast of adult characters drives the story along, the way things should happen in real life. This story should appeal to all types of science fiction readers and anime viewers. Neo Ace is a self-contained story arc, but the full Neo Ace story concludes in Neo Destiny. Neo Destiny promises more world building, political machinations, character development, and epic battles involving mechs and conventional forces in high tech battlefields across the Earth.
Promotional Period
Neo Ace is available for approximately $2 US, half of the regular price (Amazon does some kind of adjustment), until the beginning of August. Please consider buying a copy and providing some positive reviews, even if brief, on Amazon, as word of mouth is the only way an independent author can get ahead.
I have previously written a short story, HARM, and a novella, Raid on Kahamba, that are independent prequels set in the same universe. Both HARM and Raid will be free for a limited time to promote Neo Ace. Give them a read to see if you would like Neo Ace!
Limited Time Free Story Giveaway
- HARM is available for free from July 4 to 8, 2014.
- Raid is available for free from July 11 to 13, 2014.
Check the price to see if it is still free before clicking the buy button!
Link to My Science Fiction Publications Page.
Thanks for your time in advance.
Neo Ace Action Excerpt
...
The platoon’s six HARM units were rapidly advancing in a skirmish line a quarter of a kilometre wide through a pine forested valley floor. Trees and branches were effortlessly brushed aside or smashed by the rapid walking pace of the robots. Every so often a laser shot from the spider-mechs would flash by, but it was mostly the HARM units sniping at the retreating enemy.
Jake was the acting platoon leader, positioned in mid-line in HARM #3. In his cockpit, he studied the tactical display on the console in front of him. They had engaged the advancing spider-mechs from concealment in the hilly woodland terrain, their HARM unit active camouflage systems blending them with the surrounding woods. Their first volleys of fire had brought down four of the nine mechs. They had then started pursuing the retreating alien Newts. His shot meant that five were now down. Return fire from the enemy had been ragged, but HARM #5, piloted by his friend Bing, had taken some torso damage and wasn't aiming as well.
"We have orders to hold this position, not pursue," Mayumi reminded Jake from HARM #1. "We have already stopped the breakthrough."
"I think Mayumi's right," Toshi added from HARM #6. "My father says Newt units don't break very easily – they are not cowards. This could be a trap to draw us out. "
"I know your dad is a mecha pilot in the Japanese Defence Forces,” Jake responded. “I really think we have them on the run. They’ll never break through to Central City if we take these guys out. We have the initiative and should take it."
Jake looked at the tactical display again. He projected the map for everyone to see and used his finger to point out a position. "We won't move that far out of position if we can take them out before they exit the valley between these two hills. Geraldo, Mayumi, take the left flanking hill. Bing and Toshi, take the right hill. Mary and I will pursue and keep the pressure on. You guys run for those hills and take them out from above."
"Jake’s plan sounds good to me," Geraldo spoke out in Hispanic accented English. "We should take advantage of the situation."
"I'm in," Mary added. She preferred a standup fight over waiting any day. "Eliminated Newts won't be back."
After a bit of hesitation, Bing, assented too.
Mayumi agreed when it was obvious that everyone was in. "Okay," she quietly added.
"I don't think we should be doing this," Toshi finally agreed, "but let us try it."
"Thanks, Toshi. All units, move out," Jake ordered. They were going to win this one in a big way.
Mayumi and Geraldo in HARMs #1 and #2 swept forward to the left and began running for the top of their hill. On the right, Bing and Toshi in HARMs #5 and #6 began running for the other hill. In the center, Jake and Mary in HARMs #3 and #4 widened the distance between them and increased their pace to a jog to begin closing in on the retreating mechs.
Over the next several minutes the pursuing HARMs began to gradually overtake the retreating enemy, reducing the distance between them less than a kilometre. Exchanged shots were few between the two sides as visual contact was poor between them. Even though they were eight metres high at the top of their main weapon blister, the spider-mechs were almost impossible to see in the trees as they were short enough to disappear into them. The taller 12 metre height of the Fenrir HARM units put them at tree top height much of the time, but it did not make much of a difference in the fight.
There was a small explosion in the air near the spider-mechs. "Damn, that was my last RPV," Mary commented. "At least they know we're still here." Recon drones were invaluable, but did not last long on the modern battlefield against point defence laser systems. She just wished they had full equipment load outs for their units. This fight would have been over long ago if they had Helldart missiles and a couple of Typhoon missile pack equipped HARMs.
The distance between the two pursuing HARM units and the four retreating enemy mechs had closed to 800 metres, and the enemy mechs had moved between the two hills. Jake's HARM had moved closer to the base of the left hill while Mary had closed in on the right hill. During the chase they had split themselves to snipe at the enemy from two different angles.
"You guys in position?" Jake inquired. From his tactical display he could see the locations of all of the HARM units, but not their status. It looked like both sets of flankers had crested their hills.
"Almost there," Toshi responded, "I'm looking for a firing position."
"Same here," Geraldo added in.
"Shit!" Bing suddenly yelled out. Blue enemy markers appeared on the tactical display along the far downslope of each of the flanking hills. "Enemy contacts just crested the hill. I'm engaging."
"It's a trap!" Mayumi called out. "Enemy Hunter class mechs! Engaging! Coilgun to full power."
Events had suddenly turned on them. Jake couldn't believe his tactical display. Each of his flanking pairs was suddenly outmatched by a squad of three Newt Hunters. Unlike the spider mechs, the Hunter mechs were advanced anthropomorphic mechs with a Newt body form, the enemy equivalent of their Fenrir mechs. Each Hunter had three pairs of limbs, with the rear two pairs for movement and the front pair for manipulation. They resembled giant armoured lizards carrying laser cannon with their two front limbs.
"Fall back!" Jake called out. They were in a bad situation.
"Popping smoke," Bing responded, "but they're too close. I don't think we can disengage."
Jake didn't hesitate in his response. "We're coming to back you up"
...
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.