Darkness Stirring

Through the Shattered Glass Book Series

 
 
Love + Murder - April 2022 Noir, Literary Fiction

Darkness Stirring - April 2023
Adult, Sci-Fi, ‘Space Opera’

SOFTCOVER @ $17.95
HARDCOVER @ $24.95


REVIEWS

"The author, John Levenick, has created a universe full of detailed worlds and interesting characters. Fans of Frank Herbert's Dune novels will definitely want to check this out. Looking forward to many more books in this series."
Karen G.
Rockford, IL

"Darkness Stirring is imaginative, riveting, and compelling. With every word, the world created by author John Levenick comes to life; a truly unique experience. The reader will be able to sink their teeth into this expansive and well-developed story. One could easily become immersed in this book."

Daniel J.
Austin, MN

“A fast, exciting, and engaging read.

Welcome to an Antarian world. Author John Levenick shares basic knowledge of the Antarians and their world in ‘A note from the author.’  Additional details are provided in an exquisite manner through out the story. Important historical information is smoothly included in the narrative, providing a deeper, richer novel. Characters have multiple layers revealed in a timely manner. These pieces come together in a superb way, resulting in a book that holds the reader's interest, and is hard to put down.”
Mary A.
Austin, MN



On the planet Kammilonn, homeworld of the Antarian people, the second child of Administrator Kylen Varien and Lady Anna Varien is born. The circumstances of this birth thrust Kylen into the strange world of his wife’s people, the Starchildren, Elvin refugees with an alien social structure, powerful ancient gods, and science so advanced it seems like magic. It is only then he learns of Anna’s true place among her people and the role their newborn son, Leeander, must consequently serve.

When Kylen returns to the familiar world of parsec administration and sector court society, he hopes for a return to normalcy as well, but it is not to be. Reckless scientists conducting dangerous experiments with time, a murder investigation close to home, and visiting officials from off-planet all vie for Kylen’s attention as a parsec administrator and as a once-leading researcher of temporal physics. Even more concerning, however, is his son.

Leeander Varien grows and learns quickly, never cries, never misses a shot… There are things about him even his Starchild genes cannot explain. Kylen is approached by a secret order to assist in the investigation of a plot which reaches the highest levels of government, and much to his horror, he soon learns Leeander is a casualty—or perhaps a result—of this plot. Who is behind this? What could they possibly hope to achieve in tampering with the genetics of unborn children? What will this mean for the Antarian Sphere, Kylen’s family, and the young son he so desperately wants to protect? There is darkness in the void, and in it, something stirs.


CHARACTER INTRODUCTIONS

Kammilonn: Cradle of intelligent life in the Antaria system.

The 'Big World,' 'Maytrah’s Menagerie,' and the 'Crown Jewel,' are only a few of its more colorful names. It is the defacto hub of the empire of the Antarian people, the Seat of the High Council, and the center of the Antarian Sphere.

It is the middle of the three planets occupying the star Antaria’s life-zone, the inner being Androsia, and the outer the water world of Yearay.

Kammilonn has two moons, those being Keinarr, the Mother Moon, and Ariss, the Daughter Moon. Keinarr is the larger and further away of the two, has a thin atmosphere, barely enough to breathe. She has a pale, rocky, and dusty surface, and circles Kammilonn once per lunar cycle. Ariss is roughly a third the size of Keinarr, is closer to the planet, and is composed of a blue-green, granite-like rock. She circles Kammilonn twice per lunar cycle.

More than a few Antarian corporations and companies are based out of the homeworld, the largest ones of note being Orius Corporation, the high-tech computer, and electronics company, Guardian Arms & Gunworks, Starrlonn Aerospace, and Maximegga, a home-goods and appliance manufacturer.

In addition, Kammilonn is home to one of the three redundant hubs of Armada command, the military and civilian entity responsible for keeping interstellar and planetary shipping and travel lanes running smoothly and lawfully. The other two hubs are based on the worlds of Illariad , and Casparriah respectively.


Lady Ceynyah Paltinoth

Lady Paltinoth is from the planet Kammilonn, Third Sector. She Administrates the fifth parsec for King Paratenn. In addition to her duties as Administrator, she is the head of the planetary defense body, the government agency that is responsible for all non-expeditionary military fleet, armada, and installation activities and policy.

The Paltinoth family were the driving force behind the development of Antarian interstellar craft, with their corporation building the first practical warp-fold drive. Ceynyah herself is the current Chief Executive Officer of said company, Arriella Spaceworks.

Ceynyah is known as a shrewd businesswoman and a strong negotiator. She follows the Courtly rules for honor and fairness to the letter; which is to say, she has no mercy for those who don’t. She isn’t vicious or mean, but gets things done with no apologies for efficiency, and never lets personal feelings interfere in her judgment; whether those feelings be hers, or someone else’s.

Lord Kylen Varien

Lord Varien is the administrator for the eighth parsec, running it for King Orin Rillkazz, who rules the fourth sector. The other half of the sector is administrated by the Straven family.

Kylen was the youngest of his parents’ children, and as such was not directly groomed to take his father’s place as administrator; that honor was to go to his older brother. The more studious and less athletic of the Varien boys, Kylen studied science, and became a doctor of temporal and high-energy physics, and was well on his academic vocation while his brother was a career military man. Kylen’s father stepped down as Lord due to medical reasons and died shortly after.

In a strange twist of fate, Kylen’s older brother was lost in action before he could be crowned administrator, which meant the duty now fell to him. Kylen of course stepped away from his research, and assumed the family title, knowing full well it meant losing his dream job.

A few short years after being crowned administrator, he had a chance meeting with a striking Elven woman, who had long red hair: Anna. They wed a year later, and soon had their first child, a daughter, Kristialiah. He is the only member of the Antarian Courts to ever marry a member of another race.

Kylen is well-loved by the people of the eighth parsec, as he takes his job of looking after them quite seriously. He’s established several charities and foundations to improve quality of life and ease economic inequality. They also love the fact he has kept up with his academic pursuits; staying active in scientific circles as well as politics. He hasn’t let aristocracy change him.


Lady Anna Varien

Lady Varien is originally from the unnamed homeworld of the Starchildren. Her declared age is 27, though that is simply because that’s how old she looks to Antarian eyes; her actual age is, like most Elves, unknowable.

She is wed to Lord Kylen Varien and resides at their home in the Eighth Sector, Fourth Parsec, planet Kammilonn. Anna takes her role as Lady Varien quite seriously, acting as counterpart to her husband, and doing what she can to ease the burdens of his office; including hearing grievances and dealing with public relations.

She is the best friend of Lady Octavia Raulds, of the planet Andrellis, and also one of the best friends of Queen Elzbeth Rillkazz, Queen of the Fourth Sector. While generally well-liked and popular in the public eye, Anna is the only member of the royal Courts that is not Antarian, and is viewed by many of them as an outsider, or with some mistrust.


ISBN: 978-1-952567-77-3 (SOFTCOVER)
ISBN: 978-1-952567-76-6 (HARDCOVER)

www.foxpointepublishing.com/author-JOHN-LEVENICK
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CONTROL NUMBER: 2023931261
COPYRIGHT 2023 JOHN LEVENICK
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, INCLUDING THE RIGHT OF REPRODUCTION
IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN ANY FORM, WHATSOEVER.

WRITTEN BY JOHN LEVENICK - STARLORD42@COMCAST.NET
EDITED BY RAVEN ECKMAN - ANEWLOOKONBOOKS@GMAIL.COM
COVER BY BECCA HUDSON - BECCA.A.HUDSON@GMAIL.COM
DESIGNED BY SCOTTY TOWN - SCOTTYALLANTOWN@GMAIL.COM