Enigma: A Far From Home Novel (17 page)
Read Enigma: A Far From Home Novel Online
Authors: Tony Healey
Nemesis: A Far From Home Novel
Afterword
I really thought I was done with
Far From Home
. That’s the truth. As I sat down to finish the series, writing episodes 10, 11 and 12 in one hit, I was glad to be wrapping things up. I told my editor, Laurie, just that. But I couldn’t quite say good-bye to the
Defiant
and Captain Jessica King. And the way I’d designed the finale was to essentially reset the series back to the beginning – with the odd change here and there.
So do you continue straight after the end of the series? Or a while after? I settled on the latter and decided that the next instalment of the
Far From Home
series would take place a whole year later. The
Defiant
has just returned from a 12-month exploratory mission, and Jess is hit with investigating a strange ship (that staple of Sci-Fi: the Big Dumb Object). I thought it was a good way of continuing the series, and pushing it in a new direction. Of course, you can’t dismiss what’s happened beforehand. Hence why I’ve dealt with the aftermath, if you will, of the series. You can’t ignore the events of
Far From Home
1-12. All of that has to inform what comes next:
Enigma
.
This is the same ship, the same crew – but as I noted above, there are a few changes here and there due to what they experienced in their 12 month mission, and the video Jessica’s alternate self left her at the end of
Far From Home 12: Endgame.
I hope I addressed a lot of it satisfactorily.
I owe a massive debt of gratitude to all the readers (thousands and thousands of them – who’d have thought it?) who have read and enjoyed the
Far From Home
series. When I started writing it as a serial, I never once thought it would take off the way it did. I certainly didn’t imagine that when I put together
Far From Home: The Complete Series
, that it would hit the Top 10 in the chart on only its third day – and stay there.
As much as writing a serial can be a frustrating (and sometimes disheartening) venture in ways a lot of people won’t understand until they’ve tried it, I think it’s something all independent writers should have a go at. What better way to build an audience of readers, waiting for your next work, than to involve them in a novel as it takes shape? By posting
Far From Home
in twelve episodes, I gradually found my readership. It may have taken a year, but it was well worth it. Many of those readers have continued to make contact with me over time, something for which I’m very grateful. However, if you were to ask me if I’d do it again, I’d say yes – but only with five or six episodes. I didn’t realise quite what I’d let myself in for when I declared I’d be writing twelve and had only written the first three…
It’s been quite a ride, that’s for sure. We’ve come a long way, you and I, with Jessica King and her heroic crew. And I have a multitude of stories I’m looking forward to telling with them.
Until the next one my friends,
Tony Healey
Brighton, UK
September 20
– November 8
2013
About Tony Healey
Tony Healey is a best-selling independent author. In 2011, his fiction was published in an anthology alongside Harlan Ellison and Alan Dean Foster.
In 2012 he saw his sci-fi serial FAR FROM HOME become a best-selling sensation, with each instalment hitting the Top 100 in its category. He also published DARK VISIONS, a collection of his horror fiction.
2013 saw the publication of DEAD PRETTY, a crime novella that has received rave reviews. He also collaborated with best-selling author Bernard Schaffer on a crossover project written in two parts.
Tony Healey is a born and bred Brightonian. He is married and has three daughters.
For the latest on Tony’s various projects, visit his site
www.tonyhealey.com
THE STARS MY REDEMPTION
Abe has spent his entire life among the cold, hard swirl of the stars. He’s been a bounty hunter, an assassin, a pirate, a drug runner. He has a talent for unsavoury occupations. Now an opportunity for change falls at his feet, and Abe must decide whether to continue living the life of a rogue or embrace the prospect of redemption . . .
Praise for THE STARS MY REDEMPTION
“. . . loads of fun, reads at a blistering pace. Abe’s a galactic criminal who wanders from score to score leaving a bloody trail of human and alien carcasses, but there’s a stubborn crumb of humanity left inside of him. This is the story of how he rediscovers that lost part of himself. The action sequences remind me of Robert E. Howard. Abe would fit in well with Conan the Barbarian and Solomon Kane.”
“The story grabs you right from the outset. It is fast paced and enjoyable. It is written in the style of Star Trek/Star Wars that lets you feel for the characters without getting swamped with the technology… was well worth reading.”
“Story telling that is compelling and ultra-readable. Don’t expect to sleep till you have finished this book. Be ready to be addicted.”
FAR FROM HOME: VOLUME I
The first three instalments in the smash hit FAR FROM HOME series, collected into one volume. Serves as a great entry point to the series.”
Praise for the FAR FROM HOME series
“There are so many characters and story lines to be pursued! I also LOVE that the author included so many strong female main roles and leaders. That is the future after all, equality! It’s an excellent read and I strongly recommend the series in the 3 book volume forms because you will always want more! It’s all good in the space neighbourhood.”
“Fun to read. Far from Home would make an excellent TV series or mini-series special. The stories by Tony Healey, I’ve so far read, have what I refer to as ‘soul’ in them, being more than just words on paper or in e-books.”
“An excellent book, Enjoyed it from start to finish. LOOKING FORWARD TO READING THE REST OF THIS SERIES. You go! TONY HEALEY!”
“. . . very easy to get into and it pulls you in so you don’t want to stop reading. If you enjoy Star Trek and other science fiction adventures, you’ll enjoy this great adventure with Jessica and her crew. You’ll never want to put it down… trust me.”
“As a former nuclear submarine officer in the US Navy, I was immediately transported back to my time on subs during the cold war years. Since retiring from both the Navy and Navy supporting civilian contractors, I have been reading numerous sci-fi novels. I rank
Far From Home
as an extremely entertaining story… the action makes sense and time travel is possibly believable. THANKS SO MUCH!!!”
“I really enjoyed this book, and am looking forward to the rest of the series. It’s great to see a female commander and the action and characters really had a nice balance. Reminded me of some of my favourite sci-fi and that’s a good thing! I definitely recommend for fans of Battlestar and Star Trek.”
DARK VISIONS
3 Dark Stories . . .
3 Dark Insights Into Human Nature…
3 Dark Visions…
In BURIAL, a DARK secret buried out in the woods is let loose…
In DARK ORB, the secrets of this life are unearthed from the cold, DARK ground…
In ABC, the DARK mystery of a small seaside town is unleashed…
Praise for the stories in DARK VISIONS
“. . . easily digestible and enjoyable for readers who don’t normally tread inside the genre. In fact, it’s a quite touching story. It’s a piece of well-written fiction that carefully weaves in actual reported events on record from the 1960s. I won’t spoil any of that, but for you conspiracy theory chasing cryptozoologists, I’m sure I don’t even need to.”
“. . . a suspenseful thriller written in a style that reminded me a bit of Poe. Healey is quickly assembling an impressive collection of horror stories that hearken back to the days gone by of classic storytelling. He writes with the panache of an author beyond his years. I can’t wait to see what he comes up with next.”
DEAD PRETTY
Brighton, 1985—Christmas
‘tis the season . . .
to die
Clementine is young, beautiful. The wife of a rich businessman. And she wants her husband killed. It’s meant to be a simple hit. But when it comes to murder, nothing is ever simple…
DEAD PRETTY is the explosive debut of man-for-hire COLBY JONES, written by the author of the best-selling series FAR FROM HOME
Praise for DEAD PRETTY
“Tony Healey has no fear. He’s not content to colour inside the lines, and writes compelling stories no matter which genre he selects. Tony is a brilliant Sci-Fi writer, but he can tackle any setting and still command your attention. This novella is the debut of Colby Jones, an anti-hero with traces of a conscience. I like Colby because despite his dealings on the other side of the law, it’s not hard to find him relatable. His motives are not unlike an average person. His means to an end are in a grey moral area, but his goals are so earnest that you can’t help but cheer him on. All of Tony’s work is well-written and enjoyable to read, but this is a good primer for readers that don’t like science-fiction. Once you get a feel for Tony’s endearing style, you’ll want to see how he applies it to other genres.”
“This is a damn good first attempt at hardboiled criminal fare. I really enjoyed it…”
“Anti-hero Colby Jones is a fella that maybe you should steer well clear of, but you actually find yourself overlooking his ‘misdemeanours’. He’s your average man, which is why I think you can relate to him, but he’s pretty ruthless too. When he takes a job, he sees it through, right to the very end. This was a great read and I really liked the author’s writing style. I was pulled in from the first page and proceeded to fly through the book. It’s a novella with a good storyline and with lots going on…”
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