Nebula Express (DarkSF)

This DarkSF novel is a claustrophic, terrifying journey in the tradition of Ridley Scott's classic film Alien. Fresh and original, our story goes far beyond simple terror to tragedy and sadness. Yet there is a faint ray of hope to which the dying young lovers Ridge and Brenna struggle with all their remaining strength and faith.

If they can reach the mysterious sanctuary of Largo aboard this wrecked, apocalyptic starship going nowhere, they may be able to save themselves, along with scattered other human survivors, and start a new Earth far away in a remote bay of this ocean of stars. They are the last of the human race, and the apocalyptic truth that just begins to describe their predicament is that not only Earth, but our solar system, were long ago wiped out by a cosmic catastrophe.

There has never been a science fiction novel quite like this. Fear is too simple a word to capture the sadness, melancholy, vast tragedy among the icy fields of unblinking stars on Nebula Express' shattering journey whose motto is: Nothing seems right/Near the speed of light.

The crew awaken to a deceptively simple, normal morning in their quarters. They enjoy breakfast, banter, and z-mail home across the vast emptiness of space. But Earth isn’t answering. And the captain is nowhere to be found. They open the bays to start work, and a galactic nightmare begins.

All of the crew's assumptions about themselves and their ship turn out to be dreadfully wrong. Yes, scary shapes lurk outside the safe crew cabin, but that is the least of our worries. Beyond those mud-faced, howling cyphers, the real horror--which sets this dark journey aside from all others in tragedy and unthinkable sadness--lurks inside the heroes themselves, on their desperate journey to escape the dead solar system of Earth, and their own lost lives and those of their loved ones. The crew have no idea of the truth about their situation. And the story is how the discover that truth, aching bit by sad bit in a tragic discovering process that leaves little room for hope.

But--here lies the heroism of Ridge and Brenna, two human beings to challenge eternity and defy cosmic odds--there would be no story without hope. Stubbornly, in the face of their melancholy fate, these two race against time to find the sanctuary on board, a mysterious region called Largo. Our apocalyptic odyssey is not just through ruined cities--all of that is gone forever.

You will *not* want to miss this unique twist that takes horror to its ultimate, personal peak. It’s a plot twist no writer has ever done before. As the dying begins, the crew fall prey to a strange illness.

Not only is everything frighteningly wrong, but one by one, each realizes the most horrific truth of all about him or herself. They aren't ill. They are day flies, composed of the minds, memories, and body parts of the crew who lived the day before. It's an endless recycling of bits and pieces on a journey through hell. And here is the kicker: Ridge and Brenna decide they will break this thousand year cycle and become the first to live beyond their alotted day, before the Cleaners devour them and prepare the next day's batch of day flies.

Ridge and Brenna were born a few hours ago with memories of Earth, of spouses and children, of lives and loves that must not wink out of existence, only to be reborn the next senseless cycle in a new mix of ancient memories and genetic fragments. They will survive, conquer, triumph, overcome the black, hurtling ruin of Nebula Express, and start a new human colony far away on one of the many Earth-like worlds swimming in the enigmatic cosmos. As with many John Argo stories, it starts out so deceptively simple, but buckle your star belt -- you will never be the same again. Visit www.darksf.com for more info about the DarkSF Series of John Argo at Clocktower Books.