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A thrilling Sci-Fi novel with technical explanations that make sense without being overly. Love, intrigue, space stations, faster than light travel...What more could you want?
Indulge in Man’s Journey from Mars to Earth with I Hate Zero-G: The first Book of the Rowlinson Inc. Series
Do you love fiction? Are you a die-hard storybook buff?
Here is the deadly combination of unparalleled fiction with the warmth of a story book, blended perfectly in I Hate Zero-G, the first book of the Rowlinson Inc. Series.
Written by Douglas Owen and edited by Lance Knight, this book will keep you engaged in absolute thrill and suspense till the last minute. I Hate Zero-G highlights plausible technological advancements in the future that will stretch human kind to Mars and back. If this is not thrilling enough for you, read on further to discover a complete one-of-a-kind book that features every element of thrill, passion, excitement, vengeance, and mankind’s indomitable urge towards technology advancements.
The story, set in 2332, revolves around John Rowlinson, CEO of Rowlinson, Inc., a Mars based company. It begins with the Arab Free States exhausting carbon based fuels, and moving to advanced air filtration systems. Unfortunately, Rowlinson Inc. pushes out its competition, makes the Arab Free States loose its ground in the arena of air purification. At the age of 16, John Rowlinson, CEO of Rowlinson Inc. invented a one of a kind air filtration system that becomes exceptionally demanded in no time. The system not only filters the air in the colonies, but also for all of the larger space stations. In addition to air purification and replenishing the oxygen content, the method also grows food to create a well-balanced eco-system.
And this is not the end. The ultimate thrill of the story begins when, at the age of 36, John releases its latest invention, which needs to be done on Free Fall station. This means traveling from Mars to the Earth and then to Free Fall in order to unveil a first of its kind faster than light space ship called The Columbus. In this journey, John meets Jill Anderson, a flight attendant for Maple Leaf Air, and they both start a relationship. John takes Jill on The Columbus for an exciting inaugural journey.
Nothing thrilling about it!! Shalain Dilan is introduced, who built a small sub-light pod to travel from Mars to Free Fall station, seeking vengeance on John. Shalain believes that it was John’s company that killed his father. What happens then?
To learn how John frees himself from the clutches of Shalain you have to read the book. I Hate Zero-G is available through Smashwords, Amazon, CreateSpace and Google. Grab a copy of this book and indulge into something that you might have only imagined.
Excellent story, vivid presentation, and lively characters will inculcate an undeniable interest in you. What is even more fascinating is how beautifully mankind’s advancement, stretching from the Earth to Mars, has been depicted. You will also love the touch of passion in the ever-engaging and thrilling story that comes as a relief from space stations and other technology advanced jargon.
So, get your copy of I Hate Zero-G indulge in thrill and excitement unlimited!!
Excerpt
His sweat permeated the air. No matter, it was just another inconvenience that he had to put up with. The dark and cramped pod was not built for comfort or luxury, just for fast travel.
He had spent the last 12 days boosting towards Free Fall. His calculations told him it was almost time to reverse in order to slow down. Boosting takes a long time but is a necessary evil. It makes sleeping almost impossible. The deceleration will create even more noise. Sleep will not be forthcoming. Cramped quarters with reprocessed fluids keeping him alive caused his body to cramp up and spasm. Manipulating his position in order to stretch out was difficult. The cramp seizures were starting to come more closely together.
Looking out the view hatch showed only stars muffling his profile. He was still too far away to see the blue green glow of Earth and not close enough to bask in the starkness of Mars. He started to name the constellations again. Slowly, trying to take his mind off the pain, he started to talk out loud. “Cancer, Libra, Capricorn…GOD DAMN LIGHT!” The blinking of a warning light flashed on and off repeatedly. It was too bright to ignore but too soft to be anything but annoying. The flush surface allowed no purchase for his fingers to pry it off. He thought of trying to jam his arm under the panel, wiggling it past all the wires and disconnecting it. He did think of it, but knew that he would go past the recycling system and heading lines. No, it would be a big mess.
The parabola of his course did not intersect anything of notice. He had set this on purpose, keeping away from anyone that would want to see what a small vessel like his was doing in space. “So why was the warning light going off?” A spasm ran through his right leg. “No cramp this time” he thought. He shifted and pressed his right thumb into the jumping muscle. Pain ran through his nerves in response, he kept pushing. Slowly the muscle eased up and he relaxed the pressure.
“I will not give into my body’s failings.”
He looked out of the hatch again.
The small ship’s computer slowly counted down the time to deceleration. It was nothing pretty, being basically a cockpit with an engine attached to it. He had crafted it from spare parts junked in orbit around Mars. He did not care. All he needed to do was get from point A to point B. The stink of his bodily refuse permeated the air, overpowering the filtration system and CO2 scrubbers. In his wisdom he did make sure that he had plenty of filters, but did not foresee the effect of food concentrates on his body. He felt bloated, sore and caged. He longed to step out into an area that would allow him to feel some air against his face.
“Beep”
Yes, air against his face. He longed for it. His desire was that of a starving man looking into a restaurant that had a never-ending buffet that he could not afford. His stomach grumbled. No, he would not subject himself to that again. He would control his thoughts. He had spent too much time learning how to control his thoughts to let it be a wasted effort if he did not have self-control.
“Beep”
Yes. He would get to Free Fall and take his revenge. No one will ever take that away from me.
“Beep”
Yes. It will be fast. It will be swift. My revenge will be lasting.
“Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep”
The main engine cut. He jerked. “Did I miss the warnings?” He looked around the small cabin worriedly. ‘Crap, zero-g!” Already items had started to float. He reached up and turned on a fan to allow for air flow.
Attitude jets fired and the ship slowly tumbled 180 degrees.
“Beep”
Soon. Half way there now. Soon.
“Beep”
He braced himself.
“Beep”
Breath. In through the nose, out through the mouth.
“Beep”
He opened his eyes slowly.
“Beep”
There was nothing behind him.
“Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep”
The engines fired to start the deceleration phase of the trip. He saw it too late, a ball of what looked like water but that he knew to be urine not cycled through the re-claimer. It was suspended in front of him traveling towards him at an ever increasing speed…
In league with...
Well after reading I am certain this author is in a league with ‘Ray Bradbury’.
Verbal imagery and technical details, not to mention the creative ideas about how to travel faster than the speed of light in this book is impressive!
Attention to detail...
I am vastly impressed with the author’s creativity and attention to detail in this book.
Such a story...
I really got caught up in the story. I became enthralled as the story unfolded. A very good Sci-Fi Thriller!
The strongest part of the book is the plot, which interweaves two unlikely characters in a strong, and engaging way. Throughout the story, you keep reading because you don't know which way the plot will twist or turn.
The characters are another element that makes the story an incredible read. All of the characters, major or minor, have a part in the story. They either reveal more aspects about other characters or they get caught up in the plot leading to some interesting results. Because of that, you get caught up in the drama, whether it's John Rowlinson's romance, Rowlison's race to defy gravity or the almost-human assassin or anyone else. It's a book that any sci-fi or fantasy reader would love to engage with.
Reviewed by João Correia
10/11/2012
‘If you prick us do we not bleed? If you tickle us do we not laugh? If you poison us do we not die? And if you wrong us shall we not revenge?’
(William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice)
The eternal bard himself couldn’t have put it in better and in simpler terms. Revenge is a relentless and inspiring theme to write about, not to mention a very difficult one too, as the passion and drive needed to write a relevant story based on revenge is a feature associated with the more mature periods of great writers. Sure, anyone can write about any subject, but put ‘well’ before ‘about’ and it’s a whole different story.
First in a line of three books, ‘I Hate Zero-G’ is one of those stories with a good twist: it’s a sci-fi novel, and this alone made me want to read it. I was skeptical at first, and to be honest I still don’t like the name of the book, but I obviously had to give it a go as sci-fi is at the top of my list, and by adding revenge to it I was sold.
The story is set in the close future, on the early the 24th century, on Earth (Canada being the main reference here), Free Fall station (a space city built around the former International Space Station) and Mars (!) and addresses some realities we live today, like terrorism and Al-Qaeda and the growing pollution in every ecosystem on Earth. In a nutshell, John Rawlinson, the main character, is everything but common or dull: by his 16th birthday, he had already invented a self-sustaining air filtration system, as water and oxygen in the 24th century are premium assets, and he founded a large technological company thanks to his visionary and very gifted, premature personality. What could go wrong with a virtuoso like this? Well, someone is trying to kill him on revenge for something he didn’t do, and this is where things get a bit tricky and interesting.
The plot between the main character and his nemesis is well oriented, dual even, as the novel introduces both as it advances. The mystery aura surrounding John’s enemy builds slowly, with a fanatical and vicious, fermenting hatred, providing plenty of suspense as it retracts him as an eerie and disturbing character. Always glued to him and preparing his dish best served cold, it’s a shadow following John around, always informed, waiting and preying. It goes without saying that it kept me chomping at the bit for the finale, which proved to be tense and very emotional.
Nonetheless, what really slapped me around was the terminology used by the author, Douglas Owen, which I honestly had never heard of prior to this book, obviously because this is his first. I’m always on the look for new sci-fi promises (or futurists in the lines of Ray Kurzweil), and this author hits you hard: he talks about transhumanism and the more human than human concept, allying tissue and technology; he describes and applies vivid and colorful physics and chemistry terms and fresh ideas in a passionate way (that clearly indicates less research and more awareness of these disciplines than the other way around) but, above all else, Douglas doesn’t force ideas and concepts, he ‘simply’ fasts-forward them 300 years, as he’d know how it will be then. Light speed? Anti-gravitational fields? The God particle? Forget about it: that was ‘then’, and this book welcomes you to NOW.
All in all, it’s a very mature effort for a first novel, written by an obvious versed sci-fi fan that strives to provide entertainment through culture and (as I call it) future events, not fantasy. No, it’s not the new ‘Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?’, and it certainly doesn’t seem to pretend it is either, but it’s good enough for me to look forward to the next installment, as it is creative without being boring, innovative when it comes to the plot and terminology (you really have to pay attention to John’s lunatic enemy, which is the great highlight of the novel in my opinion, as I’d really like him on my side and not the contrary) and a good exercise in reading. 4 thumbs up.
I hate Zero-G is an exceptional science fiction novel that takes everything we know about science fiction and space to a whole new level. Douglas Owen, the author, wrote this book in a way that makes it feel real and as if you are really there. The story's plot is amazing and you can really connect with the characters. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a great story or a lover of science fiction. Once you start reading, you don't want to stop. I hate Zero-G is an exceptional science fiction novel that takes everything we know about science fiction and space to a whole new level. Douglas Owen, the author, wrote this book in a way that makes it feel real and as if you are really there. The story's plot is amazing and you can really connect with the characters. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a great story or a lover of science fiction. Once you start reading, you don't want to stop.
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