New Release | Saving Aran: Redemption for a Ravaged Planet by @gskenneyauthor #scifi #romance
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  • N. N. Light
    • Jul 12, 2022
    • 5 min read

New Release | Saving Aran: Redemption for a Ravaged Planet by @gskenneyauthor #scifi #romance



Title Saving Aran: Redemption for a Ravaged Planet (Sons of Aran Book 1)


Author G. S. Kenney


Genre Science Fiction Romance, Colonization Science Fiction


Book Blurb


The deep forests of planet Aran and all who live within them are under threat of extinction, ravaged by the aliens from the stars.


Avatar meets Shadow and Bone in this fantastic tale of lovers torn asunder amid a planet’s growing danger.


Aran native Cort has risen to head the premier gang in the rough slums that surround the aliens’ military base on his beloved planet. But his life is shattered when a powerful slumlord abducts his dearest friend Dilia to sell to the alien commandant. When Cort’s daring rescue attempt fails, the slumlord marks him for death. Cort’s only remaining hope is to flee to the one place the man and his minions can’t follow—the wilds of Aran’s strange, forbidding forest—and become the hunter, not the hunted.


On her own in the heavily fortified base, gentle healer Dilia fends off the commandant’s advances while working on ways to escape and rejoin her love.


Deep in the forests of Aran, Cort faces his own challenge: to confront his kinship with the ancient consciousness that lies deep in Aran’s heart, and to terminate the monstrous mission of the aliens, who are rapidly plundering the forest for profit. If they complete its destruction, they will imperil every living thing on Aran.


Read Saving Aran to learn Aran’s innermost secret and see how Cort and Dilia overcome the forces that seek to destroy them and the home planet they love.


Excerpt


The path led among boulders, downward toward a stream that Cort could hear but not see.


A bobcat hissed from a boulder in front of Cort, a small female with powerful haunches. So you want to become a hunter.


“Yes, I . . .” Cort began, but the sounds were all wrong. He tried again, finding and using the crystal. Yes, I do. Can you help me?


Can, yes, the creature said. Any of us can. But personally, I think you are a rather pathetic offering, and I would like to change your mind. Before Cort could frame an answer, the bobcat gathered her haunches and sprang at Cort, claws out, teeth bared, aiming for his face.


Cort’s streetfighter instincts were swift and sure. He lashed out with his right arm, striking the bobcat across the throat with the stiffened edge of his hand.


The creature scratched Cort’s arm as she fell, but the leap was broken.


Cort threw himself on top of the fallen cat, rolling her onto her stomach. The bobcat yowled and raked her claws back toward Cort. She couldn’t reach, but still, she struggled.


Cort gripped her throat. I didn’t deserve that.


There was a moment of silence, and Cort could feel the bobcat gathering her powerful haunches under herself, her muscles tense and hard.


He tightened his grip.


The cat let out a strangled sound, something that might have wanted to be a growl. She wrestled against him, raked a claw toward his arm, still not reaching.


At last she gave up the fight, struggling only to draw breath. Peace, Hunter. Let me go. I will attend you.


Cort let out a breath of relief and sat back, allowing the animal her freedom.


I wouldn’t have guessed it of you, Hunter, said the bobcat.


Cort smiled. Hunter. He was a hunter.


The bobcat led Cort farther into the forest. They walked together for a while, but then the cat bounded off to chase an alandhal that started from a bush as they drew near.


Cort walked on by himself. Something glittered in the path, and he bent down to look.


A squawk of rage tore in his ear, and the wind of wings brushed his hair. A hawk, its wingspan as long as Cort’s spread arms, circled around to attack again.


What is this? Cort asked.


I will not attend you! screamed the hawk, gathering speed.


That may be, but you won’t hurt me, either. Cort ducked to one side as the feathered attacker roared by. He reached out to grab it, but the bird was too fast.


The hawk circled again. I’ll have your eyeballs!


Cort stood his ground as the great bird plunged at him, talons first. This time, Cort caught one of the hawk’s legs, and he swung the bird to the ground.


The hawk scrambled to its feet.


Cort was faster. He caught the hawk’s wings as they flapped hard to take to the air again. Hollow bones, Cort told the bird. Lightweight so that you can fly, but so easy to break. Shall I break them?


The hawk resisted no longer. No, Hunter.


Say please.


Please, Hunter.


And you will attend me?


So the forest wills.


Cort relaxed. He sat back and let go of the hawk’s wings.


That hurt, complained the bird, shaking itself off.


Cort smiled. I’m sorry about that. I didn’t mean to hurt you, but I wasn’t going to give you my eyeballs for dinner, either.


Ah, yes, the hawk said. Eyeballs. There was that. And would you like to look at the world through mine?


Through your eyes? Can I do that?


Watch. The hawk shook out its wings, and with a bound, took flight. Higher and higher it circled. Close your own eyes, Hunter. Look through mine.


Cort did as instructed, and gasped with amazement as he watched the khenaran spinning beneath him. Instinctively, he reached for the ground and tried to grab hold of it to keep from falling. He felt at once dizzy and elated. The view was different not only in its perspective from hundreds of feet in the air, but also in the most minute clarity of its detail. Cort doubted that he would see as much detail in the clearing where he sat if he opened his own eyes and looked, as he now did looking down from above at the tiny figure that was himself.


The hawk dove.


Cort cried out, digging into the earth at his side with all the intensity his fingers could manage, ripping at his fingernails. But he didn’t open his eyes until the great bird alighted at his side.


What did you think of that, Hunter? asked the hawk.


Cort’s heart was still pounding. It was… staggering. It was wonderful. I want to do that again—often.


The bird preened its feathers. I’m sure you’ll find the opportunity, it replied. I will help you when I can. The hawk took to the air again. Cort closed his eyes and followed its flight until it was beyond the horizon.


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Author Biography


Author G. S. Kenney writes romantic speculative fiction novels. Her first science-fiction romance novel Freeing Eden, published by Soul Mate Publishing, was a 2018 RWA Golden Heart® finalist. The Last Lord of Eden and A Warrior of Eden, also in the Ascent of Eden series, are now also available.


G. S. Kenney started reading early, and never stopped. In kindergarten, drawn in by a book with a picture of three witches at a cauldron, she learned to read by starting with Shakespeare's Macbeth and is in awe of her mother's patience. Now she writes stories of her own (and still loves Shakespeare). Interested in many fields, she studied the “Great Books” at St. John’s College, architecture at Harvard, and financial planning at Boston University. She has also conducted post-doctoral research in psychology at the Center for Creative Leadership in Greensboro, North Carolina, and developed software systems in use all over the world.


In addition to writing, G. S. Kenney is an avid photographer and world traveler, along with her husband, the love of her life. When not "on the road," they reside in Marin County, California, where a dream of having a lemon tree of their very own has somehow morphed into an entire citrus orchard. They have two children, a grand-dog, and two grand-cats. And a wonderful, tiny grandson, their newborn first.


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