The Star Country

Michael Cassutt

Dec 2011 · Hachette UK

About this ebook

In the near future, war has torn the United States apart. Small communities barely scrape by amidst climate change and economic collapse. Powerful nation-states struggle over whatever resources remain - technology in California, money in Chicago, oil in Texas.

Some small hope has arrived in the form of the Hocq, a group of aliens on a mission to bring their advanced knowledge to Earth. But, as hostile governments across the globe vie for that knowledge, a Hocq named Harrek defects into outlaw territory. Diplomacy seems to have failed, and he can't allow the wrong nation to gain such a huge advantage over the others.

Now it's up to Lisa Marquez, the human who helped Harrek escape, and Jeremy Clayton, a poor outland farmer, to keep the alien safe from the military and outlaws. The clock is counting down, and Harrek needs to get the Genesis File into the right hands before he gets found by the humans...or the other Hocq.

In Michael Cassutt's first novel, the author takes standard SF story situations - post-holocaust tribal human struggles, first alien contact - blends them together and and brings his own uniquely original spin to a tried-and-true setting.

About the author

Michael Cassutt has published novels such as MISSING MAN, RED MOON and TANGO MIDNIGHT, as well as short stories in ISAAC ASIMOV'S SF MAGAZINE, THE MAGAZINE OF FANTASY & SCIENCE FICTION, and the WILD CARDS series. He has also written scripts for such television series as THE TWILIGHT ZONE, MAX HEADROOM, and THE DEAD ZONE, and served as producer for the revival of THE OUTER LIMITS. His most recent SF novel, HEAVEN'S SHADOW, a collaboration with David S. Goyer (screenwriter of BLADE, BATMAN BEGINS and others) will be published in the summer of 2011. He lives in Los Angeles.