STARS RAIN DOWN — Space Opera FREE from Kindle Store

[Chris J. Randolph]

Stars Rain Down

Sometimes, it takes a crisis to figure out who you really are. In the near future, an irreverent astronomer named Marcus Donovan discovers a strange relic hidden beyond Mars, and he commandeers an exploratory vessel under false pretenses to investigate. While Marcus and his crew venture off into the unknown, a mysterious alien legion appears in Earth orbit and invades.  Human civilization is dashed apart in the blink of an eye, and Jack Hernandez, a search and rescue specialist, is one of the lucky few survivors.  Along with a handful of friends, Jack joins the scattered resistance and wages a desperate terrorist war against the aliens, striking back any way they can. In the bloody struggle to reclaim their planet, Jack and Marcus are each thrust into roles they never could have imagined, in a conflict as old as time.  The fight takes them from China to Africa, and from Earth to Mars, while the secrets they uncover shake their understanding of the human race itself. Stars Rain Down is about the horrors of warfare, and what happens when idealism collides with a savage fight for survival.  Dominated by an enemy who shows neither compassion nor regret, the last remnants of mankind discover that every choice leads to unforeseen consequences, and mercy can triumph even in the face of mortal rage. Stars Rain Down is currently available as a Kindle Select exclusive. Oktopod Digital Press is an author-run independent publisher that’s deeply committed to digital distribution. Our goal first and foremost is to bring you excellent writing—the sort that touches your heart and tickles your brain—but we’re also so much more. Oktopod is a vision for the future of publishing, and we want you to be involved. Chris J. Randolph (hey, that's me!) is a writer, futurist and possible killer robot originally from Redwood City, CA. When not talking about himself in the third person, he's usually writing about fictional people who pilot spaceships, fight dinosaurs and seduce green women... and somewhat less often about green women who pilot dinosaurs, fight people and seduce spaceships. His other interests include linguistics, cooking, video games and digital publishing advocacy. He's the proud recipient of several literary awards he made up himself, and he currently resides in Rocklin, CA, with a family who somehow puts up with his shenanigans. He hopes to someday own his own tropical dictatorship.

Download Links:
Currently Free @ Amazon Kindle




Thanks for taking a look!
~Chris

[Ann in Arlington]

Welcome to KindleBoards, Chris, and congratulations on your book! 

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[Chris J. Randolph]

(If you've gotten this welcome before, it's just as a matter of housekeeping. We like to put a copy of the "welcome letter" in each book thread.  It doesn't mean you've done anything wrong, it just helps us know that you know the rules.)

Oh, thank goodness!  I thought I'd screwed something up again.

In other news, last night I posted a short article that goes into more detail about one of the main characters, and explains how terrorism factors into the novel's plot.

From the article:
"There are several threads that make up the final story, but at the heart of them is Jack Hernandez, a humanitarian aid worker and pacifist who miraculously survives a holocaust. Billions of lives are smothered all at once, and as the dust settles, Jack enlists with the human resistance in order to strike back. This is a man who once dedicated his life to helping the helpless, but now he's stabbing at a genocidal enemy any way he can, driven on by a potent cocktail of anger and unimaginable sorrow."

You can find that article right here.

[Chris J. Randolph]

My Kickstarter project is now in its final week, and at 14% pledged, I can say with some confidence that it's on track to fail.  There are a few free sample chapters to give you an idea of the novel's tone, and I've posted a new video with my smiling, chubby face.  I'm hoping all you kind folks out there can help me give the project one final push by sending the link off to friends, family, and other various acquaintances.

In other news, I've officially announced the release date.  Stars Rain Down will be out September 20th, from Amazon and through my own site.  Mark the date on your calendar, if not for me, then for the return of Fox's House.

Cheers, and thanks for taking a look!

PS - Here's the Kickstarter thingy, just in case you missed it. -- http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/spectre7/chris-novel-aspirations-stars-rain-down

Update: Kickstarter project failed. I'm a sad panda.

[Chris J. Randolph]

Just dropping in to say that Stars Rain Down is now available!  I'm so nervous and excited, I actually feel a little sick.

Download Links:

• Amazon Kindle
  
• Smashwords
  
• Barnes & Noble.
  
  
  Thanks for taking a look, and I hope you enjoy it!

[NoahMullette-Gillman]

Looks great Chris! I just downloaded the PDF!

[Cloysterpete]

I've put it on my Kindle, awesome cover and sounds like my cup of tea.

[Chris J. Randolph]

Thanks!  I racked my brain for about a month working on the cover, and I'm really happy about the response it's getting.

[Chris J. Randolph]

Thanks to everyone here for making this such a great first week!  I've moved 18 copies for Kindle and another 2 at Smashwords, which feels like a good solid start.

~Chris

[Cloysterpete]

Read it, pretty decent Chris, a good 4/5 as there were some interesting characters, aliens and environments. My only criticism is it could have done with being 200 page longer though, I mean one page the characters would be discussing doing something (I don't mean like making a cup of tea I mean like building a space fleet lol) then two pages later it would have jumped ahead and been done!.

Still whens the next part out as there are lots of questions left hanging about the Nefrem etc.

[Chris J. Randolph]

Thanks, Cloysterpete!  I totally get what your saying about the jumping.  I made a calculated decision to focus on Jack during that time to emphasize his imprisonment and isolation, at the same time leaving the developments with Marcus et al as a surprise, and it sounds as if that decision may have backfired somewhat.  I'm definitely still trying to find the right balance between big stories and succinct storytelling.

My current plan is to start work on the sequel (tentatively called New Type) this coming Spring, with a release hopefully in the Summer.  In the meantime, I'm working on a new property both to take a break and help fill out my catalog.

If it's not too much to ask, I'd love if you could leave a review at Amazon.  I'm very open to comments both positive and negative, and would really appreciate having more informative reviews for potential readers to peruse.  If that's not something you're interested in, though, I totally understand.

Thanks again, and take care,
~Chris

[Chris J. Randolph]

Just a little thread bump in celebration of my banner ad, which you've probably seen haunting the top of the forum today.  Stars Rain Down's reception has been pretty positive and today is the first step toward introducing the story to a wider audience.

Grab a sample; you've got nothing to lose, and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with what you find.

~Chris

[Chris J. Randolph]

Long time, no see!

Popping in to let you all know that Stars Rain Down is currently available free as part of Smashwords' Read an Ebook Week promotion. Just add the book to your basket, apply the code RE100 at checkout, and watch the price magically disappear! The sale lasts until March 12th, so get 'em while they're hot.

Back in Amazon land, the book now has 11 reviews with an average score of 4.5 stars! Take a look and see what readers are saying about Stars Rain Down.

[Chris J. Randolph]

Bumping to let folks know that Stars Rain Down is FREE on the Amazon Kindle through this Sunday.  Download a copy today, and give one to a friend!  Cheers!

[Steverino]

Downloaded.  Thanks!

[Chris J. Randolph]

Thanks for the interest, Steverino! Hope you enjoy it.

[acellis]

Just downloaded this. Looks interesting. Will review after reading.

[Chris J. Randolph]

Thank you! I really appreciate it.