Humankind’s Most Compelling Mysteries Unfold Inside The Golden Ellipse
TL;DR: Looking for an action-packed first novel in a science fiction trilogy with an emotional edge? Read The Golden Ellipse—an imaginative thriller that foreshadows humanity’s destiny in a crowded universe.
A Futuristic Vision that Resonates in Today’s World on the Threshold of an AI-driven New Reality.
With so many vague and contradictory opinions permeating the ether regarding our collective AI future coming at human civilization like an out-of-control freight train, The Golden Ellipse cuts through the noise, vaulting readers into the near-future world of 2044 through the eyes of Rachel and Owen Haig, intrepid newlyweds grappling with their new life together, suddenly thrust onto a heart-stopping odyssey to save the world. No pressure.
Whether you’re a longtime fan of intelligent speculative science fiction or seeking a new novel that lingers in your thoughts long after the final page, The Golden Ellipse delivers a deeply rewarding sci-fi read before opening the doors onto what’s next.
An Uncannily Familiar Picture of Life in the Year 2044
With so many vague and contradictory opinions permeating the ether regarding our collective AI future coming at human civilization like an out-of-control freight train, The Golden Ellipse cuts through the noise, vaulting readers into the near-future world of 2044 through the eyes of Rachel and Owen Haig, intrepid newlyweds grappling with their new life together, suddenly thrust onto a heart-stopping odyssey to save the world. No pressure.
Whether you’re a longtime fan of intelligent speculative science fiction or seeking a new novel that lingers in your thoughts long after the final page, The Golden Ellipse delivers a deeply rewarding sci-fi read before opening the doors onto what’s next.
What’s It About?
Thought-provoking Sci-fi with Indiana Jones Overtures
The Golden Ellipse posits an imaginative vision of our transhumanistic destiny while answering the most ubiquitous question of our time: Are we alone?
Book One in The Powers That Be trilogy, The Golden Ellipse isn’t just another sci-fi tale about robots, spaceships, and aliens—although it has those—at its heart, it’s a love story set against the backdrop of an alien apocalypse. On a macro scale, the uniquely original narrative is an epoch-spanning story rich in history and paranormal intrigue that draws a straight line between the Great Pyramid’s mysterious origin and Fermi’s Paradox.
The Golden Ellipse: Character, Conflict, and Change
1. Character: A Diverse and Relatable Cast
The Golden Ellipse features an eclectic cast of three-dimensional characters, painted in shades of gray from good to evil, and written with raw and gritty, emotive dialogue, tinged with dark humor. The novel also introduces readers to a centuries-old clandestine organization with an enigmatic name: The Powers That Be.
Every character in The Golden Ellipse—from newlyweds Rachel and Owen Haig, the main protagonists, to bit players like Ahmed, a Tunisian Jeep salesman—paints authentic portraits of the human condition. The aliens also receive their due, beginning with a quintessential spectral race that visits Earth 90,000 years ago before splitting into good and evil, light and dark, passive benevolence and conniving maliciousness.
In the year 2044, the replicant revolution has long since morphed into an everyday reality. And much like the enigmatic Hal in Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, Louie, an advanced human replicant, has a moving and emotional arc that will tug at readers’ heartstrings. These characters aren’t just part of the story—they are the story.
2. Conflict: Intelligent and Entertaining Sci-fi Storytelling
Exploring core themes rooted in the consequences of a tech-driven reliance akin to a Michael Crichton techno-thriller, and perplexing mysteries from humankind’s past coming home to roost in the veins of a James Rollins pageturner, The Golden Ellipse introduces an innovative and original sci-fi conflict predicated on why rampaging alien races have left Earth alone through the millennia, until now.
Blended into the character-driven story with heart and soul, the fast-paced narrative punctuates mind-bending events with huge emotional payoffs—compelling alternate history, marked by heartbreak and loss, a cold and calculating AI world where faith and trust are needed more than ever, and a dystopian nightmare leavened by dark humor and dry wit. Like my aforementioned major influences, The Golden Ellipse challenges the intellect without losing focus on what matters most, the characters.
3. Change: Vivid and Cinematic Change
Whether sucking chardonnay from pouch aboard a space tourism ship orbiting Earth with over 300 fellow passengers, or slipping across wet limestone deep inside a hidden cavern high within Montagne Sainte-Victoire in Provence, to hurtling down the Trans-African Highway from Tunis to Tripoli in one of the last gas-powered Jeeps on the continent, to crawling through claustrophobic tunnels far beneath the Giza Plateau where fates ultimately collide, the story hurtles toward its climactic ending. When the smoke inevitably clears, nothing will ever be the same, ever again, broadening onto a new reality where Book Two picks up the action—all for another blog on The Lost Ship. Stay tuned for that.
About That Cinematic Reference
As a visual artist with a lifetime of sci-fi books and movies rattling the cages of my psyche, my writing style evokes a cinematic approach to storytelling—almost like reading from a script. Moreover, I cannot resist strategically placed Easter eggs along with paeans to the sci-fi greats who have so influenced my writing. As a lifelong science fiction fan myself, I know my readers will love discovering the name drops, veiled references, and something I do: embedding a song by a singular rock and roll icon with an affinity for science fiction into the plot of each book (you can read more here), starting with The Golden Ellipse. If you know who the artist is, send me a comment with your favorite tune. I would love to hear from you!
Where was I?
As an avid sci-fi fan myself, I trust that each reader’s visual interpretations of my books will far exceed anything a movie could conjure; however, I wouldn’t object to seeing my stories on the silver screen. Wait. Is that still a thing? Perhaps a big LED screen. What fun that would be … it would make a helluva movie, or better yet, in a serialized format, like The Three-Body Problem. Hello Netflix?
One final thought:
I’m not sure how common this is among authors, but I cast every character in my mind while writing the book. Once again, I’d love your thoughts. Who does Rachel remind you of? How about Artemus Pennywell? Or Agent Flynn? Let me know in the comments. I will randomly select a few of my favorite replies to receive a surprise as a thank you for playing along.
What Readers Are Saying:
“A flighty, serio-comic excavation of SF tropes and doomsday conspiracies. ✅ GET IT.”
— KIRKUS REVIEWS
“A good storyline and read.”
— Mary, Goodreads
“… sci-fi that is also a mystery … not a quick read … intriguing.”
— S. Mahaffey, Amazon
What The Golden Ellipse Offers Readers
An easy-to-read, well-designed 510-page novel in hardcover, paperback, and e-book formats—all available at a discounted price on johnhopkinsauthor.com.
A frontmatter section of the author’s original concept illustrations.
Epigraphs of the author’s favorite literary voices and iconic figures grace each chapter’s opening page.
An extensive bibliography for studying the novel’s numerous details, from incidental to paramount.
Support a new voice in sci-fi and speculative fiction by reading the first novel in a science fiction trilogy
So, I know what you’re thinking: Is The Golden Ellipse right for me?
🎯 The Golden Ellipse is your next book obsession if:
You’re a sci-fi fan who enjoys books with multigenerational and diverse ensemble casts, such as Dune by Frank Herbert and The Expanse by James S.A. Corey.
You want to immerse yourself in a sprawling adventure with expansive globe-trotting settings, interwoven plotlines, and flashbacks.
You love experiencing an emotional reading connection.
Get The Golden Ellipse Right Here at a Big Discount!
Join my list of insiders and receive an additional 15% off a digital download of the Golden Ellipse. Prefer a physical copy? The paperback and hardcover are also on sale using the links on my site. They look great on the bookshelf and make the perfect gift for sci-fi fans.
