Here’s a summary of The Golden Ellipse narrative and character spotlights with sneak peeks and excerpts.

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.

Book One in The Powers That Be trilogy.

The Golden Ellipse introduces a fresh perspective on humanity’s AI-driven reality in a near-future world of 2044 on brink of epochal change.

With so many contradictory opinions permeating the ether regarding a collective AI future coming at human civilization like an out-of-control freight train—from Sam Altman’s recent post to Joe Rogan’s Ray Kurzweil podcast—The Golden Ellipse cuts through the noise, vaulting readers into the near-future world of 2044 through the eyes of intrepid newlyweds Rachel and Owen Haig, grappling with life’s same foibles and anxieties, just more advanced tech and a proliferation of human-looking replicants permeating every facet of society. It’s coming. Of course, things take a detour into the paranormal before the pair launch 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 that opens minds onto what’s next.

What’s it about?

Thought-provoking science fiction 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? Moreover, it’s not just another in a long succession of sci-fi novels centered on robots, spaceships, and aliens—although it has those—at its heart, it’s a love story set against the threatening dystopian backdrop of a looming alien apocalypse. And, on a macro scale, it’s an epoch-spanning story rich in history and paranormal intrigue that draws parallels between the Great Pyramid’s mysterious origin and Fermi’s Paradox.

The Golden Ellipse’s diverse and relatable cast.

Painted in shades of gray from good to evil.

The Golden Ellipse introduces readers to an eclectic ensemble with raw and gritty, emotive dialogue, tinged with dark humor and a centuries-old clandestine organization with an enigmatic name: The Powers That Be.

Every character—from main protagonists Rachel and Owen Haig—to bit players like Ahmed, a Tunisian Jeep salesman, paint authentic portraits of the human condition. Even the aliens receive their due, beginning with a quintessential spectral race that splits into good and evil factions that influence the book’s overarching narrative.

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, an advanced human replicant named Louie 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.

Intelligent and entertaining sci-fi storytelling with heart and soul.

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.

Sweeping cinematic settings.

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, The Lost Ship picks up the action.

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?

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Here’s your chance to play casting director.

Who would you cast as Artemus Pennywell? How about the mysterious and heroic Neil Alexander? How about his mercurial wingman, Harry Stark? The fashion-forward Nina Madsen? The resourceful Agent Flynn? Let me know in the comments. The first five people to reply with their choices—no matter how crazy—will receive a collectible Lost Cactus sticker as a thank you.

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

The Golden Ellipse bonus content.

• An easy-to-read, well-designed 510-page novel in hardcover, paperback, and e-book formats—all available at a discounted price by shopping here.

• 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.

• A bibliography of the novel’s extensive research.

Is The Golden Ellipse right for me?

• You’re a sci-fi fan who enjoys reading books with diverse, multigenerational, 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.