Influx

Synopsis

Product Description From 2003 AntiSF Award winning author J.C. Jones, comes a dramatic tale of discovery, military action and adventure, as the world struggles to contain an unknown space-borne invasion force. INFLUX After stumbling across what appears to be a covert Lunar landing, Brett Williams, a junior software engineer at NASA's JPL, unwittingly discovers that humanity is not alone in the universe. The discovery quickly turns into full-blown military defense, as the force turns its attention Earthwards. A hastily assembled team of military and civilian experts is the only thing that stands in its way. The eve of destruction is dawning--humanity's first alien contact may just turn out to be its last. From the Inside Flap When the Apollo 12 returned to earth in 1972, its crew left behind a collection of seismic monitors. Thirty-five years later, NASA engineer Brett Williams has discovered something startling in the ALSEP readouts. Something is moving on the surface of the moon... From 2003 AntiSF Award winning author J.C. Jones, comes a dramatic tale of discovery, military action and adventure, as the world struggles to contain an unknown space-borne invasion force. "J.C. Jones presents a frighteningly real and plausibly apocalyptic modern twist on H.G. Wells, War of the Worlds. These bogeys... prove to be far more frightening than the bogeyman in your closet could ever hope to be. Forget Independence Day [as] Influx takes the stage. Definitely a must read for all Sci-Fi fans." --Jim Bless, ShadowGlass E-Magazine. "Influx is a rollicking near-future SF action story that starts and finishes with the sinister. The plot thumps along at an accelerating pace, promises a fusion closure, yet ends with something far more satisfying-and even more sinister. A recommended read." --Ion Newcombe, Editor, AntipodeanSF. "The plot unfolds with a steady increase in tension, panning from character to character in classic movie style. Each character is deftly drawn and their place in the ultimate ending only to be guessed at. Influx lends itself to motion picture adaption, being a great mix of both action-adventure and science-fiction." --Donna Maree Hanson, Aust Speculative Fiction. About the Author J.C. Jones grew up in North Wales and currently resides in Brisbane, Australia with his wife and son. He has worked in a variety of technical roles in Information Technology for British, American and Australian companies. He has a passion for SF, astronomy, science and technology, and as many gadgets as he can get his hands on. Winner of the 2003 AntiSF Award, his speculative fiction has appeared in Visions Magazine, Ragged Edge, Writer's Nook and Reader's Corner, AntipodeanSF and Another Realm. One of his short stories is shortlisted for inclusion in the Whorleberry Press anthology "Cybertales: Stories from the Edge of Reality - Live Wire." Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. NASA JPL, Pasadena, CA Wednesday, 13 June 2007, 12:25 am Pacific Time Leaning back in his chair, Brett Williams stretched his aching back, rolled his shoulders, and groaned wearily to himself. Although he'd wanted to work at NASA as long as he could remember, this was getting beyond a joke. It was well past midnight, and he'd long since finished off the last of the bitter coffee dregs at the bottom of the jug. His blue, short-sleeved work shirt was creased and damp around the armpits from the hours he'd spent hunched over his keyboard. He took off his already loosened polyester tie and tossed it onto the desk in front of him. He balled his fists and rubbed his knuckles into his eyes. Usually dark brown and full of luster, they were now reddened, tired, and dark-ringed. He was a fraction over five feet ten but looked taller because of his mop of ragged, dark brown hair and thin, almost rake-like build. He was twenty-eight, but his appearance and demeanor made him look like a lanky teenager who hadn't quite finished growing. His of