The Red Rover Series

Humanity has always possessed a fascination with the unknown. More specifically the universe. In the case of thirteen-year-old, ORION MOORE, it literally was all he had ever known. Since birth, Orion has lived amongst a group of over five hundred Earthlings on the Rover Base Alpha, a gigantic space-station that left the Earth decades' prior in search of a new home. In a matter of weeks, the Base's leadership put a plan into action that would send their Rover teams to foreign galaxies in hopes of securing a planet suitable for colonization. At the same time, Orion and his fellow classmates were expected to begin their exploration training, an intense military program designed to take them from neophytes to cadets. Sent away on the Red Rover, it was during this training exercise that these young people would learn the survival skills needed to cope with the harsh conditions that many of the uncharted worlds in the galaxy already possessed. Unbeknownst to Orion and his friends, their lives were about to be irrevocably changed forever, forcing them to band together in an epic adventure for survival. For them, this was only the beginning. Some say that destiny cannot exist without a journey... and for the members of the Red Rover, they're about to see exactly how prophetic that statement really was.

The mystery of the human condition lies not only in staying alive, but in finding something to live for. A throwaway statement to some, while to others like Delilah "Delly" Moore, it was a mantra. Blessed with an everlasting zeal to forge her own identity away from the friendly confines of her family, not to mention the Rover Base Alpha, Delly welcomed the changes in her life with aplomb. The Yellow Rover was not simply a way out. It was a way in—to the life she had always believed she was destined to live. Brought together through a union of necessity and curiosity, she along with the other seventeen members of her Rover team found themselves on route to the largest of the three systems discovered in search of a planet suitable to their community's colonization needs. The discovery of a moon base located within the orbit of their first terrestrial mission causes the Captain to split the unit against the wishes of several members of the team. The remaining group are sent to the unknown planet—where they are immediately engaged by an unreceptive populace. With a frantic fight for survival sure to ensue, it's every man [and woman] for themselves—as diminishing resources, rising tides and a wrathful population make this a damn, dangerous place. When in the presence of a cluster of outlaws, no one can be trusted, especially the wicked among us. ***For fans of the Red Rover, please note that this is not a YA novel. It was written to appeal to an adult audience.***

Freedom is the type of expression that universally can never be defined. Primarily because it does not hold the same connotation for everyone who uses it. For the members of the Red Rover, never before in their lives had they ever experienced as much latitude to flourish as they currently did right now. They would be returning to the great unknown with a better understanding of who they were and what they stood for. It wouldn't be long before they were considered a force to be reckoned with. In Marius' eyes, the day he would pass the leadership baton to them was fast approaching. Unfortunately, that wouldn't be the only thing they had to look forward to as they soon would be attacked by a group of intergalactic marauders known as the Draconoires. These pirates led by the loathsome Naqwin, would bring their momentum to a grinding halt as they all were to be bonded and sold to the highest bidder. That bidder being the lasting citizens of a dying world known as Felicity. They would immediately be put to work by the Felicians in an attempt to reverse the peril that had inflicted this wandering star or so they would think. As the truth behind their capture comes into sharper focus, each of the cadets must dig deeper than they ever have to break free. While it's often been said that there's strength in numbers, their strength must come from within. This is the macrocosm of Felicity. A world in captivity.

True evil comes not from the weakening of the body, but through the indifference of the soul. The crew of the Yellow Rover has definitely seen better days. Captain Sanhueza's decision to split the team has turned out to be quite frankly, an unmitigated disaster. This dangerous new world, coupled with its relentless inhabitants, have made their arrival a living nightmare for the Alpha and Bravo teams. Lieutenant Biancuzzo seizes command, enlisting his top technicians to help him devise an exfiltration plan. The two techs work non-stop, decrypting the data found on the mysterious moon base that was built by an ancient alien civilization known as the Conesans. With practically no time to execute this daring rescue, Biancuzzo and company spring into action—invading the planet. The surviving members of the Alpha and Bravo teams are eventually brought safely back on board for a debrief, but not before enduring another ferocious battle for their lives. The events of this failed colonization are not lost on the crew as it remains unclear as to what their next move should be. Press forward further into the star system or return home to the Rover Base Alpha [and admit defeat]. With a familiar face emerging from the shadows, no one on the Yellow Rover is safe. Burdened by a relentless desire to heed the cull, it is only in death that the living can truly be free. ***For fans of the Red Rover, please note that this is not a YA novel. It was written to appeal to an adult audience.***

Time is often considered one of man's greatest enemies. Over two years have passed since the Red Rover's daring escape from the Galicia star system. Their youthful exuberance to traverse the great unknown has justifiably began to wane, forcing them to part ways with idealism, replacing it instead with pragmatism. When the ship makes an emergency landing on a foreign world named Araneus, questions begin to simmer to the surface regarding Marius' leadership or lack thereof. They no longer are his neophytes and have zero interest in being treated like his subordinates. The line between life and death has ended their adolescence forever. With the work to resume their space journey yet to be completed, the group splinters, leaving Marius, Jovan, Callista and the androids behind, so the others could do what they were trained to do. Explore! Soon after, the five cadets find themselves face to face with an alien species that is unexpectedly overjoyed by their arrival. A celebration commences as they are heralded as "celestials" to this civilization. Their good fortune is short-lived, however, as the amoral behavior of their hosts slowly reveals itself. A threat beneath the surface looms large as the harvest season fast approaches, putting everyone at risk. For it is a sacrifice of the few, that can influence the lives of the many.

In any genuine pursuit of enlightenment, one of the leading prerequisites for success would have to be considered application, more often than not. Otherwise, the knowledge obtained might hold tangential value at best. From the moment his seven students first entered his survival education simulator, Donovan Marius fought tooth and nail to break them of their individualistic habits--in hopes that they would eventually appreciate the benefits of accomplishing tasks as a collective. While they had been brought many times to the brink of epic disaster, during their seemingly never-ending odyssey, his cadets continued to demonstrate that his messages were loudly and clearly received. Application, along with confidence, were two things this group did not lack. Millions of miles across the far-reaching star system, now revealed to them as Genara, a physical beacon beckons their eponymous spaceship, coming from what they believe to be one of their own. The Red Rover descends into this brave new world with their combat antennas aloft. Their excitement noticeably muted this time, primarily due to their previous entanglements with hostile alien lifeforms, no matter the setting. A familiar sight awaits Marius and the cadets, but the mystery surrounding "it" is far too great for them to ignore. This is a reunion to remember.

History is written by the victors. Picking up moments after the events in Contingence, the Red Rover crew are faced with an imminent threat that could destroy everything they hold sacred. Much of this world is a barren landscape so ravaged by war and resentment that separating the good from the bad would be contingent on which way the sand dunes blow: Today's rogue is tomorrow's redeemer while yesterday's freedom's fighter is today's tyrant. The Paprijians, an ancient Kethyrian civilization, have been meticulously planning a covert operation to destroy their loathsome adversaries to the north, south and east, by any means necessary. This action being a direct violation of the abatement signed by each civilization, generations ago. Having lamented the ignominy of witnessing these invader societies usurp their authority and stature on their historical lands while they themselves have languished in despair and destitution, the Paprijian order, led by the charismatic Menphemas, are determined to right a great wrong. If suffering must be the law of Kethyrie, then it must be felt equally. That is how strong in his convictions Menphemas is. Unfortunately for him and his kind, the only thing standing between him and certain victory is a plucky little group of young people who seem to have a knack for being in the right place at the wrong time. One nation's savior is another nation's brigand.

For over half-a-decade, Donovan Marius has observed his seven pubescent pupils with a combination of pride and astonishment. The voluminous amount of danger they had faced and overcame without wilting under the pressure—had proven to be one of the great joys of his life. Simply put... the good doctor had taught them well. His once neophytes had gone above and beyond the call of duty—surpassing even his wildest dreams. With the Kethyrian interplanetary conflict behind them, so begins an unexpected phase of listlessness and monotony, that leaves more than a few members of the crew wondering what their purpose might be moving forward. When a person has literally spent years fighting for their survival, is it even possible to enjoy the peace that comes from being victorious? Unfortunately, for the Red Rover team, that existential question gets pushed to the backburner as a new problem has arisen within their ranks—that threatens to unravel everything they have fought so hard to protect. Pressed back into the great unknown, on a race against time itself, the crew risks everything to stave off the unimaginable. On this mission, failure is not an option.

The pulse-pounding finale has arrived. A powerful force seeks to recreate the star system—pushing the Red Rover and its young adult crew to the brink of extinction. There is nowhere to run and hide as only the "strong" will survive the Ingression!   From the moment the Red Rover first disembarked from the Rover Base Alpha—they were on a collision course with destiny.   The trials and tribulations they had withstood across two-star systems and multiple foreign worlds could attest to that. Their courage and confidence in one another kept them strong—even when presented with overwhelming odds—time and time again.   Still reeling from the events of their last mission, the crew sets out to return to the alien world of Kethyrie. Along the way, they are hastily thrown off course by a powerful new enemy—landing them in a place that could only exist in a dream.   A paradise to some. A perdition to others.   With the fate of the entire system hanging in the balance, against all odds, the crew must do whatever it takes to keep this evil from achieving its malevolent goals—even if it means paying the ultimate price to do so.   Our youth remains the key as the journey careens uncontrollably towards its epic conclusion. A space odyssey to the bitter end. Some scholars have opined that the future is unwritten.   But what if they were wrong?