The Venusian Gambit: Book Three of the Daedalus Series

by Michael J Martinez

Overview

The last chapter of the dimension-spanning Daedalus series brings the 19th and 22nd centuries together for an explosive finale in the jungles of Venus!

In the year 2135, dangerous alien life forms freed in the destruction of Saturn's moon Enceladus are making their way towards Earth. A task force spearheaded by Lt. Cmdr. Shaila Jain is scrambling to beat them there while simultaneously trying to save crewmember Stephane Durand, who was infected during the mission to Saturn and is now controlled by a form of life intent on reopening a transdimensional rift and destroying the human race. But Jain doesn’t realize that the possessed Stephane has bigger plans, beaming critical data to other conspirators suspiciously heading not for Earth, but for Venus…

In 1809—a Napoleonic era far different from our own—the French have occupied England with their Corps Eternélle, undead soldiers risen through the darkest Alchemy. Only the actions of Lord Admiral Thomas Weatherby and the Royal Navy have kept the French contained to Earth. But the machinations of old enemies point to a bold and daring gambit: an ancient weapon, presumed lost in the jungles of Venus.

Now, Weatherby must choose whether to stay and fight to retake his homeland or pursue the French to the green planet. And Shaila must decide if it’s possible to save the man she loves, or if he must be sacrificed for the good of two dimensions. In the dark, alien jungles of Venus, humanity's fate in both dimensions hangs in the balance—forcing past and present to once again join forces against an ancient terror.

Skyhorse Publishing, under our Night Shade and Talos imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of titles for readers interested in science fiction (space opera, time travel, hard SF, alien invasion, near-future dystopia), fantasy (grimdark, sword and sorcery, contemporary urban fantasy, steampunk, alternative history), and horror (zombies, vampires, and the occult and supernatural), and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller, a national bestseller, or a Hugo or Nebula award-winner, we are committed to publishing quality books from a diverse group of authors.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781597808194
Publisher:	Night Shade
Publication date:	05/05/2015
Series:	Daedalus Series , #3
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Michael Martinez is the author of The Daedalus Incident and The Enceladus Crisis, the first two installments in the Daedalus trilogy. A journalist and professional writer by trade, Martinez lives with his wife and daughter in northern New Jersey.

Editorial Reviews

★ 03/30/2015
Overflowing with complexity and eloquence, the conclusion to Martinez’s Daedalus Trilogy (following The Enceladus Crisis) seamlessly blends popular elements from science fiction and fantasy, producing a work that raises the bar for both. In our high-tech near future, Maj. Gen. Maria Diaz and Lt. Cmdr. Shaila Jain are faced with the fallout from recent events on Saturn’s moon Enceladus. In the alchemistic past of a parallel dimension, Sir Thomas Weatherby and Lady Anne Baker are fighting in slightly steampunkish Napoleonic wars, in which the French have used the Egyptian Book of the Dead to raise zombie troops. Their timelines collide when minions of Althotas, a Martian trapped in a nightmarish prison of nothingness, endeavor to free him. Love and friendships are tested, mysteries and betrayals are unearthed, political games are played among both humans and aliens, an astronaut in a space suit hugs a 19th-century British admiral, and Martinez somehow makes it all work. He skillfully handles the intricacies of characterization and the many moving parts, building to the trilogy’s utterly satisfying and quite epic finale. Agent: Sara Megibow, KT Literary Agency. (May)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for The Venusian Gambit:
"Overflowing with complexity and eloquence, the conclusion to Martinez’s Daedalus Trilogy seamlessly blends popular elements from science fiction and fantasy, producing a work that raises the bar for both."
—Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Everything the finale of a trilogy should be—constant suspense, genuine characters…. If you start this at bedtime, don’t plan on getting any sleep until you hit The End."
—Beth Cato, author of The Clockwork Dagger

Praise for The Daedalus Incident:
"Genre bending often come at great peril, but Martinez pulls it off with an assurance that makes all the pieces slot together perfectly."
—Buzzfeed.com, "The 14 Greatest Science Fiction Books of the Year" (2013)

"Martinez's debut is a triumph of genre-blending.... With a cast of superbly drawn characters, Martinez's title is a mesmerizing tale of two universes that briefly cross paths, leaving both worlds forever changed."
—Library Journal (starred review, SF/F Debut of the Month), included in Best Books 2013: SF/Fantasy end-of-year wrap-up

"A true genre bender. It mixes alchemy, quantum physics, and historical figures in ways you haven’t seen before.... Adventurous, original, and a blast to read."
—Tor.com

Praise for The Enceladus Crisis:
“A follow up that manages to improve on the first in significant ways.”
—SF Signal

Praise for The Venusian Gambit:
"Overflowing with complexity and eloquence, the conclusion to Martinez’s Daedalus Trilogy seamlessly blends popular elements from science fiction and fantasy, producing a work that raises the bar for both."
—Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Everything the finale of a trilogy should be—constant suspense, genuine characters…. If you start this at bedtime, don’t plan on getting any sleep until you hit The End."
—Beth Cato, author of The Clockwork Dagger

Praise for The Daedalus Incident:
"Genre bending often come at great peril, but Martinez pulls it off with an assurance that makes all the pieces slot together perfectly."
—Buzzfeed.com, "The 14 Greatest Science Fiction Books of the Year" (2013)

"Martinez's debut is a triumph of genre-blending.... With a cast of superbly drawn characters, Martinez's title is a mesmerizing tale of two universes that briefly cross paths, leaving both worlds forever changed."
—Library Journal (starred review, SF/F Debut of the Month), included in Best Books 2013: SF/Fantasy end-of-year wrap-up

"A true genre bender. It mixes alchemy, quantum physics, and historical figures in ways you haven’t seen before.... Adventurous, original, and a blast to read."
—Tor.com

Praise for The Enceladus Crisis:
“A follow up that manages to improve on the first in significant ways.”
—SF Signal

From the Publisher

04/15/2015
In the year 2135, dangerous aliens are making their way toward Earth and in an alternate 1809 the French occupy England with an undead army. The series that began with The Daedalus Incident and The Enceladus Crisis concludes here with another tale of two eras that are inextricably tangled.

Library Journal

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