ATLANTA — Veteran Film Producer, Writer and Location Manager Alicia (A. O.) Godmasch (upcoming Quake, Married At First Sight) will launch her debut novel, RETROGRADE: THE DARKNESS, on Tuesday, December 8, 2020. In the spirit of page-turning epics The Hunger Games, Starship Troopers and World War Z, RETROGRADE is the first in a duology series targeted at young adult readers and sci-fi/fantasy/horror fans of all ages. It will be available for purchase on Amazon and at Barnes & Noble nationwide.
Godmasch’s novel tells the gripping tale of a far-off planet, Damara, on the brink of destruction from the mighty Retrograde. To fend off the attack, the protagonist, Isis, defies her mother’s wishes and enlists in Cairo’s elite military unit. Joined in battle by the mysterious and enigmatic Khalfani Abaza, Isis finds herself drawn to him in inexplicable ways. As the Retrograde barrels down on them, the force uniting them grows stronger. Once they connect with Aurora, a fearless army brigade leader, the mystery behind their magnetic connection slowly unfolds, but only at Aurora’s will and on her terms. The trio must rely on each other to survive a near-impossible mission. If they fail, Damara’s very existence will be no more.
“After a fascinating Mercury in Retrograde phenomena chat with a friend on set, the story of RETROGRADE: THE DARKNESS came to me in a series of dreams that I immediately wrote down every morning,” said Godmasch. “Really, I crafted this star-spun adventure to bring in people of all ages, backgrounds and colors, which reflects the diversity in my own life. As readers dive in, they will find a diverse range of heroes to cheer for and relationships to follow as this elite planetary army unit is forced to confront an ancient supernatural force. I would sincerely love for sci-fi/fantasy/horror and adventure fans of all ages to enjoy it.”
The critics are certainly enjoying it. With reviews continuing to come in, advanced buzz for RETROGRADE: THE DARKNESS is strong:
- Clarion Book Review’s Bianca Bowers rated the novel “4 out of 5” stars, hailing it as: “A slow burning science fiction adventure whose heroine is primed to win the age-old battle between good and evil.”
- RETROGRADE has a stamp of approval from San Francisco Book Review’s Jo Niederhoff: “The Darkness, Godmasch brings us a vividly rendered vision of a far-off planet facing an ancient, supernatural enemy. This book isn’t just flights of fancy; however, the characters are all as real as anyone you might meet in your day-to-day life, bringing human strength and vulnerability in equal measure to a world that could only exist in the imagination.”
- “This is good stuff,” said Dr. Peter te Lintel Hekkert, Astronomer and Author.
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