The First Colony series has had multiple series arcs, from establishing the first interstellar colony, to fighting for humanity’s very survival from a heinous enemy that followed the colonists from Earth’s star system. This arc was explored in the first three books of the series. Books 4 – 11 explored a second arc where the colonists further explored New Earth and made some significant discoveries. I’m not going to distill a story that took 7 books to write into a few sentences. However, it was the growth and struggles faced by the characters during that second series arc that led me to write a third series arc. Impulse – First Colony Book 12 introduced some new characters, and I was able to explore some of the struggles that the colony faced as it matured into a post-war society. Struggles that included interspecies dealings and diplomacy, or a lack of diplomacy among various groups, both human and not, that struggle to move on from a brutal history.
Infinity – First Colony Book 13 continues to build on the rich history established in the preceding books, but I think the story can stand on its own. Infinity is an exploration story built around the development of FTL technology. Most technological developments go through a learning curve as it’s perfected, and FTL is no different. What goes hand in hand with this concept is exploring a new planet, encountering new life forms, and a good old fashion adventure story.
I am currently working on First Colony Book 14. Yes, I’m continuing the series. No, I don’t have any number of books planned. However, I do think that there is potential for a few more books in the series. I have several ideas written out, but this will depend on whether there are enough readers interested in keeping this series going. The stories I’m writing in the First Colony series have moved beyond the initial characters established in the earlier books, although they still show up on the center stage. I never enjoyed reading stories that felt like a rehashing of earlier events. In my mind, characters grow and change over time. It’s been twenty or thirty years since humans arrived on New Earth. Plenty of time for characters to evolve and, in some cases, regress, but the problems they face also change over time. The story for Infinity seemed like a natural progression of this series as the characters learn and adapt for what may come in the future.
I’m extremely excited about the upcoming release of Infinity – First Colony Book 13, and I hope that whoever reads it, enjoys a little escapism for a jaunt through interstellar space. There definitely will be a few bumps along the way.
Happy trails.
Ken
Venturing into the unknown means pushing the limits of everything thought possible.
10 years ago, the Ark II departed on a long journey through interstellar space, but shortly after they reached their destination, all communications ceased. All attempts to re-establish contact have failed.
Utilizing prototypical FTL technology that he invented, one brave man will lead a small expedition into the unknown to discover the colony’s fate.
The challenges of establishing the first interstellar colony nearly destroyed humanity. What new challenges will the second colony bring?
