The Photonic Effect - by Mike Chen (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

A starship captain and her crew face conspiracies and betrayals as they clash with various factions of a galactic civil war in a thrilling space adventure by New York Times bestselling author Mike Chen.

The starship Horizon's crew spent ten years trapped across the expanse of space. Now they're finally home--only it's not the home they knew. The Cluster, once a peaceful coalition of planets, has fractured in the wake of civil war.

Captain Demora Kim wants nothing more than to protect her surviving crew. It's what she owes them after years of instability and terror. But in times of war, no one is allowed neutrality.

After an attack on a mining station leaves thousands dead, Demi's efforts become almost impossible. Every ship is needed on the frontline. Thrust deeper into a conflict she barely understands, Demi considers a bold choice--one that might keep her promises but tip the galaxy further into chaos.

Review Quotes

PRAISE FOR MIKE CHEN

A Beginning at the End offers an intimate, surprisingly gentle vision of post-disaster humanity, less concerned with how we might survive than with why--and for whom." --Alix E. Harrow, New York Times Bestselling author

Chen has a true gift for making the biggest of worlds center around the most complex workings of hearts, and his newest is compelling, realistic, and impossible to put down." --Booklist, starred review on A Beginning at the End

"Chen does what the very best sci-fi writers do--he takes a fascinating concept and elevates it with brilliant execution and deeply heartfelt plot twists that make this story less about the (fun) conventions of the genre and more about the profound experience of being human."--Michael Moreci (Black Star Renegades, Star Wars) on Here and Now and Then

"Chen's strength in writing poignant character arcs, especially within family dynamics, shines here, as does his ability to craft intriguing blends of literary and speculative fiction with compelling, character-driven plots." -Library Journal on Light Years from Home

About the Author

Mike Chen is the New York Times bestselling author of The Photonic Effect, Star Wars: Brotherhood, Here and Now and Then, A Quantum Love Story, and other novels, as well as Star Trek: Deep Space Nine comics. He has covered geek culture for sites such as Nerdist and The Mary Sue, and in a different life, he's covered the NHL. A member of SFWA, Mike lives in the Bay Area with his wife, daughter, and many rescue animals.