The most surprising Christmas story you will ever read.
Byrne is a talented storyteller who pays special attention to language and possesses a writing style at times simple and straightforward, at others lyrical. The technical and science aspects are very well done as well. Part mystery, part thriller, Nine Planets is a science fiction novel quite different from others on the market. If you love SF novels and thrillers, I recommend you give this one a try.
Nine Planets is a complex, dystopian science fiction story about redemption and hope. There were many interesting characters, especially Blackwell. A couple of things that I particularly liked was how it started many centuries before the main events and how, as a reader, I was thrown into Blackwell's confusing life (there's a very good reason for his confusion) and learned what was happening along with him.
I'm privileged to know Greg personally and look forward to chatting to him about his novel. Recommended, especially if you like this genre.
All that has kept humanity alive for almost two millennia is a single secret,
a secret now locked inside Peter Blackwell’s brain.
But he can’t remember it.
As the countdown toward Father Nick’s Day accelerates, so does the action. I found the book difficult to put aside after I passed the half-way point. Shortly after then, alliances shifted and truths were revealed and I lost the rest of my day in the race toward the end.
Nine Planets appears to be author Greg Byrne’s first novel. I’m hoping he’ll write another. I’d love to see where his imagination takes me next.
Nine Planets is probably the best book I've read in a long time. It's a dystopian/science fiction/action story which takes the Santa Clause myth to a whole new level. For a 300+ page book, it's chock full of heart pounding excitement, that keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very last page! This is going to be one of those books that sticks with me for a while, and I've already recommended it to a few friends.
From the very start of Nine Planets, I was intrigued........ From Nikolas, to Tower, to Harker Brown, the narrative weaves cleverly from character to character, involving the reader in the mystery of Father Nick's Day and the search for The Secret.
The novel is full of clever ideas, particularly the time slip, in which time stops still and the Brotherhood can travel without being detected.
The ending ties everything together and suddenly things fall into place and you realise it is not just a narrative - it is the refreshing representation of the most important story every told. I highly recommend this unique allegorical tale.
Congratulations on the release of your latest book, Nine Planets. When did you start writing and what got you into supernatural thrillers?
A wonderful friend from our shared days on the Online Writing Workshop for Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror.
Byrne’s allegorical debut boasts a premise that’s simultaneously dark and playful, lovely synesthetic imagery, and world-building that jumps delightfully between moments of fairy tale fantasy and high-tech dystopia.
This story is better than excellent. The characters, the action and, especially, the society-building, are all very well done. Philip K. Dick fans will love this book. It is very much worth reading.
A simply wonderful work of literature. Captured my imagination from the opening stanza and held it throughout. Byrne's writing style is unique and brilliantly poetic. He layers his worlds with dark yet tantalizing mystery with just enough clues that tease the reader to stay etched in anticipation, hungry for the next scene. I have never read something like Nine Planet's and probably won't for a while. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey that Byrne took me on and I cannot wait to see where his genius mind takes me next.
And this, an interview with thedarkphantom where I spoke of the inspiration behind the book.