Linda Nagata: the blog at Hahví.net

Snippet: Skye Object 3270a

Saturday, September 29th, 2012

Cover of SKYE OBJECT 3270a

The pit was an ugly chunk of a room, weirdly lit by panels set between the three sets of elevator doors along its curving back wall. Faint shadows shifted and rippled across the floor, leading Skye to glance up, at the domed observation bubble, and the faces of nearly two hundred ados staring down at her. Buyu was there. He gave her a thumbs-up. Skye pretended not to see.

She straightened her shoulders, glancing nervously at Commandant Penwo’s office, sheltered behind a transparent wall on one side of the jump pit. She could see him, dressed in street clothes and rocking in a high-back chair. He didn’t look happy. He wanted to veto this jump, but Skye was fourteen now, and by Silk’s city charter that meant she was free to do any activity approved for ados. It was a giddy freedom that she had been cherishing over the five days since her birthday.

Penwo caught her glance. He shook his head. “Somewhere between six and sixty people lose their good sense,” he said. “We don’t call this phase ‘dumb ado’ for nothing.”

Skye’s fingers twitched. “Can you remember that far back, Commandant?”

Penwo grinned. “Have fun, Skye Object. Hope you live.”

“Forever.”

* * *

Advanced middle-grade / young-adult science fiction, available in print and ebook versions. More Info.

Posted in Snippets | Comments Off on Snippet: Skye Object 3270a

A Science Fiction Stocking Stuffer

Friday, December 9th, 2011

“Danger! Possibly Infectious to Young Minds!”

So says Randy Stafford in his reader review of Skye Object 3270a posted at Amazon.

Book cover for Skye Object 3270aI haven’t been paying much attention lately to the book listings, so I was gratified to discover that Skye Object, my young-adult science fiction novel, has garnered some very nice reader reviews at Amazon and Library Thing. It’s a fast-paced adventure aimed at advanced middle-grade readers–and if you know any of those, please consider making the book a holiday gift. It’s available in print as well as ebook versions.

Signed copies of the print book are available at my website, but the best deals are at Barnes & Noble or Amazon. Powell’s carries the book online as well, but prices are higher there.
Here’s the short description:

Skye was found as an infant, adrift in a lifepod in an isolated star system. Now she’s a bold teen who wants to know where she came from. Helping in her search for answers are best friend Zia, handsome young astronomer Devi, and the courageous Buyu Mkolu. Their adventure will take them from their high-tech home to an alien wilderness and then up, to the dangerously fascinating zone of high orbit.

Here are links:

Barnes & Noble (USA)
Amazon USA
Amazon UK
Booktopia (Australia)
Powell’s Books (USA)

And here are some of the nice bits from readers who’ve posted their opinions:

From Library Thing Early Reviewers

“Excellent story… Once you start the book, you will not be able to stop.” — roadway2000

“This reads very quickly and I was through it before I realized… All in all an excellent story.” — Gord.Barker

“Skye Object 3270a is certainly one of the best books I’ve read and I encourage anyone who enjoys an adventurous story to pick this one up.”—KaelebsMomma

“I ended up reading this straight through in one sitting.”—cwallen

From Amazon US

“I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It combined the best of both science fiction and young adult: likeable teenage characters struggling to find their place in a high-tech alien world.”– Joe Vasicek

“An excellent book for the young adult reader.”– Jill from Pgh

“In short, Nagata, I think, has a good chance with this work to accomplish her goal of infecting the next generation with the meme of science fiction, the love of plausible speculation and the wonder of science. And adults like me will be happy to follow along.”—Randy Stafford

Posted in My Books | Comments Off on A Science Fiction Stocking Stuffer