Book excerpt: Humanity pushed into the stars in search of a new home. Jonah Freeman is part of a third generation stuck aboard a starship, eager for their arrival at their final destination: Omega. Only things are not as they seem aboard the ship, with secrets that go back generations bubbling to the surface, leading him into the darkest corners of the ship. One question haunts him, though... If they’re in uncharted space, why are there human artifacts? Their new home is not what it seems, and the secrets of the planet Omega threaten to rewrite human history as we know it. Running away from humanity’s problems only means those problems follow them, and it’s up to the next generation to save the galaxy. Explore the beginnings of the epic Andlios series, with Jonah Freeman’s arrival on humanity’s new home in Terminus Cycle, and his daughter’s quest to unite humanity and save the galaxy in Cydonia Rising. *** Andlios Beginnings: Books 0.5 and 1 is a boxed set of two full-length books in the Andlios science fiction space opera series. This ebook collection harkens back to the classic, epic space opera series like Dune, Star Wars and Hyperion, while perfect for fans of Legend of the Galactic Heroes, Imperial Radch, New Crobuzon and more. With complex characters and themes, readers follow Katrijn as she deals with the ghosts of her family’s past and the pressures of a galaxy’s future on her shoulders. She’s not alone, though, as Jace, Trella and more cope with their own place in human history, dealing with LGBTQ, collectivist and anti-imperialist themes. The series delves into the metaphysical, asking tough questions about capitalism, colonialism and racism that have plagued history and if we can still build a better future. Terminus Cycle focuses on the history of the planet Andlios, while Cydonia Rising is the first book in the series. Veteran Star Trek and Dr. Who author Robert Jeschonek describes Cydonia Rising as such: “Once this book unlocks the vast, rich, and challenging universe that Dave has conjured in his ongoing literary Big Bang, you will never look back.” Author Matt Saccaro touches on the different themes: “It’s a classical space opera mixed with some ancient Rome + medieval Scandinavia. A fascinating juxtaposition and difficult to pull off, but Walsh makes it work.”