Blue Prometheus
The Story
Thomas Brand’s rational view of the universe is challenged when a sailing ship lands on Clapton Pond during the London riots. The strange alien crew disturbs him and his friend, Lucy Thomson, but the message the ship’s captain gives them is stranger.
They must choose whether to travel to a distant planet to complete a task that would change the destiny of its inhabitants and affect life throughout the universe. And it would change their lives forever.
Blue PrometheusOn that remote planet a young woman awaits them. She is one of only two humans with a knowledge of the wild magic of Blue Prometheus and the intelligent species that live hidden in its great primeval forests. The other she seeks to kill.
She will be their guide.
Lucy must develop the courage to use her power.
But for Thomas to save his friends, and much more, he must first believe in the possibility of the magic his rational mind rejects.
A Pictorial Guide to Blue Prometheus
The future is indicated not predetermined
Lucy befriends a hyena in Blue PrometheusThe thin man glared at her. “Witch,” he muttered under his breath.
Lucy’s face reddened. She brushed the hyena’s fur and pointed at the man. The animal walked across the taproom and pushed its bared teeth into the man’s face.
From Blue Prometheus
A black dragon from Blue PrometheusThe black dragon saved her life and breathed a special fire on her,” Orange said. “The kind of fire a dragon breathes on its own young to awaken their magic. I’ve never heard of this happening outside of a dragon family before, and certainly not to a human.
Orange speaking about Aina's childhood in Blue Prometheus.
An alien magician“Wait,” Lucy said. Orange turned to face her. “You talked about natural magic. Does that mean there’s an unnatural magic?”
“Natural magic flows in harmony with the universe, while black magic forces itself on life.” Orange turned and disappeared into the darkness.
From Blue Prometheus
More About Blue Prometheus
Blue Prometheus is the first novel in a trilogy that begins on Earth, but quickly moves to a distant planet on the edge of the solar system. The Deep Space Trading Company (a company loosely based on the East India Trading Company, and like the East India Trading Company, it has its own army) wishes to exploit the rich resources of Prometheus, the last planet in the solar system outside the control of the empire.
This is a world where few people believe in magic, yet this hidden power must be mastered by Thomas and Lucy in order to counter the controlling upper class which uses politics, psychology, technology, and black magic to rule the empire.
The story is a mixture of contemporary fantasy, planetary romance, and science fantasy, and it’s set partly in cities on the planet, and partly in the vast primeval forests that cover much of the planet’s surface.
Here, Aina renters the ancient forest after a long break.
If she hadn’t known how deadly almost every living plant, insect, and animal on the planet was, she would’ve thought the scene quite idyllic, in a surrealistic sort of way. The forest was bright: a sign of calm, perhaps. The scene reminded her of pictures of old Venus, before it had been poisoned and desecrated, although it’d probably never had the pure energy of Prometheus.
The ancient forest of Blue PrometheusThe characters develop both psychic powers and natural magic, which is contrasted by the black magic of the empire. Some of the intelligent species have their own magic, too.
Here’s a short extract where, on a journey through the inside of a mountain, Lucy asked her taciturn companion about magic. He begins with a brief description—which continues as the story develops.
“Wait,” Lucy said. Orange turned to face her. “You talked about natural magic. Does that mean there’s an unnatural magic?”
“Natural magic flows in harmony with the universe, while black magic forces itself on life.” Orange turned and disappeared into the darkness.
Inspiration for the Martial Magic
The martial aspects of natural magic were inspired by real martial arts. The article Martial Magic explains more.
The Languages of Prometheus
There are many languages spoken on Prometheus, but the common tongue is the imperial language of Dnassian, which originated on the inner planets. However, the first language Thomas Brand and Lucy Thomson learn when they arrive on the Prometheus is Aina’s native language of Silvan. This language is spoken in the last independent country on the planet—a country the Deep Space Trading Company wishes to acquire.
Several of the intelligent species have their own languages—many that are impossible for humans to speak. But the universal language is the True Language.
The True Language
The True Language is the telepathic language used by all life to communicate. The intelligent species of the planet have mastered the finer aspects of the language, but even plants and animals can use it to communicate, although they speak on a simpler level with emotions and images.
Reading Order for the Blue Prometheus Series
- Blue Prometheus #1
- Young Aina #0 (part one)
- The Huntress of Prometheus #0 (part two)
- The Darkling Odyssey #2
- Fire Rising #3
This is the order I wrote the series, and I think it works best because it tells the story of Aina's early life after you've already met her in Blue Prometheus. The actual chronological story order is on the right.
Where You Can Buy Blue Prometheus
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Blue Prometheus is available on all major online booksellers:
Amazon (US) (UK) (Canada) (Australia)
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Blue Prometheus is available in ebook, paperback, and hardback editions. You can order it from your local bookshop or ask your library to stock it.
It’s also available on Tolino and many smaller booksellers.
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Read about The Darkling Odyssey—the sequel to Blue Prometheus
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