Life on Planet Earth

This was a selected semi-finalist in the Self Published Science Fiction Competition!

With a gripping opening, this story evolves and subverts expectations while keeping the intigue at a high level throughout.

Humans have created a settlement on the Moon called Omega, where our protagonists Liam begrudginly is assigned to jobs working on the farm. While he's not busy with his tasks, he's become the top ‘player' in the Earth Sims - a VR game designed to recruit a crew to return to Earth, which (for all we know) is now inhabited with these subhuman (or ‘subs') flesh-eating monsters. Settling back on earth will not be an easy task. With an ailing mother and a caretaker sister, the story follows Liam as he's over-confident that he'll be selected for the mission to re-populate earth. But you can't always get what you want.

After an accident with the earth landing cuts out communication with the moon base, what takes place after that is bit like a survivalist tale exploring a dangerous ‘new' earth and attempting to re-unite with fellow survivors. Alliances are made, new threats are discovered, and abilities are tested.

The supporting cast as well as the villian here is really intriguing and well done. There's a touch of the Young Adult dynamic through those interactions, but the stakes are bumped up quite a bit when those in power feel the need to abuse it.

The wool starts to be peeled back through the narrative and I was eager to see what reveals may come on the next page.