The Amaranth Chronicles: Deviant Rising
In a galaxy ruled by an all-seeing surveillance system, a rag-tag team of rebels from far-flung corners must uncover the outlawed ideals of existence and freedom.
The Helix was created to revolutionize the way we communicate. But even the purest of intentions can spawn terrible evil.
Lithia Boson never wanted to join some grand rebellion against evil, she just wanted to escape from her abusive aunt Petra and take her little brother Bobby with her but when the United Planets of Earth find out that the lone passenger on her little cargo ship is a rogue agent from the U.P.E. with knowledge of exactly how deep the government’s control of society goes, she isn’t given a choice.
Far from home and no one she can call on, Lithia must turn to a group of ragtag freedom fighters and refugees for help but who can she really trust when they are the reason her life stands in ruins and she doesn’t even know where her brother is.
Out among the planets of the frontier Lithia is caught up in events far bigger than herself and that she doesn’t really understand but Lithia has always been a survivor and to rescue her brother Lithia will find strength she never knew she had and go further than she ever thought possible.
“From the start, I envisioned The Amaranth Chronicles as a blend of contrasting sci-fi influences. On one side, the advanced and structured world draws inspiration from the dystopian and cyberpunk themes of Blade Runner. On the other, the rugged and untamed Frontier echoes the adventurous spirit of Firefly. Both worlds, and the balance between them, have been a constant source of inspiration.”
– Co-Author, Alexander Barnes
About The Authors
Alexander Barnes - Co-author
It has been a profound experience. Holding a copy of The Amaranth Chronicles: Deviant Rising in my hand for the first time and my knees buckling as my eyes filled with silent tears the first time I saw it on a store shelf. That queasy - nervous feeling the night I walked into the premier party and saw 120 of my friends and family there, cheering me on. I can’t describe the feeling when I heard Emily Smith give a voice to Lithia and all of our other characters in the Audiobook. When I held my space ship models in my hands for the first time the overwhelming sense of accomplishment was surreal. This project, this passion pursuit, this dream has been the one thing that makes all other struggles worth it. I have no plans on giving up on this dream anytime soon, and now that you’ve made it here I hope I can consider you, the reader, another fan.
Christopher Preiman - Co-author
I’ve been a lover of science fiction ever since I was a little kid, and a lover of books ever since I realized it was the best way to get more “Star Trek” between episodes. I grew up in San Jose, California and have been attempting to be an author since I was fifteen. In the meantime, I’ve been a chef, a massage therapist, a semi-professional game master (I got payed for it once, so it counts) and for a very short time, a film critic on Twitter (until I got bored.) I became involved in this project quite some time ago when Alex came to me looking for some help figuring out the villains for his story and just sort of stayed on. The mix of space opera and Saturday morning cartoon felt like a good fit for me, and now here I am, the co-author of a book that’s sparked an entire new universe.
Other Contributors
Emmie Christie Emily Smith - Narrator - Short Story Writer
I narrate audiobooks for Audible and write for speculative fiction magazines. My stories tend to hover around the topics of feminism, mental health, cats, and the speculative such as unicorns and affordable healthcare. You can find my fiction work in Intrinsick and Allegory Magazine, and more stories are coming out in Flash Fiction Online and Zooscape later this year. In my spare time, I like to play D&D and go out line dancing.
Tyler Sparrow - Content Editor - Short Story Writer
I've always been enamored with Science Fiction for it's depth and controversial topics. I almost always encounter thought provoking questions about morality, justice, what-ifs, and all kinds of other topics that merit contemplation.
When I'm not consuming sci-fi or fantasy media in all it's forms, I'm out with friends, dabbling in their interests, or doing some outdoor activity.
Alexey Yakovlev - Cover Artist - Concept Artist
Living in Moscow, Russia, Alexey is a small business owner and seasoned illustrator. He was our first and highest contributing concept artist and is largely responsible for the look and feel of our heroes and their spaceships. In addition to the wealth of art he has provided, he was also our cover artist and, in a twist of fate, also provided the designs for our bad guy, Torque the cybernetic demon.
Fan Zhang - Concept Artist
From Beijing, China, Fan Zhang graduated from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and is a dedicated concept artist focused on the sci-fi world. Currently working for a VR game company based in China, Fan is solely responsible for developing the look of our villains, ships, and environments. During the development of the UPE Enigma’s concept art, he earned kudos from members on the art team behind the video game series “Homeworld.”
Juan Angel - Concept Artist
I’m a concept artist and game developer. My focus is on character design and the development of concepts for a variety of products with an emphasis on Sci-Fi and epic fantasy settings.
My experience as a freelance concept artist and graphic designer has given me the tools to create solid and consistent art that inspires people and my experience as a philosophy student has given me a passion for reading and writing.
Desiree Mackenzie - Symbol Designer
I'm an expert in visual communications who specializes in graphic design and Illustration with 4 years of experience developing creative design & page layouts. Beautiful typography and ornate detail have always been a passionate focus of mine. From newsletters, brochures, business cards and logo designs, my design expertise includes advertisements, direct mail, magazines, books, email newsletters, interactive catalogues, interior/exterior signage and large-format trade show graphics.
Wing Jong - Character Artist
I'm born and raised in Taiwan. I pursued my dream as a artist in the states. Now I'm home again and ready for my next phase in life.
As a concept artist, I love drawing since I was a little girl. As a gamer, I enjoy every game I played.
Paul Ku - UX/UI Designer
I am a designer with strong experience in user experience and visual communication. From user research, ideation, flowchart, wireframe, to comps and prototype, everything is under my belt. I am also very experienced in making icons and logos from pencil to digitized product.
Luke Oines - Concept Artist
I was hired as a concept artist for a small company here in the bay area called Enemy Spawn, which is working on releasing their story/book/universe: The Amaranth Chronicles. I was tasked with depicting one Captain Xander Pacius, and his wardrobe, facial features and side arm.