Hell’s Menagerie (After Eden Series: Tek-Fall, Episode II)
My companion mini-series concludes. In Metal Flesh (Episode I), the focus was on “living” inorganic robots. Now with the concluding Hell’s Menagerie (Episode II), we move to “man-made” organic creatures.
I marvel at the groundbreaking story of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (full title: Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus) which was written in 1818 anonymously and finally released under her name in 1823. Shelley invented science fiction.
Her story talked about reanimating dead bodies or creating “new” life from corpses using the cutting-edge science for the time. It’s no wonder that centuries, major movies are still being made based on her work.
Also there is another visionary classic science fiction writer H.G. Wells with his novel, The Island of Doctor Moreau, in 1896. Here the “mad scientist” is creating animal-human hybrids. The featured picture is from the second movie adaption of his novel starring Marlon Brando and Val Kilmer (the 1977 version with Burt Lancaster and Michael York is the superior movie). There are scenes in the movie that capture the “freakishness” of Moreau’s created life and Moreau himself.
The Tek-Fall series is closer to what I think likelier to happen: The creating whole “new” life from scratch—horrific hybrids and “new” animals for research, food and food products, security, and war purposes. This human impulse to create can be beautiful or ugly.
These companion books are not essential to the main After Eden Series, but they do, however, give us more back-story, allow us to spend more time with interesting characters, and delve deeper into various themes. The entire series is very much cerebral science fiction. You’ll have a fun read and plenty of action. But it will also make you stop, think and say “Hmm. I didn’t think of it like that.” “I hope that doesn’t happen, but I think you’re right, it will.”
Check back on February 1st for the Cover Reveal
Note: both Metal Flesh (Episode I) and Hell’s Menagerie (Episode II) are combined into one novel titled Tek-Fall. Both new titles will be available for Pre-order on February 1st. Release Day is March 30, 2015.
#AfterEdenSeries #ScienceFiction
Austin Dragon is the author of over 30 books in science fiction, fantasy, and classic horror. His works include the sci-fi detective LIQUID COOL series, the epic fantasy FABLED QUEST CHRONICLES, the international futuristic epic AFTER EDEN Series, the classic SLEEPY HOLLOW HORRORS, and new military sci-fi PLANET TAMERS series. He is a native New Yorker but has called Los Angeles, California home for more than twenty years. Words to describe him, in no particular order: U.S. Army, English teacher, one-time resident of Paris, ex-political junkie, movie buff, Fortune 500 corporate recruiter, renaissance man, futurist, and dreamer.
LATEST RELEASE: Be (Liquid) Cool!
