What it is not

My new science fiction hexalogy is a departure from Sha’Kert. Sha’Kert was a deliberate effort to steer a different path from the usual science fiction novels I have read. No hard science; no fleets of spacecraft or alien monsters; no wars or violent character-consuming conflicts; and no hard, neat, ‘tie all the ends up with ribbons’ ending. Sha’Kert is, in its entirety, a ‘positive’ novel. Not that it lacks sadness or pain, quite far from it but, in the end, the chief protagonists maintain hope.

Descent neatly, quietly, and decisively puts all that in the garbage tin and ploughs another path.

What it is

It remains a first-person perspective work. Not every reader’s cup of tea I’ll grant you, but there is merit in the approach. It keeps a deeper perspective, and avoids an ‘all action first’ approach to dig into the minds and motivations of the characters.

With my hexalogy I have given myself license to write long and deep, to go for message over brevity. Not wordy, not purple prose, but where it demands a deeper dive it will get one.

It is dark; harsh; violent in places and extremely violent in others; hopeless in parts, despairing in others; but always, clearly, science fiction.

There is no single, central character. There are four, around whom others orbit in four main plot lines, inextricably twined together.

I have not set out to make it an easy read, Descent does not serve concepts or themes in tiny, teaspoon-sized dollops for easy digestion, but rather demands concentration and thought across the entire six volumes. For those readers who stay the course and immerse themselves, the payoff will be great.

The working titles for the hexalogy are as follows although, as happens with these things, that is subject to change.

Descent: Diathesis

Descent: Death

Descent: Diaspora

Descent: Deceit

Descent: Dissonance

Descent: Destiny

Staying in touch

Originally conceived as a trilogy, the first volume was accepted for publication in April 2023 by Temple Dark Books of Ireland and re-modelled into six volumes – an hexalogy.

The first volume, Descent: Daithesis, was released as a limited edition hardback on the 18th of April 2025. The second volume, Descent: Death, is due for release around mid-2026.

To keep up to date with progress, news, and perhaps some bonus material, keep an eye on this website and my twitter feed. Better yet, follow this page to make sure you’re first to know.