In the previous episode, as it were, military science fiction author Britt Ringel reveals the creation of his primary protagonist, Garrett Heskan. As an avid reader of the series, starting with This Corner of the Universe, I can attest that Heskan is a classic character worth cheering for. Not without flaws, Heskan leads his crew through situations and space battles that keep me on the edge of my seat. I particularly enjoy his awareness of his shortcomings and his determination to strive onward no matter the personal cost.
Garrett Heskan is a true professional of the Brevic Navy.
Author Britt Ringel was kind enough to invite me on this tour, so I’d like to share some thoughts on my most popular character, Kin Roland. (For this post, I have omitted the questions and gone straight to the answers.)
The character of Kin Roland evolved from the organic, seat-of-the-pants writing style I followed at the time. I actually wrote Enemy of Man in about six weeks as a screenplay, then later novelized it with major expansions and revisions. Starting his story life as a tough former soldier trapped on a hostile planet with survivors of various shipwrecks, he was pitted against an alien hunter that blamed him for destroying his home world. So Kin’s character developed in the crucible of conflict. He had to survive a deadly world plagued with extraterrestrial storms and protect a local village from a creature that made Aliens and the Predator look simple.
With each supporting character, Kin’s motivations and conflicts grew. So far, readers have enjoyed the first two books, Enemy of Man and Son of Orlan.
The story takes place at shipwreck with a wormhole anomaly looming in the upper atmosphere. Kin has been hiding on the planet, working as the security officer, for about nine years. Why is he hiding? Well, there was this issue with him failing to destroy the home world of the Reapers. He’s a tough veteran, but balked at genocide, deciding the Reaper’s couldn’t leave their planet in the state of ruin it was left in. Maybe it wasn’t the best decision, but it is his cross to bear.
There are a few important things a reader considering this series might be interested in, namely that Kin Roland went from hero to outlaw with one decision. He’s competent, brave, and completely loyal to those he has given his protection. He fights for what is right, despite his many flaws.
The obvious conflict in the first two books, is survival against long odds. However, Kin is also put in another difficult moral decision. There is an alien princess that maintains a zone of protection around Crater Town. He needs to bring her back, but doing so will put her in danger from Droon, Earth Fleet, and her peoples ancient enemies. Once he learns more about her past, he has to wonder if this young woman deserves his life or if she has a hidden agenda that will endanger everyone he holds dear. Of course, she might be saving the entire human race.
Enemy of Man and Son of Orlan are available in ebook and paperback book format through Amazon and CreateSpace. The third book, King of Hellsbreach, is shaping up to me my most exciting release yet. I can’t wait to share it. It should be complete this fall, and released in early 2015.
Thanks for stopping by. Please check out the blog stops by Britt Ringel, Mark Bordner and other authors.
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