Sci-Fi series draws on Daintree for thriller inspiration
ARTS
Drawing on his adventures and experiences in Cape Tribulation and the Daintree, Canadian author Kaz Morran fed on this knowledge to produce Tribulation: A Science Fiction Thriller (550AU Book 1), an action-packed book set in Queensland which is certain to attract the imagination of many.
Tribulation has many aspects: Treason; backdoor deals; disaster; a mystery in the outer solar system; and a terrifying predator of Queensland’s own.
Tribulation, the first book in the 550AU series, combines global intrigue, scientific realism, and the cold claw of nature into a unique, page-turning thriller that will make you afraid of the dark and afraid of your own planet.
The Wet Tropics provides all the ingredients for terror when six astronaut candidates are stranded, but not alone, in a cave beneath the Daintree.
Set in the near future, the international crew is out to prove their worth in a fictional lava tube system inspired by the Undara lava tubes.
The book also features encounters with the local wildlife, a Vegemite incident, a Holden ute (described as “like a pickup truck, except good”), the Mulligan Highway, the fledgling Aussie space agency, and a supporting cast that includes a pair from Wujal Wujal and a twitchy banana bender.
On creating authentic but memorable characters from other countries, Morran says: “There’s a sweet spot where the character isn’t a cliché or stereotype, but also not so unique that the portrayal seems inaccurate.
“The way to avoid that problem is to make the culture only one aspect of the character —just like real people,” he says.
‘Tribulation: A Science Fiction Thriller’, Morran’s first full-length novel, is printed, published and sold by Amazon. The Kindle version is AUD$7.83 (free with Kindle Unlimited) from amazon.com.au and the paperback is $US16.56.
Born and raised in western Canada, Morran has been living in Sendai, Japan since 2005. He teaches English to employees of several major companies and in the engineering department at Tohoku University. He spent a year in Australia, including two months in northern Queensland.
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