Counterfeit Kings By Adam Connell

New from PHOBOS BOOKS, author Adam Connell’s novel Counterfeit Kings announces the arrival of an exciting new talent in the field of science fiction. In the tradition of science fiction pioneers Alfred Bester and Dan Simmons, Counterfeit Kings is a bold novel that examines the human fear of change and the desperate struggle to hold onto one’s identity in the face of catastrophe.

The protagonist in Counterfeit Kings is Horrocks, a former body-guard who is now married and expecting a child. He has disavowed his violent past and owns a colonial gas mines. The mines hover in the corrosive clouds over Io, Jupiter’s volcanic moon. When the colony's leader, known to everyone as "the king", is almost assassinated and goes into hiding, a cadre called the Ringers—new bodyguards surgically altered to resemble the king—throw the colony into chaos. Horrocks’ pursuit of the king and the Ringers forces him to revive his suppressed ferocity, and leads him to question the unjust way of life that he is fighting to preserve.

Counterfeit Kings is a novel about pain, betrayal, and redemption. Said PHOBOS BOOKS editor Keith Olexa, “Kings is the opposite of a space opera. Gone are the chrome-plated dread-noughts, world-shattering energy weapons, and crisply defined views of good and evil. In their place are ships held together with duct tape, and people held together with scraps of decency. This story has a compelling arc and ‘Tarantino-esque’ action. It’s an intellectual bullet to the gut.”

PHOBOS BOOKS publisher Sandra Schulberg adds, “Sometimes a writer comes along who is fully developed, even at a young age. Adam’s a unique voice, and we anticipate his work will generate controversy.”

Counterfeit Kings goes on sale in bookstores nationwide May 2004, distinguished not only by great writing, but also by world-class original cover art. The cover art for Counterfeit Kings is by award-winning artist and movie and game designer Stephan Martiniere.

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