Book Two in “The Tag” Series is Here!
Part of the pleasure in science fiction is in giving your imagination free rein. Another part is how an author makes his theory seem believable or possible, once you allow for the premise.
Simon starts as an ordinary guy, just doing his job in a future that is run by computers. Soon everyone will realize he is not so ordinary after all. If you haven’t read The Path (review here), I do suggest you grab a copy of it first, so you will understand how it begins.
In this second book, Simon has been in a coma—for a hundred years. When he awakens, he quickly faces new problems. Fortunately his brain, accustomed to the most challenging computer systems, is very creative with solutions.
The Universe: A Vast Computer Network?
Our lives can so often be related to things of nature, from seeds bursting through the soil to the seasons of the year. But have you ever considered how our universe compares to the brain? In another clever twist, you will find yourself connecting the two. Cell by cell…could our earth be considered one?
Now take it a step further. Could our universe be a part of a computer system, each planet, star, and living being a part of the complex program or system? The comparison will leave you contemplating interconnections in a new way.
Meanwhile, as you consider that, Simon Banks awakes aboard a giant spacecraft heading to a far away planet that appears livable to humans. His nemesis-turned-pal Cramer was rescued and brought aboard as well. As the two of them try to comprehend what is ahead, they face numerous difficulties that will need all of Cramer’s bravery and strength, Simon’s skills—both inside and out of the computer, and the help of his best friend, Apollo, left behind on planet Earth.
Because Simon knows he will once again have to find his way into the heart of a new system, unlike anything he’s experienced before, one that may be controlling every planet and every life.
Thoughts
The author’s creativity for this well written story is astounding. It fascinates me that an imagination can be so thorough in detailing out a science fiction plot. Even in part where it was out of my understanding, the idea was well described and understandable.
The characters charm you, foibles and all. Simon’s determination, even though the cost may be too high, makes him all the more likable. Whenever he sees what needs to be done, he takes that step, no matter what. Not a reluctant hero, more an unexpected one, who doesn’t quite understand what all the fuss is about.
Apollo is proof that Simon’s assignment in The Path has been a great success. Apollo, a system itself, has become so human that you don’t question their friendship.
It appears I could go on and on. Instead I will just suggest you read Reaching Angelica, and The Path, as soon as you can. It’s so well written, a fast paced, action filled tale, that will leave you thoughtful, asking “what if…” Much as other ‘far fetched’ science fiction stories from the past have become realities, perhaps Mr. Riva will find his series too is all too real.
Very well done, Peter Riva! So looking forward to the next one.
The Tour
Book Description for Reaching Angelica:
In a massive spaceship destined for Alpha Centauri B, with a genesis crew including Zip the telepathic dog, his old friendly nemesis Cramer, and a computer being named Ra (now inhabiting a human form and calling herself Aten), Simon Bank emerges from a hundred-year coma and is hailed as an awakened hero. Stuck with unwanted responsibility, he is forced to try to solve the entire enigma of the universe—a small undertaking—before the spaceship, his friends, and all life on Earth are swatted out of existence by super beings he has accidentally awakened.
Simon’s only hope is to plunge into other dimensions with his mind—into the secrets of the universe’s pan-dimensions—as only he knows how. The fate of all life hangs in the balance as he struggles to prove himself worthy of the Path and the absolute trust his friends place in him. Simon knows all too well that if he fails there is no hope—none at all—for anyone, and that includes his best friend, an artificial intelligence computer called Apollo, which he sadly left behind. Besides, Zip would not be pleased, either.
For fans of cyberpunk and classic science fiction, Reaching Angelica (Yucca Publishing; February 2, 2016; 978-1-63158-069-7) is the second book in Peter Riva’s Tag trilogy, the comic, thrilling, and continuing saga of Simon Bank—ex–master system computer wrangler and very unlikely galactic hero.
Praise for Reaching Angelica
“Thrilling moments keep the suspense high in space. . . . The way Riva describes the mysteries of the universe is intriguing. . . . This cyberpunk world has its own laws of stretching brains wide with its mind-bending concepts.”
—Jake Vyper, Fantascize.com
Buy the book: Amazon Barnes & Noble Book Depository Chapters/Indigo
Author’s Bio:
Peter Riva has worked for more than thirty years with the leaders in aerospace and space exploration. His daytime job for more than forty years has been as a literary agent. He resides in New York City.
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