Admiral by Sean Danker is being released tomorrow and it definitely had me turning the pages from start to finish.
Four military personnel wake up on a dying ship on a strange planet with no idea of how they got there. One man is identified as an admiral of the Evagardian Empire – but he has no knowledge of military protocol and no uniform. As the ship’s systems begin failing one by one, they’ll have to figure a way off the planet…unless an elusive threat gets to them first.
How would you describe Admiral in your own words? What do you feel is unique about your story?
I think of Admiral as science fiction with a throwback premise and modern execution. The themes it begins to explore are what make it unique.
Your main characters are all quite different. Did this come naturally or did you go back and forth a lot before you felt you got the “right” balance between the Admiral and the three recruits?
Because of the nature of the narrative, the Admiral himself gets the most screen time, and more of a voice than anyone else. But there are four principal characters, and four key junctures where four distinct worldviews manifest during the crisis. Individually, these are just moments throughout the book – but together they’re the foundation for something else. That’s a main focus of the novel, so I went in with a firm plan for it. The balance isn’t perfect, but it was never meant to be. Everyone has a role to play. Those roles aren’t all equally glamorous, but they’re all equally important.
This is the first book in the Evagardian series, but it’s not a cliffhanger in any way so it’s not obvious where you will take us with the next book. I for one would very much like to learn more about this elusive empress, but maybe that’s just wishful thinking. Can you reveal anything about the next book?
I can’t reveal much without catastrophic spoilers, but things we learn in Admiral set up the larger story dealing with the bizarre and dangerous predicament the Admiral is in personally, politically, and ideologically. The Empress is at the center of Evagardian culture, so she’s also at the center of these books. The Admiral’s arc moves very fast, takes us to some unexpected places, and never falls into any kind of routine, so it’s not an easy series to describe. But if it’s twists and cliffhangers you’re into, I’ve got you covered.
Do you have the whole series mapped out already?
The whole series is written. We’re good to go.
Have you always been fascinated by Science Fiction?
Pretty much. I wander off sometimes, but I always come back.
What are your expectations now that your first novel is being released?
I just hope readers enjoy it.
Getting published by a major publisher has to be every author’s dream. Can you tell us a bit about the process that led up to Admiral being published?
Admiral started with the usual: a manuscript and a query letter. It wasn’t the first book I submitted, just the first to get through. Now I’m starting that slog anew with my middle grade work. The query/rejection cycle’s become pretty integrated with my routine at this point.
How did you start writing? Was there a particular book or moment in your life that spurred you on?
When I was fifteen I wrote a mind-blowingly unreadable novel. For better or worse, at the time I didn’t realize how awful it was, so I kept writing. I find it therapeutic.
What books inspired your career as an author, and what authors do you enjoy now?
In SF I had a pretty good foundation with the usual crowd of Heinlein, Asimov, and Clarke. I have a lot of admiration for the Stugatsky brothers and the work of Urasawa Naoki. For individual titles, Bunnicula by James Howe, and Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice are particular favorites.
Do you have more new and exciting projects you’re working on?
Lots of them. I hope they can see the light of day soon.
Once again, thank you very much for your time.
Thanks for having me.
*****
Interview by Dag Rambraut – SFFWorld.com © 2016
