FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
I JUST GOT HERE, AND I’M ALREADY LOST. WHERE DO I START?
Welcome! If you just want to dive in and see if you like my writing, you can either start with STARSHINE (Aurora Rising Book One), or if you want a more bite-sized start, with the Restless Vol. I short story. Great news - both are free, so just follow the links to grab one or both from your online bookstore of choice. Or, if you fancy a more cyberpunk/thriller tale, check out Asterion Noir Book 1, EXIN EX MACHINA, here, which is also free to download. Finally, you can dive straight in to MEDUSA FALLING (A Cosmic Shores Novel), a stand-alone adventure set in my book universe that can be read at any time.
BUT I WANT TO KNOW WHAT I'M GETTING INTO FIRST. WHAT'S WITH ALL THE AURORAS?
I'm glad you asked. The overarching AURORA RHAPSODY saga consists of 3 sequential trilogies - Aurora Rising, Aurora Renegades and Aurora Resonant - as well as 7 short stories. The 3 trilogies (9 novels) should definitely be read in order, as they form one grand story (think of it like a play in 3 acts). Here's the order:
Aurora Rising (STARSHINE » VERTIGO » TRANSCENDENCE) -->
> > Aurora Renegades (SIDESPACE » DISSONANCE » ABYSM) -->
> > > Aurora Resonant (RELATIVITY » RUBICON » REQUIEM)
Learn more about the Aurora Rhapsody saga here.
YOU SAID SOMETHING ABOUT SHORT STORIES? WHAT DO I DO ABOUT THEM?
There are 9 short stories set in the Amaranthe universe, taking place at different points in the timeline: Restless Vol. I, Solatium, Apogee, Restless Vol. II, Venatoris, Re/Genesis, Meridian, Fractals and Chrysalis. You can (with the exception of Restless II) read them at any time, in any order, or not at all (but I hope you will!).
Seven of the 9 are free and widely available, or you can get most of them in Short Stories of Aurora Rhapsody: The Complete Collection for only $0.99 (or for free if you subscribe to the newsletter). Meridian is available exclusively in the omnibus collection, while Restless Vol. II is available in the omnibus or Aurora Rising: The Complete Collection. Restless Vol. II is the exception to the any time/any order rule: it should not be read until after you've completed the first trilogy, Aurora Rising.
Of course, I do have a recommended reading order, designed for maximum impact on the overall story:
Restless I » STARSHINE » Solatium* » VERTIGO » Venatoris* » TRANSCENDENCE » Restless II* »
SIDESPACE » Apogee* » DISSONANCE » ABYSM » Re/Genesis* »
RELATIVITY » RUBICON » Meridian* » REQUIEM » Starlight Express » Fractals »
EXIN EX MACHINA » OF A DARKER VOID » THE STARS LIKE GODS »
CONTINUUM » Chrysalis » INVERSION » ECHO RIFT » ALL OUR TOMORROWS » CHAOTICA » DUALITY »
MEDUSA FALLING
*(Also available in Short Stories of Aurora Rhapsody: The Complete Collection)
More info about each of the short stories and download links can be found here. I mentioned that the short stories take place at various points in the timeline. If you're a visual person like me and want to see when they fall in relation to the novels, check out the non-spoilery TIMELINE for the first 9 novels and most of the short stories (Aurora Rhapsody).
DID YOU SAY FREE? I LOVE FREE.
I did say free! To get you started - and let's be honest, to get you hooked - the first novel, STARSHINE, is available for free download at all major retailers. Then, as a bonus, if you subscribe to my newsletter, you'll be able to download Book Two, VERTIGO, and a collection of SHORT STORIES for free as well.
But (much like an infomercial) that's not all. Seven of the short stories are free as individual downloads, too! Go here for download links.
OKAY, I THINK I UNDERSTAND AURORA RHAPSODY – SO WHAT’S ASTERION NOIR?
ASTERION NOIR is a separate science fiction trilogy. Book One, EXIN EX MACHINA, Book Two, OF A DARKER VOID, and Book Three, THE STARS LIKE GODS, are available in ebook, paperback and audiobook. Asterion Noir is set the same universe as Aurora Rhapsody, but it's a completely new story, with new locations and new characters, so you don't need to have read any of Aurora Rhapsody to read it.
Learn more about the Asterion Noir trilogy here.
AND AMARANTHE? WHAT’S THAT?
AMARANTHE is the name of the universe that all my books and short stories take place in. It’s also the name of the overarching series that encompasses all those books, as well as the new series RIVEN WORLDS, which brings together the characters of Aurora Rhapsody and Asterion Noir to face a threat neither society can defeat alone.
THIS IS ALL SCIENCE FICTION, RIGHT?
That's right. Of course, science fiction is a pretty big category these days. Aurora Rhapsody is space opera, but it doesn't limit itself. It's adventure with a healthy dose of romance and a side of mystery/thriller. It also includes military sci-fi with space battles; eventually, there's a cornucopia of aliens, and it's chock full of cool future tech. What brings all those elements together into a cohesive whole is the characters; this is a story about humanity, told through the eyes of some pretty incredible humans (and a few evil ones, and the occasional alien).
Asterion Noir is still fundamentally space opera, but it is heavily colored by a cyberpunk/technothriller vibe. It's also very character-driven, because that's my way.
ARE THE BOOKS YA? IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYTHING IS YA THESE DAYS.
No, they definitely are not. The most-main protagonist of Aurora Rhapsody, Alexis Solovy, curses like a Russian sailor - in English and Russian. There's at least one racy-but-not-overly-explicit sex scene in most of the books. There's also violence: lasers and blades abound, and sometimes they get up close and personal. More than all that, though, these are adult books - in themes, in complexity, in maturity of the subject matter. And that's a good thing.
I’M ALREADY HOOKED. I WANT TO KNOW EVERYTHING.
Fantastic! Aurora Rhapsody is rich and bursting with life. We've got detailed maps, character lists, all sorts of concept art, trivia, quotes and more, so dive in!
Or peruse the AMARANTHE WIKI, which is full of details about the characters, species and locations we encounter in the Amaranthe universe.
WHAT FORMATS DO THE BOOKS COME IN? WHERE CAN I BUY THEM?
All the novels are available in ebook, paperback and audiobook at a wide variety of online stores: Retailers.
The ebooks are available at all major online retailers (Amazon, Nook, iBooks, Kobo, Google Play and more). The paperbacks are available online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble as well as a ton of other U.S. and international book retailers - and you can also walk in any brick-and-mortar bookstore and ask them to order one (or more) of my books for you! In addition, you can buy personalized, signed paperbacks (as well as several hardbacks) directly from me. The audiobooks are available at Audible, Apple, Chirp, Kobo, Google Play and other audiobook retailers.
WHO ARE YOU? WHERE CAN I HANG OUT WITH YOU?
Second question first: You can always email me at gs@gsjennsen.com or send me a question directly from the website: Contact Form. I love hearing from readers, I really do. I'm super-active on Facebook and Twitter, so come friend/follow me! I also regularly post on Instagram, Pinterest and Goodreads. Above all else, make sure you subscribe to the newsletter, so you don't have to remember to come looking for updates on new books.
For more insights and extras from the Amaranthe universe, including book cover wallpaper downloads, monthly livestreams and early access to ebooks and audiobooks, check out my Buy Me A Coffee Program!
As to the first question, here's my official bio. There is, of course, a little more to the story. Stick around, and you might get to hear it ;).