Have you ever read a good, old fashioned hardboiled detective novel and thought, ‘You know there aren’t enough aero-cars and blaster guns in this? And why does this planet only have one sun?’
Well, you’re in luck! TWO SUNS AT SUNSET has everything you’ve been looking for: null-grav tech, professional streamers, cursed detectives, murdered monks, TWO suns, and a tangled conspiracy that threatens the lives of everyone on the planet of Dib.
And guess what? This is only the beginning. TWO SUNS AT SUNSET is Book 1 of TANDEMSTAR: THE OUTCAST CYCLE, and we are delighted to announce that THE MADNESS OF KINGS (Book 2) and THE OCEAN IN THE SKY (Book 3) are available now!
Skyboat is proud to partner with Blackstone Publishing to produce the audiobooks for this thrilling series. So keep an eye (and ear!) out for the next installments.
TWO SUNS AT SUNSET (Tandemstar: The Outcast Cycle, Book 1)
Read by Stefan Rudnicki, Gabrielle de Cuir, and Paul Boehmer
Welcome to Dib! In the city of Velon, Detective Makk Stidgeon investigates the murder of Professor Orno Linus, a scholar of astrophysics and dead languages and a member of the powerful religious organization known as the House. Why would anyone want to murder such a devout, widely respected teacher? Nothing about what the professor studies should make him a target, and the protection of the House along with that of his older brother, Calcut Linus, one of the most feared and powerful crime bosses in the city, would surely deter anyone who had it out for him.
But what of Professor Linus’s study and belief in the religious phenomenon of the Cull that would bring on the end of the world? And what of the artifact that he stole from the House vault just before his murder?
Here’s where Detective Stidgeon comes in. He’s one of the top detectives in the city, sure, but he has been living under a curse brought on by his unfortunate birthdate. The brand on his wrist marks Makk Stidgeon as cholem, a bad-luck charm, an outcast. And this Linus case sure feels like bad luck to him.
Makk has a hard enough time trying to do his job with a House leadership that cares less about their dead Brother than whatever object he stole, a rookie partner who might know more than she lets on, a set of demands from Calcut Linus himself, and a news media looking for the flashiest angle. But when video footage adds a new, unexpected suspect to the list, he must figure out what ties all these threads together. And even if he manages to solve the professor’s murder, that doesn’t mean the mystery is over…
THE MADNESS OF KINGS (Tandemstar: The Outcast Cycle, Book 2)
Read by Gabrielle de Cuir, Stefan Rudnicki, and Paul Boehmer
Welcome to The Middle Kingdom! In the nine Middle Kingdoms it is believed that the royal families are the direct decedents of the gods of Dib: Honus, Javilon, Ho Nita, and Pal. The gifts of the gods are not passed to every member of the royal families, however, and none of these “unblessed” children can ever become king or queen and, due to the displeasure of the gods, they cannot have children of their own.
Unlike the rest of the planet, the middle kingdoms have adhered more closely to the early teachings of the House in both their beliefs and their feudal way of life. In fact, the Septal Houses’ High Hats throughout the rest of Dib have always formally denounced the beliefs and practices of the Houses in the Middle Kingdom.
Back in Velon, after being tasked with the infamous Linus murder case and House vault robbery, Detective Makk Stidgeon is back, and this time he has county attorney Pillick Quibb asking him questions.
Meanwhile in Totus, Battine Alconnot, an unblessed descendent of Ho, Lady Delphina, and her sister Queen Porra find themselves tied up in the mystery….
The Outcast Cycle takes listeners across – and above – the planet Dib. Nestled in the individual stories is the gradual discovery that the House has a big secret…and the Outcast may be more literal than anyone realized.
THE OCEAN IN THE SKY (Tandemstar: The Outcast Cycle, Book 3)
Read by Stefan Rudnicki and Paul Boehmer
The mystery deepens….
In the heart of the authoritarian country of Wivvol, astronaut Xto Djbbit is about to embark on his first mission off-planet when the exiled High Hat of Chnta comes to him with an unusual request: Help smuggle a Septal artifact out of Wivvol. It’s an impossible favor to ask of Xto, but it’s also impossible to refuse; the High Hat of Chnta is also his uncle.
Meanwhile, waiting for Xto in space? His estranged father – who has his own impossible favors – and a mysterious anomaly whose secrets Xto is uniquely positioned to unlock.
On Lys, the space station for the super-wealthy, former Septal Other Dorn Jimbal struggles to understand what Professor Orno Linus learned before his untimely murder. Did Orno truly figure out how to stop the Outcast?
To get to the heart of Linus’ research, Dorn is going to have to work with the one person they absolutely cannot trust: Viselle Daska.
Xto and Dorn will both make discoveries that change the course of all life on the planet. Both will wish they hadn’t.
Narrators Stefan Rudnicki, Gabrielle de Cuir, and Paul Boehmer (talk about about a talented trio!) bring these heart-stopping, fast-paced, action-packed science fiction tales to life. Visit Skyboat’s SoundCloud playlist to listen to audiobook samples.
Just who is the brilliant mastermind behind this scintillating series?
Author Gene Doucette
Gene Doucette is a science fiction and fantasy author. His science fiction novels include THE SPACESHIP NEXT DOOR and its sequel, THE FREQUENCY OF ALIENS; the techno-thrillers FIXER and FIXER REDUX; and the genre mashup UNFICTION. His fantasy books include the IMMORTAL novels (of which there are currently five) and the series of novellas THE IMMORTAL CHRONICLES, as well as the standalone novella EVE. His latest book is IMMORTAL: LAST CALL.
In September, 2018, THE SPACESHIP NEXT DOOR was republished by John Joseph Adams Books, the sci-fi/fantasy imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. In May, 2021, THE APOCALYPSE SEVEN will be published by JJA Books/HMH. He is currently at work on a large science fiction world-building project taking place on his Patreon site, the result of which will be a multi-novel series.
His website has tons of behind-the-pages info about the Tandemstar series (including a beautiful color map!) and Gene loves to hear from his readers and listeners, so drop him a line.
What are you waiting for? The journey begins here. TWO SUNS AT SUNSET (Tandemstar: The Outcast Cycle, Book 1), THE MADNESS OF KINGS (Tandemstar: The Outcast Cycle, Book 2), and THE OCEAN IN THE SKY (Tandemstar: The Outcast Cycle, Book 3) are out now. Purchase your copies today!
