Eleven Science Fiction adventure stories, throwbacks to the pulp days of off-world exploration and colonization on a dazzling, mysterious, dangerous planet. Four never-before published stories are included with stories that appeared in top publications - Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, Tomorrow Speculative Fiction Magazine, Gorezone Magazine, Oceans of the Mind Magazine, Fantastic Stories of the Imagination Magazine, Adventure Anthology and Cricket Children's Magazine. Along the backwash of the Milky Way Galaxy lies a sun-kissed planet Earthlings call Octavion, a world of sparkling blue oceans, emerald green forests, bright deserts and blue-green lakes. The size of Earth, with a similar star for its sun, Octavion is moonless with an oxygen-rich atmosphere, a planet of colors so vivid they amaze humans. During the day, the Octavion sun raises the temperature into the nineties Fahrenheit. With a nearly non-existent polar tilt, the seasons change so little, they are barely recognized. At night, billowy clouds turn magenta then a deep reddish purple before sinking into a dark indigo before blackness. The stars seem brighter in the moonless sky than on Earth. The first humans marvel at the beauty of the planet and name its natural wonders for their vivid colors - Cerulean Sea, Cobalt Sea, Sapphire Sea and rivers called Majestic Blue and Royal Blue. The leaves of Magenta Forest are magenta as the bright leaves of the Spearmint Forest reflect that hue. The trees of the Indigo Forest are covered with pale, blue leaves. The stone beneath Lake Violet give its water a purplish cast, limestone of Emerald Lake is green, reflected in his clear water. There is a Copper Plateau and a Terra Cotta Plateau, multi-colored Calico Hills and Cinnamon Hill, the orange-brown color of cinnamon. Riding the Right of Habitation Act, which gives humans the right to colonize any inhabitable world, people flock to the beautiful planet, only to quickly discover its secret. Octavion is populated by creatures very much like the beasts Earthlings call dinosaurs. Scientist cannot explain this phenomenon. Humans come with their computers and other machines and the inevitable clash of worlds begins, native species edged aside by Earthlings and their farms and ranches, their cows and chickens and horses, cats and dogs. After thirty years, the Indigenous Creature Act is passed to protect native species, giving them the right of way in most instances. Such is the setting. I hope you enjoy these Science Fiction Adventure Stories.
Born in New Orleans, O'Neil De Noux is a prolific American writer of novels and short stories. Although much of De Noux's fiction falls under the mystery genre (character-drive crime fiction primarily), he has published stories in many disciplines including children's fiction, mainstream fiction, science-fiction, suspense, fantasy, horror, western, literary, religious, romance, humor and erotica. At the World Mystery Convention in 2007, The Private Eye Writers of America awarded its prestigious Shamus Award for BEST SHORT STORY to "The Heart Has Reasons" by O'Neil De Noux (the cover story of the September 2006 Issue of Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine). The Shamus Award is given annually to recognize outstanding achievement in private eye fiction. "The Heart Has Reasons" features De Noux's private eye Lucien Caye. De Noux is also the 2009 Derringer Award winner for BEST NOVELETTE (stories between 8,001 and 17,500 words) for "Too Wise" - another Lucien Caye private eye mystery. The Derringer Awards are given annually to recognize excellence in the short mystery fiction form. In March 2011, the novel John Raven Beau was published by Big Kiss Productions, which was named 2011 POLICE BOOK OF THE YEAR by Police-Writers.com, a group that boasts of 1153 state and local law enforcement officials from 485 state and local law enforcement agencies who have written 2504 police books. A hyper-realistic crime story, John Raven Beau provides an intimate look into the beleaguered NOPD Homicide Division, a story that begins in the French Quarter and ends in a swamp, all within the city limits of America's eternal city, a city that cannot be destroyed - New Orleans. Also in 2011, the short story collection New Orleans Prime Evil (ten historical mysteries) was published. Battle Kiss, a 320,000 word epic of love and war set against the panorama of the Battle of New Orleans, January 8, 1815 was published in 2012. So timely is the book, released as the bicentennial of the War of 1812 arrives, Mr. De Noux received an Artist Services Career Advancement Award from the Louisiana Division of the Arts for his work on Battle Kiss. Also in 2012, Mr. De Noux's first private eye was published. Enamored, a novel of obsession and murder, is set in 1950 New Orleans. In 2012, O'Neil De Noux was elected Vice-President of the Private Eye Writers of America.
