In a dystopian future where environmental damage has ravaged the Earth, a giant corporation called Nattech, Inc. controls society, deepening the divide between the "haves" and the "have-nots." The discovery of a rock with strange markings on Mars sets off a chain of catastrophic events: the ship returning it malfunctions, the crew arrives in comas, civil unrest surges, natural disasters multiply, and people begin to disappear. This is the backdrop of Shadow of the Storm, a new science fiction novel that tackles pressing issues of environmental collapse, corporate dominance, and the fragility of reality itself.
The story follows Jim Pleasant Wolfshadow, a Cheyenne former Navy SEAL and retired Nattech operative, who comes out of retirement to find his friend Max after he vanishes. During a meeting with The Seven, a group of the world's foremost physicists, Wolfshadow also disappears. He finds himself in Earth's dismal future, accompanied by a shapeshifter who leads him on a quest to return Max to Earth and stop Mahu, a godlike entity from another dimension that feeds on chaos. Mahu has sent a monster called Briareus to destroy humanity, but his actions threaten to unravel time and space throughout the universe. Wolfshadow battles Mahu on his home world, and when all hope seems lost, a surprising ally emerges.
But the story behind the story is equally compelling. Writing a novel was Robert Edward Graham's lifelong ambition, repeatedly thwarted by fate. In the 1990s, he was teamed with instructor C. S. Fuqua by the Writer's Digest school. After the course ended, Graham enlisted Fuqua as co-author. Their road was difficult, with cancer and addiction sidelining the novel for long periods. Yet Graham returned to it on his deathbed, dictating the ending to his brother David. The first draft was completed days before he succumbed to cancer.
Robert Edward Graham was a stage and film actor, model, and founding member, lead vocalist, and songwriter of the 1960s band The Penthouse Five. His creative legacy now includes this novel, brought to fruition through perseverance and collaboration. C. S. Fuqua, the co-author, has been published widely in non-fiction, science fiction, dark fantasy, mainstream and literary fiction, poetry, and mystery/suspense. His books include The Crosses (with Bonnie Lynne Del Aguila), Walking after Midnight: Collected Stories, Big Daddy's Fast-Past Gadget, White Trash & Southern: Collected Poems, and Native American Flute: A Comprehensive Guide, among others. His short work has appeared in publications as diverse as Cemetery Dance, The Christian Science Monitor, Naval History, Main Street Rag, and Year's Best Horror Stories. Fuqua currently lives in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
Shadow of the Storm is published by Foolscap & Quill, an independent publishing company located in Jefferson County, Colorado. The novel offers readers an adventure that transcends time and space, while also serving as a testament to the enduring power of a dream realized against all odds. In a world grappling with climate change and corporate power, the book's themes resonate deeply, reminding us that even in the darkest times, hope and heroism can emerge from unexpected places.
