About the Book

Book: Silent Stars (Tomorrow’s Edge Book Three)

Author: Brett Armstrong

Genre: Christian dystopian, science fiction

Release date: September 26, 2023

AD 2040: Barely eighteen, things have become much harder for Elliott. Reeling from the losses during the confrontation that brought Project Alexandria to a halt, Elliott feverishly hunts for the original files needed to finish it off. Finding only dead ends, he instead stumbles upon something dire: messages about the Babel Initiative. Conceived as a successor that would make Project Alexandria’s manipulations seem tame, this new threat once again forces Elliott into alliances with morally grey programmers known as siegers. Beset by continual setbacks and defeats, many siegers abandon the cause and go underground to survive the dangers ahead. The bleak reality that Elliott and those closest to him are almost certain to die in the fight against Dr. Almundson begins to set in. But Elliott isn’t ready to give in. He knows the cost of such a silent surrender will be humanity itself.

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About the Author

Brett Armstrong has been exploring other worlds as a writer since age nine. Years later, he still writes, but now invites others along on his excursions. He’s shown readers haunting, deep historical fiction (Destitutio Quod Remissio), scary-real dystopian sci-fi (Tomorrow’s Edge series), and dark, sweeping epic fantasy (Quest of Fire). Every story is a journey of discovery and an attempt to be a brush in the Master Artist’s hand. Through dark, despair, light, joy, and everything in between, the end is always meant to leave his fellow literary explorers with wonder and hope. Always busy with a new story, he also enjoys drawing, gardening, and spending time with his wife and son.

Author Interview with Brett

Q: Do you have a favorite quote from this book?

Brett: I do have a favorite quote in Silent Stars. It’s the last three paragraphs of Chapter 40. Unfortunately, it’s spoiler heavy! A much less revealing quote though that I really enjoy comes earlier in the book and is kind of fun:

“Of course, I still love Elliott, you sasquatch!” Lara screamed, pulling Elliott out of his thoughts and to the tense situation playing out around before him.

I like it because it’s a turning point in the emotional tension between several of the characters and also starts a kind of inside joke amongst the main characters calling Elliott’s cousin John “sasquatch” (who for clarity has a pretty rugged, mountaineer look to him). In a dystopian story like Silent Stars the moments of levity and breaking of tension feel extra important. And there are other deeper moments I also like more, but like my favorite quote they’re a bit too revealing to share out of context.

Q: Would you share something about yourself that most readers wouldn’t know?

Brett: Most readers wouldn’t know that I have a ridiculous memory for movie and television series quotes. Like to the point that it has exasperated my wife a couple times. Eh, maybe more than a couple times. For the Star Wars (originals and prequels) and Indiana Jones films I could probably recreate the lion’s share of the screenplays without prompting.

Q: Do you prefer audiobooks, ebooks, or physical copies?

Brett: Yes. :)

More seriously, I like all three and for different situations and reasons. The first two are super portable and convenient, especially for trips. Audiobooks are great to listen to on car rides for me because they help keep me awake and break up a long drive. Of course, the best reading experience all around is getting to hold a book in my hands, flipping through the pages. I just internalize the story so much more deeply that way. It’s my go to if I have time and space to really savor the story I’m reading.

Q: What is your favorite season and why?

Brett: I’ve gotten to a place where I love things about every season and appreciate each one the Lord allows me to see, but I think my favorite is the fall. I live in West Virginia, and it’s beautiful here during that time of year. Not to mention it means the end of the mowing season (which is a big deal because of how um, bucolic, our yard is). Fall also has that nice balance of cool but not cold for most of the season and it gets better as it draws to the close because you start to anticipate and then enjoy Thanksgiving, time with family, and the Advent season. Fall officially ends just before getting to celebrate Christ’s first coming at Christmas. It feels like a season of appreciating the beauty of God’s creation and all He has given us and I always in need of more of that perspective.

Q: Where can readers find out more about you and your book?

Brett: I’m most active on my website where I post somewhat, kind of, almost regularly and Instagram/Facebook. I’ll list the URL/handles in a second but just as a plug, I’m generally a shy person. It drives my wife crazy how long I take to do social media posts, because I agonize over how to phrase things, but if you get me talking about something I care about—like the stories the Lord has laid on my heart—then I can go for hours. I’d love to have readers reach out and just chat about books, films, Scripture—because sometimes writing can feel a bit like an echo chamber and it’s when a writer connects with readers that it’s the clearest that what we’re doing is really making a difference and becomes especially fun.

WEBSITE: https://brettarmstrong.net
Instagram: @BrettArmstrongAuthor
Facebook: @BArmstrongWV

More from Brett

Dystopian stories remind me of Charles Dicken’s A Christmas Carol. In it, Ebenezer Scrooge is heartbroken for Tiny Tim and asks the Ghost of Christmas Present if the boy will live. The ghost, to paraphrase, says that if the shadows of the things present are not altered the child will not live. Dystopian stories show us the shadows of things that if left unaltered, if not safeguarded against, can bring dire consequences. Years ago, I began writing the Tomorrow’s Edge series because I was concerned. Looking at headlines and articles about everything from the latest tech developments to the weakening links in western society’s integrity, I could understand why so many people fear the future. For me, it was fear for a tomorrow that is the fulfillment of every dystopian nightmare to us, but because it is so gradual so innocuous in coming, those in the future living that dystopia won’t even see it.

Our hold on reality is tenuous in the modern digital world—particularly with AI deepfakes, virtual reality, augmented reality, and the metaverse increasingly edging into our daily lives. And when combined with post-modernist philosophy’s denial of objective truth it makes for a serious existential threat. So, I wrote a story about some teens living in the near future where it is very nearly too late to come back from that edge. Teens who are gifted a glimpse of truth and reality and now can’t turn back from pursuing it. I hope it isn’t a stretch already to see that a story like that is layered. The gripping, fast paced surface narrative has beneath it an adjuration and encouragement for those of us who follow Christ to cling to the Truth and the Creator of all reality, no matter what may come. Silent Stars takes that story arc to its conclusion and in writing it I discovered there was an even more potent symbolic meaning to “Tomorrow’s Edge” than us being on the precipice or a dangerous dystopian tomorrow. It was one of the most rewarding discoveries I’ve had as a writer and I hope you enjoy uncovering it as well.

Blog Stops

Stories By Gina, August 22 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, August 23

Vicky Sluiter, August 24 (Author Interview)

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, August 25 (Author Interview)

For the Love of Literature, August 26 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 27

Tell Tale Book Reviews, August 28 (Author Interview)

Through the Fire Blogs, August 29 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 29

Artistic Nobody, August 30 (Author Interview)

The Lofty Pages, August 30

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 31

Beauty in the Binding, September 1 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 2

Guild Master, September 3 (Author Interview)

Blogging With Carol, September 4

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, Brett is giving away the grand prize package of $50 Amazon gift card, a copy of Silent Stars, and an illustrated print featuring a scene from the Tomorrow’s Edge series!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

Link for giveaway: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf5421