Engineered Magic Available at Amazon

I invite everyone to read my book, Engineered Magic, by D. R. Brown. It is hard science fiction masquerading as GameLit. My one review on Goodreads calls it reminiscent of Dream Park by Larry Niven and Steven Barnes. Unfortunately, I've never read that book. It is actually inspired by Dragonsdawn in the Pern Series by Anne McCaffrey, A Point of Honor by Dorothy J. Heydt, Beginner's Luck by Aaron Jay and the first season of Westworld, (I feel it really dropped off after that).

Engineered Magic

Irene Whitman is just sixteen when the Speedwell arrives at its destination in the Sigma Draconis planetary system. She was born in interstellar space as part of the first generation of colonists. She is assigned to engineering and tends to the old colony ship’s maintenance while most of the first generation, with the help of the last generation of flight crew, begin building the colony. The first explorers of this new world discover the ruins of an alien civilization. They enter the ruins and find they are the beginning of a world spanning structure that contains many dangers, secrets and rewards.

Many of the landing generation see the structure as a chance for an easier, more exciting life away from the preplanned drudgery of the settlement. Enough people are drawn into the ruins that the survival of the colony comes into question.

As Irene tends to her duties, she hears unbelievable rumors about what the explorers are finding in the ruins. Events will eventually send her into the ruins to find out what is going on inside. The colony’s future depends on her learning the secrets of the structure. She will have to grow strong to survive and use her knowledge to save the colony.

Thirty seven years after the landing an old woman calling herself Grandmother journeys through a world of danger and magic. She is on her way home when she finds a group of young people trying to build a new community in the heart of the structure. What she decides to do next will define the future for the colony.

A bit of real history:

The Speedwell was built in 1577 under the name Swiftsure by the English as part of their preparations for war against Spain. She was renamed Speedwell in 1605 when she was decommissioned out of the navy.

The pilgrims set out in 1620 for the new world in the Mayflower and the Speedwell. Unfortunately the Speedwell leaked. The ships returned to Dartmouth where the Pilgrims all transferred to the Mayflower. The Mayflower set out alone for the new world while the Speedwell was sold at auction.

I decided the Speedwell deserved a second chance to bring colonists to a new world and named my colony starship after it.