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Parallel: A Novella
A New World In Every Choice
Hari and Gerald tore a hole in space and time. It's a little hole, but a big problem. A pinprick to an alternate dimension. Too small for either Hari or Gerald to fit through, but at least it's pretty to look at. Unfortunately, they're about to learn that pretty things can be pretty dangerous.
Lenorean Ambassador, Ryol, must investigate the Rift on behalf of the Alliance. What she finds, however, could usher in the destruction of every world she's ever known.
The Lenoreans are running out of time to discover more of the precious energy source that powers their civilization. Perched upon the brink of collapse, their survival is inextricably tied with Earth's. Now, with the fate of both worlds in her hands, Falia, Leader of the Lenoreans, must decide which planet to save.
Parallel is a thrilling science fiction short story about first contact from Anthony Vicino. A humorous short story full of suspense and intrigue as galactic empires explore space and personal sacrifice. Fans of Douglas Adam's The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Terry Pratchett's Discworld will love this captivating novella. Buy your copy today.
INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR
What's Parallel mean to you?
Well, that's a big question wit a lot of answers. At times it's a funny story about two friends who've made the scientific discovery of the ages. At others, it's an intriguing look at a woman tired of living in her mother's shadow, searching for a way to forge her own path. On top of all that there is political intrigue, galactic war, and aliens. Lots of aliens. It's a broad world with a lot of potential!
What drew you to writing this type of story?
I've always loved the idea of an ever-expanding multiverse growing in relation to the decisions we make (or do not make). Within this framework there exist infinite potentialities, which is intriguing, but what really captivated me about Parallel were the characters. Each of them is an engaging individual coping with the consequences of their unique actions and decisions.
What does it mean to you when readers pick up your books?
It's incredibly humbling. For so long I've slaved away at the keyboard in obscurity. To have my words out in the world, being ready by fans across the globe, is a bit surreal. I don't know if I'l ever be a best seller like Hugh Howey, but so far I've met a slew of wonderful people (both readers and fellow authors alike) which has made the whole publishing adventure unforgettable. Thanks to everybody who's taken the time to pick up one of my stories. I can't tell you how much it means to me.
Hari and Gerald tore a hole in space and time. It's a little hole, but a big problem. A pinprick to an alternate dimension. Too small for either Hari or Gerald to fit through, but at least it's pretty to look at. Unfortunately, they're about to learn that pretty things can be pretty dangerous.
Lenorean Ambassador, Ryol, must investigate the Rift on behalf of the Alliance. What she finds, however, could usher in the destruction of every world she's ever known.
The Lenoreans are running out of time to discover more of the precious energy source that powers their civilization. Perched upon the brink of collapse, their survival is inextricably tied with Earth's. Now, with the fate of both worlds in her hands, Falia, Leader of the Lenoreans, must decide which planet to save.
Parallel is a thrilling science fiction short story about first contact from Anthony Vicino. A humorous short story full of suspense and intrigue as galactic empires explore space and personal sacrifice. Fans of Douglas Adam's The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Terry Pratchett's Discworld will love this captivating novella. Buy your copy today.
INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR
What's Parallel mean to you?
Well, that's a big question wit a lot of answers. At times it's a funny story about two friends who've made the scientific discovery of the ages. At others, it's an intriguing look at a woman tired of living in her mother's shadow, searching for a way to forge her own path. On top of all that there is political intrigue, galactic war, and aliens. Lots of aliens. It's a broad world with a lot of potential!
What drew you to writing this type of story?
I've always loved the idea of an ever-expanding multiverse growing in relation to the decisions we make (or do not make). Within this framework there exist infinite potentialities, which is intriguing, but what really captivated me about Parallel were the characters. Each of them is an engaging individual coping with the consequences of their unique actions and decisions.
What does it mean to you when readers pick up your books?
It's incredibly humbling. For so long I've slaved away at the keyboard in obscurity. To have my words out in the world, being ready by fans across the globe, is a bit surreal. I don't know if I'l ever be a best seller like Hugh Howey, but so far I've met a slew of wonderful people (both readers and fellow authors alike) which has made the whole publishing adventure unforgettable. Thanks to everybody who's taken the time to pick up one of my stories. I can't tell you how much it means to me.
- GenresScience Fiction
86 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 17, 2014
19 people want to read
About the author
Anthony Vicino
13Ìýbooks62ÌýfollowersAnthony Vicino is the Amazon best-selling author of The Firstborn Saga (Time Heist and Mind Breach). His stories have been read by millions of fans the world over, having appeared in the hallowed halls of The Future Chronicles, the Hugo Award winning pages of SFSignal, and the locally-famous OneLazyRobot.com.
Anthony is a humble world-slinger just trying to keep his writing hand warm in the frozen tundra of Minneapolis, MN. When he isn’t shivering and/or sitting in front of a computer screen contemplating all the different ways his character might escape the asylum with nothing but a fork, a shoelace, and a whole lot of chutzpah, Anthony is probably in the mountains climbing a rock.
Vicino writes the sort of whizz, bang, boom science fiction that features characters getting themselves into (and then out of) death-defying scenarios with an over-abundance of snark and questionable decision making.
If that sounds like you’re cup of kombucha, then join the Lazy Robot Army mailing list () and receive a FREE ebook.
In addition to fiction, Anthony writes book reviews, interviews some of the coolest SFF authors around, and gives general writing advice over at OneLazyRobot.com. Also, he’s a Top Writer at Medium in the categories of Productivity, Creativity, Psychology, and Inspiration.
JOIN THE LAZY ROBOT ARMY! The Lazy Robots are a slew of rabid fans spread across the globe. Join our ranks:
Join the mailing list (and receive a FREE ebook):
Like Anthony on Facebook:
Learn all about the books: AnthonyVicino.com
Anthony is a humble world-slinger just trying to keep his writing hand warm in the frozen tundra of Minneapolis, MN. When he isn’t shivering and/or sitting in front of a computer screen contemplating all the different ways his character might escape the asylum with nothing but a fork, a shoelace, and a whole lot of chutzpah, Anthony is probably in the mountains climbing a rock.
Vicino writes the sort of whizz, bang, boom science fiction that features characters getting themselves into (and then out of) death-defying scenarios with an over-abundance of snark and questionable decision making.
If that sounds like you’re cup of kombucha, then join the Lazy Robot Army mailing list () and receive a FREE ebook.
In addition to fiction, Anthony writes book reviews, interviews some of the coolest SFF authors around, and gives general writing advice over at OneLazyRobot.com. Also, he’s a Top Writer at Medium in the categories of Productivity, Creativity, Psychology, and Inspiration.
JOIN THE LAZY ROBOT ARMY! The Lazy Robots are a slew of rabid fans spread across the globe. Join our ranks:
Join the mailing list (and receive a FREE ebook):
Like Anthony on Facebook:
Learn all about the books: AnthonyVicino.com
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
September 8, 2015
This book and I need words. You see I really liked it, well 95% of it, and that is making me crazy! In fact there were parts I want to quote, like in Chapter 5 when we are in Hari's POV and you read Consequently, years later, if anybody were to ask what Hari had been thinking the precise moment he fired the Key, and ripped a hole in the fabric of space and time, they would likely be surprised to find him making resolutions to spend more time in the gym. Are you thinking what I'm thinking!?! I know, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy brilliance people! But I didn't feel in any way the writer was trying to copy this story, just understood my twisted humor and fed into it. But I can not forgive the end. When Ryol refuses to "kill" because it's against her moral code, but then kills herself torturing and killing the same creature she wouldn't kill. What? She knew what would happen when she killed herself. So let me get this straight. You couldn't kill him. But you can kill yourself, which will in effect make him suffer terribly until he dies?!? I don't get that. Wouldn't it have been better to just kill him? I can't accept this reasoning. It knocked a star off this book for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 15, 2015
First of all, let me tell you about this author. Ever since I found his blog, , my days have been brighter and I follow it every chance I get.
Anthony's writing style never ceases to amaze me. It makes me smile - who am I kidding, laugh out loud, really - and completely enthralls me. He is truly inspirational and seems to be an amazingly generous and kind person; at least that is the impression I got from the emails we exchanged. So I had a feeling I would like his work.
But enough gushing. I want to make it clear that me being a fan of Anthony's multiple qualities and especially his ability to grip me with anything he writes well before I read any of his self-published work, that does not mean I cut him any slack when reading and reviewing it. Fully honest reviews are the only kinds I can produce. So here it goes.
Premise: This is a science fiction novella featuring multiple dimensions and parallel realities. Several planets form an alliance and the people who created and lead it, the Lenoreans, are running out of the mysterious energy source which powers their world. In the meantime, two perfectly normal, albeit most likely smarter than average, human beings manage to create a rift in the time-space continuum, therefore raising the Lenoreans' attention to them. When they realize that Earth may have what their people need to survive, things start getting really interesting.
It is obviously not possible to do much character building in a book this short, and it's mostly about what each of them can do as opposed to who they are. However, they each have their own voice, and we still get a pretty good idea of their personality and place in the grand scheme of things.
The novella completely held me and I would have read it in one sitting were it not for real life responsibilities (darn that real life, always interfering with fun). I was especially captivated until chapters 17/18. Then I got immensely sad and kept hoping for things to turn to a better place but it did not come. Which is brilliant. I am so sick of and-they-lived-happily-ever-after endings. And the ending is not hopeless at all.
However, I did wish that I could have read more about this world. I wanted to know more about Keepers and Healers and First Engineers and their place in the grand scheme of things.
That's what good writing does, right? Leaves you content but wanting more? I can only hope Parallel might be a prequel to a full length novel, but it was still a great ride. And it is not easy to write about parallel realities at all. Things can crumble very easily.
Anyway, I am rambling here and you still have no idea why I enjoyed the story.
Well, for one, Anthony's unique writing style is well present here, though it does not deter from a strong plot line. I found myself laughing on quite a few occasions, including the first lines of the book, and completely mesmerized in others.
Imagine a world where we are not the smartest pea in the pod after all. There are people who can merge their minds with a supercomputer and compartmentalize their lines of thought. Multitasking taking to an extreme! Boy, I wish I could do that. Sadly, most times I cannot even recall the simplest mental list.
Anywaaaay, rambling again, sorry. So not only do these folks manage to do this - and the way they do it is brilliantly described - but they can also sort of broadcast their emotions, making the people around them feel what they feel. How amazing is that? Being able to calm someone who is nervous or immensely sad... Or throw them into fits of hysterical laughter because you are just so darn giddy with happiness!
There is plenty, plenty more in this story that will grip you, but telling it all would spoil it for you, right? As I am sure you can see by now, you will be entertained by it. And it won't even take long, unfortunately.
So go read it!
Few things I noticed:
Oh and did I mention the author is kind enough to give you one of his works, this one or Sins of the Father for free? All you have to do is !
Disclaimer: I would like to thank the author for providing me with a free copy of this book.
June 25, 2015
Here's another nice short story by Anthony Vicino.
The plot is not the most original one, but it is well executed. Parallel worlds, first encouters, revengeful aliens, etc.
What I especially liked were the characters. For example, I could totally see myseld reacting like Hari in the same situation, and it's a refreshing (and, in my opinion, realistic) take on first encounters with alien races. More generally speaking, even though it was a very short read, I found the characters well fleshed, with unique voices. And it made me want to explore more their backgrounds, histories and relationships. I was especially fascinated by Falia and would love to read more about her.
The plot is not the most original one, but it is well executed. Parallel worlds, first encouters, revengeful aliens, etc.
What I especially liked were the characters. For example, I could totally see myseld reacting like Hari in the same situation, and it's a refreshing (and, in my opinion, realistic) take on first encounters with alien races. More generally speaking, even though it was a very short read, I found the characters well fleshed, with unique voices. And it made me want to explore more their backgrounds, histories and relationships. I was especially fascinated by Falia and would love to read more about her.
December 10, 2015
Science fiction isn't my favorite genre, but there are some authors that can make me immerge in their fictive worlds. Anthony Vicino is one of them (Michael Lewis is another).
April 15, 2018
How to even review this short story. It was good and could definitely be developed into a space opera. Wish I knew what Eitr ending up being here on Earth. Another great example of what Anthony Vicino can do. This is only the tip of the iceberg compared to novels.
October 6, 2017
Synopsis (from Amazon):
A New World In Every Choice
Hari and Gerald tore a hole in space and time. It's a little hole, but a big problem. A pinprick to an alternate dimension. Too small for either Hari or Gerald to fit through, but at least it's pretty to look at. Unfortunately, they're about to learn that pretty things can be pretty dangerous.
Lenorean Ambassador, Ryol, must investigate the Rift on behalf of the Alliance. What she finds, however, could usher in the destruction of every world she's ever known.
The Lenoreans are running out of time to discover more of the precious energy source that powers their civilization. Perched upon the brink of collapse, their survival is inextricably tied with Earth's. Now, with the fate of both worlds in her hands, Falia, Leader of the Lenoreans, must decide which planet to save.
What I liked:
This was a truly unique story. The ideas behind it are great, and there is much to explore. The characters we meet are interesting and engaging. For such a short story, there is a lot packed into it.
What I didn't like:
Far too short. There is a lot packed into the 86 or so pages, which honestly leaves me feeling that nothing was really fleshed out satisfactorily. There is so much potential, and it felt a bit rushed. The ending seemed plausible, maybe inevitable, but still had me saying out loud "Really? That's it?"
Conclusion:
I would have liked this a lot more if it were fleshed out and expanded into a full novel. That's just me, though. It's an interesting idea, and it ends far too quickly.
A New World In Every Choice
Hari and Gerald tore a hole in space and time. It's a little hole, but a big problem. A pinprick to an alternate dimension. Too small for either Hari or Gerald to fit through, but at least it's pretty to look at. Unfortunately, they're about to learn that pretty things can be pretty dangerous.
Lenorean Ambassador, Ryol, must investigate the Rift on behalf of the Alliance. What she finds, however, could usher in the destruction of every world she's ever known.
The Lenoreans are running out of time to discover more of the precious energy source that powers their civilization. Perched upon the brink of collapse, their survival is inextricably tied with Earth's. Now, with the fate of both worlds in her hands, Falia, Leader of the Lenoreans, must decide which planet to save.
What I liked:
This was a truly unique story. The ideas behind it are great, and there is much to explore. The characters we meet are interesting and engaging. For such a short story, there is a lot packed into it.
What I didn't like:
Far too short. There is a lot packed into the 86 or so pages, which honestly leaves me feeling that nothing was really fleshed out satisfactorily. There is so much potential, and it felt a bit rushed. The ending seemed plausible, maybe inevitable, but still had me saying out loud "Really? That's it?"
Conclusion:
I would have liked this a lot more if it were fleshed out and expanded into a full novel. That's just me, though. It's an interesting idea, and it ends far too quickly.
July 15, 2015
I love sci-fi, especially when it offers great concepts and a little humor, along with serious pathos. This is Parallel. It begins with two wonderful characters, the super intelligent Hari and Gerald, long-time friends who accidentally tear a hole in time and place. Then travel to the world of the Lenoreans, where the aliens have advanced millennia beyond humans in technology and mental ability, but who suffer the same problems of limited resources � in this case, an energy source that is needed to save their world. When Hari and Gerald’s rift appears, Ryol is sent to investigate it on behalf of the Alliance to which her planet belongs. Ryol’s meeting with Hari and Gerald is comedic and wonderful. Unfortunately, she is followed to Earth by the insect- and war-like Graesians, who want the energy source for themselves, to use as leverage in their struggle with the Lenoreans, who want to evict them from the Alliance. Their presence promises the destruction of Earth, and Ryol has to decide which word she will save � her own or ours.
I raced through this novella and was wanting more when it came to the end: more about Keepers and Healers and First Engineers, the alien society, their technology and their world alliance. A novella doesn’t give the author much time to develop his or her characters, but Mr. Vicino did a cracking job. He gave me a tantalizing taste of a future world, and I hope Parallel leads to a full length novel.
I raced through this novella and was wanting more when it came to the end: more about Keepers and Healers and First Engineers, the alien society, their technology and their world alliance. A novella doesn’t give the author much time to develop his or her characters, but Mr. Vicino did a cracking job. He gave me a tantalizing taste of a future world, and I hope Parallel leads to a full length novel.
May 11, 2015
Sometimes it’s fun to just randomly pick out a new story to read from out of the ether. I did that this week when I picked up this little SF novella Parallel by Anthony Vicino. He’s the author of a blog I check out from time to time: One Lazy Robot. This is the first work of his that I’ve read, and it was a lot of fun!
Parallel is a nice bundle of clever science fiction ideas all thrown together in one short tale. It starts when two friends open a rift into a parallel dimension linking Earth to a much bigger cosmos (cosmi?) than they personally bargained for. I don’t want to give away too much, but to say it’s an explosive and entertaining story that will leave you wanting much more of this world and the culture it brings with it. I don’t know if Mr. Vicino has plans to develop the worlds of the Alliance more in any future work, but the fragments given here do tantalize.
All in all the pacing of the story is quick. The dialogue between the friends Hari and Gerald is corny enough to have the ring of truth between guys, and it helps the reader engage. There is a lot here from plot lines to just scene dynamics that could use fleshing out. The writing is a little unpolished, but its charisma goes a long way. You have the time to check this out. It’s worth it.
5 stars out of 10
Parallel is a nice bundle of clever science fiction ideas all thrown together in one short tale. It starts when two friends open a rift into a parallel dimension linking Earth to a much bigger cosmos (cosmi?) than they personally bargained for. I don’t want to give away too much, but to say it’s an explosive and entertaining story that will leave you wanting much more of this world and the culture it brings with it. I don’t know if Mr. Vicino has plans to develop the worlds of the Alliance more in any future work, but the fragments given here do tantalize.
All in all the pacing of the story is quick. The dialogue between the friends Hari and Gerald is corny enough to have the ring of truth between guys, and it helps the reader engage. There is a lot here from plot lines to just scene dynamics that could use fleshing out. The writing is a little unpolished, but its charisma goes a long way. You have the time to check this out. It’s worth it.
5 stars out of 10
August 26, 2018
Review also available on my blog .
In opening a portal to another dimension, two scientists arouse the attention of a far more advanced alien species, the Lenoreans, with an interest in whether or not our planet has the energy their world needs to survive.Ìý These aliens have technology that allows them to divide their attention/consciousness between numerous tasks, so the character Ryol could be having a conversation with you while simultaneously monitoring several integral systems on the Lenorean home world in addition to paying attention to events on other planets.Ìý They can also alter their biochemistry to survive on otherwise uninhabitable landscapes and restructure their minds to cope with new stimuli.Ìý In short, if they wanted our planet, they could easily take it.Ìý The only thing that slightly annoyed me about these aliens was that Ryol was describe as "tall and blonde" because of course she'd have to be.Ìý Them looking human/being humanoid is perfectly understandable in the scope of the story, but there's no reason aliens always have to fit the most privileged model.
The story itself was fantastic.Ìý It didn't go at all how I expected, and the author pulled no punches at the close, leaving an ending that while hopeful was still bittersweet.
4.5 stars
In opening a portal to another dimension, two scientists arouse the attention of a far more advanced alien species, the Lenoreans, with an interest in whether or not our planet has the energy their world needs to survive.Ìý These aliens have technology that allows them to divide their attention/consciousness between numerous tasks, so the character Ryol could be having a conversation with you while simultaneously monitoring several integral systems on the Lenorean home world in addition to paying attention to events on other planets.Ìý They can also alter their biochemistry to survive on otherwise uninhabitable landscapes and restructure their minds to cope with new stimuli.Ìý In short, if they wanted our planet, they could easily take it.Ìý The only thing that slightly annoyed me about these aliens was that Ryol was describe as "tall and blonde" because of course she'd have to be.Ìý Them looking human/being humanoid is perfectly understandable in the scope of the story, but there's no reason aliens always have to fit the most privileged model.
The story itself was fantastic.Ìý It didn't go at all how I expected, and the author pulled no punches at the close, leaving an ending that while hopeful was still bittersweet.
4.5 stars
March 18, 2015
Parallel is a little piece of mind candy that I enjoyed quite a bit. I like the overarching concept: multiple dimensions overseen by an Alliance of alien species governed by the Lenoreans, a race of tech savvy humanoids that can project their emotions and/or share thoughts via computer implants. In this alien stew, the magic gravy is something called Eitr, a compound that allows the Lenoreans to access multiple dimensions and maintain their way of life. How? Not entirely clear. Doesn't matter. The Eitr must flow. Fortunately, the stuff has been found on Earth and this leads to a funny first contact situation in which nearly every viewpoint character dies. Did I say die? I meant moves on to the "Unknown Dimension". I respect authors who eat their young, but the outpouring of emotion at the end as well as all the silver, red and green body fluids felt a little over the top. In fact, that's my biggest problem with the story. My tastes run towards simple prose and the writing was florid in parts. Still, a fun read. Check it out for the world building and kick ass plotting.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 9, 2015
a different perspective of an old type of read. A breathe of freshness that leaves you wanting more. This read is about the parallel worlds and dimensions we all wonder about at some point. The Leader is left with plenty of real life decisions that can break her and the story is not all well and fine at the end. The characters leave you with a wonderment of what ifs and whys. As one world is left to decide the fate of others and then enters into a new world that can destroy all of them, the parallel dimensions take on a whole new meaning of life. When you die in one dimension do you die in all of them or do you get a second chance in at least one of them? The questions are endless and I wont bore you with those but all in all this is a great short read that will make you want to know more about the life and worlds out there!
August 23, 2015
This was a very interesting sci/fi fantasy story, it really got my brain up and thinking about the possibility of inter-dimensional travel. The characters were cute and quirky on the human side,well thought out and interesting on the alien side and the world building was well done. I definitely look forward to checking out more of Anthony's work!
November 7, 2015
This is a very circuitous piece of science fiction with some exciting moments. I found the characters confusing and needing more development and the ending was a near miss to a perfect landing in some strange dimension or planet.
I was provided an electronic copy in return for an honest review.
I was provided an electronic copy in return for an honest review.
February 24, 2016
I enjoyed this. The story flowed well. I do wish it was longer.
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