Lightless Trilogy
3 primary works Complete
Book 1
"Serving aboard the Ananke, an experimental military spacecraft launched by the ruthless organization that rules Earth and its solar system, computer scientist Althea has established an intense emotional bond--not with any of her crewmates, but with the ship's electronic systems, which speak more deeply to her analytical mind than human feelings do. But when a pair of fugitive terrorists gain access to the Ananke, Althea must draw upon her heart and soul for the strength to defend her beloved ship"--Dust jacket flap.
Book 2
"C. A. Higgins's acclaimed novel Lightless fused suspenseful storytelling, high-caliber scientific speculation, and richly developed characters into a stunning science fiction epic. Now the dazzling Supernova heightens the thrills and deepens the haunting exploration of technology and humanity--and the consequences that await when the two intersect. Once Ananke was an experimental military spacecraft. But a rogue computer virus transformed it--her--into something much more: a fully sentient artificial intelligence, with all the power of a god--and all the unstable emotions of a teenager. Althea, the ship's engineer and the last living human aboard, nearly gave her life to save Ananke from dangerous saboteurs, forging a bond as powerful as that between mother and daughter. Now she devotes herself completely to Ananke's care. But teaching a thinking, feeling machine--perhaps the most dangerous force in the galaxy--to be human proves a monumental challenge. When Ananke decides to seek out Matthew Gale, the terrorist she regards as her father, Althea learns that some bonds are stronger than mortal minds can understand--or control. Drawn back toward Earth by the quest, Althea and Ananke will find themselves in the thick of a violent revolution led by Matthew's sister, the charismatic leader Constance, who will stop at nothing to bring down a tyrannical surveillance state. As the currents of past decisions and present desires come into stark collision, a new and fiery future is about to be born"--
"The events of Lightless set off a revolution that torches the oppressive government surveillance state--and instates a new ruler who may prove just as tyrannical. But the story finds the human element in this political saga: Constance, the leader of the revolution, has won the galaxy, but may be losing her soul. Althea, the heroine of Lightless, has devoted her life to protecting her ship--which has now become sentient, and is learning what it means to be human"--
"The events of Lightless set off a revolution that torches the oppressive government surveillance state--and instates a new ruler who may prove just as tyrannical. But the story finds the human element in this political saga: Constance, the leader of the revolution, has won the galaxy, but may be losing her soul. Althea, the heroine of Lightless, has devoted her life to protecting her ship--which has now become sentient, and is learning what it means to be human"--
Book 3
In the follow-up to Lightless and Supernova, C. A. Higgins fuses science fiction, suspense, and drama to tell the story of a most unlikely heroine: Ananke, once a military spacecraft, now a sentient artificial intelligence. Ananke may have the powers of a god, but she is consumed by a very human longing: to know her creators.
Ananke may have the powers of a god, but she is consumed by a very human longing: to know her creators. Now Ananke is on a quest to find companionship, understanding, and even love. She is accompanied by Althea, the engineer who created her, and whom she sees as her mother. And she is in search of her “father,” Matthew, the programmer whose code gave her the spark of life.
But Matthew is on a strange quest of his own, traveling the galaxy alongside Ivan, with whom he shares a deeply painful history. Ananke and her parents are racing toward an inevitable collision, with consequences as violent as the birth of the solar system itself—and as devastating as the discovery of love.
Praise for Radiate
“Radiate will take you to the corners of space you’ve never even dreamed of going and beyond.”—Bustle
“Gripping . . . This sci-fi universe [is] utterly believable, while metaphor and allegory enrich the characters.”—New York Daily News
“A compelling emotional tale about two people trying to save each other from a disaster of their own making.”—Kirkus Reviews
The Lightless Trilogy is “a perfect sci-fi entry point that matches a rich, character-driven story with fundamental questions about who we are and why we’re here.”—Los Angeles Times
Ananke may have the powers of a god, but she is consumed by a very human longing: to know her creators. Now Ananke is on a quest to find companionship, understanding, and even love. She is accompanied by Althea, the engineer who created her, and whom she sees as her mother. And she is in search of her “father,” Matthew, the programmer whose code gave her the spark of life.
But Matthew is on a strange quest of his own, traveling the galaxy alongside Ivan, with whom he shares a deeply painful history. Ananke and her parents are racing toward an inevitable collision, with consequences as violent as the birth of the solar system itself—and as devastating as the discovery of love.
Praise for Radiate
“Radiate will take you to the corners of space you’ve never even dreamed of going and beyond.”—Bustle
“Gripping . . . This sci-fi universe [is] utterly believable, while metaphor and allegory enrich the characters.”—New York Daily News
“A compelling emotional tale about two people trying to save each other from a disaster of their own making.”—Kirkus Reviews
The Lightless Trilogy is “a perfect sci-fi entry point that matches a rich, character-driven story with fundamental questions about who we are and why we’re here.”—Los Angeles Times