# War of the Second Iteration



## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

_The Human Commonwealth of Worlds had colonized their small corner of the galaxy for almost four centuries before an intelligent non-human species was encountered. During that time hundreds of stellar systems were settled in an effort to spread life out into the Great Void, creating a thriving culture shared by flesh and blood people and machine minds known as Artificials, vast intellects that opened the way to the stars for the Human species. The economics of scarcity and want are ancient history, and illness and old age have been banished. The Commonwealth is a civilization at peace with itself, but it is all Humanity knows.

Like many citizens of the Commonwealth, the crew of the probeship William Bartram has come to believe Humanity is alone in the galaxy. Then they meet the Leyra'an. In that encounter they find an unsettling mystery, for the Leyra'an are so similar to Humans that it defies both science and belief.

But before the crew of the probeship can investigate this mystery, there is a darker and far more dangerous matter before them. Someone else met the Leyra'an first, and started a war._

The War of the Second Iteration depicts a future in which economics as we know it has come to an end, and Human civilization pursues other priorities. The Great Age of Changes - in which we now live - has long since become something like an asymptotic curve, along which change, both technological and social, comes gradually, slowed in part by the length of time required for a change to spread through the vastness of Human civilization. Humanity spreads steadily outward from star to star, colonizing star systems and bringing life to lifeless places, while preserving native life when they find it. These goals are shared by Humans and the descendants of artificial intelligence, beings known simply as the Artificials. This is the beginning of the story of how this long, quiet episode in the history of the Human species comes to a sudden end, and how Humanity and its allies fight to defend what they have become, and what they hope one day to be.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Thomas,

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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

A question many writers dread is "How do you think this stuff up? Where do the ideas come from?" Understandable questions, but difficult (if not impossible) to answer.

In the case of The Luck of Han'anga, I received this question as a variation on the theme. An early reader of the story wanted to know how I dreamed up the names of the Leyra'an and the words and phrases of their language that I sprinkled through the tale. In this case, there's a solid answer that at least describes the seed that grew into the look and feel of Leyra'an words and phrases. Years before I started writing this story my wife and I made several trips to the Navajo Nation, which sprawls across the Four Corners region of the American Southwest. These were amazing journeys, visits to a landscape and a culture that seemed not of the world as we know it. Hearing the Dineh speak their native tongue, one difficult for Anglos to learn, I realized I'd found a model for a truly alien language. I decided to use that model in telling the tale of the Second Iteration, and the war that changes the course of its history.

As the years passed and the story evolved, the seed planted by the speech of the Dineh (who we call Navajos) evolved into something quite different. That's as it should be. The Leyra'an are creatures of my imagination, after all. They are not the Dineh, and should not speak that tongue. And yet that is how it all began, with the sounds of a people speaking a language uniquely their own, in landscape you need to see to believe.

TW


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

During an email exchange with an acquaintance a few days ago I received a hearty congratulation over the publication of my first novel, and also a bit of a surprise. Although this person is interested in seeing what I've done, she wants to wait until more than one book in the series is published before starting it. When I asked why this was seen as necessary, I received an answer that I found quite curious, even as it made a certain amount of sense.

Seems she has purchased the first book of more than one intended, self published ebook series, only to have no second book ever appear. In one case, at least, it's been more than three years. Rather than be left hanging this way again, she lets a series accumulate a book or two beyond the initial installment, just to see for certain that the author is committed to completing the story. This policy is being applied to my book because she really doesn't know me at all. This is the friend of a friend on Facebook, and we've never met in "real life."

I've yet to encounter this problem, myself, but I can easily imagine it happening. Many people of many different sorts are being drawn to the idea of modern-day self publishing. There are no doubt a few of these who are attracted to the notion of being an author without having a slightest clue about what they're getting into. I would not be at all surprised to learn that, having gotten Book One out, that was as much of the writing life as they cared to endure. Not very fair to a reader who picks up Book One, of course, and if this sort of thing happens with any frequency at all I would not be in the slightest surprised that my friend-of-a-friend is just one of many readers who waits for Book Two.

In my case there will indeed be a Book Two. I promise. It's already been written. The title will be Founder's Effect, and the manuscript is currently in the hands of beta readers. I fully expect to be doing a bunch of revisions when that part of the cycle is complete, and then there will be copy editing to deal with, but when all is said and done, the book should be ready for Kindle in mid-to-late Autumn of this year. (2012, to be specific.)


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

The Human Commonwealth, introduced in The Luck of Han'anga, has its roots in the very end of what its people call the "Time of Changes," the very period in history in which we now live. The Human species had managed to establish a not quite sustainable presence in the solar system when conditions on Old Earth took a dramatic turn for the worse. As nations collapsed and wars were fought over scarce resources, the people living off world were faced with a terrible choice: return to a world that might well be lethal for them, and for their children, or make their nascent space-born civilization truly self-sufficient. They chose the later course. During their struggle to survive the usual concepts of economics were replaced by the desperate need to keep as many people alive as possible. Failure to share a resource might mean the death of a person who had a skill that would keep you alive. In an environment more hostile than any colonized by Humans before, old rules and ways proved a liability, and were soon abandoned. From this seed grew a civilization heavily dependant on automated resource extraction and processing systems, capable of producing necessities more quickly and efficiently than could be done by Human workers alone. It was a civilization in which a person's worth was judged not by how much they could accumulate, but by the way they enhanced the overall survival of Humanity in space. It proved a cultural bottleneck through which many things we think of as normal today did not pass.


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

A common complaint by critics of science fiction is the frequent use of nonhuman characters who are nonetheless so very human. In the case of television or movies a snarky reference is often made to "central casting." To be sure, television in particular makes too little effort to create truly alien beings. However, as the various incarnations of Star Trek and, more recently, Star Gate SG-1 show, it's possible to employ the resemblance to human beings as part of the story. There's a reason 'they' look so much like us, act so much like us. It's not a cop out, but part of the imagined universe created to entertain us. Those similarities can be a major element of the story. And so it is with the mystery presented to Humanity by their neighbors the Leyra'an. How could these people be so much like us? What are the chances? How did it happen?

There's only one way to find out.


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

Barring unforeseen circumstances, I will be attended CopperCon 32 over the Labor Day weekend. If you live in the Phoenix Metro area and are planning to attend, watch for me on panels and wandering the halls. Say hello!

http://www.casfs.org/cucon/cu32/Hotel.php


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

Since becoming an indie author I've found myself doing many things that otherwise never would have occurred to me, such as book layout and cover design. I've come to have a powerful appreciation for the power of PhotoShop Elements 10, believe me. Going into this, I figured on learning what I needed to produce the books I wrote. So much of what I'm picking up along the way will be very useful in other pursuits. A bonus!


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

I'll be attending CopperCon, a Phoenix (Arizona) area regional sci-fi convention held over the Labor Day weekend. I'll be there Friday and Saturday. I've volunteered for a couple of panel discussions, and requested an opportunity to do a reading, so I should be easy to find if you are there. I'll even have a few POD copies of Luck of Han'anga available to sell. Look for me if you're planning to attend!

http://www.casfs.org/cucon/cu32/index.html


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

Although the universe of the Second Iteration is in many ways an improvement over our present day, it isn't perfect. It isn't a Utopia. Far from it. While the economics of acquisition that dominate our times and politics are a thing of the past, and other priorities dominate society, humans being humans, they find plenty of ways to play out the ol' primate dominance thing. Which is just as well. I doubt I could find any truly interesting, much less compelling, tales to tell in a perfect world!


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

A panel in which I will participate at the upcoming CopperCon addresses the question of creating nonhuman characters, imaginary beings that represent something other than another iteration of human desires and failings. In other words, our priorities and theirs have few, or no, commonalities. It's an interesting question to be sure, but in considering it I find my thoughts overshadowed by a bigger one: can this even be done? Is it possible to create characters in fiction that have nothing in common with humanity, and still have a story to tell? What would be the consequenced of meeting such beings?Could we communicate with them at all? Would we even recognize them as intelligent beings? Or would we simply pass each other by, none the wiser?


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

CopperCon 32 was, for me, a big step forward. It's currently a small, local convention with more than 250 members, and I didn't sell a pile of books, there. But I began the process, a long one no doubt, of reconnecting with the world of science fiction fandom, a renewal that will be vital for the success of my writing endeavor. In a very brief time a large number of potential readers met me face-to-face and learned about the series I'm writing. The meeting, panels, and general interactions were also a lot of fun.

As for selling books, I sold and signed but one. (Not counting review copies, here, or swaps with other indie authors). The next day I came across the man who picked it up and thanked him again for taking a chance on the book, then expressed the hope that he would enjoy it.

"I did," he said.

He had started reading it the evening he purchased the copy and got into it enough that he just read through the whole thing. And wanted to know when book two was due out.

I'm going to take this as a good sign.


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

Last week, while clearing some old files, I came across a fat folder containing four short stories. I wrote these in the late 1990s, submitting them to the few outleft for short science fiction and fantasy still alive at that time. Of course, the thought immediately came to mind that I could polish them up and publish them myself, as others have done with short fiction. To my surprise, one of these stories turned out to be the root of the tale that became The Luck of Han'anga! I'd forgotten this early incarnation of the Second Iteration universe. As curious as the changes made since that story was set down are the many elements that remained the same. This story out of the four will be cleaned up (and made to conform to the current story arc) and published first. The working title is "Long Time Passing." I'll announce its release here when the time comes.


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

I'm starting to hear from beta readers, and have made progress on rewriting the story that set the roots of the Second Iteration universe. Book three is written and on the back burner, and currently lacks a meaningful working title. With any luck at all - and assuming I can avoid further dental work - the short story will be out by early November, just in time for TusCon 39 here in Tucson. Founders' Effect - War of the Second Iteration, Book Two - I hope to have available before the end of the year. Small steps forward, aided and abetted by a few book sales along the way. Your continued interest and support is appreciated!


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

_Excerpt_

Living worlds, as defined by the presence of self-regulating biospheres, were orders of magnitude rarer than expected, and Robert had yet to be part of a mission to such a place. Of other intelligent species no trace had ever been found. There were those, and Robert was one, who had given up, who believed that the evolution of intelligence was the rarest of accidents, so rare that Humanity might as well be alone in the galaxy.

And now he knew he was wrong about that. Humanity was not unique. "Mother of Life," he whispered at the end of these ruminations, reaching back to his upbringing a little more fervently. He truly did not know what to think.


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

_Excerpt_

The stars were cold and hard and vastly distant around him, and the node, to the senses of the shipmind's gravity sensors, was a swirl of distortion, an illusory whirlpool that seemed to churn slowly in the fabric of the Void, and yet did not move at all. Stars seen through the node were reduced to faint arcs of light. Through the center of the node was their access to the matrix of all dimensions, including those few perceived by the minds of organic beings. Robert knew that, in the transition, he would "blink" yet again. The augmented senses of a probeship pilot were no more adept at perceiving the ultimate meshwork of time and space than ordinary Human eyes.


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

I will be at TusCon 39, this year, right here in Tucson, AZ.

November 9 - 11.

http://www.tusconscificon.com/index.html


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

Revisions have begun on Book Two, _Founders' Effect._

In the mean time, there's still time - 11 days - to enter the Goodreads giveaway for The Luck of Han'anga. Five signed copies are up for grabs!

http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/34090-the-luck-of-han-anga

After all, you'd give in and go for a paper book if it has the author's scrawl in it. Wouldn't you?


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

Time is ticking away on this one!

http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/34090-the-luck-of-han-anga


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

Getting ready for TusCon 38.

http://tusconscificon.com/public_html/content/schedule.html


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

TusCon 38 will be held this coming weekend. On Saturday night I will do a reading from my science fiction novel, The Luck of Han'anga. The paperback version of the book will be for sale in the vendor's room for $13.99.

http://tusconscificon.com/index.html


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

Thomas Watson said:


> TusCon 39 will be held this coming weekend. On Saturday night I will do a reading from my science fiction novel, The Luck of Han'anga. The paperback version of the book will be for sale in the vendor's room for $13.99.
> 
> http://tusconscificon.com/index.html





Thomas Watson said:


> Getting ready for TusCon 38.
> 
> http://tusconscificon.com/public_html/content/schedule.html


38 or 39?


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## Steph H (Oct 28, 2008)

Hey Tom, as you know I'll be at the other trade show convention thingy in Tucson rather than TusCon 3X, but bring a copy of both books to breakfast Saturday morning, m'kay?  I want personalized personal autographs...


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

Steph H said:


> Hey Tom, as you know I'll be at the other trade show convention thingy in Tucson rather than TusCon 3X, but bring a copy of both books to breakfast Saturday morning, m'kay? I want personalized personal autographs...


where's mine?


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

telracs said:


> 38 or 39?


39

Living in the past, again...


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

"The most important questions is: When's the next one due out?" From an Amazon review for The Luck of Han'anga.


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

Thomas Watson said:


> "The most important questions is: When's the next one due out?" From an Amazon review for The Luck of Han'anga.


well, yeah, i was just wondering that....


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

Yeah, me too...


No, wait, I do know... 

All other things being equal, somewhere around New Year's. (A little before or a little after.)


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

Thomas Watson said:


> Yeah, me too...
> 
> No, wait, I do know...
> 
> All other things being equal, somewhere around New Year's. (A little before or a little after.)


remember, though, my definition of the "next" one is book 3.....


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

Book Three exists only as a rough draft at this point. The entire story is set down, but there are some things I want/need to do with it. For the moment, I'm focused on Book Two. If I had to guess (and this is only guess) I'll have a truly readable draft of the third book done sometime late in February.

This all assumes, of course, that the Mayans got it wrong...


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

Last night I finished the major revisions for Founders' Effect, the second book in The War of the Second Iteration. Still aiming for release in the vicinity of New Year's Day.


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

yippee!  now on to book three?


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

On to Book Three (working title Plight of the Eli'ahtna) before the New Year grows very old. Also another short story. Or two.


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

Thomas Watson said:


> On to Book Three (working title Plight of the Eli'ahtna) before the New Year grows very old. Also another short story. Or two.


okay, you know where to find me for beta reading....


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

telracs said:


> okay, you know where to find me for beta reading....


I'll let you know!


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

From a review: "The most important question is: When's the next one due out?"

Soon...  Though perhaps not as soon as I intended. The holidays and adapting to a new job are taking their toll.


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

Excerpt - 

Moresh swept the crowd with her eyes, then looked down and shook her head. “I still don’t quite know what to say, except to confirm the story you have all heard by now. Humanity has made contact with another intelligent species. We are not alone, after all. And for all the strangeness we imagined Contact would certainly hold, what has happened presents a mystery no one anticipated..."


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

It was almost unheard of, the presence of two of the Survey's giant probeships in a single system at the same time. Even with the Survey fleet numbering in the hundreds of thousands, the volume of space making up the Commonwealth was so vast that probeships were spread very thinly around the surface of that sphere. Only something of immense importance would bring the Newcomb and the Herschel together in one system. A possible explanation for such an effort came immediately to mind, but it was just too implausible to take seriously without more data.

"Has the station offered an explanation for the increased traffic I'm seeing?" he asked.

"When I made the request I was told to stand by," the shipmind replied. "It would be unwise to speculate without more data, but three probeships in one system fits the protocol for Contact."

_from The Luck of Han'anga_


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

In the process of revising and cleaning up Book Two of this series, I discovered that one of the main characters has unresolved mental health issues. Dealing with this opened quite the can of worms! I'm closing in on a solution to the problem, and ultimately, the release of Founders' Effect. Sure glad this was found before readers pointed it out!


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

Want a quick look into the Second Iteration universe? Download my short story "Long Time Passing." Available free for Kindle ereaders. 

Just click on the book cover in the signature line below.


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

I've begun to read (reread, in some cases) all the novels to ever win the Hugo Award, starting with the very first and working my way to the present day. Each will be briefly reviewed on my weblog, here:

http://underdesertstars.wordpress.com/

Feel free to follow along!


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

The story continues in Founders' Effect, Book Two of the War of the Second Iteration.



_While Robert and Alicia MacGregor, survivors of the ill-fated probeship William Bartram, work to rebuild their lives, the Commonwealth seeks a way to end the long, bitter conflict between the Republic and the Leyra'an. But the leaders of the Republic, suspicious of the motives that drive their long-sundered kin and faced with unrest among their own people, resist the changes that must come for peace to exist. And all the while, forces unseen by either side are at work, determined to force both of the Human nations and the Leyra'an to walk the path of war._


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

"We are receiving a level one alert," the Euglossine said, a little sooner than Robert expected.

The comlink came to life with a familiar voice, but not that of a watch officer. "All hands, this is the Captain. Priority one recall. All teams return immediately at best possible speed. This Survey has been aborted..."

From _The Luck of Han'anga_


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

With the release of Founders' Effect, work on Book Three of the War of the Second Iteration will resume. (Watch this space!)


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

Someone told me the other day that the Leyra'an struck her as a rather fatalistic people. This interpretation took me a bit by surprise. I see their philosophy of "acceptance" to be a culture of responsibility, not of capitulation.


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

Year One

http://underdesertstars.wordpress.com/


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

From a review posted on Amazon:



> The ending builds up a bit slowly, but readers I think will be satisfied with lots of military gun battles, explosions, and drama. The ending too is quite nice. It ends on a positive note but does not answer every question raised by the book. There is still a mystery to be solved, and to get my answers I'm looking forward to reading the next of this series.


Hope he likes Book Two just as much!


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

It begins with the revelation that we are not alone. And then, it gets a bit complicated...


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

The consequences of our digital age continue to boggle my mind. I made a sale last month to a reader in Italy. It's just one sale, in the scheme of things, to be sure, but still... Which is more amazing, that someone half the world away would even hear of a book by a little-known American author, or that with the touch of a button that person could buy a copy? Either way, for someone who grew up before such things became commonplace, it's a source of amazement!


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

He could only gape at her for a moment, and then in a low voice said, “You’re telling me the Leyra’an species, intelligent beings with a written history thousands of years longer than ours, is a patch up?” 

from The Luck of Han'anga


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

In the fullness of time, Humanity will reach the stars. We will meet ourselves out there, and we will wonder why.


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

The Leyra'an have much in common with Humanity. Perhaps _too_ much...


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

Reviews for The Luck of Han'anga.

The most recent reviewer was apparently quite pleased with the book. 

http://www.amazon.com/Luck-Hananga-Second-Iteration-ebook/product-reviews/B0089Q2B22/ref=cm_cr_dp_see_all_btm?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

We are not alone among the stars, and it's a mixed blessing.


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

The universe they know is an illusion.


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

They expected First Contact to be strange and wonderful. They allowed for the possibility that it would be dangerous. 

They had no idea.


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

Another 5 star review for The Luck of Han'anga. (Dated 7/22/13)

http://www.amazon.com/Luck-Hananga-Second-Iteration-ebook/product-reviews/B0089Q2B22/ref=cm_cr_pr_top_recent?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=0&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

"You have no idea how that felt, to see my calculated deception take those innocent lives. To stand on your ship and watch my people die and be able to do nothing!" His voice had an odd, strangled catch to it. He paused and seemed to hold his breath for a moment as if fighting for self-control. "I wanted to kill them, the invading ships," he went on darkly. "I wanted to watch them die! And I had at hand," and he stretched out his right hand toward the Captain, "the power to utterly wipe them out!" Now he was meeting the Captain's eyes and he clenched that hand into a fist as he nearly shouted the words at her. When he continued his voice was harsh and broken, a struggle to push words through powerful emotions. "But even more I want this all to end! Can you not see?" He looked around at those assembled, eyes glittering. "It must end! And to accomplish this I will do whatever I must. Use whatever I must." The upraised arm dropped to his side. "My apologies I reserve for my own people. Those who paid the price, and those who must now grieve."

The Luck of Han'anga
War of the Second Iteration, Book One


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

The inner airlock hatch cycled and the tone sounded indicating it was safe to open it. At least, it was safe to do so under ordinary circumstances. John made no move abort the airlock sequence, and allowed the hatch to open. In the dimly lit space beyond, John saw a large shape moving.

He and Wirolen floated in the central compartment together, no more than two meters from the airlock. On either side of the lock were equipment and EVA suit lockers, one of which was hanging open. John glanced at Wirolen, who held her weapon steadily, her attention fixed on the airlock. They were warriors standing their ground, but John knew a fight would be pointless. If these beings were hostile, they were finished.

Were they being rescued? Or - something else?

_A snippet from the forthcoming Plight of the Eli'ahtna, War of the Second Iteration, Book Three._


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

"This is a good place to be," Robert said, looking around. Glancing up, he looked quickly away from the long central fusion lamp that lit the habitat. The lamp was dimming, but was still too bright to stare at.

"Yes," Ersha replied. He breathed deeply of air faintly scented by lilac, the blossoms of _worish_ lacking in perfume. "This is home," he said more quietly.

"Melep says things like that," Robert said, with a glance toward Ersha as they walked. "The thought of leaving here, for any reason or amount of time, doesn't set well with her."

Ersha did not respond immediately. The stream beside them slowed and became broader, and patches of tall cattails screened parts of it. There were ducks on the water, noisy mallards arguing amongst themselves as they foraged between the cattails.

"I do not mean to leave this place either," Ersha said. "Oh, I'll go to Serch'nach as needed. But my voyaging aboard _Han'anga_ . . . No, I have no desire for such things these days." He patted Robert's arm. "You see, _par'adnan_, for all that your Commonwealth medicine has rendered me physically young, my mind and heart feel the weight of the years. When the Bartram Protocol is signed and implemented, in whatever form, I intend to retire from public life. I am worn away by the burden of lives for which I was responsible, lives that ended too soon. I am weary, here," and he touched his chest. "I need to rest."

From the forthcoming Plight of the Eli'ahtna, Book Three of the War of the Second Iteration.
Links for books One and Two can be found in the cover images below.


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

There was a crystalline quality to the universe, as seen through the eyes of a sentient starship, a clarity that gave an illusion of depth to things too far away to really give such perspective. The great Void was a perfectly transparent crystal, and Robert was but a mote of imperfection within the crystalline structure, able to look through it in all directions at once.
After so many decades of experiencing the universe in such a way, he still couldn’t find just the words he wanted. What he saw and felt defied description.

Beside him, a presence felt but not seen, Greg Millhouse simply said, “Wow . . . ”

“Yes,” Robert replied.


Yet another snippet from the forthcoming Plight of the Eli'ahtna, Book Three of the War of the Second Iteration.


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

I will be attending TusCon 40, this coming weekend, November 8, 9, and 10. My novels The Luck of Han'anga and Founders' Effect will be available for sale at the Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore table in the dealer's room.

Check here for the current program: http://tusconscificon.com/

I'm currently scheduled to participate in the following:

Has Future Shock Turned Into Future Fatigue?
Sat.9am Ballroom

Mass Autograph Session Sat.
4pm Ballroom

Good Twists and Bad Twists: What are the keys to making plot twists unpredictable but still believable?
10pm Panel Room 1

How to Rewrite Right 
Sun. Noon. Ballroom

If you're in town, check it out!


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

Available now, for Kindle ereaders. Book Three of the War of the Second Iteration!


----------



## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

The Leyra'an present a mystery to Humanity.

Someone doesn't want the question answered.


----------



## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

First Contact could have wondrous. It might have been dangerous. When it came, it was like nothing anyone could have predicted.


----------



## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

I'm well past the halfway point in writing a draft of the fourth book in this series. (It'll be called The Courage to Accept when it's released later this year.) With each book the process becomes a bit slower, as I work to keep track of the characters and events from previous volumes. I'm literally using a spreadsheet to keep track of some of these things! But I'm still making steady progress in the production of a book I hope you will find worth reading. The patience of current readers as I work toward publication of Book Four is much appreciated.

There will be one more book in The War of the Second Iteration, after the current work in progress is published. The story arc will be completed with the publication of Book Five - Setha'im Prosh. It's my intention to wrap this tale up in early 2015. And after that? Well, we'll see. There's another universe or two tucked away inside my head!

For a self-contained sample of how I tell a tale, give this short tale a try. Long Time Passing http://tinyurl.com/boq2jmr


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

"Watson has a smooth, engaging, and professional style that pulls the reader in until they blink and realize that hours of reading pleasure have passed." From an Amazon review of The Luck of Han'anga.


----------



## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

"One of the best books I've read in ages. Watson creates a very plausible future. The story had me from cover to cover." From a review of The Luck of Han'anga.


----------



## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

An age of peaceful exploration is about to end.


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

"You have no idea how that felt, to see my calculated deception take those innocent lives. To stand on your ship and watch my people die and be able to do nothing!" His voice had an odd, strangled catch to it. He paused and seemed to hold his breath for a moment as if fighting for self-control. "I wanted to kill them, the invading ships," he went on darkly. "I wanted to watch them die! And I had at hand," and he stretched out his right hand toward the Captain, "the power to utterly wipe them out!" Now he was meeting the Captain's eyes and he clenched that hand into a fist as he nearly shouted the words at her. When he continued his voice was harsh and broken, a struggle to push words through powerful emotions. "But even more I want this all to end! Can you not see?" He looked around at those assembled, eyes glittering. "It must end! And to accomplish this I will do whatever I must. Use whatever I must." The upraised arm dropped to his side. "My apologies I reserve for my own people. Those who paid the price, and those who must now grieve."

The Luck of Han'anga
War of the Second Iteration, Book One


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

The fourth book of this five-part series is now available for Kindle users!



The people of the Commonwealth have known nothing but peace for centuries. Now, war is upon them.

How do you prepare for something no one alive has ever seen?


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

"You have no idea how that felt, to see my calculated deception take those innocent lives. To stand on your ship and watch my people die and be able to do nothing!" His voice had an odd, strangled catch to it. He paused and seemed to hold his breath for a moment as if fighting for self-control. "I wanted to kill them, the invading ships," he went on darkly. "I wanted to watch them die! And I had at hand," and he stretched out his right hand toward the Captain, "the power to utterly wipe them out!" Now he was meeting the Captain's eyes and he clenched that hand into a fist as he nearly shouted the words at her. When he continued his voice was harsh and broken, a struggle to push words through powerful emotions. "But even more I want this all to end! Can you not see?" He looked around at those assembled, eyes glittering. "It must end! And to accomplish this I will do whatever I must. Use whatever I must." The upraised arm dropped to his side. "My apologies I reserve for my own people. Those who paid the price, and those who must now grieve."


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

Off to a bit of a rocky start on the fifth and final installment of this series, but I'm finally moving it along. Currently at 13,636 words and counting! 

Look for Book Five, Setha'im Prosh, sometime around New Year Day, 2016.


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

They wandered along the path a few meters, and were just coming out of the verdigris trees, though not out of range of their scent, when their way was blocked by the sudden appearance of a heavily-built Leyra’an dressed in black trousers, tunic, and sandals, with a plain black strap crossing his chest in place of a clan braid. The same one who had snarled at Robert from across the wide patio.

“You!” Kr’nai Melep snapped, stopping so suddenly that Eb’shra Vurn and Alicia almost ran into her. “What do you want here?”

“Why do you keep company with such as these?” the man demanded in a low voice. The words of the translator were without expression, but the tone of his voice was apparent all the same.

“These are friends,” Kr’nai Melep replied with a sharp edge in her voice. “Under the protection of my clan and my family. The same as you.”

“Nothing about these can be the same as me,” he growled.

Eb’shra Vurn said nothing, but stood very still, eyes bright and the tips of his teeth showing, leaning forward a little as if ready to leap at a moment’s notice. Robert felt his heart rate go up and saw Alicia shift her stance as if bracing herself. The danger in the man before them was evident to all.

“Nevertheless,” Kr’nai Melep said softly. “Have great care with these and their kind from the Commonwealth, lest you give up the protection my uncle has given you, Rost’aht Holm!” And so saying she slipped her arm through Robert’s and strode forward, seeming to look right through the man.

At the last moment the dark Leyra’an stepped aside, and in that moment his eyes and Robert’s met for a second time. Robert saw that the emotions of a Leyra’an could be read by the look of the eyes, as in a Human being. He saw in those eyes anger and hatred.


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

Trying out a new author requires risking an investment in both money and time, things few of us have in abundance these days. With this short story you can examine how I write, for free, and do so while using up only half an hour or so.

What have you got to lose?


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

The stars were cold and hard and vastly distant around him, and the node, to the senses of the shipmind's gravity sensors, was a swirl of distortion, an illusory whirlpool that seemed to churn slowly in the fabric of the Void, and yet did not move at all. Stars seen through the node were reduced to faint arcs of light. Through the center of the node was their access to the matrix of all dimensions, including those few perceived by the minds of organic beings. Robert knew that, in the transition, he would "blink" yet again. The augmented senses of a probeship pilot were no more adept at perceiving the ultimate meshwork of time and space than ordinary Human eyes.


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

It's all right here...

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Watson/e/B007WUAR4A/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

A first draft of the fifth and last volume of this series is now complete. Looking at releasing it in early 2016.


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

Book One of Five.

For Robert MacGregor and the crew of the probeship William Bartram, it's a dream come true. Theirs will be the mission that makes the long awaited First Contact with an intelligent nonhuman species, a race of humanoid beings called the Leyra'an. But the dream soon becomes something very different when the Leyra'an prove to be more than just humanoid. They are like us to a degree that cannot be explained by chance alone. As if that isn't complicated enough, the Leyra'an are at war, locked in a conflict that soon threatens the safety of the William Bartram and its crew. First Contact was sure to be a challenge, but no one could have expected this!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0089Q2B22/?tag=kbsig-20

Look for Book Five - Setha'im Prosh in early 2016.


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

The story of the War of the Second Iteration begins here, as an age of peaceful exploration comes to an end. The story will come to a conclusion in Book Five, Setha'im Prosh, early 2016.


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

Blink… and you missed it.


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

Excerpt

Living worlds, as defined by the presence of self-regulating biospheres, were orders of magnitude rarer than expected, and Robert had yet to be part of a mission to such a place. Of other intelligent species no trace had ever been found. There were those, and Robert was one, who had given up, who believed that the evolution of intelligence was the rarest of accidents, so rare that Humanity might as well be alone in the galaxy.

And now he knew he was wrong about that. Humanity was not unique. "Mother of Life," he whispered at the end of these ruminations, reaching back to his upbringing a little more fervently. He truly did not know what to think.


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

Want a quick look into the Second Iteration universe? Download my short story "Long Time Passing." Available free for Kindle ereaders. 

Just click on the book cover in the signature line below.


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

This story is the beginning.

It will end in early 2016 with Book Five, Setha'im Prosh.


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

All wars end, one way or another.

The fifth and final volume of this series is now available.

Setha'im Prosh (War of the Second Iteration Book 5)


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

*Now available through Kindle Unlimited.*

_An age of peaceful exploration is about to end..._

For Robert MacGregor and the crew of the Commonwealth probeship William Bartram, it's a dream come true. Theirs will be the mission that makes the long awaited First Contact with an intelligent nonhuman species - the Leyra'an. But the dream soon becomes something darker and more dangerous when the Leyra'an prove to be so nearly Human that it can't be explained by chance alone. And as if that isn't complicated enough, the Leyra'an are at war with the decendents of a long-lost Human colony, a conflict that soon threatens the safety of the William Bartram and its crew.

To save themselves and protect the Commonwealth, Robert and his comrades must assume the roles of peace-keepers. But can one ship stand alone between two warring empires?

The Luck of Han'anga (War of the Second Iteration, Book One)


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

FREE TODAY ONLY.

An age of peaceful exploration is about to end.


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

_*An age of peaceful exploration is about to end...*_

The long-held dream of meeting an intelligent, nonhuman species has finally come true, in the form of the people known as the Leyra'an. But the dream soon becomes something darker when the Leyra'an prove to be more than just humanoid. They are like us to a degree that cannot be explained by chance alone. The search for the answer to this mystery will reveal a universe stranger and more dangerous than anyone could have imagined, and expose both Humanity and the Leyra'an to the threat of extinction.

*War of the Second Iteration
*​
To celebrate the completion of this series, for this weekend Book One, _The Luck of Han'anga_, is available as a * FREE* download.

The other four volumes -_ Founders' Effect, The Plight of the Eli'ahtna, The Courage to Accept_, and _Setha'im Prosh_ - only 0.99 cents each. (Regular price $3.99)

_*November 11th, 12th and 13th ONLY!*_​
_<merged with existing thread. Please, one thread per book. (If you'd like to switch to promoting as a group of books vs one thread per, please let me know.  ) Bookmark this thread so that you can find it again, thanks! --Ann>_


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

The entire five book series is now available through Kindle Unlimited.


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

'Twas the day after Christmas and...

New phone, tablet, or eReader? Use it to enter a new universe in time for the New Year!

FREE 12/26

The Luck of Han'anga
Book One of Five.

An age of peaceful exploration has ended.

The centuries old dream of meeting an intelligent, nonhuman species has finally come true, in the 
form of the people known as the Leyra'an. But the dream soon becomes something darker when the 
Leyra'an prove to be more than just humanoid. They are like us to a degree that cannot be explained 
by chance alone. The search for the answer to this mystery will reveal a universe stranger and more 
dangerous than the crew of the probeship William Bartram could have imagined, and expose both 
Humanity and the Leyra'an to the threat of extinction.

For better or worse, that search has begun.

https://www.amazon.com/Luck-Hananga-Second-Iteration-Book-ebook/dp/B0089Q2B22

(Always free to read for Kindle Unlimited subscribers.)


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

An age of peaceful exploration has ended.

The centuries old dream of meeting an intelligent, nonhuman species has finally come true, in the 
form of the people known as the Leyra'an. But the dream soon becomes something darker when the 
Leyra'an prove to be more than just humanoid. They are like us to a degree that cannot be explained 
by chance alone. The search for the answer to this mystery will reveal a universe stranger and more 
dangerous than anyone could have imagined, and expose both Humanity and the Leyra'an to the threat of extinction.

For better or worse, that search has begun.

The complete series is now available through Kindle Unlimited.

​


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

It all started five years ago today, with the release of a small book of childhood memories. Five novels and three short stories came to life in the years that followed. To mark the occasion and to celebrate those accomplishments, I offer the following:

FREE today only, March 21st,



and



On sale for only $0.99, all the rest!

Founders' Effect (War of the Second Iteration, Book Two)
The Plight of the Eli'ahtna (War of the Second Iteration, Book Three)
The Courage to Accept (War of the Second Iteration (Book Four))
Setha'im Prosh (War of the Second Iteration (Book Five))

And of course,


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

Today, for no particular reason, Book One - The Luck of Han'anga - is available as a free download on Amazon.

(Also available through Kindle Unlimited.)


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

An age of peaceful exploration has ended.



Available through Kindle Unlimited.


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

5/13/17

Today only! Book One, The Luck of Han'anga, available as a FREE download.

The rest of the series - Founders' Effect, The Plight of the Eli'ahtna, The Courage to Accept, and Setha'im Prosh - just $0.99 each.


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

War of the Second Iteration.

An excerpt from Book One - The Luck of Han'anga

https://underdesertstars.wordpress.com/desertstars-publications/an-excerpt-from-the-luck-of-hananga/


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

I will be at WesterCon 70, July 1 - 4. The link below will give you my schedule of events during the convention. If you're attending, look me up!

http://westercon70.org/konopas/#part/18


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

In The Courage to Accept, a message from the distant past is found in the genomes of the Sibling Species. When a portion of it is decoded, a bit of video is found, solving one of the great mysteries that came to light during First Contact. I was aware as I wrote that scene that researchers had successfully used DNA to store and replicate text, and extrapolated from that. It would seem my dramatic bit of video near the climax of Book Four wasn't quite as far out as I thought at the time!

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/lights-cameras-crispr-biologists-use-gene-editing-to-store-movies-in-dna/


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

"I lost friends here, in the fight," John said in an unsteady voice. "People who opened their lives and their homes to me and to my companion. Good people, who deserved better fates. One who deserved a chance to grow up and grace the universe with music like you've never heard before, and will now never hear! You may have reservations regarding the status of the Faceless, Captain. I have none. The Faceless are my enemies! And by God I will have them, for the lives they took here!"
- The Plight of the Eli'ahtna
War of the Second Iteration
Book Three


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

FREE TODAY

They expected First Contact to be strange, complicated, and perhaps even dangerous.

No one could have expected this...

The Luck of Han'anga
War of the Second Iteration, Book One

(Read a sample here: https://underdesertstars.wordpress.com/fiction-samples/an-excerpt-from-the-luck-of-hananga/)

FREE today, August 5th.


Book Two, Founders' Effect, just $0.99


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

War of the Second Iteration

The centuries old dream of meeting an intelligent, nonhuman species has finally come true, in the form of the people known as the Leyra'an. But the dream soon becomes something darker when the Leyra'an prove to be more than just humanoid. They are like us to a degree that cannot be explained by chance alone. The search for the answer to this mystery will reveal a universe stranger and more dangerous than the crew of the probeship William Bartram could have imagined, and expose both Humanity and the Leyra'an to the threat of extinction.

For better or worse, that search has begun.

Through Labor Day...

The Luck of Han'anga $0.99

Founders' Effect $1.99

Books Three through Five just $2.99 each

(Regular prices $3.99 each)

_Also available through Kindle Unlimited._


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

Less than a week for these prices. (See previous post.)

The series will, of course, remain available for subscribers to Kindle Unlimited.


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

Available free today, Monday, September 18th. (Always available through Kindle Unlimited.)

An age of peaceful exploration has ended.

The Luck of Han'anga - War of the Second Iteration, Book One.

https://www.amazon.com/Luck-Hananga-Second-Iteration-Book-ebook/dp/B0089Q2B22


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

"This series of books seemed to me to be a work of art. I would give these books 10 stars if that was an option. I can only hope that Mr. Watson will revisit these characters in the future so we can see how they are doing." - From a Goodreads reviewer.

Yes, someday I will do so. Until then...



War of the Second Iteration, the complete series, is also available through *Kindle Unlimited.*


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

This weekend, The Luck of Han'anga is $0.99, and the other four volumes are $1.99 each. Regular prices are $3.99 each.

Price reductions for no particular reason.  

(And yes, still available through Kindle Unlimited.)


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

Book One - *The Luck of Han'anga*, is available as a free download on Amazon today.


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

November 11th and 12th, Book One - The Luck of Han'anga - will be available as a free download.

Also on those dates, Book Two - Founders' Effect - will be available for $0.99


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

*War of the Second Iteration*, the complete series, is available through Kindle Unlimited.


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

The Luck of Han'anga. War of the Second Iteration, Book One.

An age of peaceful exploration has ended.

Available as a free download for Kindle, December 24th and 25th.


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

*War of the Second Iteration*, the complete series, is available to Kindle Unlimited subscribers.

_An age of peaceful exploration has ended._

The centuries old dream of meeting an intelligent, nonhuman species has finally come true, in the form of the people known as the Leyra'an. But the dream soon becomes something darker when the Leyra'an prove to be more than just humanoid. They are like us to a degree that cannot be explained by chance alone. The search for the answer to this mystery will reveal a universe stranger and more dangerous than the crew of the probeship William Bartram could have imagined, and expose both Humanity and the Leyra'an to the threat of extinction.

For better or worse, that search has begun.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MEGC98R/ref=series_rw_dp_sw


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

_An age of peaceful exploration has ended, and nothing will ever be the same._

Book One of this series, The Luck of Han'anga, is available as a free download today (2/17) and tomorrow (2/1. Book Two - Founders' Effect - is available for a dollar.

*The complete series is available through Kindle Unlimited.*


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

They expected First Contact to be strange and wonderful. They allowed for the possibility that it would be dangerous. 

They had no idea...

(The complete series is available through Kindle Unlimited.)


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

War of the Second Iteration.

Still available through Kindle Unlimited.


----------



## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

Yet another opportunity to download Book One of this series for free!

Today only!

It's a good day for exclamation marks!


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

An age of peaceful exploration has ended, and nothing will ever be the same.

Book One of this series, *The Luck of Han'anga*, is available as a free download today (7/2). Book Two - *Founders' Effect* - is available for a dollar (regularly $3.99).

The complete series is available through Kindle Unlimited.


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

_*Blink... And you missed it...*_

Book One of this series, The Luck of Han'anga, is available as a free download today (8/.

Book Two - Founders' Effect - is available for a dollar (regularly $3.99).

The complete series is available through Kindle Unlimited.

_*"...It takes only a moment, so whatever you do, don't blink!"*_


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

*This Labor Day weekend, Friday 8/31 through Monday 9/3.*

The Luck of Han'anga, only $0.99

Founders' Effect, Plight of the Eli'ahtna, The Courage to Accept, and Setha'im Prosh, just $1.99 each.

Take it all together and War of the Second Iteration, the complete series, is just $8.95 (regularly $19.95).

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MEGC98R

_*Labor Day weekend only!*_


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

FREE today!

An age of peaceful exploration has ended.

When Humanity meets the people known as the Leyra'an the ancient dream of finding another intelligent species finally becomes reality. But First Contact brings an unexpected puzzle. The Leyra'an are more than just humanoid. They are like us to a degree that cannot be explained by chance alone. The search for the answer to this mystery will reveal a universe stranger and more dangerous than anyone could have imagined, and expose both Humanity and the Leyra'an to the threat of extinction.

For better or worse, that search has begun.

The Luck of Han'anga - War of the Second Iteration, Book One
Available as a FREE download today from Amazon.

The complete five book series is also available through Kindle Unlimited.


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

The Luck of Han'anga...

$0.99 through November 11th.


----------



## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

Available through Kindle Unlimited.


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

* A New Year and a new cover. And today, a FREE to download.*

The entire War of the Second Iteration series is available through Kindle Unlimited.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MEGC98R/ref=series_rw_dp_sw


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

*A new cover for Founder's Effect, War of the Second Iteration, Book Two.
*










*The entire War of the Second Iteration series is available through Kindle Unlimited.*

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MEGC98R/ref=series_rw_dp_sw


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

*Go on, take a chance.

What have you got to lose? *

https://www.amazon.com/ga/p/0e94e926582879b1#ln-afo

Of course, if you use Kindle Unlimited, the entire series is there waiting for you.


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

Let's do this again!

#AmazonGiveaway for a chance to win: The Luck of Han'anga (War of the Second Iteration, Book One) (Kindle Edition).

https://giveaway.amazon.com/p/816fb1e4b1d5db53 NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. (That's just S.O.P., right?)

Ends Feb 23, 2019 11:59 PM PST (Or when all the prizes are claimed, of course.)

Want to see the Official Rules? http://amzn.to/GArules.

As always, if you use Kindle Unlimited, the entire series is already there there waiting for you.


----------



## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

A shriek cut through his head; someone had screamed into the comlink. Too startled to think at first, Robert hit his jets to turn and see who was in distress. Too late he saw that Alicia's arms were waving wildly, fingers clutching as if to claw at the darkness. She screamed again...

_From Founders' Effect - War of the Second Iteration, Book Two._


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

Three free ebook copies of The Luck of Han'anga up for grabs. First come, first serve!

https://www.amazon.com/ga/p/5a64b51e36a5b150?ref_=pe_1771210_134854370#ln-afo


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

For a limited time, the entire five book War of the Second Iteration series will be available for $9.95, or $1.99 for individual volumes. That's $10 off the full series price. (Special prices will be good through June 22nd.)


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

Ever wonder what happens to characters after the story ends?



$1.99 until August 1st.

*Available through Kindle Unlimited*


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

The Luck of Han'anga

War of the Second Iteration, Book One

Available as a FREE download tomorrow, August 31st.


The entire series is always available through Kindle Unlimited.


----------



## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

A shriek cut through his head; someone had screamed into the comlink. Too startled to think at first, Robert hit his jets to turn and see who was in distress. Too late he saw that Alicia's arms were waving wildly, fingers clutching as if to claw at the darkness. She screamed again...

From Founders' Effect - *War of the Second Iteration, Book Two*.

Available from Amazon and through Kindle Unlimited.


----------



## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

Available through Kindle Unlimited.


----------



## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

War of the Second Iteration, Book One, The Luck of Han'anga, is free on Amazon today.

As a bonus, Book Two, Founders' Effect, is only $0.99, for those who enjoy jumping into a series with both feet.


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

For the next two days, June 10th and 11th, The Luck of Han'anga will be available from Amazon as a free download. The other four books in the series - War of the Second Iteration - are just 99¢ each.

From June 12 through June 14th, buy the entire series for less than $5.

That ought to get your summer reading off to a good, and affordable, start!


----------



## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

Book One of the series - The Luck of Han'anga - is currently available for just 99¢!









Amazon.com: The Luck of Han'anga (War of the Second Iteration Book 1) eBook : Watson, Thomas: Kindle Store


The Luck of Han'anga (War of the Second Iteration Book 1) - Kindle edition by Watson, Thomas. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading The Luck of Han'anga (War of the Second Iteration Book 1).



www.amazon.com


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

On June 7th, 2012, the first book of the War of the Second Iteration series - The Luck of Han'anga - was published. In celebration of this tenth anniversary, the entire series is currently available for $4.95, and will be at this price through June 30th, 2022.

War of the Second Iteration


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## Thomas Watson (Mar 8, 2012)

An age of peaceful exploration has ended.
Just 99¢ from now until January 31. 

The Luck of Han'anga


----------

