The Umbra Arca Society embarks on daring quests to uncover humanity's lost secrets, navigating treacherous terrains armed with a compass, a journal, and an unwavering commitment to truth. "The Shadow Atlas" chronicles their thrilling adventures as they confront the challenges posed by cursed landscapes, highlighting their resilience and the mysteries they seek to unravel.
The narrative explores the existence of spirits and their desire to connect with the living. It delves into themes of communication between realms, revealing the messages and insights these entities wish to share. The story invites readers to consider the implications of such interactions and the impact they have on the living, blending elements of the supernatural with emotional depth.
When NZDF Sergeant Taine McKenna and his squad are tasked with escorting a bunch of civilian contractors into Te Urewera National Park, it seems a strange job for the army. Militant Tuhoe separatists are active in the area, and with its cloying mist and steep ravines, the forest is a treacherous place in winter. Yet nothing has prepared Taine for the true danger that awaits them. Death incarnate. They backtrack toward civilisation, stalked by a prehistoric creature intent on picking them off one by one. With their weapons ineffective, the babysitting job has become a race for survival. Desperate to bring his charges out alive, Taine draws on ancient tribal wisdom. Will it be enough to stop the nightmare? And when the mist clears, will anyone be left?
No longer content to rumble in anger, the great mountain warriors of New Zealand’s central plateau, the Kāhui Tupua, are preparing again for battle. At least, that’s how the Māori elders tell it. The nation’s leaders scoff at the danger. That is; until the ground opens and all hell breaks loose. The armed forces are hastily deployed; NZDF Sergeant Taine McKenna and his section tasked with evacuating civilians and tourists from Tongariro National Park. It is too little, too late. With earthquakes coming thick and fast and the mountains spewing rock and ash, McKenna and his men are cut off. Their only hope of rescuing the stranded civilians is to find another route out, but a busload of prison evacuees has other ideas. And, deep beneath the earth’s crust, other forces are stirring.
On leave, and out of his head with boredom, NZDF Sergeant Taine McKenna joins biologist Jules Asher, on a Conservation Department deer culling expedition to New Zealand's southernmost national park, where soaring peaks give way to valleys gouged from clay and rock, and icy rivers bleed into watery canyons too deep to fathom. Despite covering an area the size of the Serengeti, only eighteen people live in the isolated region, so it's a surprise when the hunters stumble on the nation's Turehu tribe, becoming some of only a handful to ever encounter the elusive ghost people. But a band of mercenaries saw them first, and, hell-bent on exploiting the tribes' survivors, they're prepared to kill anyone who gets in their way. As a soldier, McKenna is duty-bound to protect all New Zealanders, but after centuries of persecution will the Turehu allow him to help them? Besides, there is something else lurking in the sounds, and it has its own agenda. When the waters clear, will anyone be allowed to leave? "Murray pretty much nails small unit tactics." Justin Coates, author of The Apocalypse Drive "A fantastic blend of military fiction, a very real primordial monster, and powerful mythology." Paul Mannering, author of Hard Corps, Hell's Teeth, and Eat.
Set against the backdrop of the Dardanelles during World War I, the story follows war correspondent Cassius Smythe as he navigates the complexities of reporting from the front lines. Faced with censorship from the War Office and the harsh realities of life in the trenches at Anzac Cove, Smythe discovers that the battle for truth is as challenging as the physical conflict. The narrative explores themes of integrity, the nature of truth, and the personal struggles of those caught in the war's chaos.
The narrative explores the enchanting and mysterious atmosphere of Rotorua, intertwining personal memories with the broader experience of GeyserCon, New Zealand's 40th National Science Fiction & Fantasy Convention. Featuring fiction and interviews from esteemed Guests of Honour, alongside top contest entries, it provides a glimpse into the local fandom scene. With contributions from notable authors and insights into the convention, the book also supports Young NZ Writers, fostering creativity through writing workshops and competitions for students.
In Neuseeland werden der Armeesergeant Taine McKenna und sein Trupp damit beauftragt, eine Gruppe Wissenschaftler in den Te-Urewera-Nationalpark zu begleiten. Eine ungewöhnliche Aufgabe für das Militär, obwohl die Wälder mit ihrem dichten Nebel und steilen Hängen tückisch sein können und zudem militante Separatisten in der Gegend ihr Unwesen treiben. Doch nichts konnte Taine und seine Männer auf die tatsächliche Gefahr vorbereiten, die sie dort erwartet. Ein Monstrum aus vergangener Zeit … oder ein real gewordener Dämon aus den Mythen der Maori? Panisch tritt die kleine Gruppe ihre Flucht zurück in die Zivilisation an, verfolgt von einer prähistorischen Kreatur, die einen nach dem anderen ausschaltet. Mit Waffen, die sich gegen diese Bestie wirkungslos zeigen, wird der anfängliche Babysitter-Job zu einem erbitterten Kampf ums Überleben … »Filmisch und atmosphärisch … BEUTEZEIT ist eine spannungsgeladene Expedition in eine Welt prähistorischen Terrors.« - Adrian Shotbolt, The Ginger Nuts Horror
Horrorthriller, Abenteuer
Im Urlaub und hoffnungslos gelangweilt schließt sich Taine McKenna der Biologin Jules Asher auf eine Wildwanderungs-Expedition in Neuseelands südlichstem Nationalpark an. Überraschend stoßen sie dabei auf eine Gruppe der überaus scheuen Ureinwohner vom Stamm der Tureho. Wie sich herausstellt, ist ihnen auch eine Gruppe von Söldnern auf die Spur gekommen, welche fest entschlossen scheinen, das Geheimnis um die Ureinwohner für sich zu nutzen und jeden zu töten, der sich ihnen dabei in den Weg stellt. Doch es lauert noch etwas Anderes, sehr viel Umheimlicheres in der Wildnis … »Eine fantastische Mischung aus Military-Fiction, einem sehr realen Urzeitmonster und faszinierender Mythologie.« - Paul Mannering