A Kiss for Damocles : Tales From the Long Night Book 1 (Raconteur Press)
by J. Kenton Pierce
When I heard that J. Kenton Pierce has done a novel starring his character from an A&A short story we’d published, I couldn’t wait to read it because the short story was Just. That. Good. I literally bought and read A Kiss for Damocles before the author sent the requested review copy. And now I have to buy the second book in the series because the first book was just that good. I may even buy dead tree copies to keep them as favorite things to re-read.
Shai (her name is much longer) is a descendent of colonists who live under a literal high-tech sword of Damocles: an orbital satellite that monitors if their tech sends electromagnetic signals too strongly. It sends a DEW weapon–a “rod of god,” if you will–to snuff the tech (and anyone near it) out. Shai’s people know what they’ve lost and can do certain things below ground since the EM signatures can’t get through enough layers of dirt and rock.
But they have another problem: the long night. Years ago, the enemy dropped a huge meteor into their ocean and destroyed most of their people, and the aftereffects of that were similar to a nuclear winter. Actual winters, on top of that, were long to begin with and there was much loss of life.
But that was history. The long night is clearing and their main problem now, is Damocles, the military satellite. Oh, and people. And Shai’s temper.
I read it in one sitting and the only reason I am not buying the second book right the heck now is it’s not out yet (release date January 15, 2026). You’ll want to read this one! And I think you’ll want to preorder the next one in the series.
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