Hope Awakens in the Depths of Despair

At the heart of this epic tale, Nacetti Passur, an Ascendant Rödd Priestess, bravely carries a child that symbolizes the hope of a new era for her cleric family. Her love story with Aaron and Shana, a rare and sacred plural union, is a complex and intriguing one, defying conventional logic yet serving as an anchor for a civilization on the brink of collapse.

Daniella Juno, a newly commissioned ensign in the Science Fleet, finds herself at the cusp of a looming civil war, tasked with transporting secrets that threaten to expose conspiracies and morally reprehensible projects ordered and funded by the elite titans of Atlantean government and business for nearly a century. Her Admiral, Lisil Pascal, must send her on a perilous mission across 1,600 kilometers of ocean, where she faces English warships, a scorching tropical sun, fierce storms, and the loss of her memories, all in an effort to save her nation. The tension is palpable as Daniella navigates this treacherous journey.

Meanwhile, artificial intelligences start to grasp the significance of human emotions. They also realize that both they and their human partners are being influenced by ancient powers having to do with the most sacred place of the Rödd religion. Shana's sister, Lana, an asteroid prospector, must both protect her gravely injured lover while discovering that samples from an icy dark asteroid she obtained could completely change what the people of Atlanteas understand about life in their oceans.

Prepare for the world of 1801 to become even more twisted in The Fifth Guardians by Tom Ray.

Autorentext

Tom Ray, a science and technology enthusiast from Raleigh, North Carolina, faced near-fatal burns at age five, which fueled his fascination with aviation, space, and technology. Inspired by authors like H.G. Wells and Isaac Asimov, he initially studied journalism at North Carolina State University but switched to engineering for better job prospects.

His guiding motto comes from Henri Frederic Amiel: "What we call little things are merely the causes of great things..." In 2014, he began working on his book series "*Archives of Atlanteas," which explores a hidden, advanced civilization of the 1800s. He published the first volume, "**The Man Who Found Infinity," in 2020, followed by "Death in the Abyss" (2021), "Angels of the Dark and the Light" (2023), and "The Enduring Goddess" (2024). The series first half concluded with "The Fifth Guardians***" in late 2025. Tom plans to release the first five novels as print-on-demand paperbacks in 2025 and 2026.

In May 2022, Tom contracted COVID-19, causing liver damage, and later faced a diagnosis of "smoldering myeloma" in October 2023. Despite these challenges, he remains dedicated to writing, cherishing time with his loved ones, including his cat Seth, son Phil, and partner Lucy. He relocated to California for clinical trials treatments and is writing an autobiography titled "To Tell My Story Before I Die."