Precipice: The Beginning

Name: Precipice: The Beginning
Price: 30.95 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9781478716938

✍️ Kevin J Howard

Reader Score

4.5

(1 review)

$30.95

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A soldier colonizes Mars while his family faces an unseen horror on Earth.

The story follows Travis Daniels, a military officer who trades freedom for a chance to help build a colony on Mars. His connection to home is fragile, maintained only by short video calls. When those calls show signs of chaos and strange creatures in his family's city, the reality of his situation becomes clear. The book focuses on the psychological toll of separation and the sudden collapse of safety. Howard uses the setting of a new colony to explore themes of duty versus survival. The tension builds as the distance between Mars and Earth becomes a source of terror rather than hope.

Key Themes

military colonization family separation earthly horror

Literary Context

Published in 2012 by Outskirts Press, this work sits within the modern wave of independent science fiction publishing. It reflects early twenty-first century anxieties about space exploration and global instability. The book appeals to fans of self-published genre fiction who value direct storytelling over mainstream marketing trends.

Difficulty

●● Medium

Recommended For Fans Of

H.P. Lovecraft · Peter Straub · Joe Hill · Stephen King

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Horror Fiction

🏛 Outskirts Press 📅 2012 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781478716938

📝 Description: Precipice: The Beginning

Lieutenant Travis Daniels leads an elite team through dangerous missions, always driven by the desire to return to his wife and son. This time, a deal allows him to avoid the death penalty by assisting in the colonization of Mars after he is imprisoned for an unsanctioned intrusion into a hot zone. While stationed on the red planet, Travis maintains his sanity through brief video conversations with his family on Earth. The narrative shifts when the final transmission from home reveals choppy images of a city plunged into darkness. Blurs of humanoid creatures are seen running through the streets, signaling that something has gone terribly wrong. Travis and his team face a critical decision regarding their future. They must choose between staying on Mars or finding a way to return to his family, unaware of the hell that Earth has become. Kevin Howard writes this story by drawing on military science fiction traditions and gothic horror elements. The book suits readers who enjoy tense survival scenarios and cosmic dread. It may not appeal to those seeking lighthearted adventure or purely historical accounts. The plot relies on the isolation of space travel and the fear of the unknown invading familiar spaces. Howard qualifies as a writer by crafting a narrative that blends tactical military action with supernatural terror, creating a sense of impending doom for the protagonist.

💎 Our verdict on Precipice: The Beginning

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Horror Reads editorial team

Horror desk

Howard effectively blends tactical military action with supernatural terror, creating a palpable sense of impending doom for the protagonist. By utilizing the isolation of space travel, the narrative heightens the fear of the unknown invading familiar spaces on Earth. The tension builds as the distance between Mars and home becomes a source of terror rather than hope, challenging traditional colonization tropes. This approach suits readers who enjoy cosmic dread and psychological horror elements within a sci-fi framework. While it may not appeal to those seeking purely historical accounts or lighthearted adventure, it delivers a gripping exploration of duty and survival. The focus on the sudden collapse of safety keeps the narrative engaging and terrifying for fans of dark fantasy and true crime adjacent themes.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

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Why this book is worth reading

Readers who enjoy the psychological toll of separation combined with military science fiction will find this narrative compelling. The book offers a unique perspective on duty versus survival, placing the protagonist in a high-stakes environment where distance amplifies fear. Fans of cosmic horror appreciate the way the unknown invades familiar spaces, creating a sense of impending doom that transcends typical genre boundaries. Those who favor tense survival scenarios over lighthearted adventure will resonate with the isolation of space travel and the terror of an unseen enemy. The story appeals to those interested in how safety collapses suddenly, leaving characters to navigate a reality where hope is replaced by dread.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.5

Based on 1 reviews

Horror Reads editorial team

Howard effectively blends tactical military action with supernatural terror, creating a palpable sense of impending doom for the protagonist. By utilizing the isolation of space travel, the narrative heightens the fear of the unknown invading familiar spaces on Earth. The tension builds as the distance between Mars and home becomes a source of terror rather than hope, challenging traditional colonization tropes. This approach suits readers who enjoy cosmic dread and psychological horror elements within a sci-fi framework. While it may not appeal to those seeking purely historical accounts or lighthearted adventure, it delivers a gripping exploration of duty and survival. The focus on the sudden collapse of safety keeps the narrative engaging and terrifying for fans of dark fantasy and true crime adjacent themes.