Vincent H. O'Neil's Blog: Blogs from Exile, page 5
November 10, 2014
On Veterans Day, a few notes on how my military service influences my mil sci-fi writing
Today, HarperVoyager asked its veteran authors to blog about the ways their military service affects their writing. Here's my part:
I graduated from West Point in 1985, and spent the next few years as an officer in the US Army Infantry. I was a platoon leader with the 10th Mountain Division at the newly-activated Fort
I graduated from West Point in 1985, and spent the next few years as an officer in the US Army Infantry. I was a platoon leader with the 10th Mountain Division at the newly-activated Fort
October 28, 2014
GLORY MAIN ebook on sale for 99 cents
My military science fiction tale of survival, GLORY MAIN, is on sale for 99 cents as an ebook until November 4, 2014. Here's a brief description:
For decades, mankind has been locked in a war with an alien enemy that resembles the human race so closely they are known as the Sims. Both sides battle for control
For decades, mankind has been locked in a war with an alien enemy that resembles the human race so closely they are known as the Sims. Both sides battle for control
September 22, 2014
The Spec Fiction Hub LOVES my scifi novel GLORY MAIN
Here's what the good folks at the Spec Fiction Hub had to say about GLORY MAIN:
Glory Main is one of those books, once started, you cannot put down. Classic military science fiction, Glory Main harks back to the likes of Heinlein�s Starship Troopers, Barry B. Longyear Enemy Mine, and David Weber�s Honor Harrington series of novels, and along with well fleshed out characters, clever world-building, is a fast-paced gripping read.
Featuring a small diverse group of enduring characters who are thrown headlong into a life or death survival situation, Glory Main jumps right in at the deep-end. Our cast of struggling survivors include a young, greenhorn lieutenant, a shipboard shrink, a Spartacan Scout, read: special forces commando type, and a map-maker who also happens to be a conscientious objector. This alone should tell you what to expect from four such opposed personalities. Throw in they�re stranded on a harsh almost barren world amid a bitter and terrible war, were lies from Command are the norm. And fighting not only themselves, the local flora and fauna, and a slow death by starvation, but an enemy who, as it turns out, looks like them�The Sims. The simulants. The facsimiles�And the stage is set for one hell of a battle of survival, wits, determination and sheer will against the mounting odds.
Plausibly written throughout, the tech and its use in Glory Main is very familiar and yet, still manages to have the futuristic and otherworldly edge to it. As does the setting. Just when we think we understand what�s going on, O�Neil tosses in another roadblock and obstacle for the characters to over come. But far from painting his characters into tight corners, creating either false jeopardy or contriving situations, you feel you are there, on this gritty, unforgiving world suffering through the worst with each and every character. And while written in the first person POV, as seen through the eyes of Mortas, the story still unfolds naturally, and realistically.
The best part of any story, for me at least, is whether or not the author manages to pull off a plausible blindside, something O�Neil does right near the end, in Glory Main. Not only was I (like many I suspect) happily surprised with a clever plot twist, but I suspect O�Neil has set us up for what we know must come in successive installments. And yes, I can�t wait for the next in the series. The world-building, language, descriptions and info dumps�when they came�never once over shadowed or weighed the story down and the pacing was near on perfect.
All-in-all, Glory Main is a well-written, fast, and compelling read. Henry O�Neil certainly knows the military, and knows how to craft an engrossing story. And whether or not you enjoy reading military science fiction or not, the story, which is character-driven and character-based, is still worth a read!
Glory Main is everything an updated version of Starship Troopers should be, a cracking good read.
http://www.spec-fiction.ca/glory-main...
Glory Main is one of those books, once started, you cannot put down. Classic military science fiction, Glory Main harks back to the likes of Heinlein�s Starship Troopers, Barry B. Longyear Enemy Mine, and David Weber�s Honor Harrington series of novels, and along with well fleshed out characters, clever world-building, is a fast-paced gripping read.
Featuring a small diverse group of enduring characters who are thrown headlong into a life or death survival situation, Glory Main jumps right in at the deep-end. Our cast of struggling survivors include a young, greenhorn lieutenant, a shipboard shrink, a Spartacan Scout, read: special forces commando type, and a map-maker who also happens to be a conscientious objector. This alone should tell you what to expect from four such opposed personalities. Throw in they�re stranded on a harsh almost barren world amid a bitter and terrible war, were lies from Command are the norm. And fighting not only themselves, the local flora and fauna, and a slow death by starvation, but an enemy who, as it turns out, looks like them�The Sims. The simulants. The facsimiles�And the stage is set for one hell of a battle of survival, wits, determination and sheer will against the mounting odds.
Plausibly written throughout, the tech and its use in Glory Main is very familiar and yet, still manages to have the futuristic and otherworldly edge to it. As does the setting. Just when we think we understand what�s going on, O�Neil tosses in another roadblock and obstacle for the characters to over come. But far from painting his characters into tight corners, creating either false jeopardy or contriving situations, you feel you are there, on this gritty, unforgiving world suffering through the worst with each and every character. And while written in the first person POV, as seen through the eyes of Mortas, the story still unfolds naturally, and realistically.
The best part of any story, for me at least, is whether or not the author manages to pull off a plausible blindside, something O�Neil does right near the end, in Glory Main. Not only was I (like many I suspect) happily surprised with a clever plot twist, but I suspect O�Neil has set us up for what we know must come in successive installments. And yes, I can�t wait for the next in the series. The world-building, language, descriptions and info dumps�when they came�never once over shadowed or weighed the story down and the pacing was near on perfect.
All-in-all, Glory Main is a well-written, fast, and compelling read. Henry O�Neil certainly knows the military, and knows how to craft an engrossing story. And whether or not you enjoy reading military science fiction or not, the story, which is character-driven and character-based, is still worth a read!
Glory Main is everything an updated version of Starship Troopers should be, a cracking good read.
http://www.spec-fiction.ca/glory-main...
August 3, 2014
Glory Main gets an excellent review from a Top Rated Reviewer!
Here is the wonderful review from the Top Rated Amazon Reviewer, the Online Eccentric Librarian:
Glory Main is a fairly short but riveting science fiction/survival read with quite a few plot twists and very interesting world building. Diverse, distinct characters with a compelling plot, non-stop tension, and plenty of surprises all add up
Glory Main is a fairly short but riveting science fiction/survival read with quite a few plot twists and very interesting world building. Diverse, distinct characters with a compelling plot, non-stop tension, and plenty of surprises all add up
July 22, 2014
A gritty military science fiction tale of survival
My military science fiction novel GLORY MAIN is now available for pre-order from HarperCollins!
The ebook will be released on July 29th, and the paperback will be released on September 2nd. Available from all major booksellers, as well as the HarperCollins website.
Here's a description:
For decades, mankind has been at war with an
The ebook will be released on July 29th, and the paperback will be released on September 2nd. Available from all major booksellers, as well as the HarperCollins website.
Here's a description:
For decades, mankind has been at war with an
June 11, 2014
Harper Collins Press Release About the Publication of My Sci-Fi Novel GLORY MAIN
It's official. Here is today's announcement from Harper Collins about the upcoming release of my military science fiction novel GLORY MAIN (written under the name Henry V. O'Neil) which will be available in ebook and paperback starting July 29th. The sequel will be released in November or December.
"The first of Harper Voyager's digital-first
"The first of Harper Voyager's digital-first
April 7, 2014
Harper Voyager has acquired my sci-fi novel GLORY MAIN!
I'm very pleased to announce that Harper Voyager has picked up my science fiction novel Glory Main and the next two novels in the Sim war series. All three novels will be released in ebook and paperback, beginning in the summer of 2014.
In the meantime, please feel free to check out sample chapters of
In the meantime, please feel free to check out sample chapters of
June 27, 2013
Interlands is �Perfect Example Why Self-Publishing can be a Good Thing�
By Stacey Longo Harris, proprietor of Books 'n Boos bookstore in Colchester, Connecticut
Interlands by Vincent O�Neil (2013, Vincent O�Neil) is the perfect example of why self-publishing can be a good thing. The novel is well structured, reads at the perfect pace, and is hard to put down. There is no reason why
Interlands by Vincent O�Neil (2013, Vincent O�Neil) is the perfect example of why self-publishing can be a good thing. The novel is well structured, reads at the perfect pace, and is hard to put down. There is no reason why
May 31, 2013
My First Horror Novel Has Just Been Released
My first horror novel, INTERLANDS, has just been released. This is also my first female protagonist, and so far the reviews have been excellent. Here's a description:
A tale of modern-day horror from award-winning novelist Vincent H. O'Neil:
In Providence, Rhode Island, graduate student Angie Morse has discovered evidence that an ancient stone obelisk
A tale of modern-day horror from award-winning novelist Vincent H. O'Neil:
In Providence, Rhode Island, graduate student Angie Morse has discovered evidence that an ancient stone obelisk
February 28, 2013
Harlequin has released DEATH TROUPE in paperback!
Harlequin just released my theater-themed murder mystery DEATH TROUPE in paperback, and they did a fantastic job. They already published paperback versions of all four of the Frank Cole mysteries, and I've loved the cover art they've developed for every one of them, but they outdid themselves with DEATH TROUPE.
Although DEATH TROUPE is
Although DEATH TROUPE is
Blogs from Exile
The writing blog of award-winning mystery, horror, and science fiction author Vincent H. O'Neil.
See more at his website, www.vincenthoneil.com ...more
See more at his website, www.vincenthoneil.com ...more
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