Defiance

Stories of Singularity #6

by Susan Kaye Quinn

Legacy humans like Cyrus Kowalski are used to skirting the laws the ascenders have laid down—after all, he knows the hyper-intelligent human/bot hybrids only pretend to care about their legacy pets. But when Cyrus’s adopted mother is stricken by a disease the ascenders refuse to cure, he has to risk everything to defy them… or stand by helplessly and watch her die.

Defiance  is a standalone short novella that takes place in the world of the Singularity novels.

Start the novel series with The Legacy Human (Singularity 1).

Genres: Science Fiction, Dystopia, Short Stories, Fantasy, Amazon, Young Adult

Unknown Binding

First published December 3, 2015

About the author

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Susan Kaye Quinn has designed aircraft engines and researched global warming, but now she uses her PhD to invent cool stuff in books. Her works range from hopeful climate fiction to gritty cyberpunk. Sue believes being gentle and healing is radical and disruptive. Her short fiction can be found in Grist, Solarpunk Magazine, Reckoning, and all her novels and short stories can be found on her website. She is the host of the Bright Green Futures podcast.

SOLARPUNK
collections
Bright Green Futures: 2024 (edited by SKQ)
Halfway to Better

novels
Nothing is Promised series
When You Had Power
You Knew The Price
Of Kindness and Kilowatts
Yet You Cry When It Hurts

short stories
A Moon Goddess to Watch Over Me (Luna Station Quarterly) (hopepunk)
It's in the Blood (Reckoning 8)
Once and Future Kilowatts (Solarpunk Magazine)
Rewilding Indiana (Little Blue Marble)
Seven Sisters (Grist)
The Joy Fund (DreamForge Magazine)

SCI-FI
Singularity Novel Series
The Legacy Human
The Duality Bridge
The Illusory Prophet
The Last Mystic

Stories of Singularity
Restore
Containment
Augment
Awakening
Harvest
Defiance
Resistance

YA SF
Mindjack Series
Open Minds
Closed Hearts
Free Souls
Locked Tight
Cracked Open
Broken Wide
Mindjack Short Story Collection

WATCH the award-winning live-action Mindjack Book Trailer!

STEAMPUNK ROMANCE
Royals of Dharia
Third Daughter
Second Daughter
First Daughter

CYBERPUNK
Debt Collector
LIRIUM (Season One)
WRAITH (Season Two)

WATCH the Debt Collector Book Trailer

ANTHOLOGIES
Synchronic
Telepath Chronicles
AI Chronicles
Dark Beyond The Stars
Future Chronicles
Cyborg Chronicles
CLONES: The Anthology

MIDDLE GRADE FANTASY
Faery Swap

WATCH the Faery Swap Book Trailer

CONTACT SUSAN
Susan's Website | Sue on Bluesky | Sue on Mastodon
Susan's Email: sue@twistedspacepub.com

Reviews

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes getting to know how a character ticks AFTER having met him in another book is priceless. Cyrus is on his own, he skitters along on the fringe of life, daring to break the law, but for a good cause. In a world where enhanced humans are the upper crust and the power holders, the legacy, or unenhanced humans are at their mercy, especially when they are weak, or in the case of one woman, dying.

DEFIANCE by Susan Kaye Quinn is a look at what drives one young man to break the law, risking his own life for the most noble of reasons.

As a character, Cyrus has heart, it shows up in THE LEGACY HUMAN and it is demonstrated in this prequel in spades.

A wonderfully well-told, although brief tale of humanity in an inhumane world!

Series: Stories of Singularity - Book 3 (Prequel to series)
Publisher: Susan Kaye Quinn (June 25, 2017)
Publication Date: June 25, 2017
Genre: Scifi - YA
Print Length: 38 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cyrus has always been one of my favourite characters in the series. He is fierce and loyal, though he has always taken a back seat to Eli, the ascenders and the Resistance. I absolutely love to finally have the chance to live a day in his mind. He is everything I could have hoped for and more!

This story takes the reader back to the very beginning of the series. It was written for a collection of short stories, but I really can't imagine reading this as a standalone. It's more like a tease to the larger story... although maybe that was the intention... ;)

A copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Defiance is part of a short story series, Stories of Singularity, and also a prequel to The Legacy Human.

I enjoy this futuristic, sci-fi world the author has created where humans without enhancements are both rare and sub-par in the eyes of the enhanced humans. Cyrus is one of these 'legacy' unenhanced humans and he's trying his best to keep the lady who is like a mother to him alive even though she has been sent home by those who could help her, without much hope or treatment for her illness.

Cyrus is angry at the injustice and determined to do what he can. This is more the beginning of a story left wide open than a complete short piece. I will definitely be picking up The Legacy Human to see what comes next.

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Defiance (Stories of Singularity #3) by Susan Kaye Quinn is a short story to give you a taste of what the world is like in the Singularity series. I have many of the books but I haven't started them so I read this as a prequel and loved it. Now I can't wait to read the series! Awesome! A world were humans are treated like trash, religion is forbidden, it is all about enhancements, robots are top dogs it seems so far, (it only gives you a peek), and I can't wait to get started in the books!

[Christinaraven · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this prequel to the Legacy series. It is a short read from Cyrus's' view of events that occur before the first book. As usual, it is a good read that wets the appetite for the rest of the series. It does not give anything away so can be read before or after book 1. Reminds or informs, depending on reading order that Cyrus And Eli are tight.

[mary pahs]

Excellent!

I 💘it! I only wished it was longer.
It is just enough to peak your interest. I will re-read the Legacy series again with new appreciation for them!
I can say for certain that it is a book series that people of all ages can read. I highly recommend!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novella does not only give you more insight into the Ascendence world, but fills in some of the back story of Eli's friend and what motivates him.

[Fawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Defiance

I found this little intro easy to get into and quickly caught my interest. You can see the heart of a rebel.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What another great book by this awesome author. Too bad it’s so short. Gives insight into a particular character. Loved it.

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've not read the first book in the series yet, since I saw this was short and a prequel. Leaves off unresolved but I assume there's where the first book pics up.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love that this is SF written by a rocket scientist. Some interesting ideas.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Humans Second or Third Class Citizens Behind AI Robots?? Really?? This short story portrays humans as second and third class citizens behind AI Robots. Again, I would recommend that you read the first two novels in this series before reading the short stories. By doing that it will enhance your enjoyment of the short stories. Don't get me wrong though, this is a great short story that shows what can happen when AI Robots take over and humans are at the bottom of the list. To me, this is scary and gives me the shivers. Susan Kaye Quinn again pushes the envelope and really makes you think. What would you do if this truly happened? We keep pushing for it but do we really want it to happen? The loyalty of one young man trying to protect his friend and his friend's mother, who are all human, is truly inspiring. You need to read these books and think about how we as the human race can handle this or will it happen before we know it. Don't hesitate to read this whole series. It will make you start doing some serious thinking about these issues that are really important. Yet, these are very enjoyable books. You won't be disappointed. I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a reader of the Legacy Human series, I was more than excited to read this particular short story, because it features one of my favorite supporting characters in that series.

As expected, this story did not disappoint as it told the tale of Cyrus looking for a way to help Eli and his mother. What worked really well with this story is that when the story begins, Cyrus has accepted his life for what it is, and isn't thinking about life could be like elsewhere.

As the story develops, Cyrus takes pretty drastic actions that could be life or death for him to help his friend, and in the process is exposed to a whole new world of possibilities. For Legacy Human readers, it will give some insight as to how Cyrus's state of mind developed in that story.

I like Cyrus' sense of humor just as much as his sense of loyalty to those who need him even when they don't realize that they need him.

It's a great tale of what it means to be human in a world of ascenders that makes you consider the possibilities of a world where AI has surpassed the human race.

It's a quick read, appropriate for all types of readers.

[Anna Tan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where The Legacy Human launches you directly into Elijah's world, Defiance gives you a peek into the background of the relationship between Elijah, Cyrus and Mrs Brighton.

It colours in the lines of what you already know from the Singularity series, so it would either be a great tease if you haven't read the books yet, or a satisfying snippet for those who want more from the Singularity universe.

*I received a free copy of this short story from the author.

[Teri Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

So good, too short!

Why has it taken me this long to read this book? Don't make my mistake. This fairly short story is set in a gruesome Seattle, one ruled by 'Ascenders' but lived in by legacy humans kept alive for their DNA. There are no answers to my why questions, so I will have to progress into this series to get my answers.

Thankfully this book does not end on a cliffhanger, I am choosing to proceed into the series for the love of a good read!

[Concetta Phillipps · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the better ones

Character back stories like this can be problematic - if they are really good you wonder why they couldn't be fit into the full story arc, and if they are bad they are not worth reading.

This one I feel is one of the better ones - not so great that it feels like a missing part of the story, but good enough to stand on its own to add another layer of depth to the Singularity universe.

[Susan (The Book Bag) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading Defiance because it gives us Cyrus' perspective of the events in The Legacy Human, book #1 in the Singularity Series. We see the depths he is willing to go to in order to save Eli's mom, a woman who is like a mother to him. I love it when authors give us deeper glimpses into minor character's lives.

[Liza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Legacy humans don't get the good medicines... unless someone is willing to break some laws. Good characters