Parallel

by James M. Corkill

Ex-CIA operative Alex Cave discovers an ancient alien laboratory buried beneath the Pacific Ocean. This sci-fi thriller follows Alex as he unravels secrets of DNA experiments, time travel, and parallel universes. But when the AI controlling the lab awakens, offering limitless power at a dangerous cost, Alex must decide; trust the machine or destroy it before it falls into the wrong hands. As seismic disasters threaten the planet, can Alex stop a force beyond human understanding before it's too late?
Find out what happens by grabbing your copy now!
Feature film script available from author.

292 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 17, 2020

About the author

Hello. I’m James M. Corkill, a Veteran, and retired Federal Firefighter from Washington State, USA. I was an electronic technician and studied mechanical engineering in my spare time before eventually becoming a firefighter for 32-years and retiring. I’ve since settled into the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina, and I have a fantastic view from my writing desk.

I began writing in 1997, and was fortunate to meet a famous horror writer named Hugh B. Cave, who became my mentor. In 2002, I rushed to self-published a dozen copies of Dead Energy so my wife could see my book before she was taken by cancer. When my soul mate was gone, I stopped writing and began drinking heavily.

My favorite quote. “When you wake up in the morning, you never know where the day will take you.”

In 2013, I met a stranger who recognized my name and had enjoyed an old copy of Dead Energy, except for the ending. When she encouraged me to start writing again, I realized this chance meeting was just what I needed to hear at the right moment. I quit drinking and began the rewrite of Dead Energy into The Alex Cave Series, and I’m thankful for that fateful encounter.

Reviews

[Bruce · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series just keeps getting better!
This latest in the Alex Cave books is just as action-packed and interesting as the prior 6 have been. The ever-curious geophysicist finds himself exploring an ancient alien laboratory located under the Pacific Ocean. His adventures all across the world have not entirely prepared him for this, as one of the lab experiments takes him to another, different, parallel, Earth. Now he has to fight to discover the secret to returning to his own place, in time and space, if it is even possible. This may be the biggest challenge Alex Cave has ever faced!

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Parallel (Alex Cave#7), my sixth read from author James M. Corkill. Well-written & captivating with well-developed main characters reminding one of Christopher Cartwright’s Sam Reilly writings but obviously I've missed something by not having read DNA (Alex Cave#6). The storyline has taken an unexpected turn & I need to catch up. "I received a free review copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).

[Seraphia Bunny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Parallel is the first book that I have read by James M. Corkill and while I struggled a little in the beginning to get into this book I was soon enough swept away into it and couldn't put it down. This book is part of a series, and while in the beginning I felt that you needed to have read the first books to really understand what was going on, once I got a couple chapters in it's not necessary.
Parallel is a thrill ride of a book that takes Alex Cave into a new alien space ship that has been discovered deep underwater creating seismic waves that are creating problems. If they continue a catastrophe of epic proportions will be at hand. Alex has no idea in the beginning what lies in store for him, but he's about to find out a lot more than what he was expecting. This book is so engaging! In the beginning I struggled a bit because of all the characters I had coming at me. I couldn't keep everyone straight and remember who was the "bad" guy and who was the "good" guy. The further I dove into the book the more I was able to piece together.
This book packs a punch and is truly thrilling. There were more than a couple scenes of where my jaw literally dropped. I couldn't help thinking..."oh no!!! What's going to happen now?!" This book has twists and turns and I just loved every second of it. It also made me want to read the previous books in this series because it honestly sounds like Alex has lived a truly excited and danger filled life up to this point. The characters are engaging and the science fiction and mystery aspects of this book pull me along effortlessly. I love how the title is mirrored so beautifully in this book.
I am choosing to rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. If you have read the previous books by this author, grab this book. You're not going to want to miss out on this one. If you are new to the series, but still want to give this book a go, by all means! You might be a bit confused in the beginning since all the relationships have already been established, but once it moves past certain points you'll not want to put this book down.

[Stefan Vucak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alex Cave, a former CIA operative, is told the military had taken over his 180 million-year-old alien spacecraft he discovered in Alaska, and is dismissed from the project. He is confident the AI that operates the alien ship will not allow anyone else to run it. Cave and his friend descend to the bottom of the Tamu Massif in the Pacific where they find a giant spaceship, buried for 66 million years, and the cause of serious seismic disturbances. After gaining entry, Cave enters a chamber that transports him to an alternate universe, and finds himself in a society far advanced to his own reality. Although better in many respects, all he wants to do is return to his own world – if possible. He is staggered to find that Earth and the World Government is controlled by advanced androids who have populated the galaxy and are slowly turning all humans into androids. This makes him more determined to return to his own reality, but will he survive the challenges?

With ‘Parallel’, James M. Corkill thrusts readers into a fast-paced yarn packed with non-stop action without giving readers time to catch their breath. In a new universe that is slowly killing him, Cave needs to reconcile his relationships with people he has known in his own reality, but who are also different in this new reality, while trying to find a way to return home. Along the way, he needs to control his feelings about a woman who loves him, but he loves the one still in his own reality. At the same time, he is developing feelings for an android who in this reality controls the Tamu Massif spaceship. This lengthy novella is not a serious work and does not pretend to be, suitable for young readers interested in a grand adventure without being bothered about plotting inconsistencies or lack of characterization. Despite numerous story issues, ‘Parallel’ is an entertaining read.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Parallel is the 7th book in the Alex Cave series by James M. Corkill. Released 25th Dec 2020, it's 320 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats.

This is an engaging and fast paced crossworlds SF/fantasy in a generally well written and developed series. It's in first person and written in a very direct voice which took me a while to get used to, but once I got over that small hurdle, I found it an entertaining read. The plotting and characterizations are fairly straightforward and easy to follow. Although it's the seventh book in the series, I didn't have any trouble following the plot. There are some elements which will spoil parts of the earlier books if they're not read in order. For fans of the series, I recommend reading this one in order.

Recommended for fans of crossworlds military science fiction. Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

[Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a fascinating look at parallel realities. Alex Cave is an adventurous guy. He pilots his own spaceship. He's constantly traveling to take care of government business or space exploration. He has a great team that works with him. When he discovers an unusual science lab underneath the ocean, he doesn't know what this lab and its hologram guide, Seti are going to do to his life. It's so shocking when he suddenly is in an unfamiliar place. Even more shocking, when his friends encounter another Alex Cave. It's a suspenseful, nerve-wracking ride. I highly recommend this book, Parallel.

[Christie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alex Cave is at it again. The latest Alex Cave story is non-stop adventure, from start to finish.
I consider this newest story as good as Red Energy. You never know what is going to happen next to Alex and his friends.