Eclipse Rising

Beyond Cascadia #2

by S. Kirk Pierzchala

Overnight, Tomás Chen-Diaz has gone from an outcast on the brink of death, to a man whose vast wealth and global connections offer staggering opportunities and responsibility. But his bright future is soon threatened by corporate treachery and intrigue, even as he fights to keep his own family secrets hidden while settling private scores—discreetly. For instance: how should he dispose of his murderous brother, Francisco, who was ruled a clone and stripped of all legal rights? And what of the plight of Selena Vasquez-Medina, the beautiful, genetically-perfected model whom Francisco seduced and betrayed years earlier? Can she be located and ever heal from her past mistreatment enough to trust Tomás? To aid him with these challenges, Tomás enlists the skilled American cyborg law enforcer, Owen MacIntyre. But is MacIntyre ready to take on the role of behind-the-scenes player in Vibora Enterprises—and mediator between the rancorous Chen brothers themselves? Because his time and skills are sorely needed to help protect the unstable United States from a gathering storm of civil unrest… Part thriller, part intimate psychological drama, this epic follow-up to Echoes Through Distant Glass tracks a memorable cast of characters as they continue to explore the vivid landscape of the almost-future, while enduring the temptations, successes, loves and loss, without which no one can truly grow.

740 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 31, 2021

About the author

A life-long native of the Pacific Northwest, S. Kirk Pierzchala is inspired by mist and moss. She has been creating as long as she can remember. Whether playing with color and texture in a mixed media work of art, or puzzling out the perfect phrasing to depict a character's inner turmoil, she seeks to always present beauty and truth.

In short, she is passionate about using her God-given gifts to create memorable works of fiction.

Reviews

[Megan Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am torn because part of me wants to say please turn this book into a Netflix series and another part of me wants to say it is so well paced and the descriptions so excellent in conjuring vivid visuals that it doesn't need a series. Reading it is so similar to the feeling of coming across and getting completely pulled into binge watching an amazing sci-fi series complete with the feeling as you read the last page of "no wait, just ONE more episode"
But this is no mindless entertainment, rather a glossy sci- fi dressing for deep exploration of societal and psycho-spiritual illnesses and redemptions.
The authors take on VR addiction is particularly clever and genre bending.

[Guy Wheatley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This the second book in a series. Even without having read the first book, this one works on its own. Author Pierzchala gives us enough back story to understand the dynamic between the characters.
The setting is a near future, dystopian world. Declining morals have dragged society away from a safe and sustainable economy. A natural disaster on the west coast was sufficient to lead to the de facto breakup of the United States. An unholy alliance between China and Russia seems to be falling apart as China seeks to gain more influence and power in the rest of the world.
Book two opens as Progressive elements of the Government move to eliminate all but the Government sanctioned religion. We follow several characters in disparate locations as they navigate the aftermath of the events of book one, and try to salvage what is left of a world they remember. There are at least five character threads, which I found to be difficult to keep up with. Some of the threads converge, while other diverge. And at 594 pages, this is a long read.
I found the projections of current political trends and events to be fascinating. It was an interesting read, filled with enough thriller action to keep me turning pages. All in all, a good read.

[Valery · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eclipse Rising: Beyond Cascadia: Book Two by S. Kirk Pierzchala picks up the action from book one and continues it in this fine book. This is a great second book in the series as the thrilling tone rises and takes over the narrative. With compelling characters such as Tomas and McIntyre and an immersive and well-structured plot, you have a great read and one that captures your attention right away. There are plenty of twists and turns along the way to keep the reader engaged, and the characters themselves seem to grow and transform. Even though the book is set in the future, it is altogether relatable and plausible. A great read that you can settle into; it's a long book but one that is worthwhile. Highly recommend.

[Pearl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was quite a journey. Eclipse Rising is a novel written by S.Kirk Pierzchala that takes you into a dystopic world where you can perceive plenty of interesting things, including family secrets and cyborg and clone existence.

Although the book was quite long and heavy, I still ended up enjoying it because the writing style of S.Kirk Pierzchala is a state of an art. I can tell that the author has an experience of storytelling because the way the book was penned was rich in details and descriptions that are easy to follow. The story, as a whole, was interesting and getting to know the characters was quite an adventure!