To paraphrase the great sci-fi writer Stephen King: Kill your darlings, kill your darlings, even when it breaks your heart, kill your darlings. Translation: stay on point and mercilessly avoid side stories and anecdotes. With much respect for Mr. King, The History of Man Series is precisely that, a great deal about all those little darlings, a style of writing termed “jumping off.”

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“The great sci-fi writer Stephen King.” Engenders so much trust in the author’s judgment, don’t you think?

“This book is a strange but eclectic collection of tales. Through them, it tells a story of hope and togetherness, and looks at the potential of our planet to be better. It defies the readers’ expectations at every turn, and is all the stronger for it. If you’re after a light read that is unique from just about everything else, it’s a thought provoking collection that will entertain, inspire, and linger. It has to be read to be believed.”

Strange BUT eclectic? (And yes, the quotation marks are in the original.)

A sci-fi thriller and the second in a series of novels by Antony Botting. An artefact known as the Pebble is found. When the Trauma begins, no-one is prepared. Terror descends, as life on Earth changes in an instant. The effects are felt worldwide as survivors face the greatest danger. Strange beings walk the surface of the planet as science, religion and criminal enterprise struggle to comprehend the offensive. Humanity seeks sanctuary, unable to come to terms with the Trauma.

So are there any, you know, characters in this novel?

Long-distance relationships present numerous challenges, but they pale in comparison to the horrors of war.

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Whoa. That’s, like, DEEP, man.