The Burning Apollo arrives on the galactic frontier with a mission: to reunite the shattered fragments of humanity three hundred years after the Collapse. Crewed by an uneasy band of outcasts, criminals, and former pirates, on each planet they encounter former colonists rendered alien by genetic engineering and the passage of time.
Whether the crew face quantum anomalies, an exploding star, or simply the nuances of an unfamiliar culture, nothing is easy on the frontier. Local powers battle for supremacy. Impossible technologies bend the very fabric of reality. Each new world tells stranger stories than the last, many bearing traces of the godlike AI that once held the Federated Colonies together.
The Shattered Stars is an episodic space opera where the tradition of Star Trek: The Next Generation meets the wild energy and grungy universe of Firefly. Each novella takes about 2 hours to read, similar to an episode of a TV show, with a new episode scheduled for release every three months.
Episode One: Colony Collapse - 3/21/23
The boy from the ice planet distrusts the woman from the sky. For four hundred years his people have struggled to survive, even as they fight over the destroyed vessel that remains their ancestral home. When disaster strikes, the boy must call for help from the woman’s friends beyond the clouds. But the voice that answers will change the future of this planet forever—and not necessarily for the better.
Episode Two: The Blood Dancers - 6/21/23
Routine shore leave goes wrong when terrorists attack a normally peaceful planet. Forced into a pursuit they weren’t prepared for, the Burning Apollo faces a horrific new enemy—one that will turn her captain against the crew and offer a shocking revelation of just how far humanity has fallen.
Episode Three: Sleeping Giants - 9/21/23
A diplomatic crisis gets worse when the giants of Pelinor refuse, yet again, to join the Federated Planets. Thrust into a situation she doesn’t understand, Lieutenant Fatch must salvage the fragile ties that remain, even if it brings her face-to-face with the Federation’s greatest enemy.
Episode Four: Libertatia; or, the Onion King - 12/21/23
The distress signal seems innocuous—until three crew members are taken hostage, along with a whole ship supposedly allied with the Federated Colonies. The pirates are brutal and clever, but strangest of all, the masked man who leads them claims to be a hero—and some of the bridge crew agree. A brutal game ensues as Captain Harken and the Onion King face off, but, somehow, the Burning Apollo is always one move behind.
About the Author
KE Wolfe is a collaborative project between Kyle Muntz, author of The Pain Eater, and e rathke, author of Glossolalia, Howl, and the Wolf Newsletter.
Praise for The Shattered Stars
“A fun, punchy space opera with heart and tenderness. I recommend this to anyone who loves Star Trek and Doctor Who. I had a lot of fun with the crew on their expedition and look forward to more of their adventures!”
—Rios de la Luz, author of Itza
Praise for the Authors
Absurd, grim, and wonderfully unique, Kyle Muntz is an exceptional new and distinct voice.
—Eric LaRocca, bestselling author of Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke
There’s a melodic beat to Muntz’s writing, terse descriptions of events interspersed with sudden bursts of graphic visuals. It’s a delicate balance, but one he masterfully navigates.
—Peter Tieryas, bestselling author of Mecha Samurai Empire
Kyle Muntz’s writing is playful and painful and surreally real, and great fun to read.
—Brian Evenson, author of Song for the Unraveling of the World
rathke is the best kind of possessed writer--the kind who has the courage of his possession, whose exorcised words exist in defiance of their author.
—Steve Erickson, author of Zeroville
rathke has a faith in his reader that makes the experience of reading his work one full of extraordinary rewards and teeming satisfaction.
—Jac Jemc, author of Empty Theatre
e rathke’s writing is brimming with imagination and rambunctious with heart. He is fleet, fun, and smart, and his tales delight and beguile. A legit talent to watch.
—Brian Allen Carr, author of Opioid, Indiana