Calumet Editions

The Devereaux Disaster

As humanity nears a permanent Moon base, retired agent Jeremiah Jones returns—teaming with former enemy Jack Marschenko to rescue his bio-engineered son from Dr. Taditha Poole’s conditioning. Manipulator Elias Leach tightens control from Earth, but the cadets’ programming fractures and they unleash asteroid-defense lasers on the planet. On the Moon, the genetically engineered Escala prepare for Mars and clash with the cadets as fragile peace collapses. Injured and too infected with the Susquehanna Virus to survive, Jeremiah watches Earth’s nations turn their weapons moonward. In the widening war, sacrifice is inevitable—and the question becomes what it means to be human.

It is both a fast-paced thriller and an insightful story forcing the reader to consider our not-too-distant future

—Carpe Diem on Amazon

Description

As we move closer to establishing a permanent base on the Moon, we get a glimpse of what life might be like there. Retired secret agent Jeremiah Jones must travel to the Moon with his former enemy, the Elite Ops soldier Jack Marschenko, to rescue his son—a bio-engineered cadet who has been conditioned by Dr. Taditha Poole, along with his fellow cadets, to attack Earth in an outrageous plot to unite Earth’s warring nations. Elias Leach, who has orchestrated everything in an attempt to bring the world together to fight this outside force, continues to manipulate the cadets from Earth. He sends his protégé, Lendra Riley to the Moon along with Colonel Truman in a bid to maintain that control. But the cadets’ conditioning has broken down, and they have begun to run amok, following their own agenda now. They attack Earth with space lasers that were designed to protect the planet from rogue asteroids.

Also on the Moon are the genetically engineered Escala, who are preparing to depart for Mars, where they will be starting a permanent colony. Soon, the Escala are at odds with the cadets. The fragile peace that has held on the Moon begins to shatter. Jeremiah is hurt in a tragic accident and is infected with the Susquehanna Virus in a bid to save his life, while part of Eli’s plan comes to fruition as many of the nations on Earth attack the Moon. As the violence escalates, it becomes clear that not everyone will survive. Who will make it out? Who will be sacrificed? And what does it mean to be human?

Product Details

PublishedDecember 27, 2022
ImprintCalumet Editions
LanguageEnglish

Taking us to the moon and back, McEllistrem shows us how disturbing some of our current technological trends will be if we pursue certain paths. The story is loaded with action, surprises, and both heroic and twisted characters, and the writer manages to build empathy for all of them. If you enjoyed the first book, the sequel won’t disappoint.

—Geoff, verified review on Amazon

Another engaging sci-fi thriller! I admit this sequel surprised me! Some of the main characters from Book 1 were upstaged by the younger generation, which I think actually broadens the potential audience of this book. Book 1 struck me as an adult novel; But this one would be a good read for adolescents and teens as well. Loved the medicine and tech aspects. I found ideology in this novel to be much more subtle than in Book 1. Like I said about Book 1, this would make a great movie!

—Teresa in Dayton

This is an amazing series! It is both a fast-paced thriller and an insightful story forcing the reader to consider our not too distant future. No one is safe– anywhere.

—Carpe Diem, verified review on Amazon

I’m somewhat reluctant to use the term ‘sequel’ here, as this second Devereaux novel is far more than a continuation of events presented in the initial offering. It takes that storyline and characters and grows and fleshes them out remarkably. Those we know from the first novel have taken on multiple additional dimensions; the names are the same, but the we see them in an entirely different light. And we’re presented with new allies and adversaries…though at times it’s difficult to tell “who is what”…or perhaps they’re both.

—Chris Jacobs, review on Amazon

Having enjoyed the first book in this series, I was eagerly awaiting the next book, yet I was surprised with the direction that McEllistrem took with the story—and that’s a good thing! This second story focuses on a group of cadets—children—who are bio-engineered to help solve an earthly problem. Their development leads to a series of events that allow McEllistrem to reintroduce major characters from the first novel and continue their stories. The political intrigue continues in this second story, allowing you to get further insight into the motivations of some of the characters, and leading to some interesting moral dilemmas.

—Lawrence, review on Amazon