Archimedes by Brian Sigmon

SPSFC 2023

Ben crouched in the shadows with nowhere to go, his heart hammering in his chest. The guard was twenty meters away now. Fifteen. Ten… A thousand years in the future, people kill for Dorium. They threaten war over it. And if the headlines are to be trusted, somebody recently destroyed an entire colony for it. That’s why it’s a big problem when Ben Ashley accidentally steals some. Ben’s a good thief. Maybe too good, thanks to the strange ability that lets him open locked doors and manipulate AIs. But when he gets caught with the solar system’s most valuable substance, it will take all his skills and more just to survive. A shady deal to stay out of prison propels him into a deadly world of espionage, organized crime, piracy, interplanetary conspiracy, and a hidden plot that threatens the only home Ben has ever known. How can he save himself and his friends? Who’s responsible for the brutal attack on a quiet colony? What is Archimedes? And why does it seem like all the bad guys are working together? Ben can’t escape this time. The only way out of danger is right through the heart of it. To have any hope, Ben will have to harness the Aurora, the rare power that nearly kills him every time he uses it. He’ll have to find out who to trust–and decide whether he can trust himself. Ben’s a good thief. Can he be a hero? Archimedes is a fast-paced adventure set in our solar system a thousand years in the future. If you like heists, space battles, and high-energy sci-fi with a dash of superhuman abilities, you’ll love Archimedes.

Adult • Science Fiction/Space Opera • Science Fiction/Exploration