Shoestring Productions Presents
The Caldar Chronicles Book 1: Upsetting the Balance
A disgraced Imperial officer finds solace in working refugee camps for displaced citizens and sponsors a camp on his home planet of Earth. His two-decade sojourn is shattered when elements of his host country stumble across political secrets and discover they're not alone in the universe. Forced to disband his camp, a going away party with his closest Earth friends ends up with an inadvertent kidnapping and finds them chased across the spiral arm in a damaged ship and stuck in the middle of a death zone. His crew of Earthlings and outsiders must work together and come to terms with their situation, finally bonding as a family.
An Adult-Themed, Science Fiction Space Opera
US Trade Paperback, 6"x9", 490 pages, English Language, Second Edition
Available now on Amazon.com
The Caldar Chronicles Book 2: The Wheels of Justice
Their journey home is delayed by an unexpected arrival, and a cryptic message from his step-father belies the headaches that will follow. Family has come calling and Rondal Caldar is put on the spot as he and his crew must accommodate not only his extended family but also the Elder and her staff - the administrators of the Commonwealth Healers and the hidden puppeteer over the Crown. More tragic secrets from the past threaten to spoil his relationship with his Healer companion, and conspiracies from within the Royal household itself threaten his very life. Adding to his worries is the meeting with his potential mother-in-law and her adopted brood; a new step-sister and two new step-brothers to his true love, the Healer Maya Tal. At the end of it all he will still have a choice to make; should he survive the challenges he’s presented with.
An Adult-Themed, Science Fiction Space Opera
US Trade Paperback, 6"x9", 646 pages, English Language, Second Edition
Available now on Amazon.com
The Caldar Chronicles Book 3: Taming the Demon
Lord Rondal Caldar, First Sword to his step-brother, the new Emperor, has a new mission in life: be the sneaky bastard that he was and figure out the best way to bring down the enemy of the Commonwealth - the Drecks Hegemony. The only problems were, (1) it had to be kept off the books and, (2) he'd been cruelly cursed by the new Elder, Lady Ai, with the wickedly unstable geas of his dead father, the deceased Emperor Rakel Timorous Caldarous. Constantly finding himself at odds with "himself,” Rondal returns to his birthplace to seek a measure of control over his parasitic dead father and becomes engrossed in Earthly issues while waiting for his new ship to be completed. Meanwhile, his imprudent actions have not gone unnoticed and Lady Sal Tal, mother of the woman who turned her back on him, is more than ready to call him to task about it; along with several other agencies that have been less than pleased with his interference with their operations. His only hope is to get back to work as soon as he can – if Lady Lili's surprise package doesn't distract him too much in the process.
An Adult-Themed, Science-Fiction Space Opera
US Trade Paperback, 6"x9", 808 pages, English Language, Second Edition
Available now on Amazon.com
The Caldar Chronicles Book 4: Back to Work
His new ship finally ready, Lord Rondal Caldar, First Sword of the new Emperor, finally begins his task in earnest; finding a satisfactory resolution to the Drecks issue. First, though, he has to ferret out more information about their society. To help him out, the Emperor’s First Wife, Lady Liling Song, has convinced him to take along a helper this time; his long-time, ex-mercenary companion known as “Four.” Together they are able to secretly ply the clusters of the Hegemony and pry both secrets and refugees from their suppressive society and bring them to a safe haven. His geas, now acting under a tentative truce within him, is helping when the situation warrants, and Rondal is balancing his actions with the enemy while fighting off pressure from the Elder, Lady Ai. Fortunately, he discovers more help on his side when his “Senior Staff” make themselves known and apply their talents to his efforts. More surprises await him as he stumbles over secrets within secrets and finds allies where enemies used to reside.
An Adult-Themed, Science-Fiction Space Opera
US Trade Paperback, 6"x9", 507 pages, English Language, Second Edition
Available now on Amazon.com
The Caldar Chronicles Book 5: Unhide the Past
The mysterious third party had finally been revealed! Now it was just a matter of convincing them that Humans weren't always the bloodthirsty savages that they were known to be – at least, not all the time. Traveling warily with a select few members of an alien species, Rondal Caldar tries to show that there is more to humanity than simple death and destruction – all the while trying to prove that his own colored past was simply a logical extension of the aliens' efforts to upset the balance between the Commonwealth and the Hegemony. After brokering the first steps of peaceful co-existence, Rondal Caldar must safely return the alien ambassador and his party back to their home planet – despite the efforts of their Prime ruler to disrupt him, along with subversive elements of their own society!
An Adult-Themed, Science-Fiction Space Opera
US Trade Paperback, 6"x9", 503 pages, English Language
Available now on Amazon.com
The Caldar Chronicles Book 6: The End of the Road
After the successful resolution of a few "internal" Vanir problems, Rondal Caldar continues to shepherd his ship and passengers towards a safe orbit over Vanaheim until a routine refueling mission eventually leads to the loss of Lady Sai Tal's husband - Petrus Aloysius Zickgraf. Faced with a growing number of threats from rogue Vanir warrens, the odds of successfully completing this mission keeps getting narrower to the point that Kantite Elder pro tem Lady Liling Song sends along a special trouble shooter to make sure Rondal Caldar stays on the proper path to completion. Now all he has to do is survive long enough to make good on his promises.
An Adult-Themed, Science-Fiction Space Opera
US Trade Paperback, 6"x9", 461 pages, English Language
Available now on Amazon.com
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The Caldar Chronicles Book 7: An Unfortunate Decision
Rondal Cadar had accomplished all that he set out to do, but his currently bleak future didn't sit well with him. Instead of relying on those around him, he took matters into his own hands and ended his life while training the Elder's First Sword. This selfish act of his has threatened all that he set into motion. It is now left up to the survivors to put the pieces back together.
An Adult-Themed, Science-Fiction Space Opera
US Trade Paperback, 6"x9", 499 pages, English Language
Available now on Amazon.com
The Caldar Chronicles Book 8: Picking Up the Pieces
Rondal Caldar had been declared officially dead - so he'd been sent to Earth to help him stay dead. Keeping quiet while living a simple life back home was the plan, but circumstances on Earth threaten to expose him to the wrath of the Council of Elders if he can't keep his nose clean. Of course, it doesn't help any when a Cletus Elder decides to make a personal appearance to see if he is still behaving.
An Adult-Themed, Science-Fiction Space Opera
US Trade Paperback, 6"x9", 715 pages, English Language
Available now on Amazon.com