Defunct Supersoldiers, Dystopian Hellscapes, and More in My Latest Novel "Old Soldiers"!

Wednesdays are my usual updates here on The Literary Mercenary, but I was having trouble coming up with a fresh topic, and things were a little on the busy side regarding my other projects and deadlines. Also, as I sat there struggling to come up with something I hadn't already talked about, I remembered that I had a new novel dropping on July 1st... so I opted to wait one more day to talk about my new book Old Soldiers instead!

And now for something completely different!

For folks who are more used to me writing fantasy adventure, or novels about cats solving mysteries on the mean streets of NYC, this one might seem like it comes out of left field. But hopefully that won't stop you from giving it a try, and seeing if it suits your palate all the same!

And as always, before we get into the thick of things, don't forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter to stay on top of all my latest releases! And if you want to help me keep the wheels turning, and you want to help more directly than buying a book, consider becoming a Patreon patron... it makes a serious difference.

All Right, What's This Book About?

The novel is set in the wake of humanity's first war with an alien species. The Hyperion was hugely advanced on a technological scale, and the species seemed to be energy-based; like ghosts in their massive war machines. Humanity had to pull together, and create dozens of doomsday plans in order to even stand a chance against this foe.

One of the things we created were the Myrmidon.

When annihilation is the price, you get less picky about ethics in science.

The Myrmidon were humans who had their genetic material spliced with remnants of the Hyperion recovered from early skirmishes while they were still in the womb. This allowed their bodies to mimic the energy signature of the Hyperion, which meant they could interface with the salvaged technology, turning it against the armada that followed the scouts.

There were other, stranger developments, though. Myrmidon grew to gigantic size, feeding off the radiation of the sun as much as any chow in the mess hall. None of them developed melanin at all, and most of them couldn't grow hair. Their strength was huge, and only magnified by their battle armor. They also had the ability to meld their minds together with one another, allowing for instant transfers of information, experience, and knowledge. They were the front lines of the Conflict... the shock troops meant to stop the frontal charge of the Hyperion.

While it would be an exaggeration to say that the Myrmidon turned the tide of battle, as they were only one weapon of war, they served a secondary use as propaganda pieces. They were unusual looking, to be sure, and though trained from birth to be soldiers they cut impressive figures to the populace of the world. A populace that was scared, and needed heroes to look up to. No one actually expected the Myrmidon to survive the war... and then they did.

But that isn't what our story is about. Not really.

Because Old Soldiers opens about a decade or so after the war has ended. Humanity is trying to rebuild the broken remnants of its world, and to move forward. Then there's Pollux. One of the only Myrmidon left in New Liberty, he lives with the ghosts of his past. Not just the battles he fought, and the way he was forged from the time he could first walk to be a weapon, but what came after. Trying to live in a world that wasn't meant for him, and to cling to some kind of life while fighting off the memories that still haunt the inside of his head. He reads, he goes to therapy, he takes his meds (though getting anything potent enough to actually affect his biology is... tricky, to say the least), and he's tentatively learning what it is to be a person instead of just a name, rank, and serial number on the firing line.

The progress Pollux has made goes up in smoke when he gets involved in a deadly conspiracy, though. After years of being told (and telling himself) that he was paranoid, and that no one was out to get him, now there are shadowy figures gunning for him. Re-activating what's left of his old unit, he, Castor, and Helen tool up to end the threat. Because whoever it is that jumped the gun is going to find out the hard way that they should have let these old soldiers fade away.

Inspirations, Themes, and Style

Any time you have 9-foot-tall genetically engineered bioweapons in your sci-fi novel, you need to address the elephant in the room. Yes, I've read a Warhammer 40K novel or two in my time. And at least part of the spark that led me to write this novel was that I was disappointed in the direction some of that fiction had gone. I wanted to see what went on behind the helmets and honor, and what drove space marines to be what they were in a more grounded way, rather than the bombastic, operatic way a lot of fiction from the grim darkness of the far future is written.

And while that may have been the starting point, it certainly isn't the only thing that went into this book.

I'm going to kill them all, Sir.

If you've never seen Soldier with Kurt Russell, then you are in for a treat when you finally track it down. A highly underrated gem that has one of Wyatt Russell's earliest roles, and which has a nominal connection to Blade Runner, it's a film that explores humanity. About what it takes to turn someone into nothing more than a cold, emotionless killing machine, and about how they learn to be a person again when that is no longer required of them... and about how unwise it is to disturb them in this journey, or to threaten the people they have grown close to.

Also for those who are wondering, there are a few touches of Lovecraft buried in this story when we talk about the Hyperion (as I wanted to make them as alien as possible, and the mingling of that alien with the human has strange results), and more than a tip of the hat to Frankenstein. Because much like Victor, the scientists who created the Myrmidon didn't do so with the understanding that they would be people. That they would have needs, desires, and that they would grow beyond the purpose they were made for.

Another thing I wanted to consciously do with this book is to explore the question of how soldiers (especially those who were marked out by time in war zones, even if they aren't colossal albinos with superhuman strength) are treated. I wanted to examine the social ritual veterans are often expected to endure, and how people tend to see them as objects, or as props, rather than as people. Down to the idea that they have to get help in proscribed ways, even if those ways aren't actually addressing their problems, and might be more of a hindrance than a help when it comes to overcoming the issues they brought back to civilian life with them.

And in between those thinkier bits we have explorations of the subterranean vaults of New Liberty, tense stand-offs with street scum and gutter warriors, and times where we see what Pollux and his comrades can do when let off the leash... which leaves you wondering what terrors they must have been at the top of their game, in full armor, and surrounded by hundreds of their brothers and sisters.

Even More of My Work (For Those Who Are Intrigued)

If this book sounds like something you'd love, then you should go grab your copy of Old Soldiers today! However, if you're a fan of military fiction seen through the genre lens, then you might also want to get yourself a copy of my fantasy tale The Irregulars from Paizo publishing. Or, if you prefer modern fantasy set in the here and now rather than in a world of elves, dwarves, and orcs, then my feline noir novels Marked Territory and Painted Cats should also be right up your alley (pun very much intended)!

And for my fellow lovers of the grim darkness of the far future, my story Waking Dogs- A World Eaters Tale is out there to read for free! Also, drop by A Vox in The Void who has dramatized both Waking Dogs, as well as my Cadian story "Almost" (linked below). Give their channel some love, if you're of a mind, because you may see Pollux putting in an appearance over there in the near future!

Like, Follow, and Come Back Again!

That's all for this week's Craft of Writing! For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, or at My Amazon Author Page where you can find books like my cat noir novel Marked Territory, its sequel Painted Cats, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife, or my most recent short story collection The Rejects!

 

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