Liam Gibbs

In a Galaxy Far, Far Awry

He calls himself Master Asinine. Don’t laugh.

With the might of the underworld at his back, Asinine plans to rule the—well, pretty much everything. He’s got a planet-destroying laser and just bullied the galaxy’s major criminal organizations into forming an unstoppable force he calls "The Bad Guys."

Standing against him is his one-time comrade-in-arms Matross Legion, a somewhat neurotic green-skinned Trioxidillian. He and Asinine haven’t spoken since Asinine killed their best friend, which, as you can imagine, somewhat soured their relationship.

Gathering a small team of people with hyperabilities, Matross prepares to confront his old enemy. Trouble is, Asinine is also getting ready, and he has all the usual evil mastermind tricks up his sleeve—and a few surprises for an old friend. So don’t laugh at Master Asinine. At least, not to his face.

All bets are off in this book series that combines the most amazing parts of space operas and comic books.

In a Galaxy Far, Far Awry evolves in the galaxy of Renovodomus, a society that revolves around the advertising dollar and the hilarious inanity of its citizens. Even the military organizations are no exception, run by the whims of sponsors and corporate advertisers.

And, in a universe where super powers and absurdity run rampant, the advertising dollar might be the most dangerous controlling force to run the gears that operate society.

It’s all fun and games until someone loses…no, wait. It’s always fun and games in Renovodomus.

Check out Intergalactic Protection, the ruling military authority of the galaxy. Or stop by Space Cow, the most prevalent fast-food chain in the galaxy, and taste their Still Mooing Value Meal, pending the review of the cow’s endangered species status! Study hyperabilities at any of Renovodomus’s top universities, like that one…or that one over there!

Avoid the chicken at all costs. Oh, and heed all traffic signals and road signs.

Anything unusual or distinct can be found at any of Renovodomus’s eateries. Try Space Cow’s Is It Beef? We’ll Find Out Together soft taco or Gastro Challenge’s You’ll Hope It’s Not Gangrenous turkey burger. And, hey, if you’re feeling adventurous, you’ll love Vegan Catapult’s Mouth in a Flower Bed, a lush salad rich with lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, and soil! Nummy in your tummy!

The most prevalent weaponry is the inborn superpowers, the hyperabilities, of Renovodomus’s citizens: eye lasers, fire control, self-multiplication, or the power of sarcasm!

Oh, and there’s no lack of fighting styles, which range from gunplay, horse-and-gunplay (they go really well together for that added craziness), and military-based hand-to-hand combat.

Technology abounds in the world of the future. Let’s start with the haunt control, the most prevalent voice-activated technology that controls the environment around you, so automated that it makes things seem haunted. Want a chair? Just ask your house to bring you one. Or how about latent technology, another software that stores objects in computer memory for later use? What a space saver!

Super futuristic space vehicles? No shortage there, with flying civilian transports (civ-trans) and military transports (mil-trans). You’ve also got starships, transports that operate on an interplanetary level, that come in several different classes, ranging from Trojan class to Titan class for those times you need to ship out an entire military!

Futuristic animals come typically in two forms: the thundermammal (giant mammalian beasts used to herd and are good for eating when the family visits), and the gnawl (smaller than the thundermammal but no less tasty with a good barbecue sauce). Oh, and the rhinoceros, which is like the rhinoceros of today but leash-trained. They love their treats and walkies.

Sentient races come in all shapes: the Virillian, a reptilian race that doesn’t speak but acts rather antisocially toward each other and members of other species (you gotta wonder how they propagate); the Trioxidillian, a hairless, green-skinned species; and the Gharalgian, an orange-skinned species whose members have voices that sound high-pitched and grate on your spine.

Unfortunately the plant life in Renovodomus is not too exotic…except for the Death Ray Bulb, which may or may not try to eat you as you pass by! Ah, just kidding. It’ll probably only try to steal your wallet. 

No disappointment here. Renovodomus’s national sport is extreme couponing, which is left undefined except that it involves clipping coupons, competitively shopping for the lowest prices…and bloodthirsty combat! The winner takes home the Voucher Cup. The loser? Well, let’s just say paying full price for a jar of pickles is a disgrace.

 

The other dominant sport is capture the flag, with a rabid fan base exceeding the millions and a league boasting no less than four hundred separate teams. Go, Mongolian Yurts, go!

Since Terrans (humans) were the first settlers in Renovodomus, the clock operates the same as it does today, with days taking 24 hours and hours taking 60 minutes. Since the advertising dollar rules all, the most celebrated holiday is Boxing Day because of all its sales, and Christmas is now known only as Boxing Day Eve. But beware the sales season! It’s a cutthroat shopping period out there.

The only mentioned religion is Alaphan, which bears such a striking similarity to Christianity that….hmm…one wonders if it’s Christianity in the future.

My inspiration comes from the loves of pop culture I held growing up as a child. I immersed myself in comics and science fiction, and so I took my interests—Spider-Man, Star Wars, Mystery Science Theater 3000, Futurama, The Tick, Spaceballs, X-Men, and innumerable others—and enthusiastically mashed them together into this super awesome series. I also love making people laugh—it’s my special gift—and so I want to give that gift to the world. Therefore, though this series is a superhero-inspired space opera, it’s also an extreme comedy, where the laughs put the reader in danger of snorting milk out of their noses in public.

There are no hot-button topics in In a Galaxy Far, Far Awry. It’s a lighthearted world where the reader can escape the pressures of life. Sit back, have a laugh, and don’t worry about a thing. Not everything has to be dark and controversial, am I right?

My amazing audience is both men and women ages 18 to 60 who love comics and science fiction culture. These are the people who frequent comic book stores, who love watching Star Warsor Star Trek, who hungrily wolf down helpings of Futurama. However, since there is no sex, no swearing, and comical violence in the books, the series is suitable for anyone aged 12 and over, depending on reading level. Since debuting my series, I’ve found a lot of children are interested in finding out more. And who am I to turn down a young reader?

Liam Gibbs knew he was destined to write at age four, when he authored a breathtaking account of a cow who ate grass. The bovine saga failed to catch the public’s eye but earned the budding author parental acclaim. Since those early times, he’s gone on to write the novella Superpowered and humorous articles for various magazines.

A twenty-year veteran of the brutal world of hand-to-hand comic book fandom, Gibbs cut his teenage teeth on titles such as Spider-Man, X-Men, New Warriors, and other Marvel comics.

Gibbs graduated college with a degree in professional writing, which included classes on fiction writing and story structure. He lives on the balmy shores of Ottawa, Canada, where he relaxes by watching staggeringly awful horror and science fiction movies. A health and fitness nut, he shoots lasers from his eyes, uses the word exclusive incorrectly, and once wrestled an exclusive brontosaurus. True story.

Two fantastic/unbelievably fantastic books in the series have been released so far, both in paperback and Kindle format.

Book 1, Serial Fiction Sideshow, can be found on Amazon.

Book 2, Home Sweet Home Invasion, can also be found on Amazon.

Readers can connect with the series and its author in so many places.