Jayson Reilly has been recruited to join a team of idealistic young scientists addressing the world’s most pressing environmental problems at the Center for Sustainability Research; a philanthropic venture funded by tech entrepreneur Anton Kamaras. What Jayson and the team don’t realize is the billionaire has no intention of saving the planet with their research—he’s using it to help him invade another one instead.
Using an accidental discovery related to his pioneering work in quantum computing, Kamaras has created a portal to a pristine new world. There, he will do whatever it takes to wrest control from its inhabitants and create a paradise meant only for a select few. As the mission’s true objectives are exposed, Jayson must lead his colleagues in a desperate effort to thwart Kamaras’ murderous plans. The ultimate fate of both worlds depends on it.
I came up with the idea for The Gamma Recruits on a family vacation to Hawaii, which ultimately became the book’s setting. While there, my family and I had an opportunity to marvel at the natural beauty of the place, and my two sons both lamented that, worldwide, natural beauty is on the decline as manmade climate change threatens to make much of the planet unlivable.
For a parent, that’s pretty heavy stuff. The whole point of being a parent is to provide your kids with an opportunity for a better life than the one you had. Sadly, many kids don’t think that’s possible anymore. A whole generation is living under the shadow of a climate crisis, and many suffer from anxiety as a result.
I decided I wanted to write a story with an ultimately hopeful message about the kind of world my kids might be able to live in. I also decided that I should probably try not to make climate doom and gloom the centerpiece of the story if I actually wanted people to enjoy reading it. Instead, it’s a story driven by characters and conflict, with plenty of action, twists, and turns. That it happens to offer a hopeful alternative to climate disaster? Well, that’s just the cherry on top.
