Children of the Stars Series by Juanita Coulson

A futuristic, post-cataclysmic, sci-fi soap opera. On an Earth whose population has been decimated and whose landscape has been forcibly altered by natural causes and the effects of humankind's weapons, political and national boundaries have been altered. The Saunder family has gained wealth and power due to the actions of the manipulative matriarch, and the three offspring are in positions of great power and responsibility... moreA futuristic, post-cataclysmic, sci-fi soap opera. On an Earth whose population has been decimated and whose landscape has been forcibly altered by natural causes and the effects of humankind's weapons, political and national boundaries have been altered. The Saunder family has gained wealth and power due to the actions of the manipulative matriarch, and the three offspring are in positions of great power and responsibility. But the family has cracks that ultimately will risk tearing the family apart. And into this volatile mix comes news that an alien spacecraft is approaching Earth. Hysteria, propaganda, deceit, betrayal and redemption. What every good stereotypical soap opera needs. Throw in some advanced technologies and alien visitation, and you've got a rather interesting result.--ElementalDragon (edited) less

Alternate cover for ISBN10: 0-345-28179-9(ISBN13: 978-0-345-28179-9-1)Quol-Bez, alien ambassador on Earth, was offering planets, other stars to man — if man could reach them! Oh, the aliens had faster-than-light travel. But if men wanted that they must find it for themselves. And without it, the nearest such world lay a lifetime or more away.Brenna Saunder's aunt and uncle had died in an experimental ship, seeking for that way... moreAlternate cover for ISBN10: 0-345-28179-9(ISBN13: 978-0-345-28179-9-1)Quol-Bez, alien ambassador on Earth, was offering planets, other stars to man — if man could reach them! Oh, the aliens had faster-than-light travel. But if men wanted that they must find it for themselves. And without it, the nearest such world lay a lifetime or more away.Brenna Saunder's aunt and uncle had died in an experimental ship, seeking for that way. And now Brenna was devoting her life and her share of the vast Saunder family fortune and prestige to solving the problem of such faster-than-light travel.She had lost her lover to a hiber-ship, one in which those who dared would spend the years of travel in hibernation. Now she watched another of her group try and end in disaster.Finally there was time and means for only one more attempt — one more chance for man to find his destiny among the stars!Grimly, Brenna buckled herself into the pilot's seat of the final experimental ship and reached for the ready button! less

ALIEN CONFERENCEFaster-than-light travel to the stars was a discovery of the great Saunder family, and the vast Saunder fortune helped in the colonizing of alien worlds, among strange, nonhuman races.But Anthony Saunder had no share in that fortune or heritage. He was only a clone, the illegal result of a cruel woman's whim, not truly human. And the business he had started on Procyon Four, making colonist's emoto-tapes, was on the brink of failure... moreALIEN CONFERENCEFaster-than-light travel to the stars was a discovery of the great Saunder family, and the vast Saunder fortune helped in the colonizing of alien worlds, among strange, nonhuman races.But Anthony Saunder had no share in that fortune or heritage. He was only a clone, the illegal result of a cruel woman's whim, not truly human. And the business he had started on Procyon Four, making colonist's emoto-tapes, was on the brink of failure.Then the catlike humanoid Whimeds came, asking him to use his skill in directing a presentation for the coming Interspecies Conference. And once he saw Yrae, their beautiful, almost human-seeming star, he could riot refuse, though the job seemed impossible and led to endless trouble.But all that was simple, compared to what he found at the Conference. There he ran squarely into the middle of a secret war between Whimeds and equally alien Vahnaj, fought across the bodies of his bitterest enemy and his best friend! less

The past always returns…Dan McKelvey is a simple indie-hauler turned tech-mech, until a delivery leads him to a strange new planet, where his life will change forever. His whole life he has had to live up to the legacy of his Saunder-McKelvey ancestors, but now, on this strange world, he has the chance to uncover the tragic past of a near-extinct race... moreThe past always returns…Dan McKelvey is a simple indie-hauler turned tech-mech, until a delivery leads him to a strange new planet, where his life will change forever. His whole life he has had to live up to the legacy of his Saunder-McKelvey ancestors, but now, on this strange world, he has the chance to uncover the tragic past of a near-extinct race. Joining Dr Juxury’s multi-racial xenoarchaeology team, Dan becomes their resident xenomechanician, helping them to restore the technologies of the native race of old and uncover the truth about this kind people’s demise. But when Dan learns that he must travel to present the team’s scientific findings at the Twelfth Xenoarchaeological Assembly, held at none other than the resident planet of Feo and Hope Saunder-Nicholaiev – Dan’s affluent, obnoxious cousins, he realises that his journey could never have been that simple. Conflict will surely arise… Will Dan and his friends discover the sordid truth behind the downfall of an entire race? And in doing so, will they unlock the Past of Forever? Find out in Juanita Coulson’s gripping sci fi novel The Past of Forever, the fourth and final instalment of her famed science fiction saga featuring the Children of the Stars, the Saunders family. Praise for Juanita Coulson:“Coulson works on an enormous canvas — sometimes almost overwhelming. The characters are always memorable.” Marion Zimmer Bradley “… A richly detailed construction…” C J Cherryh Juanita Coulson is an American science fiction and fantasy writer. She is also widely known in filk music circles since the 1950s for her singing and songwriting; she has won several Pegasus Awards for her filking. For thirty-three years, she co-edited the science fiction fanzine Yandro with her husband "Buck" (Robert Coulson). Yandro was nominated for a Hugo Award every year from 1958-1967; it won the award in 1965, thus marking Coulson as one of the very first women to be so honored. Venture Press is a science fiction and fantasy imprint of Endeavour Press, the UK’s leading independent digital publisher. We are committed to the discovery and rediscovery of immensely talented authors in the SFF genre, and continue to push boundaries in search of great literature. Join us as we venture across universes and unknown landscapes – past, present and future. Sign up to our newsletter: http://bit.ly/1LUVI4n Follow us on Twitter @venture_press Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1NnFow7 less