Children of the Eye Series by Barry Kirwan

Nathan, emotionally scarred after three tours in Afghanistan, lives alone in Manhattan until New Year’s Eve, when he meets Lara. The next morning, he notices something strange is going on – a terrified kid is being pursued by his father, and a girl, Sally, pleads with Nathan to hide her from her parents. There is no internet, no television, no phone coverage... moreNathan, emotionally scarred after three tours in Afghanistan, lives alone in Manhattan until New Year’s Eve, when he meets Lara. The next morning, he notices something strange is going on – a terrified kid is being pursued by his father, and a girl, Sally, pleads with Nathan to hide her from her parents. There is no internet, no television, no phone coverage. Nathan, Lara and Sally flee along the East Coast, encountering madmen, terrorists, the armed forces, and other children frightened for their lives. The only thing Nathan knows for sure is that he must not fall asleep...“A fantastic and original premise…flashes of Stephen King and MR Carey.” Tom Witcomb“A nicely taut thriller, with a Lee Child feel to its staccato writing and strong action sequences, and a high concept stretching the novel into true science fiction territory.” Amanda Rutter “Not just a page-turner – all in all a fabulous novel, which I was sad to finish.” Loulou Brown less

Ten years ago, Sally had her world ripped away from her – now she's taking it back.★★★★★ "The first book was amazing, this one is incredible!" Jessica Belmont★★★★★ "Fast-moving, epic, realistic characters and stellar writing!" Felicia Denise★★★★★ "This series is delivered with such style, transporting us into a world so credible we feel we are physically accompanying the characters... moreTen years ago, Sally had her world ripped away from her – now she's taking it back.★★★★★ "The first book was amazing, this one is incredible!" Jessica Belmont★★★★★ "Fast-moving, epic, realistic characters and stellar writing!" Felicia Denise★★★★★ "This series is delivered with such style, transporting us into a world so credible we feel we are physically accompanying the characters. Simply excellent!" Grady HarpA decade ago, ten-year-old Sally watched helplessly as the brutal Axleth invaded Earth. She and a few hundred others escaped aboard the spaceship Athena, piloted by the secretive Artificial Intelligence who calls himself Ares. Now, as they approach Earth, she leads her fearless band of refugees determined to take back their home at any cost.But much has changed on Earth. Finding allies willing to rise up against the Axleth stranglehold will be difficult. And as they near the Solar System, the Athena is tracked and attacked by an enemy ship. Something has followed them from the depths of space.As war erupts on Earth, Sally’s small army must show more courage than they knew they possessed, and Sally herself must come to terms with what it truly means to be a battle commander, and decide exactly how much she is willing to sacrifice to win back her planet.Editorial Reviews:★★★★★ "When the Children Return is the thrilling sequel that takes the series in epic new directions..." Tom Witcomb★★★★★ "Filled with action and incredible and unexpected moments that blew my mind!" Susel Dezzani★★★★★ "I really liked the deeper themes at play – the idea of AIs and where their power might take them; what is worth fighting for; the idea of augmetics and whether they should be pursued, if maxims should be followed i.e. whether you should make a friend of your enemy, and what that might cost you in terms of conscience. I was never less than entertained! And the emotional heft - my word, this is good! I felt SO many emotions..." Amanda Rutter★★★★★ "Kirwan’s richly-described settings incorporate aspects of astronomy, engineering, biology, quantum physics — you name it. But it’s the author's insight into plain old human nature that brings reality to his writing. It was easy to identify with his characters, even though like most of us, I’ve yet to travel beyond our small blue planet." MEG ★★★★★ "The descriptions of the ship Athena and sub in the opening chapter are just enough to set your imagination off into overdrive!" APK★★★★★ "There are definitely several reading levels in this book and Barry Kirwan reinforces his status as a central player in the field of science fiction. His evocative descriptions help visualize the Athena and the Axleth Citadel, he instils humour in his characters and intricately weaves suspense throughout the novel in such a way that by the time you close the cover, you will crave for the next instalment of the Children of the Eye series." Thiebaux less