Breaking with tradition
ReadersMagnet does not make yearly prophecies, but if the self-publishing and book marketing company has to, it predicts that it looks like the science fiction adventure novella A Journey to UltraDimensions: “Time Is of No Essence In this Ultra Dimensions”(ReadersMagnet; 2020) by KouroshNaziriwill impact in 2021.
Forms of speculative fiction, particularly science fiction, tend to be published in thick books (usually around 200-plus pages) and in installments or series (say, Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke, Foundation by Isaac Asimov, and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams). This is changing. Standalone novels, as well as novellas, are fast becoming bestsellers. Given today’s lifestyles and pressure, it can be intimidating and tiring for readers to commit to a lengthy series.
With A Journey to UltraDimensions, Naziri, who goes by the pen name Cyrus, bucks convention as he did not feel compelled to stretch his narrative into a lengthy story. It remains to be seen if the author is planning to extend and expand into a science fiction adventure series. But should he so, he better maintain his style and flow of storytelling – or risk losing what made him appealing with A Journey to UltraDimensions.
Making Sci-Fi short and sweet
Our attention spans are not what they used to be. Some days, we can barely sit through a one-minute video or catch up on a lengthy social media thread or post. Sometimes, short and sweet is the (best) way to go, like books under 100 pages like A Journey to UltraDimensions.
This quality – aside from Naziri’s extensive knowledge of electronics, interest in multiple dimensions, and originality – earned the book positive reviews from book review publications. By its looks, the book is compact; by its subject matter, it is informative and insightful, conveying the author’s ideas in the form of a story.
Writing for the US Review of Book, Robert Buccellatowrote, “It goes into great depth about the logistics of time travel and the interconnected functions of endless dimensions. It consumes the reader’s attention with its humor and colorful imagery while also demanding total concentration as it outlines an entire galaxy of varying elements.
“Everything from the details of a spaceship ready room to a different format of presenting comedy is all laid out by the author with total faith in the audience’s ability to relate. It is a challenging and prodigiously engrossing piece of science fiction writing. From an AI with no social grace to an engineering staff that uses a universal language translator to communicate, one can’t help but enjoy this richly detailed journey across space.”
It takes an afternoon to read – and re-read – Naziri’sA Journey to UltraDimensions: “Time Is of No Essence In this Ultra Dimensions,” is “an interesting, fast-paced yet engaging science fiction read,” “highly engaging and fun,” and “an exciting thrill-ride of a sci-fi adventure,” according to Anthony Avina of Pacific Book Review.
Science fiction will continue as one of the most popular and profitable book genres in 2021, and standalone novels and novellas will make as popular publishing trends. Moreover, the self-published authors’ gravitation towards audiobooks will change the publishing landscape. Naziri’sA Journey to UltraDimensionsis already breaking with tradition and shifting into the future. More like him, he will churn out sci-fi stories – complex and fantastic yet short and sweet and more engaging. As of this time, readers can just speculate.
KouroshNaziri’sA Journey to UltraDimensions: “Time Is of No Essence In this Ultra Dimensions” is available on the author’s website https://cyrus21century.com/, as well as Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Journey-UltraDimensions-Essence-Ultra-Dimensions/dp/1952896258, in print format, Kindle, and audiobook.