Book 1 of The Luminari Expanse
The Red Omen
The prison ship Alabaster has crossed a galaxy. Now it descends on a world that never knew the stars could bring danger.
Free prequel novelette
Silence in the Darkness
Read this after The Red Omen.
Book 1 · available now
The Red Omen
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“It’s one of those rare stories where the setting feels completely immersive and alive.”
“Absolutely captivating. A must read. The Red Omen completely exceeded my expectations from the very first page.”
“Enjoyed the story and it was full of surprises. Was hard to put down and I enjoyed the suspense.”
The Red Omen
The red light in the sky grows larger every day. No one knows what it means. Everyone fears it.
When a massive prison ship descends on the Sylvarian kingdom, its crew moves with ruthless efficiency—capturing villagers, pillaging crops, loading everything into their holds. Taan, a simple gardener, watches helplessly as armed invaders storm through his world, caging his neighbors and burning what they can’t carry.
He and his friend Kreev barely escape their assault. When the invaders raid the royal spire and capture Princess Ahnya, Taan joins a desperate mission to infiltrate the ship and rescue their people. But inside the alien vessel, nothing makes sense.
The ship’s holds are filled with creatures from a dozen worlds. The crew works with desperate urgency, racing against a timeline no one will explain. And the red omen overhead—the crimson star that has haunted the Sylvarian sky for weeks—continues to swell and pulse with unnatural light.
They must discover what the invaders know. Taan must free his people before it’s too late. And the red light overhead may hold the answer to why the invaders came—and what they’re running from.
Prologue
The prison ship Alabaster knifed through the starfield, hull scarred and ugly. On the bridge, the captain stood motionless as a green world of fungal jungles and violet skies waited below.
Chapter 1
On the planet below, Taan knelt among glowing bulbs the size of his torso, carving careful spirals with one claw. Each cut made the violet light pulse brighter.
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Daniel Stroup is a military veteran with over 20 years of service. He brings real-world experience with high-pressure decisions and moral complexity to The Luminari Expanse series.