ABOUT GRYDSCAEN
Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy
Author: Natsuya Uesugi
Publisher: Xlibris
EBook: 288 pages
Release Date: July 21, 2011
Follow the lives of the main characters as they come together in the backstory to grydscaen:retribution, the first volume of the grydscaen saga. Faid is tired of life on the run in the Echelons, trying to keep his psychic power in check, he founds the Packrats establishing a safe haven for psychics. As a hacker he uses his jack to support his neurocyne habit. Lino is recruited by the Psi Faction and is sent on a mission to kidnap Faid. Riuho, Lino’s half brother becomes a prisoner of the Elite military and they experiment on him, train him and subject him to mind control, then send him out on a mission. On his return, Riuho is set on escaping and recruits Faid who hacks into the Psi Faction systems. They escape and return to the Packrats leading up to the start of grydscaen:retribution.
Xlibris
The grydscaen series which is set in 2055 in the near future
is a microcosm of today’s society. Technology is pervasive and infiltrates the
day to day lives of the people recounted in the book. The lead character of
grydscaen is Ameliano “Lino” Dejarre who is the son of the Viceroy of the
Pacific Territories and a prince. Lino is a clandestine psychic operative of
the Psi Faction who’s job is to fight against cyber terrorism and the
infiltrations of the Atlantea Federation which dropped the nuclear bomb called
the Dionysis Effect on the Pacific Territories.
Lino and the psychic operatives of the Psi Faction are set
against the Packrats which are seen as cyber terrorists by the government. The
grydscaen series makes a commentary about freedom and anti government actions.
Today we have activists and hackers standing up against oppression in various
countries. I think that grydscaen gives voice to that fight and shows how
things could happen in a world where there are less freedoms and the government
rules everyday life.
Psychics are oppressed in grydscaen and I wanted to make a
commentary about marginalized groups in society such as the transgender and gay
community. LGBT youth also have to face bullying in schools and can have a
difficult time adjusting to just being who they are. I wrote grydscaen to
provide positive role models to today’s youth and show them that they can be
different and still be respected. Bullying is a big problem today in person and
online. I remember being bullied in high school for just being who I was and
who I liked. This shaped who I am and I wrote grydscaen because I wanted to
give back and let gay and trans kids know that they can be accepted for who
they are.
The other topic that I touch on in grydscaen is mental
health. There is stigma about mental illness that is pervasive in society. One
of the grydscaen characters named Sati Ima has schizoaffective disorder but he
is a pilot in the military. He just needs to take medication and otherwise he
handles his symptoms. There are many people who deal with depression and other
mental illnesses that take medication. There should be no stigma to that. I
wanted to shed light on this and make it clear that people with mental illness
can lead full and fulfilling lives and they should be treated with dignity and
respect.
Grydscaen deals with difficult themes all rolled up into a
science fiction backdrop. I also talk about LGBT homeless youth in the series
as one of the characters Rom who is 16 years old lives on the streets. I wanted
to detail the plights of homeless youth and give them a voice that is often not
heard. Many people think this is just a problem in the inner cities but there
are many cities where gay kids come out and tell their parents and then they
are kicked out on the street, or for some reason or another they are running
away from abusive situations. Homeless youth need a voice and I just wrote a
grydscaen short story which is available on the grydscaen blog called “A
Storm’s Coming” which is about Rom the homeless LGBT youth.
Grydscaen makes a commentary about life and marginalized
groups in society. It calls for equal rights and equality like the marriage
equality initiative that is getting media now. When I was in college I wished
that I had strong LGBT role models that I could look up to who would have
helped me find out more about who I am. I wrote the grydscaen series to provide
this voice for those that might not feel that they were worthy of having a
voice or had no means to speak up. Grydscaen shows that a gay teenager can have
a position of power and rise up and make a change in his environment for the
better. Lino is that character and the grydscaen series revolves around him. I
wanted to give him a voice and tell about his struggles and his triumphs.
Grydscaen is about respect and being recognized for your talents. I wanted to
give back and grydscaen allows me to do that.
There are currently 4 books published in the grydscaen
series: grydscaen: utopia, grydscaen: beginnings, grydscaen: retribution and
grydscaen: war with a fifth book grydscaen: alliance due to be published this
year. I hope that you would take a look at grydscaen and the positive message
that it brings for today’s youth.
For more on grydscaen visit http://www.grydscaen.com
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