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Senan Gil Senan

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THE FIFTH SEED (Beyond the pale Book 2) Kindle Edition

by Senan Gil Senan (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.6 25 ratings

Book 2 of 2: Beyond the pale

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A young Outlander begins a spirit quest, which is not expected to exceed a handful of days. In this coming of age ritual, he must spend time alone in the wilderness and forego food, water, and shelter. He has to learn to place trust in his inner spirit, and intuition and follow wherever it leads him.
It leads him to New Denver, a somewhat dystopian metropolis that is a showcase for a transhumanist future society. The young truth-seeker expects personal revelation and change. What he encounters instead is an adventure that brings change to all around him. Unfortunately, it also brings danger to the people he loves and threatens the existence of the outlander community that supports him.
A chain of events follows one another in a synchronistic fashion, which introduces intrigue, action, and romance to the story. These events are also the catalyst to a Machiavellian struggle between three major protagonists. One is an emerging sentient artificial Intelligence born out of the surveillance culture. Another is a controlling ancient subterranean race, and then there is the spirit-questor himself. His human physiology is so special that it represents an evolutionary leap forward for humankind. All three, potentially provide a blueprint for the future of humanity.
Set in a future landscape of the American mid-west, this story is as much about a father’s determination to find his son. The Fifth Seed also has some strong female leading characters and is a feel-good inspirational story, as much as it is a thought experiment into a potential future.
This story has a prequel called Beyond the Pale which is set 20 years prior to this one, and includes many of the same characters.

Book 2 of 2

Beyond the pale
Print length

299 pages
Language

English
Sticky notes

On Kindle Scribe
Publication date

May 30, 2015
File size

1736 KB
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Enabled
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Total Price: $5.98

Editorial Reviews

Review

The Fifth Seed is voted into the Top 50 Indie fiction reads for 2015.
"Well written and exciting sci fi adventure story set in a dark dystopian future." -ReadFreely

The Fifth Seed received a Max Power Award for top ten read for 2015

About the Author

Senan Gil Senan believes that it is the job of a writer to visually transport a reader to a place he or she is unlikely to venture. Then without alienating them, it is to introduce them to a pattern of thought that may differ from their own.
His writing is not typical of the science fiction and dystopian genres. It is more visionary, in that it examines the effect of technology and bio-engineering on future society. He is an adamant believer that humans will integrate more and more with technology in order to keep up with the deluge of technological advances created by the advent of artificial intelligence. He believes that this emergent sentience will be shaped by human interaction, much the same as a child.
His own interests include psychology, noetic science, physics, theology & philosophy and ancient history. He agrees with RR Martin who said that any writer who is looking for an intriguing character, a gripping scenario or plot twist, needs look no further than the pages of a history book.

He was named Senan, by his father Patrick Gilsenan who thought that the name would look good on the cover of a book. He was an Irish printer who yearned to see his own prose and poetry appear in print. Sadly he died before achieving either ambition. Senan left behind the beauty of Sligo in Ireland to set off for London and oblique strategy of career choices. These included working fourteen years as a computer systems engineer. He has also worked as a self employed financial trader, a writer, an employment adviser, and as a bar manager. He still lives in South London with his wife and family.

senangilsenan.wordpress.com/

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00YL0UXXY
Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 30, 2015
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 1736 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 299 pages
Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1514103710

Customer Reviews:
4.6 25 ratings

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http://senangilsenan.wordpress.com/

Senan Gil Senan believes that it is the job of a writer to visually transport a reader to a place he or she is unlikely to venture. Then without alienating them, it is to introduce them to a pattern of thought that may differ from their own.

His writing is not typical of the science fiction and dystopian genres. It is more visionary, in that it examines the effect of technology and bio-engineering on future society. He is an adamant believer that humans will integrate more and more with technology in order to keep up with the deluge of technological advances created by the advent of artificial intelligence. He believes that this emergent sentience will be shaped by human interaction, much the same as a child.

His own interests include psychology, noetic science, physics, theology & philosophy and ancient history. He agrees with RR Martin who said that any writer who is looking for an intriguing character, a gripping scenario or plot twist, needs to look no further than the pages of a history book.

He was named Senan, by his father Patrick Gilsenan who thought that the name would look good on the cover of a book. He was an Irish printer who yearned to see his own prose and poetry appear in print. Sadly he died before achieving either ambition. Senan left behind the beauty of Sligo in Ireland to set off for London and oblique strategy of career choices. These included working fourteen years as a computer systems engineer. He has also worked as a self-employed financial trader, a writer, an employment adviser, and as a bar manager. He still lives in South London with his wife and family.

http://senangilsenan.wordpress.com/

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5

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Katharine E. Pfeil

Saddle up for the future!

Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2016

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Though this is considered a sequel to a prior book, this is the first work I have read by Senan Gil Senan. The Fifth Seed, though considered a sequel, read smoothly as a stand-alone novel. I never felt confused or lost when it came to characters or past events. The author provides considerable explanation setting the stage for an incredible dive into this futuristic world. Though this is not the type of book I would normally pick up to read, I found myself immediately drawn into the story. The visual detail allows the reader to sink into the midst of a world where spirituality and technology compete for superiority. Impressing to me was the technological jargon used by the author and the precise explanations in his detail. By the end of the book, I felt as if I could hold a conversation with any fellow New Denver resident.
Another thing I enjoyed was all the different story lines; different characters. You are constantly pulled from one character to the next, but their interactions with one another and the story continue to expertly flow and weave throughout the book. You feel for each individual character, whether they are part of the controlling citadel or the rebellious outlands. The blending and relation of one character to another is something I found I looked forward to when I saw a new player emerge on the scene. Who was he connected with? What’s his story? How is he part of the bigger plan?
As you follow the journey of Ethan, the young protagonist set on changing the very structure of his corrupt world, those very questions are answered as all the characters play off one another to create this intriguing story.
Now that I have read this particular book, I definitely aim to read Beyond the Pale, the book prior to this. Not for clarification, but strictly for pure enjoyment. Well done to the author for a fun, exciting, and intriguing read!

3 people found this helpful

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Patrick

Excellent book

Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2015

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The Fifth Seed is the second book of the Beyond the Pale series that I have read by Senan Gil Senan. The first book was so entertaining; I had no hesitation in going back for a second bite as it were. Set in a wonderfully contrived future, the author has demonstrated yet again his ability to conjure up incredibly imaginative and original concepts and ideas and I was gripped from start to finish. It is difficult to write a review on this story without spoiling the plot but I will do my best. Set in the future, using originality and a complex but easy to follow plot, he ties together, different worlds through characters familiar to me from the first book. There are many themes here relating to religion, spirituality, philosophy and science, but for me the book works by the simple fact that the author ultimately deals with the fundamental elements of human nature, love, greed, bravery, loyalty and family for example. There are some clever well thought out narratives and even some biblical analogies, plenty to get your teeth into alongside an exciting story line. He examines questions of consciousness and God on a variety of levels and looks at the influence of technology and imagines a vast array of wonderfully original future technologies. While many writers fall down trying to invent or imagine futuristic worlds, here the imagery is so clear and well thought out that you can’t help but see exactly what he is trying to evoke. Don’t just pick this book up, go find Beyond the Pale and read that first. While both books should stand alone as separate reads, why not read them in the right order. Great read for me, excellent stuff and I can’t wait for more.

4 people found this helpful

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BJP

Missing chapters? Missing character development

Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2016

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This book was better than the first, though I don't like this one either. I feel like the author needs to have more character development. I didn't feel like I knew the characters well. Valerie and Audrina are two characters I hate. They both go crazy, and I feel like the author is saying that women can't handle stress and difficult situations. I felt like Ethan was a robot, with little emotion. I didn't know Resha very well because the book only mentions her a few times, and she doesn't do anything interesting. The most interesting character was Siri, Ethan's sister. She was a firecracker with a lot going for her, but again, the author just didn't develop her character enough. There were also weird parts where I felt a chapter was out of place. The transitions were not great. Then there are parts of the book that completely skip interesting parts! Like when Siri goes underground with the lizard people! What happened? I don't know! Why? Because it's not in the book! I was so frustrated with that. Then later, Siri just shows up out of no where, and there is no explanation of where she came from (the caves) and what happened there. Then there are the missing guys from the tribe, they show up out of no where. Where did they come from? Where did they go? Where have they been? I don't know! I bought the kindle version, so maybe there were missing chapters? Again, I don't know. I will probably not read from this author again.

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RuddersReviews

A skillfully crafted blend of traditional sci-fi and the esoteric...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 22, 2016

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Set in a not too distant dystopian future, The Fifth Seed leaps slightly forward in time from where its prequel ends not long after the birth of Ethan, the central character’s son. Ethan is now a young man and largely replaces River, his father, as the central character here. I won't reiterate too much of the plot from the previous book or the amazon description for this one. What I can say is that this book is every bit as entertaining and thought provoking as its predecessor. Although a sequel, this also reads very well as a stand-alone book; there are plenty of flashbacks and references to the past that ensure the reader isn’t at a disadvantage not having read the prequel, though I would still recommend reading Beyond the Pale first to make for a more complete reading experience.

In addition to the divided society of the first book, namely the technologically advanced walled-in cities surrounded by the more spiritually motivated tribes that inhabit the world outside, the author introduces some more good solid science fiction concepts here in the shape of sentient artificial and non-human intelligence, mental and physical enhancements, both technologically advanced and tribal dystopian societies. In contrast though the author skilfully blends these concepts with the past into a wider story, encompassing man’s physical, mental, and spiritual evolution. Apart from such classics as 1984, Logan’s Run, and The shape of thing to Come, the author draws on many less obvious different sources for inspiration that have echoes of Ron L. Hubbard and to lesser extent a more coherent putting together of some of some of David Icke’s theories of Reptilian races. As in the first book, much of the science has its roots firmly in the science of today. Likewise with the more esoteric aspects of the book, i.e. the spirituality and the alien reptilian races are rooted in Native American spirituality and folklore as well many of the fringe theories of past civilisations, so even without a detailed knowledge of these things, there is still a believable familiarity in the writing and elements of the story.

On a slightly negative note the author does occasionally over explain some of the science and spiritual aspects of the book, though having said that, I prefer direct explanation over that of trying to show things by overly long and contrived dialogue. Explanations aside, the dialogue and writing flows easily and naturally. The story is divided into a large number of chapters, the lengths of which are dictated by their content rather than the author trying to maintain an artificial consistency.

This is an excellent sequel to Beyond the Pale, different enough to read as a separate story entirely yet sufficiently tied into the prequel to make for a more complete story. Towards the end it's easy to see parallels between Ethan and the inhabitants of the dystopian New Denver and that of Moses leading his people out of Egypt, and the way in which the author portrays this is nothing short of story telling at its near best. Although firmly placed in the sci-fi genre, The Fifth Seed is as much a story of human beings of any time or setting and the problems they and society face as it is of a sci-fi defined dystopian future. The blend of hard science, spirituality, religion, along with the all too human concepts of love, greed, power struggles, and a host of other familiar themes create an enthralling story that will have sci-fi fans coming back for more. As I've said, a superbly entertaining stand-alone book, but an ongoing story that will be all the more enhanced by reading the prequel first, especially given the likelihood of more to follow in this excellent series.

Tom

Is this our future?

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 3, 2015

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Until I’d read this author’s first book ‘Beyond The Pale’, dystopian was simply a word. In that first story I was transported into a futuristic world within a few paragraphs. Thanks to the author and me both having vivid imaginations, I was happy to believe.
‘The Fifth Seed’ could be read as a standalone, but I felt at an advantage because I had a clear understanding of the situation from the outset. For those who have not read the first story, there are sufficient and well-placed flashbacks, personal recollections and suchlike. Yes of course, many of the characters return, and the locations are repeated, but that is the key – it is the same place but further on in time.
For me, this sequel was like slipping into a well-worn outfit, and it felt comfortable. It is written in perspective, because only some technical aspects have advanced, but the religious and political situations have remained solid. This tale commences 20 years after the first instalment ends. The imagery and characterisation are as good as the first part, and there are some new and interesting additions. Threaded throughout this story are the activities of a young hero, whose creation is an excellent vehicle to carry disparate sub-plots.
If I was pushed to find a negative, it is not in the storytelling, which is excellent. The negative would be that the author has a tendency to over-explain in some instances. This is not a bad thing, because it demonstrates the level of passion the writer has for ensuring the reader’s complete understanding. Okay, so if you want a negative – that was it. Since when was over-explanation a crime. (That was a rhetorical question.)
Coming right back on a positive, we have the number of chapters. Yes, there are a lot of them, but they vary in length, which is good. It means that the reader is able to enjoy the story in digestible chunks. This is a great technique to aid the development of a character or a given situation.
Since reading Senan Gil Senan’s first book, it is still that title which comes to mind when I hear the word ‘dystopian’. If you’d like to be convinced that society could be clearly split by the state, and futuristic devices could take over our lives – check out this man’s work.

One person found this helpful

M. Slavidou

Beautifully related, well crafted tale. Highly recommended.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 5, 2016

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This is a beautifully crafted story, well worth setting aside the time to enjoy properly.

Senan Gil Senan has produced a novel of many layers and a host of characters. These are well-drawn and all the major players are fully rounded, fleshed out personalities. Even the more minor characters have some details and hints as to their traits, which is not easy to do, but in this case I was quite impressed.

An intriguing beginning draws us in, and we are plunged straight into the plot. A dystopian future set close enough to our reality to be believable, but with some elements of mysticism; we are called to imagine a further twist in human evolution. This is represented in the central character of Ethan, whose mental faculties and abilities are a source of fascination even to the sentient Artificial Intelligence that is a pivotal part of the plot. Ethan is a likeable young man, although slightly irritating at times. He disappears of his own free will into a city known to be dangerous and hostile to his people without leaving any proper message; I thought his casual lack of consideration for the feelings and probable reactions of his friends and relations was a deliberate reflection of his young age - and I would like to see further development of his character in a sequel.

This tale is not only about the future. It is also one of skilful exploration of human relations and emotions. The relationship between Nathan and Valerie feels very sad; as does Anton's perception of relationships in general. In contrast with this, we have an immediate attraction between Ethan and his host's daughter. This seemed to me a reflection of the same dynamic for Ethan's father in the first book of the series. A bit of a cliche perhaps, but it works very well here. I also enjoyed the similarly cliched byplay between Dakota and Audrina. A trusted literary device in a book of surprises.
My one criticism is that I felt that there was scope for a lot more development of the sub-plots, such as the trip into the caves or the attack on Avana. Perhaps in the third book in the series...?

One person found this helpful

Lesley Hayes

Rich with so many layers and elements

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 11, 2015

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Read Senan Gil Senan’s biography on Amazon and you will learn much about what drives his fiction. His interests are listed as including psychology, noetic science, physics, theology & philosophy and ancient history, and without ever showing the join in any obvious way he manages to bring all these elements together in his work. I was mesmerised by the first book in the Beyond the Pale series and eager to read this sequel. Once again I was drawn ineluctably into the futuristic world he has created. Like all true visionaries, this author has fashioned an absolutely believable scenario in which spirituality and technology vie for precedence on a global level, much as they do on a personal level many of us recognise. Without giving away any of the story, I loved the direction in which it gathered momentum, ultimately pulling together both towards potential collaborative coexistence. There are bad guys and good guys in this book, and as readers we are forced to examine what constitutes both. Human nature in all its noble beauty and crass self-interest and aggrandisement is exposed, written with an empathic feel for the characters as they struggle to find their way. The ‘Fifth Seed’ of the title is the central protagonist, and while being crucial in bringing about reconciliation between New Denver and The Outlands, he is also the catalyst for the other main players to discover and decide on which side of the divide they stand. There is an actual as well as a symbolic divide that must be breached, and this is skilfully depicted by the author. To say more would involve giving spoilers rather than hints, so I will only add that this book is rich with so many layers and elements, beautifully written, and one I highly recommend you read, along with the first book in the series. Each stand alone – an important quality – but your enjoyment will be doubled!

3 people found this helpful

J.C.

an excellent sequel, fast paced

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 25, 2015

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An excellent sequel fast paced and entertaining book. filled with clever touches that at times makes you want to re read parts of it. it really takes you on journey and makes you feel the excitement of the ride. his description of his world is so meticulous that you at times convinced that such a state could exist. The mix of spirituality woven into an incredible adventure makes for an excellent read.

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THE FIFTH SEED (Beyond the pale Book 2) Kindle Edition

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About the author

Senan Gil Senan

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