John Carter and the gods of Hollywood : [the true story of what went wrong with Disney's John Carter and why Edgar Rice Burroughs' original superhero isn't dead yet

Sometimes a ghost of a chance is all you get.Award-winning author Chris Moriarty returns to a dazzling cyber-noir far future in this gritty, high-stakes thriller where the only rule is “Evolve... or die.” The Age of Man is ending. The UN's sprawling interstellar empire is failing as its quantum teleportation network collapses, turning once-viable colonies into doomed island outposts. Humanity's only hope of survival is the Drift: a mysterious region of space where faster-than-light travel—or something far stranger—seems possible. As mercenaries and pirates flock to the Drift, the cold war between the human-led UN and the clone-dominated Syndicates heats up. Whoever controls the Drift will chart the future course of human evolution—and no one wants to be left behind in a universe where the price of failure is extinction.When the AI called Cohen ventures into the Drift, he dies—allegedly by his own hand—and his consciousness is scattered across the cosmos. Some of his ghosts are still self-aware. Some are insane. And one of them hides a secret worth killing for. Enter Major Catherine Li, Cohen's human (well, partly human) lover, who embarks on a desperate search to solve the mystery of Cohen's death—and put him back together. But Li isn't the only one interested in Cohen's ghosts. Astrid Avery, a by-the-book UN navy captain, is on the hunt. So is William Llewellyn, a pirate who has one of the ghosts in his head, which is slowly eating him alive. Even the ghosts have their own agendas. And lurking behind them all is a pitiless enemy who will stop at nothing to make sure the dead don't walk again.Praise for Ghost Spin “Complexity is the watchword here, of thought, idea, narrative, character and plot.... Highly rewarding.”—Kirkus Reviews “Rewarding... The adaptations humans make to survive in the hostile environments of other worlds, a galaxy teetering on the edge of singularity... are genuinely visionary.”—Publishers Weekly “This stand-along ‘spin-off'offers a compelling tale of adventure/suspense blended with cybernoir and high-tech sf.”—Library Journal “An excellent read: gripping, fast-paced, provocative and handsome.”—Tordotcom “A brilliant mix of space opera, cyberpunk, and just plain great writing, Moriarty's work is some of the most impressive in science fiction today.”—SFRevu Sometimes a ghost of a chance is all you get. Award-winning author Chris Moriarty returns to a dazzling cyber-noir far future in this gritty, high-stakes thriller where the only rule is Evolve . . . or die. The Age of Man is ending. The UNs sprawling interstellar empire is failing as its quantum teleportation network collapses, turning once-viable colonies into doomed island outposts. Humanitys only hope of survival is the a mysterious region of space where faster-than-light travelor something far strangerseems possible. As mercenaries and pirates flock to the Drift, the cold war between the human-led UN and the clone-dominated Syndicates heats up. Whoever controls the Drift will chart the future course of human evolutionand no one wants to be left behind in a universe where the price of failure is extinction. When the AI called Cohen ventures into the Drift, he diesallegedly by his own handand his consciousness is scattered across the cosmos. Some of his ghosts are still self-aware. Some are insane. And one of them hides a secret worth killing for. Enter Major Catherine Li, Cohens human (well, partly human) lover, who embarks on a desperate search to solve the mystery of Cohens deathand put him back together. But Li isnt the only one interested in Cohens ghosts. Astrid Avery, a by-the-book UN navy captain, is on the hunt. So is William Llewellyn, a pirate who has one of the ghosts in his head, which is slowly eating him alive. Even the ghosts have their own agendas. And lurking behind them all is a pitiless enemy who will stop at nothing to make sure the dead dont walk again. Praise for Ghost Spin Complexity is the watchword here, of thought, idea, narrative, character and plot. . . . Highly rewarding. Kirkus Reviews Rewarding . . . The adaptations humans make to survive in the hostile environments of other worlds, a galaxy teetering on the edge of singularity . . . are genuinely visionary. Publishers Weekly This stand-along spin-off offers a compelling tale of adventure/suspense blended with cybernoir and high-tech sf. Library Journal An excellent gripping, fast-paced, provocative and handsome. Tordotcom A brilliant mix of space opera, cyberpunk, and just plain great writing, Moriartys work is some of the most impressive in science fiction today. SFRevu

Sometimes a ghost of a chance is all you get.

Award-winning author Chris Moriarty returns to a dazzling cyber-noir far future in this gritty, high-stakes thriller where the only rule is “Evolve . . . or die.”
 
The Age of Man is ending. The UN’s sprawling interstellar empire is failing as its quantum teleportation network collapses, turning once-viable colonies into doomed island outposts. Humanity’s only hope of survival is the Drift: a mysterious region of space where faster-than-light travel—or something far stranger—seems possible. As mercenaries and pirates flock to the Drift, the cold war between the human-led UN and the clone-dominated Syndicates heats up. Whoever controls the Drift will chart the future course of human evolution—and no one wants to be left behind in a universe where the price of failure is extinction.

When the AI called Cohen ventures into the Drift, he dies—allegedly by his own hand—and his consciousness is scattered across the cosmos. Some of his ghosts are still self-aware. Some are insane. And one of them hides a secret worth killing for. Enter Major Catherine Li, Cohen’s human (well, partly human) lover, who embarks on a desperate search to solve the mystery of Cohen’s death—and put him back together. But Li isn’t the only one interested in Cohen’s ghosts. Astrid Avery, a by-the-book UN navy captain, is on the hunt. So is William Llewellyn, a pirate who has one of the ghosts in his head, which is slowly eating him alive. Even the ghosts have their own agendas. And lurking behind them all is a pitiless enemy who will stop at nothing to make sure the dead don’t walk again.

How do you get to the Red Planet? Not via a benighted government program trapped in red tape and bound by budget constrictions, thats for sure. No, what it will take is a helping of adventure, science, corporate powerplays, a generous dollop of seductionboth in and out of the boardroomand money, money, money! Art Thrasher knows this. He is a man with a driving vision: send humans to Mars. The government has utterly failed, but Thrasher has got the plan to accomplish such a feat: form a club or billionaires to chip in one billion a year until the dream is accomplished. But these are men and women who are tough cookies, addicted to a profitable bottom-line, and disdainful of pie-in-the-sky dreamers who want to use their cash to make somebody elses dreams come true. But Thrasher is different from the other dreamers in an important regard: hes a billionaire himself, and the president of a successful company. But its going to take all his wiles as a captain of industry and master manipulator of business and capital to overcome setbacks and sabotageand get a rocket full of scientist, engineers, visionaries, and dreamers on their way to the Red Planet. The man for the job has arrived. Art Thrasher is prepared to do whatever it takes to humans on Marsor die trying! **In Michael Flynn's thrilling space opera, *On the Razor's Edge*, the secret war among the Shadows of the Name is escalating, and there are hints that it is not so secret as the Shadows had thought.** The scarred man, Donovan buigh, half honored guest and half prisoner, is carried deeper into the Confederation, all the way to Holy Terra herself, to help plan the rebel assault on the Secret City. If he does not soon remember the key information locked inside his fractured mind, his rebel friends may resort to torture to pull it from his subconscious. Meanwhile, Bridget ban has organized a posse-a pack of Hounds-to go in pursuit of her kidnapped daughter, despite knowing that Ravn Olafsdottr kidnapped the harper precisely to lure Bridget ban in her wake. The Hound, the harper, and the scarred man wind deeper into a web of deceit and treachery certain of only one thing: nothing, absolutely nothing, is what it seems to be. ([Source][1]) [1]: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781466815537/ontherazorsedge/ The Secret War Among The Shadows Of The Name Is Escalating, And There Are Hints That It Is Not So Secret As The Shadows Had Thought. The Scarred Man, Donovan Buigh, Half Honored Guest And Half Prisoner, Is Carried Deeper Into The Confederation, All The Way To Holy Terra Herself, To Help Plan The Rebel Assault On The Secret City. If He Does Not Soon Remember The Key Information Locked Inside His Fractured Mind, His Rebel Friends May Resort To Torture To Pull It From His Subconscious. Meanwhile, Bridget Ban Has Organized A Posse--a Pack Of Hounds--to Go In Pursuit Of Her Kidnapped Daughter, Despite Knowing That Ravn Olafsdottr Kidnapped The Harper Precisely To Lure Bridget Ban In Her Wake. The Hound, The Harper, And The Scarred Man Wind Deeper Into A Web Of Deceit And Treachery Certain Of Only One Thing: Nothing, Absolutely Nothing, Is What It Seems To Be--dust Jacket Flap. Michael Flynn. A Tom Doherty Associates Book. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 347-349). "The secret war among the Shadows of the Name is escalating, and there are hints that it is not so secret as the Shadows had thought. The scarred man, Donovan buigh, half honored guest and half prisoner, is carried deeper into the Confederation, all the way to Holy Terra herself, to help plan the rebel assault on the Secret City. If he does not soon remember the key information locked inside his fractured mind, his rebel friends may resort to torture to pull it from his subconscious. Meanwhile, Bridget ban has organized a posse--a pack of Hounds--to go in pursuit of her kidnapped daughter, despite knowing that Ravn Olafsdottr kidnapped the harper precisely to lure Bridget ban in her wake. The Hound, the harper, and the scarred man wind deeper into a web of deceit and treachery certain of only one thing: nothing, absolutely nothing, is what it seems to be"-- Provided by publisher "How do you get to the Red Planet? Not via a benighted government program trapped in red tape. Art Thrasher knows this. He is a man with a driving vision: send humans to Mars. Thrasher has a plan. Form a 'club' of billionaires to chip in one billion a year until the dream is accomplished. A billionaire himself and the president of a successful company, it will take all his wiles and master manipulator of business and capital to overcome setbacks and sabotage--and get a rocket full of scientists, engineers, visionaries and dreamers on their way to the Red Planet"-- Provided by publisher The UN's sprawling interstellar empire is failing, and humanity's only hope of survival is the Drift: a mysterious region of space where faster-than-light travel seems possible. As mercenaries and pirates flock to the Drift, the cold war between the human-led UN and the clone-dominated Syndicates heats up. When the AI called Cohen ventures into the Drift, he dies-- allegedly by his own hand-- and his consciousness is scattered across the cosmos. Some of his ghosts are still self-aware. Some are insane. And one of them hides a secret worth killing for. "It took 100 years to bring Edgar Rice Burroughs' John Carter of Mars to the big screen. It took Disney Studios just ten days to declare the film a flop and lock it away in the Disney vaults. How did this project, despite its quarter-billion dollar budget, the brilliance of director Andrew Stanton, and the creative talents of legendary Pixar Studios, become a calamity of historic proportions?"--P. [4] of cover "It took 100 years to bring Edgar Rice Burroughs' John Carter of Mars to the big screen. It took Disney Studios just ten days to declare the film a flop and lock it away in the Disney vaults. How did this project, despite its quarter-billion dollar budget, the brilliance of director Andrew Stanton, and the creative talents of legendary Pixar Studios, become a calamity of historic proportions?"--Page 4 of cover