Another concept illustration for “Faraway Star” has come out!

My science fiction novel, Faraway Star, came out June 11, a little less than two months ago. While it’s still very much a sleeper and will probably remain so, it’s started to garner some good reviews, which I’ll talk about in a moment. However, Nayomi_arts, the UK-based artist who did the cover and also a previous bit of art that I shared with you a few months ago, has finished her second illustration related to the book, and here it is. It’s great to be able to show it to you, and really gratifying to see something I envisioned when writing the book become something tangible in the real world. (Here is where you can get it, by the way).

This scene occurs in Chapter 13 of Faraway Star. Raljebi, the central character, and his friends have spent 55 days under siege in the Legations Quarter of the city of Quaah, on the planet Mira, by a group of xenophobic aliens trying to wipe them out. A convoy of rescue ships has just arrived, and they’re on the way to the landing field to try to get on them. There will be a critical and dangerous traverse to get there. As you can see, the city is on fire behind them, and the dawn has come up red and smoky. Raljebi’s friend Quilq, a Menkarian, is at the left; next to him is Quiloam, also a Menkarian, and behind her Noh Rillem, a fellow humanoid Caprionese who features prominently in the book. The satchel that Raljebi is carrying is a spacesuit bag, which holds the as-yet unhatched egg of the child he had with his girlfriend, Queyzan (Quilq’s cousin), who is dead by this point in the story. This is one of the tensest moments in the book.

You’ll notice that the city behind them looks very Chinese in character. The portion of the book involving the siege is loosely based on the siege of the foreign Legations in Beijing by the Yihetuan, the so-called “Boxers,” in China in the summer of 1900. That event is usually referred to in Western discourse as the Boxer Rebellion, but I find that term problematic for a number of reasons. That siege, incidentally, also lasted 55 days. Science fiction is a genre where you can recast and reexamine history in any number of allegorical ways, and there’s a lot of history in Faraway Star, as you probably know.

I remember writing an early draft of this scene while on the way to visit my sister for Thanksgiving in the year 1997. Thus, it’s been in my head for nearly 30 years, but not until last month was I able to see it visualized, thanks to Nayomi. I think this is a magnificent illustration and I’m very happy with it.

Reviewer Matt McAvoy recently gave a five-star review to Faraway Star, in which he said:

It is actually a fantastic book for many reasons. Don’t expect action, but rather an exceptionally well-crafted, very human exploration of life from a different perspective. I’m not generally a fan of sci-fi, but this was so much more. If you can accept going into it that there are undeniable political messages in this book, you’re in for a tremendously enjoyable read, which I strongly recommend.

Here are all the previous articles I’ve done on the Garden involving Faraway Star:

• The books I’m working on: Faraway Star and Wild Among the Moons (an introduction to the concepts of the books).
• Choose your weapon: The tech of my science fiction book Faraway Star (specifically about the role of technology in science fiction and storytelling).
• Strange synchronicity: Finishing an antiwar novel in a time of war (related to the outbreak of the conflict with Iran, and the antiwar message of Faraway Star).
• The first concept art for Faraway Star is out! (showcasing a previous image of the main character and an early setting).
• More concept art for Faraway Star is out! (showing another view of an episode from the book).
• Cover Reveal: Faraway Star, my upcoming science fiction novel (showing the cover art publicly for the first time).
• Chapter 1 of Faraway Star, my new science fiction novel (giving you the text of the first chapter).
• My book Faraway Star is out! (official announcement of the book release).

Illustration by Nayomi Arts, all rights reserved.

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