Photojournalist Thayer writes novel
WAILUKU - Maui photojournalist Matthew Thayer, whose award-winning images have appeared for decades in The Maui News, shows another dimension of his talent as the author of a just-published historical action-adventure ebook, "30,000 B.C. Chronicles: Bordeaux."
His sci-fi, time-travel plot transports a party from the dried-out, overpopulated year 2233 back to the European continent 30 millennia before the advent of modern time.
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MAUI'S MATTHEW THAYER, self-published first novel
Their space craft is shipwrecked in "a sea of green, a sensory overload of natural beauty," according to a release.
"Strong women, brave men, despicable villains, the characters rise to meet the many challenges of the ancient world. The memories they share of home, and the scarred earth they left behind, paint an intriguing picture of mankind's future," the release continues.
Thayer pits the modern humans into the Cro-Magnon world where they learn new survival skills from the nomadic tribes but are still confronted with universal philosophical, spiritual and ethical questions of what it means to be human.
"Troubles begin when one of the Italian crewmembers introduces advanced warfare and his warped brand of religion to his Cro-Magnon clan," the release continues. "The empire builder starts a race across the continent as his companions struggle to halt a ministry of domination that could alter the course of humanity."
The work garnered early reviews from those who read it in galley proofs.
"It should come with a warning label there is a risk of a sleepless night totally immersed in Matthew Thayer's engaging story," said Dr. William Bloedon of Westport, New Zealand.
Saying that the book "goes far beyond science fiction," former Maui News Opinion Page editor and Hawaii Public Radio correspondent Ronald Youngblood adds, " 'The 30,000 B.C. Chronicles' combines the best aspects of 'Swiss Family Robinson' and 'Star Trek.' You'll find yourself loving some of the fully fleshed characters and detesting the villains at the center of the religious mystery. It's a page-turner that's hard to put down."
"Matthew Thayer's imagination is as sharp, sweeping and powerful as the cameras that have made him an award-winning photojournalist. In the '30,000 B.C. Chronicles,' he creates a unique world in fascinating detail, where ancient and modern realities collide in one thrilling adventure after another," according to Rick Chatenever, features editor of The Maui News
'Bordeaux' is the first ebook in a projected series, with 'Tuscany' set for release in fall 2012. 'Bordeaux' is available exclusively on Amazon Kindle.
For more information, visit 30000bc.com, call 276-0076, or email matthew@30000bc.com.
