Tides
On a massive oceanic world, two separate intelligent species have evolved on the only two continents.
Paras is a rich, vibrant realm of plenty, where the inhabitants never know want or hardship and society is built upon kindness and honesty. On the other side of the world lies Ortok, a harsh, volcanic land where the denizens have mastered deceit and cruelty in order to survive. Neither race has ever encountered the other.
Until now.
When a bold young Parassian explorer hears rumors of Ortok, he braves the savage seas to discover a new frontier. But his adventurous spirit is about to pull both Paras and Ortok into a conflict that could re-make both societies forever…
Reviews
“Mr. Mackay has a pulse-pounding tale of discovery and a fourteenth century, first-contact situation. Lots of fun.”Philadelphia Weekly Press
“Harrowing.”Publishers Weekly
“Blending deft, inventive characterizations into a masterfully lucid, action-centered narrative, Mackay’s latest should appeal strongly to fans of military and alien-world-based sf.”Booklist
“Set in a fully realized alien landscape, TIDES is an intriguing ‘first contact’ story. Readers will appreciate the clever twists of plot and Mackay’s subtly dropped clues that not all is as it seems.”Starlog
“Scott Mackay delivers a story in the tradition of Jules Verne’s Journey to the Center of the Earth, Murray Leinster’s The Forgotten Planet, Edgar Rice Burroughs’ The Land That Time Forgot and even Waterworld [...] a strong dose of traditional science-fiction adventure. Mackay hurls the reader through waver after wave of intense action. Readers will thirst for action, adventure and drama, no to mention massive amounts of water, will love this book.”SciFi.com
“Mackay put forth an interesting and thought-provoking novel. While the novel ended with closure, the world itself may be ripe for more stories about Parras and Ortok. In total, TIDES was an entertaining novel of cultural conflict and rite of passage.”SFFWorld
“Scott Mackay’s TIDES is a suspenseful odyssey across the seas and continents of a strange new world, fast-paced and satisfying.”Robert Wilson
“A rousing narrative of discovery and survival in a world where you don’t want to be around when the tide comes in. Mackay left me hanging onto my lifeboat.”Jack McDevitt, award-winning author of Polaris and Seeker