Dark Matter [Paperback]

S. W. Ahmed (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 4, 2008

Dark matter, the invisible substance that constitutes the bulk of all matter in the universe, remains one of science's greatest mysteries. But what if it actually is nothing more than ordinary matter purposely hidden from our view? What if we are only allowed to see a small fraction of the stars in our galaxy, because the vast majority of star systems are teeming with aliens who wish to remain unseen? Marc Zemin, a brilliant student of astrophysics, is the first human to ever stumble upon this startling secret, when his experiments with wormhole travel cause aliens to land on Earth and whisk him away into space. To his astonishment, the aliens want his help in fighting a colossal galactic war that is rapidly spiraling out of control. But as he struggles to survive from battle to battle across the farthest reaches of the galaxy, he begins to uncover a horrifying conspiracy at play, striving to keep the warring civilizations in continuous conflict with each other. A desperate race against time ensues, as he and a handful of newfound alien friends try to stop the war and confront this mysterious, powerful force bent on destroying all life in the galaxy. But any hope of their success surprisingly appears to hinge on just one thing - whether or not Marc has the strength to overcome his own demons and face the shattering truth about who he really is.

NOTE: Dark Matter is a classic style space opera combined with elements of fantasy. It is not a pure or hard science fiction book. You can always preview it first to see if it's the kind of story or writing style you'll like. On Google Books, nearly a third of the book can be previewed for free.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"More than a simple adventure story, Ahmed has managed to create a unique first novel."
--W Thomas Payne, Associated Content (Top Ten Best Selling Science Fiction Books of 2008)

"What if we could travel travel faster than the speed of light? Ahmed explores this question in his first novel... with alien abductions, the theory of dark matter and galactic warfare."
--SalientGate, Best Science Fiction Books of 2008

"While clearly in the 50's pulp-sf tradition with Arabian Nights sensibilities, this is a fun debut with a very diverse cast." --Fantasy Book Critic

"A sci-fi debut that shows great potential." --Kirkus Discoveries

From the Author

My goal was not to write another typical contemporary science fiction novel or one that restricted itself completely to the boundaries of current scientific knowledge. Rather, it was to write a fascinating, exciting adventure story that blended science fiction and fantasy in such a way that it would stretch the imagination of most readers to their limits. I hope you enjoy reading it as I much as I did writing it.

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Brane Science Fiction (March 4, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0981526306
• ISBN-13: 978-0981526300
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (96 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #730,165 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

S.W. (Sajjad Waiz) Ahmed is an American science fiction writer of Bangladeshi origin. He grew up in Austria and moved to the United States at the age of 18, where he studied electrical engineering and pursued a career in computer software. A keen follower of science and an avid reader of science fiction since childhood, he now writes his own sci-fi stories as a hobby. He currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area with his family. Dark Matter is his first novel.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

47 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read, thought provoking, and some nifty surprises, August 21, 2008

By 

Chris (Danville, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dark Matter (Paperback)

I really enjoyed reading this book!
There are interesting characters, the plot makes sense, and there's lots of action. I'm a college-educated guy, so poorly researched writing, fiction or otherwise, doesn't fly well with me. The author did a good job of fact-finding, and raises some interesting ideas about the universe and who/what's in it. It has some pretty far-out stuff in it, but there's enough science and reality in it to allow the reader to suspend disbelief long enough to thoroughly enjoy the book!

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A fairly original sci-fi fantasy, November 18, 2009

By 

Teejayess "Assyranok" (Maryland) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Dark Matter (Paperback)

Dark Matter is partly the story of a young man named Marc as he goes from a graduate student at MIT, working on time travel, to the savior of an alien species. It is also partly the story of Dumyan, an Alien called an Altaran that goes on a journey to save his father's honor and restore him to a position of leadership among his people.

It is an interesting science fiction story that leaves virtually no cliché-rock unturned. The author often blatantly decries the clichés surrounding aliens in the science fiction genre when he says, "He had considered it a waste of time to read science fiction stories or watch movies about creatures from outer space with drooling, insect-like faces and slimy tentacles," But then he embraces them himself by having female aliens with human female characteristics and vice versa for males.

The book is a novella that struggles to find a niche at times as if it is meant to be for educated and curious adults, with long-winded descriptions of the science involved in black holes, time travel, and dark matter, but at other times, the writing style and simplistic imagery seems more suited for young adults.

The book is, by all accounts, self-published, but is listed as being published by Bane Science Fiction. The publisher has no web page, only an e-mail. The book has become widely popular on the websites that sell it, such as Amazon, where I purchased it. However, its humble roots are all too apparent at times. The author does a great deal of telling us what is unfolding, and almost never shows us. On the second page alone, the narrator gives us a long description of Marc, several parts make me laugh out loud. One line reads, "His head was filled with short, spiky dark brown hair." So where his brains should be, there was spiky brown hair?

The book takes pride in a unique and detailed story that actually skirts the border of fantasy as it barrels through space. Magic is suddenly thrown into the mix abruptly. Dark Matter seems to be an attempt to overshoot the clichés that litter the science fiction genre, but ultimately finds itself comfortably fitting between the others. Not that the storyline isn't unique, it is engaging and fresh, but the devices used in this story can be seen in many others. It's a recommended read for anybody that enjoys alien science fiction and the science behind our universe.

22 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book of awesome possibilities!, April 25, 2010

By 

Cobey K. Cobb "Cobey" (Montgomery, AL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Dark Matter (Paperback)

I just finished reading "Dark Matter" last night and I loved every minute of it. I went into the book expecting a "small" story trying to tackle the mystery of dark matter and was blown away by a mind boggling epic. This is one of those rare books that comes along from an author who is somehow able to think completely out of the box and delivers great story on every page. I highly suggest this to anyone who is even remotely interested in science fiction or anyone out there interested in science who has yet to try out a science fiction story. I guarantee you won't be disappointed!