Trigger [Paperback]

Todd Durrant (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 29, 2009

What if we could build a machine to guarantee survival...at all costs!

The survivors of a devastating mechanical invasion have used every possible resource to flee to Epsilon Eridani where humanity must start over. With unimaginable ingenuity and determination they build a new home in New Eden, a huge habitat orbiting the star. But despite the true pioneering spirit that keeps them alive, there is a growing division. Should humanity continue to spread among the stars, or launch a powerful counterattack and retake Earth from the mysterious enemy? Most important of all-- would a military victory be tantamount to suicide?



"Trigger" is an imaginative piece of speculative history where multiple timelines are brought together to unveil a story where grand designs cause havoc on the space-time continuum. Even the best intentions of brilliant minds and the altruistic desires of rising leaders can collide and crumble into chaos when the truth is only revealed in the shadows.

Product Details

• Paperback: 380 pages
• Publisher: Outskirts Press (April 29, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1432711520
• ISBN-13: 978-1432711528
• Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 9.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,822,433 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I have spent my entire career since graduating from Brigham Young University running my own music business. As the owner of a music store (both physical and online) and a record label, I've had many wonderful opportunities to get to know musicians, share in the production and marketing of their wonderful music, and have lived one of my long-time dreams. Yet, I've always had another strong drive that I have pushed aside until recently, and that is the desire to be an author and write the kinds of books that I like to read.

In 2006 I began working on a book that was initially called "Project Redemption" (the title was later changed to "Trigger"). Though I had very little time for writing, I found an hour or two each weekend to sit in front of a laptop and work on my story. It took two years to finish the first draft, then another year to go through three more edits. Finally, in 2009, "Trigger" saw the light of day in print!

Though I have felt a great sense of accomplishment in simply seeing the project from start to finish and am pleased with initial reviews and feedback, I hope that it is only the beginning. I continue to work on other books, including a sequel to "Trigger" and a fantasy for young readers named "Gracie Twofeet". Though time is always too fleeting and there are so many other things that demand a piece of the schedule, I will find a way to keep writing.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun Sci-Fi that Makes You Think, May 26, 2009

By 

David Langford - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Trigger (Paperback)

I got the 8th signed copy (available from the Author's website), and I read it in just three days (and I'm a busy family man) because I couldn't put it down. It's very visual while having lots of twists and turns that keep you guessing.

I like the discussion of space-time paradoxes and the futuristic technologies reminiscent of maybe a pre- Star Trek: Enterprise series. Also, reading this book reminds me what a primal motivation love is in our decisions, small and important.

It was awesome. 5 Stars.

If it were a movie the high concept could be Battlestar Galactica meets the grandfather paradox and throw in a little Independence Day.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Book, August 25, 2009

By 

Steven Daniels "ElevatedSteve" (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Trigger (Paperback)

I just wanted to state that this is a truly wonderful story and I had trouble putting it down. Now that I have finished reading it, I really miss it. I want more, and I hope Todd is working on another book!
Also, the science in this book is very realistic. I never felt that something in the story was totally impossible in reality.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent First Book for Todd Durrant!!!, July 22, 2009

By 

Eddie Minzenmayer "TG Mondalf" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Trigger (Paperback)

Trigger is the first complete novel by Todd Durrant, owner of A Different Drum record label. While A Different Drum is known for great modern Synthpop, Todd Durrant will quickly be known for great and philosophically thought provoking science-fiction. I was extremely impressed with this as a first work by him and anxiously look forward to more. The story was riveting and I couldn't put it down! It is the type of story with many interesting layers of plot revelation that keeps the reader on edge waiting to see what will happen next. I loved that it was not overly predictable as I find many stories both written and filmed to often be. Instead, this just seemed to get more curious with every page turned.

The most difficult thing about writing this review is that I really don't want to include too many, if any, spoilers as the greatest fun about reading it was the interesting turns the plot took as more information was revealed. Basically, the story takes place in two different timelines. In one, you have a group of human exiles from Earth who are trying to make their way in space after forcefully leaving the planet due to a an invasion by mechanical "lifeforms". In this timeline, there are divergent political perspectives revolving around either going back to retake Earth by force or expanding further into space and pioneering further development and growth. In the other timeline, which is pre-invasion, the focus revolves around a major corporation, scientific development, and a secret project to help prevent human annihilation by creating a device which is only activated after the calamity has occurred by using a trigger backwards in time to activate it.

The only criticism I have at all about this work is that I think more development could have been done on the desperation that humans faced in the future on these remote space colonies. However, in many ways the author did make it obvious and other readers may likely disagree with me on this one as much of the first part of the book does have quite a bit relating to this in it. However, I have to admit, character development is probably the most difficult aspect of writing a fiction novel and a marked improvement was shown as the story developed. Overall, I think Todd did a great job and I really liked the characters he created. They are all unique and interesting, no carbon copies, archetypical or stereotypes here except maybe where The Admiral is concerned but that is at it should be in my opinion. I also like that he has strong female characters and sensitive male characters. He also shows many situations where their actions are very human indeed, sometimes logical and sometimes purely emotional, but most often a combination of both as their plight is very unique and unusual. I also like the tech in this book and how he stuck to realistic descriptions regarding the physical dynamics of space, unlike the hollywood movies where you see and hear great explosions and flames in space.

Overall, the book has great technological ideas, interesting philosphical questions, multiple timelines, fairly well developed characters, mostly unpredictable plot lines and a very compelling story!

Trigger