Starting of Hope

About the Book

With four books in the series, Doug decided to set up the stories in two paired texts that fit together naturally, Starting of Hope being the first. Rekindling of Hope This was drafted as a political commentary under the cloak of a science-fiction novel. Since it was written, some of the issues in the book are already in dramatic focus. It is the year 2022. Planet Earth is in serious trouble, and an alien superintelligence called the Bearing has decided to intervene to stop humanity from imploding. The story traces the political and geophysical issues at play while following the emotional lives of three key people involved in the plan to avoid disaster and save mankind in this dramatic science-fiction novel. A story of political warfare, shifting geographical and scientific schools of thought, sabotage, love, and a journey to worldwide reform, Rekindling of Hope promises nothing less than a spectacular view into the impending future of planet Earth, if completely new political and economic reforms cannot be achieved in time. The book should be taken as a warning of what might happen if current political and economic problems are not addressed effectively. Consolidation of Hope Originating from an epic sci-fi thread that began with the Shepherd family in Rekindling of Hope, author Doug Lavers’s second book reaches beyond the ecopolitical realm of earth to explore the cosmic possibilities of the first generation of Shepherd successors. Consolidation of Hope, the second book of his Rejuvenation series, follows the personal development of the Shepherd twins, Katie and Tim, and the latter’s encounter with an aggressive species called the Calai. Following on Rekindling of Hope, this book moves away from the local political action of the first book onto an interstellar stage. Peter, hidden ruler of the Melbourne institute, and his wife, Zoe, continue to deftly control the tide of events while trying desperately to stay in the background. Fortunately, their twin children, Tim and Katie, rapidly grow into positions where they become influential. Nearly two decades of relative peace and stability are threatened when an alien species, known as the Calai, approach Earth before a solar system–wide defensive shield can be completed. Brilliantly unfolding each eventful occurrence with thrilling pace, Lavers reveals how the conflict is handled with the help of the overarching intelligence known as the Bearing and the significant roles the twins played in achieving consensus in the thick of dispute. “It is a story of planning, character growth, drama, and new possibilities for the human race,” Lavers says. “It includes more ecology and, to some extent, less violence than most similar novels. It is a lively and interesting story, with significant dramatic and film possibilities.”

About the Author

An Oxford graduate and retired financial executive, author Doug Lavers used his wealth of knowledge and experience to write the Rejuvenation Series. After originally reading chemistry with a topic in solid-state physics for his thesis, Doug worked at a stock broker’s office for several years before taking an MBA. He went on to work as an engineering cost analyst and later a money market dealer at Ford’s Research and Engineering Centre. He moved to the South Coast of England, where he met his wife, and the two relocated to Melbourne, Australia. Doug held a number of senior positions in the finance industry before becoming a financial planner. Now retired, he enjoys playing bridge, gardening, reading, traveling, and debating green and ecological issues with his daughter. The Rejuvenation series was drafted between 2013 and 2015 and comprises four books. While some of the characters, people, and events follow on from book to book, in character, they are all different. Rekindling of Hope—political novel written in 2013 thinly disguised as a science fiction drama. Consolidation of Hope—pure science-fiction novel. Fulfilment of Hope—although nominally a science-fiction drama, a significant part of the book was about how to renovate the ecology of a primitive planet. Defence of Hope—this book has two timelines, one of which goes into the past using a backdrop of real characters and events dressed up with a fictional narrative, while the other moves into the far future. The timelines regularly intersect, and it is actually a mystery novel in the sense that a perceptive reader might guess before the end what was actually happening. A few clues were scattered through the text.