Escape From Desolation

The captain of an exploration vessel is the only survivor when his ship explodes. Crash landing on a desolate and uncharted planet, he encounters an ancient alien society that has forgotten their history and relies on strict laws to protect marginal natural resources. Although he is given a path to integrate into their society, he struggles to accept the stagnation of their version of utopia. Unbeknownst to him, his arrival begins a chain of events that threatens the entire planet.

When an earth exploration vessel explodes, a captain takes an escape pod with a handful of the crew. The pod goes off course and crashes on a desolate and uncharted planet. After an initial cataclysmic clash with locals, the captain is the only survivor. He encounters an ancient alien society that has forgotten their history and relies on strict laws to protect marginal natural resources. Those laws doom his shipmates but lead him on an ironic path towards integration within their society. Although they regard their world as utopian, he struggles to accept the sterility and stagnation of their everyday life. While he is welcomed into their world, not everyone is happy he is there. Something is not right, and his arrival begins a change of events that threatens the entire society. While he searches for a way to escape the planet, he also finds reasons to stay.

Rob is a former scientist, corporate lawyer, and systems manager who retained his passion for art and writing throughout his many careers. Writing was a way to pass the time on long train commutes, where he wrote a full-length novel (but not about trains). His artwork intensified after becoming a stay-at-home Dad, and he began participating in art shows around Chicago. His creative energy largely concentrates on writing, but he also paints and sculpts, focusing on whimsical penguins.