Falling Star

[PhilipChen]

Alan Caruba, a Charter Member of the National Book Critics Circle, had this to say about Falling Star:

It is rare when a novelist makes his debut with as powerful a novel as Philip Chen’s Falling Star ($15.25, available from Amazon.com, softcover and on Kindle). It begins in 1967 and concludes in the Oval Office in 1993. In between Chen introduces you to an array of characters, all of whom have unique talents, some of whom are U.S. Navy officers, some with the FBI, all devoted to the protection of their nation. They are a handful of people who know about mysterious entities far beneath the surface of the waters surrounding the U.S. Others are members of a rogue KGB unit, moles who lived among us, but whose mission ended when the former Soviet Union collapsed. This novel stands out for the way you are introduced not just to the characters, but the physical reality in which they live, the sights and even the smells. Slowly and then with increasing intensity, the mysteries are unraveled, the enemies identified, as life and death often hangs in the balance. Drawing on his own life as an ocean research engineer, attorney and banker, Chen brings an authenticity to the novel that provides a heart-pounding reality that forces you to ask “What if?” What if Earth was under observation by those from another planet that is circling a dying sun? What if they intended to colonize it? What if the year for this was 2013? If you read just one novel in 2011, make it Falling Star.


http://bookviewsbyalancaruba.blogspot.com/

Thank you,

Phil Chen[/B]



Falling Star is about the discovery of mysterious objects buried deep in the ocean bottom and what happens when they wake up and start sending signals to outer space. Mike, pulled out of a cushy job back into his clandestine past to help decipher these signals, is attacked by gangs of ordinary Americans bent on killing him. On top of everything else, Mike learns that a revered friend has died. Does the death of Mike's friend mean that the secret of the mysterious objects will remain forever sealed in the silt and muck of the ocean bottom?

Falling Star is available on Amazon and on Smashwords.

You can read more about my background and how it figures into this story in Goodreads or on my blog, Falling Star.

Some of the nice comments that Falling Star has received since its publication on August 4, 2010:

...an absolutely stunning read! I could not stop reading! I was intrigued from the first words, and just kept on reading. Chen really seems to know what he is talking about! I loved it! I want more! There has to be more! Jason, my husband, is not much of a reader, but even he read snippets of it, and said, "Hmmm, I think I might have to read this one." Now, that's a positive review if I ever heard one! - Hayley in her blog, Hanging Off The Wire.

Anyone interested in the future of America's defense and weaponry will find this novel gripping. - Robin Hathaway, Agatha Award winning mystery author

I was quite pleased to discover Phil Chen's Falling Star while browsing the Kindle offerings. From the early pages, I knew this was a writer to be taken seriously. Mr. Chen has penned a dynamic, thought-provoking cross between contemporary thriller and science fiction tome. His characters are well developed, the multiple storylines complex, and the ending . . . well, you'll have to see for yourself. Suffice it to say that I feel this particular ending is NOT the ending for this writer. And I anxiously await the follow-on volume. - Gordon Ryan, Author of political thrillers

Mysterious and provocative, an intelligently written page turner by someone who knows his subject. Once I began reading Falling Star, I had to read this well-detailed thriller right through to the end. My kind of read -- a book that stays with you and makes you think longer after you've finished the last page. I'll be looking forward to the next work from this author. - Reader

Great read that left me wanting more ... With the political/military intrigue of a Tom Clancy novel and the Sci-Fi feel of the 2001/2010/2061 Arthur C. Clarke novels coupled with the page turner, fast paced plot of a Dan Brown novel how could you go wrong. Chen's knowledge runs deep and shines in the book. His characters are very cool and well written. - Reader

I started this book on a trip, thinking it could be treated like an 'airplane' book. Wrong. It grabs your attention and you don't want to put it down unless you decide it is time for a break. Thoroughly engrossing and thought provoking. Now I'm waiting for the sequel and, the two or three movies that could be based on this novel. - Reader

Wow. What a great book. I scouldn't put it down. Very cool concept, and the storytelling was outstanding. Lots of technical details about military process and weaponry technology, I haven't enjoyed a book this much since Tom Clancy stopped putting out novel. - Reader

I will never see the ocean in the same light again. - Reader

Hope you will give Falling Star a look.

Thank you,

Phil Chen

[PhilipChen]

In "Falling Star" Philip Chen writes with such quiet authority and such a wealth of expert knowledge that I was lulled into the belief that I was reading a factual version of events rather than a work of fiction. The book quickly sets off with the discovery of objects suggestive of an alien presence on Earth and this aspect of the book is quietly progressed throughout, culminating in a conclusion which raises as many questions as it answers, giving the reader plenty to think about. At the same time I was carried through the book by the compulsively exciting tale of undercover agents and the infiltration of their organisation by a network of spies so carefully absorbed into American society as to be almost untraceable. The main character, Mike, was well drawn and likeable but complex and psychologically convincing. I also enjoyed the presence of strong female characters in the inimitable Mildred and the brilliant and beautiful Martha. Interesting premise convincingly handled in an exciting and compelling novel.

from Bandcandy

[PhilipChen]

Falling Star is now available as a Trade Print through CreateSpace via my E-Book Store and will soon be available on Amazon and through retail booksellers. The 354 page Falling Star is priced at $15.25, which is the minimum that could be charged so that it could be economically feasible for me to sell it through retail booksellers.

In honor of this occasion, I am doing two promotions:

1. I lowered the price of Falling Star's Kindle Edition to $0.99 through the month of November 2010.

2. I am offering a coupon in the amount of $2.00 off the Trade Print price of Falling Star to anyone who purchased or will purchase a copy of either the Kindle or Smashwords editions through November 30, 2010 and can accurately identify one of three characters in Falling Star. The characters are:

Mrs. Brentwood
James Takeshita
Thurgood Bensen

If you are interested in purchasing the print edition of Falling Star and would like one of these discount coupons please send me a message at my address. The coupon can only be redeemed at my E-Book Store as CreateSpace does not have a system of coupons that can be used elsewhere. The coupons must be redeemed on or before December 31, 2010, and are not redeemable in cash, may be void in certain jurisdictions, and may be discontinued at any time at the sole discretion of the publisher, Eight East Lawn Strategic Consulting, LLC.

Thank you all for your support and advice as I wandered through the world of publishing and I hope you have enjoyed this book.

[PhilipChen]

Falling Star was listed last night on DailyCheapReads and this morning I woke up to find that Falling Star had risen to #644 in the Paid in Kindle store rankings!

[PhilipChen]

As of 4:06 PM, Falling Star's rank was:

# Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #413 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
* #11 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Mystery & Thrillers > Thrillers > Spy Stories & Tales of Intrigue
* #13 in Books > Mystery & Thrillers > Thrillers > Spy Stories & Tales of Intrigue
* #68 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Mystery & Thrillers > Thrillers > Suspense

Thank you readers for making this a great day.

[PhilipChen]

I just found out that Amazon has something called the Movers & Shakers List. So I check how Falling Star did on November 11, 2010, when it ran on Daily Cheap Reads. Boy am I glad that I didn't know about this list on that day or I would have been in full cardiac arrest.

[PhilipChen]

I was just interviewed by Bail Sands on his weekly talk show about Falling Star.

Hear the interview here.

[PhilipChen]

My novel Falling Star is now available in print on Amazon at: http://amzn.to/FallingStarPrint and at my eStore: . Falling Star is about the discovery of mysterious objects buried deep in the ocean and what happens when they wake up and start sending signals to outer space.

The novel has received thirteen very nice reviews (and one not so nice). Many people who have read Falling Star wonder if the story is not fiction, but fact. After all, Falling Star did predict the discovery of the Russian spy ring in June 2010. Sounds like an outrageous claim, doesn't it? Well, just check out the excerpts from the book on Scribd.com starting in May 2009. http://scribd.com/PhilC68.

[jhempel24]

Very cool man, I'll pick it up. And Basil Sands is awesome, congrats on the interview!

[DixieGal]

I just bought it and moved it up to "next" on my TBR list. Ahead of "Altered Carbon" which I am dying to read. Your book sounds fascinating.

[PhilipChen]

Thank you JHempl24 and DixieGal. I hope you enjoy the book. Don't forget the special offer for the print edition. Check out the details in Post #3 above.

[Manley Peterson]

Congratulations - looks really cool. I'll add it to my TBR pile.

[PhilipChen]

Thank you, Manley. I hope you enjoy it.

Author Terri Reid and i were interviewed by Stacey Cochran on his show BookChatter. You can see the interview here

[PhilipChen]

Alan Caruba, a Charter Member of the National Book Critics Circle had the following to day about Falling Star:

It is rare when a novelist makes his debut with as powerful a novel as Philip Chen’s Falling Star ($15.25, available from Amazon.com, softcover and on Kindle). It begins in 1967 and concludes in the Oval Office in 1993. In between Chen introduces you to an array of characters, all of whom have unique talents, some of whom are U.S. Navy officers, some with the FBI, all devoted to the protection of their nation. They are a handful of people who know about mysterious entities far beneath the surface of the waters surrounding the U.S. Others are members of a rogue KGB unit, moles who lived among us, but whose mission ended when the former Soviet Union collapsed. This novel stands out for the way you are introduced not just to the characters, but the physical reality in which they live, the sights and even the smells. Slowly and then with increasing intensity, the mysteries are unraveled, the enemies identified, as life and death often hangs in the balance. Drawing on his own life as an ocean research engineer, attorney and banker, Chen brings an authenticity to the novel that provides a heart-pounding reality that forces you to ask “What if?” What if Earth was under observation by those from another planet that is circling a dying sun? What if they intended to colonize it? What if the year for this was 2013? If you read just one novel in 2011, make it Falling Star.


http://bookviewsbyalancaruba.blogspot.com/

[caleb72]

Very inexpensive at Amazon for Kindle at the moment, so I bought it. I've got a long list of books to read, but I'll definitely get to it. Thanks for that.

Regards
Caleb