The Fourth Piece by E. Ardell
The Fourth Piece is a Science Fiction novel by E. Ardell, a teen librarian at the Monterey Public Library, with a Masters in Fine Arts and specialty in young adult genre fiction. Told as a first-person narrative switching between three brothers. Their is depth in character development, suspense and a great sense of what each character is feeling so that even those who aren’t generally fans of Science Fiction will find this book compelling. There is struggle against shortcomings and vices, societal problems such as fear and prejudice, as well as good old-fashioned love. This novel is set in 2022, which isn’t too far into the future.
From the cover:
Admitting what you are will end everything you know. Embracing who you are will start a war… Life is great when you’re good-looking and popular…so long as no one knows you’re a vulatto. Being half-alien gets you labeled “loser” quicker than being a full vader. So it’s a good thing Devon, Lyle, and Lawrence can easily pass for human—until the night of the party. Nothing kills a good time faster than three brothers sharing a psychic vision of a fourth brother who’s off-world and going to die unless they do something. But when your brother’s emergency happens off-planet, calling 9-1-1 really isn’t an option. In their attempt to save a brother they barely remember, Devon, Lyle and Lawrence expose themselves to mortal danger and inherit a destiny that killed the last four guys cursed with it. In 2022, there are humans and aliens, heroes and monsters, choices and prophecies—and four brothers with the power to choose what’s left when the gods decide they’re through playing games.
This is the first in a series, and contains the first two chapters of the sequel.
There is an upcoming book launch party at the Monterey Public Library on Sept. 10 with prizes, henna tattoos, refreshments.
The author has a facebook page for the book, which includes 5 preview videos focusing on the main characters, as well as an excerpt from chapter 5.