A Sense for Memory: Part One

A courier vanishes in the night. The mysterious sword entrusted to them vanishes too.

Commander Qwatajawa is a by-the-book Rej-Jir and the leader of a small island constabulary. Finding one missing courier should be a straightforward assignment. But the weapon at the centre of the case is no ceremonial antique. It is a powerful, otherworldly artifact with a bloody history—and the disappearance is only the beginning.

As dangerous factions close in, Qwatajawa must discover where the sword came from, what it can truly do, and why so many are determined to possess it. Each new lead draws her deeper into a lethal intergalactic conspiracy where procedure may not be enough to protect her—or anyone standing between the sword and those who covet it.

Set entirely among alien species, A Sense for Memory: Part One begins an illustrated xenofiction duology filled with strange civilisations, dangerous secrets, and science-fantasy intrigue.

A Sense for Memory: Part One is a full-length science-fantasy novel and the beginning of the interconnected Z-Verse series, a universe of stories told through the perspectives of alien protagonists. At its centre is Commander Qwatajawa, a reserved Rej-Jir commando from a self-apotheosising culture. A stoic among a species of natural extroverts, Qwatajawa has long relied on her closest friend and confidant, the flamboyant Xa-Kol, a member of the Zurxok species and a peculiar order of spies and magicians.

Despite their vastly different personalities, cultures and biology, the two have maintained a steadfast friendship for years. But as Qwatajawa and Xa-Kol rise through the ranks of their respective societies, they find themselves drawn into events far beyond their experience or understanding. What begins as an increasingly troubling series of discoveries soon places them at the centre of a galactic conspiracy, putting both their careers (and lives) in peril.

“A memorable reading experience with a gripping plot, rounded characters, and a brilliantly imagined universe”

Annalise Reads

“An unforgettable immersion into smart science fiction at its very best”

Kathy L. Brown, Independent Book Review

Delve into the rest of Z-Verse, and explore what comes next in the thrilling saga.