With Trinity’s Children (paperback, Kindle), writer Dave Bara is concluding the cyberpunk-y military sci-fi duology he initiated in 2021 with his novel Trinity. In the following email interview, he discusses what inspired and influenced this second half of the story.
For people who haven’t read the first book, Trinity, or the interview we did about it, what is it about, and when and where does it take place?
Trinity takes place in a star system of seven planets that circle a red dwarf star, three of which are habitable. These planets are critical to human survival, and they are very coveted. The story takes place around the year 2500, where the 5 Suns Alliance is the only known human colony that’s been a success. The 5 Suns send out a veteran ship captain to explore the system, but when they get there they find natives, human natives, and that sets off a mystery of war and intrigue over the Trinity system.
And then for those who did read Trinity, and thus don’t need to pay attention to me writing SPOILER ALERT, what is Trinity’s Children about, and how is it connected to the first book, both narratively and chronologically?
Trinity’s Children takes place a few years after Trinity, when our hero, Jared Clement, is leading the first colonization effort from the 5 Suns. The 5 Suns has tried their best to assemble a representative fleet, but that’s been hard going. When they finally do make the move, they find things aren’t exactly as they left them. From then on Clement must make difficult choices about the native’s lives, the colonists, and whether he’s willing to fight a war to protect them all.
When in the process of writing Trinity did you come up with the idea for Trinity’s Children, and what inspired this book’s story?
I think this story was always with me. When I outlined the first book, there was a climax that I didn’t get to, and that became a basis for the second book. As a writer I’m always thinking ahead, and that climax was very inspirational in building the story of book 2. I also had a bit of commentary on colonialism that I wanted to bring out.
And is there a reason why Jared is now a 5 Suns Fleet Admiral as opposed to still a Captain or some rank that’s between Captain and Admiral? Or am I wrong in thinking that’s a rather large bump up in rank?
Well, basically he’s an Admiral because he showed up back home with a superweapon and into a vacuum of leadership at Kemmerine Station. To me, it was natural for him to become the new fleet Admiral, replacing the disgraced Elara DeVore. He’s not a fan of the promotion, but he realizes he’s really the only man for the job.
Trinity was a military sci-fi story. Is Trinity’s Children one as well?
I think it’s primarily a military story, with a good deal of mystery and more than a bit of cyberpunk thrown in. All my novels have been called military, so I’m comfortable with that designation.
So what kind of things influenced Trinity‘s Children, both literate and non?
I would say initially that there is some Firefly influence there. When I first started, that was on my mind, although it evolved from there. That and the real-life discovery of the Trappist-1 star system. It just sort of came together. I mean, 3 habitable worlds around a red dwarf star…there must be a story there somewhere, right?
Now, in the interview we did for Trinity, you said that while your contract was for two books — i.e. Trinity and Trinity’s Children — you said that you’d like to write more. So…are you writing more?
Every writer wants to write more in every series. If there is a third Trinity book contracted you’ll be the first to know. But these two books are a complete story on their own, and they finish a complete tale.
Upon hearing that Trinity and Trinity’s Children form a duology, some people will decide to read them back-to-back. Do you think this is a good idea or should people put some distance between them?
No need to pause, you can read them all back-to-back. Though if you want to follow the full story arc, you should read the “Prologue” in Trinity, then the Baen.com free story “Shattered Trust” [available in the free eBook Free Stories 2021], then go back and finish Trinity, and then go on to Trinity’s Children.
So, is there anything else you think people should know about Trinity‘s Children?
It’s a complete story that really finishes the tale well (at least until I write the next one), and I think it’s very entertaining and a good read.
Finally, if someone enjoys Trinity and Trinity’s Children, what military sci-fi novel of someone else’s would you suggest they read next?
There are so many good sci-fi books out there now. I’m just happy to be part of the chorus.
