K. M. Tolan
Fantasy, Science Fiction
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Greetings & Salutations.
My name is Kerry Tolan, and I write science fiction and fantasy. Why? Well, I can't think of any other format where I can really give my imagination a thorough workout. SF offers a bit more structure for me - things must be grounded in something real. That said, I deal with soft science fiction (referred to as "space opera") - it doesn't rely so much on proven or established theories. Gives me a bit more license.
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What is really important to me is the story telling. I like stories that immerse you in other cultures and beliefs. World building is a big thing with me. It is more than the stage, it is a source of discovery. So is presenting characters you can relate to. Regardless of the roles they play, they should be people first. Heroes don't have to be right. Antagonists don't have to be evil. Motivations are not always pure.
So who am I? I'm a retired software engineer in Austin, Texas. I was born and raised near Port Huron Michigan, and entered the US Air Force first as a soldier (Security Police) where I saw combat firsthand in Vietnam. After that, I moved on to airborne electronics and finally out into the private world again where a string of events saw me with a lovely wife, two kids, and a career in programming that I continue to enjoy. So what made me a writer?
As a kid, I consumed libraries of any SF or Fantasy I could find. This continued on with paperbacks, and I finally decided that I could channel a rampant case of day dreaming into something constructive. I learned the basics (it's not all art, you know) and began the long journey toward publication.
For more information, head on out to my author's site - www.kmtolan.com
5 STARS
Riding the Rails
The borders of Hobohemia are ephemeral, and I was left wondering if those ghost trains run through the back roads of this world, too.
Reviews
4 STARS
A good ride!
As a former model railroader and someone interested in labor history, I was intrigued by the idea of a fantasy novel involving trains and social conflict.
Tracks
Hobohemia Book 1
Ever look out of a train car’s window and think the world rushing by isn’t yours? Welcome to Hobohemia, where hobo kings vie with rail barons over the value of the human spirit, and steam engines still ply the living rails. Vincent arrives searching for his long lost sister, but quickly finds himself immersed in a battle to stop the Erie Railroad from unleashing a horror that will see the end of hobo jungles and craftsmen alike.​
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Storm Child
Hobohemia Book 2
Red was meant to live a carefree life among the great steam locomotives as one of Hobohemia’s mischievous steam children. She leaves her human body behind, but not her childhood demons. A gypsy blessing becomes an unintended curse, releasing an unbridled power inside her making Red an unwilling sword in the hands of others eager to wield her anger. Before she can stop them, she must first defeat herself.
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Knight of the Open Road
Hobohemia Book 3
Honor. Courage. Chivalry. Steam engines. Alex Kiefer’s demons aren’t just personal. They are family and bent on destroying a land he didn’t believe in. Hobohemia, a world of living rails and steam children, fades in the shadow of modern technology and ideals. Alex literally digs up the plans for a new steam locomotive that can end the threat of diesel engines once and for all. Providing he lives long enough to get to the Baldwin factory. An aunt far older than she seems will stop at nothing to see Hobohemia’s end. Alex must first confront a far greater foe—an inner rage born of guilt and an angry past. Being a warrior won’t be enough. To win back a world, he must become a knight.
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Rail Baron
Hobohemia Book 4
Philip was born to rule the rails—until the mighty Baltimore & Ohio Railroad died with his father. Or so he thought.
When a freak twist of fate hurls him into a ghost-ridden world of rust, steam, and shadows, Philip finds the B&O isn’t just salvageable—it’s cursed. And something monstrous is riding the rails, dragging the past with it.
To survive, he must uncover a terrible family secret, outwit a rival baron with bleak ambitions, and win the trust of unlikely allies: descendants of railroad workers and the enigmatic, deadly Yegg King. His only chance at redemption? Rebuild the rail barony—or be chained to the Midnight Express straight to hell.
Welcome to Hobohemia, where steam children whisper to iron giants, the romance of the rails never died... and some things refuse to stay buried.
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Siren's Song
Standalone
​Humans call the crystalline creatures Sirens. They can kill with a scream. Decapitate with a single slash of their cutting fins. The aliens are the most vicious life form Earth has ever encountered, and Scott has one trapped in his mind. Her name is Water, and her hatred for Scott’s species is only matched by her desire to be free of him. Scott couldn’t agree more, but neither of them understand the cost of letting her out. In order to save their sanity, Scott and Water have to save her people.
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Blade Dancer
Dancer Series #1
When humans introduce advanced weapons to her enemies, Mikial Haran finds that her first battle will be against those she loves most.
Emerging from an ancient civil war with only a patchwork of once-powerful technologies, the Qurls are threatened by new weapons in the hands of old enemies. Driven by the guilt of a comrade's death, Mikial reaches out through her own divided heritage to discover the humans behind the guns.
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The one enemy she didn't expect to face was her own people.
The one ally she didn't plan on being saved by was human.
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Defiant Dancer
Dancer Series #3
Mikial drags her reluctant people toward a tumultuous future where they can stand against human incursion as a united race. She learns that the true cost of leadership is paid in fraying friendships and strained alliances. It is the best time to discover love in another’s arms. It is the worst time for humans to return to her world.
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Battle Dancer
Dancer Series #4
Sometimes the world you have to save isn’t yours. Sometimes your greatest enemy isn’t the one in your sights.
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The line between Savior and Destroyer becomes blurred as Mikial fights to free the world of Me’Auk from human occupation. On guard against a treacherous alliance with Earth, Mikial is blind to the danger from those she trusts most. They see the monster rising inside her, and will stop at nothing to prevent the return to a darker age when Throne Empresses ruled with an iron hand. As Mikial realizes the inherent danger, she must face off with the deadliest foe she has ever met—the tyrant within.
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Waiting Weapon
Dancer Prequel
Archaeologist Richard Pinn returns to the ruins of an alien city to find out why its vanished race had abandoned him and his female Me'Aukin counterpart. For three hundred years, he and Jamie Brinwall had been little more than artifacts themselves. Humans found them as embryos kept barely alive in cryogenic tanks, but for what reason?
Neither Rick, nor his corporate sponsors who intend on re-colonizing the world, are prepared for the truth that has waited for him with an undying vengeance.
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Dark Dancer
Dark Dancer #1
For the Qurl race, being chosen as the next ruler could be a dream come true for the right girl. Or a nightmare for the wrong one. Instead of being given a crown, she must survive a wrenching physical metamorphosis. Unfortunately for Yitzen Tines, war is looming with a powerful adversary. Her people need a warrior, not an accomplished dancer. And certainly not her.
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Void Dancer
Dark Dancer #2
Yitzen must decide her path before madness chooses for her.
The Qurls go on the offensive against their Coshen conquerors, bringing war to Earth. Yitzen's bloodthirsty desire for retribution shakes fragile alliances. Trust shatters during an attempt to cover up an unforeseen disaster on the Coshen home world.
She must choose to set aside her hatred and abandon her people in order to prevent a genocide she helped cause. Caught between her guilt and a vengeful Coshen leader bent on breaking her, she is forced to decide which pieces of her broken personality are worth picking up.
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Rising Dancer
Dark Dancer #3
Yitzen and Toran survived the war, but their relationship did not. Now, in the turbulent aftermath, they must find each other again as politics and a resurgent foe rise to shatter their worlds. Yitzen battles a legacy of madness, having to claw back her lost personality and undo the damage done to both friends and family. Vengeance follows her home as her one-time captor finds himself imprisoned. She discovers forgiveness must be earned, both for herself and for others.
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Toran may have saved a planet, but his scientific curiosity threatens to put another one at risk when he returns with an artifact capable of rekindling war with an even deadlier foe. He also faces politics back home where his rulers intend to match him with a future bride. Unfortunately for them all, he has already chosen his love, but pursuing Yitzen comes with a heavy price.
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