Olan Thorensen

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About Olan Thorensen

Olan is a long-time science fiction fan who has jumped into independent publication with all its pitfalls and unknowns. He thinks all colors go together: clash, what clash? A fan of Dilbert, Non Sequitur, Peanuts (even if old strips), and still think the end of The Far Side was a tragedy. In his youth, served in the US Special Forces (one year in Vietnam; SOG). Has a Phd in Genetics, around 200 science publications as author and co-author, and is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Lives in the Blue Ridge country of Virginia. Thinks it’s totally cool someone can read his stories and enjoy them. Loves fireflies, thunderstorms, is eclectic in music, and thinks four seasons are better than one. His web page is olanthorensen.com, which has maps to help orient readers to the planet Anyar, and he can be emailed at olanthorensen@gmail.com. Readers can request to be on a mailing list for news and releases.

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Titles By Olan Thorensen

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Cast Under an Alien Sun (Destiny's Crucible Book 1) Jul 9, 2016

by Olan Thorensen

( 640 )

$3.99

Amazon Top Reviewers for books in the Destiny’s Crucible series.
“Overall a real treat for SF fans of world building, military SF, alien first contact and lots of others.”
“ . . . the world building is a thing of wonder.”
“I could not put this down, written with honesty and verve, solid character development, with a well thought out plot”
“This series is badass. I was oblivious to the world, immersed as I was in this author's storytelling. The guy can write. He can write well enough that readers end up losing sleep because they're compelled to keep turning pages.”

Joe Colsco boarded a flight from San Francisco to Chicago to attend a national chemistry meeting. He would never set foot on Earth again. Castaway on an alien planet and amidst a human into a foreign society, never to see home again?

A story science fiction in premise, adventure in execution. A cross-genre adventure with elements of science fiction, history, hard science, epic fantasy, time travel, romance, alien contact, and space colonization.

On planet Anyar, Joe is found unconscious on a beach of a large island inhabited by humans where the level of technology is similar to Earth circa 1700. He awakes amidst strangers speaking an unintelligible language and struggles to accept losing his previous life and finding a place in a society with different customs, needing a way to support himself, and not knowing a single soul. His worry about finding a place is assuaged when he finds ways to apply his knowledge of chemistry—as long as he is circumspect in introducing new knowledge not too far in advance of the planet’s technology and being labelled a demon.

As he adjusts, Joe finds that he has be dropped into a developing clash between the people who cared for him, and for whom he develops an affinity, and a military power from elsewhere on the planet, a power with designs on conquest.

Unaware, Joseph Colsco has been poured into a crucible, where time and trials will transform him in ways he could never have imagined.

More Reviews of Destiny’s Crucible
“What an enjoyable read!” A C Bennett, Amazon TOP 1000 REVIEWER Five stars.
“Another wonder” Amazon Customer, Amazon TOP 500 REVIEWER Five stars.
“Mixture of SF, time travel, and alternative history.” “Knowledge is power” M.W. Broscheit, Amazon TOP 1000 REVIEWER Five stars.
“Any lover of action adventures, war drama, political intrigue, or science fiction should do themselves a favor and check out the Destiny's Crucible Series.” Clabe Polk, Midwest Book Review.
“Science fiction, history, and romance are woven to create an intricate story.”
“Outrageous story line made believable, fast moving action, superb character development.”
“ . . . a character that is all too believable. His situation is only a device but we are drawn in to the narrative with a deft touch.”
“I didn't really expect to like this story. Since getting the book 6 days ago I have read it twice.”
“Engrossing” “A book to get lost in.” “Wow” “Great Book You Will Remember Always” “Couldn't put it down once I started”
“My favorite book of all time is Mark Twain A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. Cast Under an Alien Sun is the first book I've ever found to so completely modernize this story and yet keep completely to all the quirks, traits and storylines that also make the story great, all the while remaining a unique work on its own.

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This title and over 1 million more available with Kindle Unlimited.

A Dubious Peace (Destiny's Crucible Book 7) May 7, 2021

by Olan Thorensen

( 849 )

$5.99

A planet’s future is about to take a dramatic turnJoseph Colsco, Mark Caldwell, and Heather Chen. Cast away by aliens onto a planet inhabited by humans transplanted there by a second alien race thousands of years in the past and for reasons unknown. Each of the three found themselves left naked on beaches scattered across the planet Anyar. Each struggled to survive as strangers amidst humans with technology centuries behind Earth’s. Each lived through years of adjustments, trials, dangers, and new lives beyond anything they could have imagined—or feared. The aliens who left them to fend for themselves wanted them far enough apart so they would never meet, assuming that as individuals they would have no impact on Anyar’s civilizations. Only now they have come together, and nothing will ever be the same.Maps of Anyar are available for viewing and downloading at olanthorensen.com

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Forged in Fire (Destiny's Crucible Book 4) Nov 2, 2017

by Olan Thorensen

( 526 )

$6.99

To forge: “Make or shape an object by heating in a fire or furnace and hammering.”—Oxford Dictonary

One day to decide the fate of a people.

Joseph Colsco has survived what many would not have—cast naked on an alien planet amidst humans speaking an unknown language and with a different culture and history.

Now, known to the people of Caedellium as Yozef Kolsko, he has risen out of despair to prominence and finds himself a central figure in the culmination of a struggle against an imperialist power bent on subjugation. The clans of the Island of Caedellium must gird themselves for what is to come. If they can’t unite to a degree previously unimaginable, they will fall into the bottomless abyss of lost history. Their strengths are their determination, bravery, potentially new allies, and a single man with a mysterious history.

The options are simple: victory, death, enslavement. Yozef Kolsko may have transformed from who he had been on Earth, but did the trials he has undergone produced a savior some of his adopted people see him as or is he an illusion?

The crucible of fate is about to yield a final product, but is the result enough against a formidable enemy?

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Heavier Than a Mountain (Destiny's Crucible Book 3) Jan 17, 2017

by Olan Thorensen

( 508 )

$5.99

Beware of creating your worst enemy.

All Joe Colsco wanted out of life was a reasonably interesting job supporting a quiet, comfortable suburban lifestyle, eventually a small family, and time to pursue hobbies. Instead, a freak accident casts him naked onto a beach of another planet inhabited by humans with technology circa 1700. In time, Joe, now known as Yozef Kolsko, makes the difficult acceptance of a new life, has a respectable position in his new society, and is married with a child on the way. But all is not rosy. He has become embroiled in a struggle beyond any dream he could have had—or any nightmare.

The Narthani are a militant society intent on subjugating the Caedelli, the people he’s come to identify with. Despite Yozef’s hope to focus his life on transferring scientific knowledge and support a quiet life, he finds his life’s direction moving beyond his control. As his actions and ideas become more important in resisting the Narthani, he reluctantly finds himself dragged into leadership roles he doesn’t believe himself qualified—including efforts to unite the Caedelli clans.

The transformation of Joseph Colsco to Yozef Kolsko is about to take another step. Unwittingly, the Narthani themselves are creating an opponent unlike any they have ever faced, an enemy beyond their conceptions.

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Paperback

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The Pen and the Sword (Destiny's Crucible Book 2) Jul 21, 2016

by Olan Thorensen

( 461 )

$4.99

H. Bala, Amazon Top 100 Reviewer I was oblivious to the world, immersed as I was in this author's storytelling.” “ . . . readers end up losing sleep because they're compelled to keep turning pages.”

Destiny’s Crucible

Joe Colsco boarded a flight from San Francisco to Chicago to attend a national chemistry meeting. Through a freak accident, he never sets foot on Earth again. He is unaware he has been poured into a crucible, where time and trials will transform him in ways unimagined, and that will send him and his descendants to a destiny beyond one planet.

Book I: Cast Under an Alien Sun

On planet Anyar, Joe is abandoned unconscious on a beach of a large island (Caedellium) inhabited by humans where the level of technology is similar to Earth circa 1700. He awoke amidst strangers speaking an unintelligible language and despaired losing his previous life. He used knowledge of chemistry to introduce innovations—but not too advanced of the planet’s technology to avoid being labelled a demon. He found a place in the society and developed new friendships, male and female.

But all was not idyllic. Joe was dropped into a clash between the people who cared for him, and a military power from elsewhere on the planet, a power with designs on conquest. Joe survived his first experience in deadly conflict but knows it was only a foretaste of what was coming.

Book II: The Pen and the Sword

The Narthani, a militant realm who believe their manifest destiny is to rule the entire planet, Anyar, plan to absorb Caedellium into their empire and crush any resistance. Yozef Kolsko (aka Joe Colsco) works to find ways to increase the chances of his, and the society which has accepted him, ability to resist the Narthani’s planned conquest.

Despite his desire to devote himself to introducing peaceful knowledge, Yozef is drawn more and more into developing weapons and giving tactical and strategic advice—things he knows he’s unqualified to give. The enemy is coming. The odds seem overwhelming, and it will take all Yozef can do, the courage of his new people, and luck, to survive.

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Paperback

This title and over 1 million more available with Kindle Unlimited.

Passages (Destiny's Crucible Book 6) Oct 21, 2019

by Olan Thorensen

( 476 )

$5.99

Tremendous world building! - H. Bala, Amazon Top 100 Reviewer

For Mark Caldwell, an unsatisfying life was about to take a turn both terrifying and exhilarating as his fate took an unimaginable turn.

When Mark took his aisle seat aboard United flight 4382, he was ignorant of three facts. The fellow passenger in the window seat was named Joseph Colsco. Neither of them would ever set foot on Earth again. They both would be cast naked on an alien planet.

Adapt or die. Those were the choices. Determined to grasp the chance at a second life, Mark plunges into an adventure he could not anticipate and leading to a future he cannot predict.

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Tales of Anyar (Destiny's Crucible Book 5) Jun 1, 2018

by Olan Thorensen

( 348 )

$3.99

An expansion on the universe of Destiny’s Crucible

The Destiny’s Crucible series chronicles the incredible adventure of Joseph Colsco, a college student of no particular importance, who is thrust into an unimaginable fate by an accident that couldn’t happen—but did.

Cast naked on the planet Anyar, he forges a new life for himself and rises to prominence and responsibilities he would otherwise never have imagined. However, much is left undone and uncertain. For readers who finished the first four books, many questions were left unanswered, and many stories left untold.

This collection of short stories and novellas addresses some of the questions, expands previous books, and points to future directions. The anthology begins not on the planet Anyar but on Earth, with the aftermath of the improbable accident that starts Joseph Colsco on his new life.

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Harbinger Oct 30, 2020

by Olan Thorensen

( 213 )

$5.99

Harbinger (def.): Something that foreshadows or initiates a major change.“Filled with real science, fascinating details, probing questions, and altering world views, Harbinger is a science fiction mystery and action adventure.”Unconnected lives intersecting in a bleak setting. Nothing will ever be the same.Humanity lurches into an uncertain future, dismissive of warning signs. Only the most naïve believe humanity will step back from the brink. Yet, in a place that doesn’t exist, a riddle, puzzle, hope, fear, danger, salvation—all come together.Zach Marjek has faced death in the far corners of the Earth . . . and survived where others failed. He is about to be thrust into an unimagined situation. Jaded mercenaries, an Inuit wanderer, a murderous Yupik, a young mother, a video game designer, a retired general, a new president, a Chinese marine, mathematics prodigies: these and others whose lives and fates will come together to revolve around a mystery whose consequences could range from disaster to salvation.A mystery unravels, a danger lurks and prepares to take what cannot be taken. Lives and the future hang by the thinnest of threads.“Superb and imaginative hard sf”“Brilliant;”“Mix of good hard scfi”“Sensible military and alien contact”“Outstanding and very timely”“Great story, intelligently written”“Unique first contact story, extremely engaging”

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An Ancient Enemy: A Destiny's Crucible Universe Novella Sep 5, 2020

by Olan Thorensen

( 239 )

$2.99

The novella An Ancient Enemy is set in the universe of Olan Thorensen’s “Destiny’s Crucible” series. When an alien spacecraft accidently destroys United Flight 4382, Twenty-seven passengers and crew were saved, but not to return to their previous lives. Five survivors found themselves on the planet Anyar, including Joseph Colsco, Mark Caldwell, and Heather Chen, but others had different destinations.

Cast away on a planet with bizarre physical features unlike anything on Earth, Dan and Liza Oglethorpe would never again set foot on Earth. They would never again talk with family and friends. They would never again see an ocean. They were thrust into a fantastical fate that eventually led them, six years later, after dangers overcome and a measure of peace achieved, to a morning in a dry valley on an alien planet and the uncertainty of living through a battle to see evening.

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook

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A Tangled Road to Justice (Paladins of Distant Suns Book 1) Oct 1, 2019

by Olan Thorensen

( 93 )

$3.99

“Justice is the fundamental virtue of society, and laws are instituted to declare what is just.” - Aristole, Planet Earth

“We must all strive for justice even though the road to get there may twist and turn”. - Anatheria the Younger, Planet New Florence

Sometimes it’s best to read the fine print. When former soldier Everett Cole signed on to help colony planets prepare for joining the Federation, his employers were disconcertingly vague about their identity and his duties. Yet, the pay was good and it got him off Earth and on the way to a fresh start. More reservations arose when - 11 light-years from Earth - he met his partner, Edgar Millen, an enigmatic man with a penchant for violent solutions and a fetish for the mythology and language of the American Wild West.

It wasn’t until they reached the colony world of Astrild that the mission became somewhat clearer. They were players in multi-faceted efforts to steer colony worlds in preparation for joining the Federation. Unfortunately, not all obstacles were amenable to diplomatic, political, or economic solutions. Cole and Millen were agents, troubleshooters, hired guns - or whatever you wanted to call them - tasked with removing impediments to civilized law and order - the methodology left open-ended.

Millen and Cole’s first mission to test their partnership? The backwater town of Justice was under the control of a strongman and his henchmen. All they had to do was convince the cowed citizens to rise against their tormenter. Formal authority and backup? None. Millen was blasé at the assignment. Everett’s first thought was, “What the—!”

“Frontier Justice Among the Stars”
“A well written fun romp that left me wanting more”
“Unique fresh plot, engaging story.”
“Wild West, Secret Agents, Space Travel”

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