Imaginative Sci-Fi Gets Audio Treatment

Author Dwain Worrell is a Barbadian native who has built a career in Hollywood as a writer and producer for film and television. His credits include Marvel's "Iron Fist" on Netflix, the CBS drama "Fire Country," and the Disney+ series "National Treasure." Worrell's journey into screenwriting was unconventional; he first studied theatre and playwriting before moving to Beijing, China, where he worked as a Chinese interpreter and actor while honing his writing skills. His breakthrough in the film industry came with the spec script for "The Wall," a thriller that was featured on the 2014 Black List before being purchased by Amazon Studios. This success helped launch his career in television, where he has worked as a staff writer and producer. "Otherworldly" marks his continued work as a novelist, having previously published the "Androne" series. "Otherworldly" plunges readers into the story of Cleo Xavier, a celebrated astronaut who is also privately struggling with addiction. This personal battle makes her an ideal candidate for a mission to the remote planet Orbis Alius, as she is accustomed to isolation. The mission's goal is to test the viability of terraforming Orbis Alius. However, the crew discovers a planet with a tortured and constantly shifting environment, where the sky itself appears to be descending. The corporate sponsors of the mission push the team to remain on the planet longer than initially planned, increasing their exposure to its unknown dangers. As members of her crew begin to disappear one by one, Cleo must confront the planet's mysteries and her own personal demons. The novel explores themes of corporate greed, profound loneliness, and the psychological toll of isolation in the face of cosmic horror. One of the more unique elements of the story is Cleo's AI robot companion, an acerbic, rapping unit named Shakes.