Renan Bernardo

Nebula and Ignyte finalist author of science fiction & fantasy

Dark Matter Ink

Amazon

Disgraced Return of the Kap's Needle

Pre-orders are open!

Upcoming – April 29th

Twenty years ago, the generation ship Kap’s Needle left Earth to settle a new world. It all went wrong. Now, two years into a desperate return trip, the ship’s biospheres are collapsing and oxygen is nearly depleted. Life Support Manager Reva is now little more than a tax collector—deciding who gets to breathe. When Captain Horvat launches a corruption purge to cover his own failures, Reva knows she’s next. To protect her son, she must do the unthinkable: trust First Officer Hannah, the woman who ruined her life, and help bring down the captain—no matter how many suffocating lives it costs.

"A future vision as dark and compelling as the spaces between the stars." —Gareth L. Powell, author of FUTURE’S EDGE and EMBERS OF WAR.

"Treachery and grief simmer below the surface, threatening one woman’s sanity and the future of her crew in this deeply personal space noir from rising star Renan Bernardo." —Jendia Gammon, Nebula and BSFA Award finalist author of ATACAMA and THE SHADOW GALAXY

"DISGRACED RETURN OF THE KAP'S NEEDLE is a space opera filled with secrets and revelations, hope and addiction, along with the grief and struggle of a mother trying to save her fractured family." —Ai Jiang, Nebula and Stoker award-winning author of Linghun

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Publishers Weekly Review

DIFFERENT KINDS OF DEFIANCE

☆ Longlisted for the 2024 British Science Fiction Award

Defiance has many faces, and in Different Kinds of Defiance, they are as varied as they are gripping. In a world teetering on the brink of moral ambiguity, each story is a testament to the spirit that resists, rebuilds, and redeems.

From the sunbaked docks of a Rio de Janeiro, changed yet still familiar, to the oil-streaked shores of Barra Nova, Renan Bernardo weaves tales of characters caught in the throes of life's tempests. Meet Hamilton, whose pursuit of a stolen yacht morphs into a crusade for healthcare for the forgotten, his acts a mosaic of bravery and necessity. Walk with Vitória as she battles the relentless tide of pollution with a fleet of smart-bots at her side, her resolve as persistent as the oil that stains her beach. Stand by Jota, who faces the storms of parenting in the shadow of a past that is never quite done with him or his defiant bloodline.

Different Kinds of Defiance is a collection for the rebels at heart—for those who find courage where hope seems lost and for whom every act of resistance is an act of sheer will.

Can one steal for the greater good? Can technology heal a land left for dead? Can a single act of love withstand a legacy of struggle? Dive into these stories of resilience and witness the many forms defiance can take when faced with the precipice of change.

Praise for Different Kinds of Defiance

"DIFFERENT KINDS OF DEFIANCE is a collection of stories that are both tender and explosive, centering resistance towards bleak futures and inaction, collaboration and community, restoration, social justice, environmental impact, and rebellions and risked lives aimed at reparations all told through musical prose written by an experienced hand and polished voice. Bernardo effectively subverts stereotypes and redefines concepts. These stories plant seeds of hope for the future and caution us against what humanity stands to both gain and lose as a result of technology, science, and most of all human-centric thinking."

—Ai Jiang, Nebula Finalist and author of LINGHUN and I AM AI

"In DIFFERENT KINDS OF DEFIANCE, Bernado pulls off a feat of fierce and riveting storytelling, with a glimpse of a world that is at once torn and ravaged, yet full of hope. It's no baseless reassurance, but a call for the hard work to be done, to hold on to what we love. From pushing back against damage in “A Shoreline of Oil and Infinity", to the unlikely alliances and innovation of "Eight Steps to Steal a Yacht and Build and Hospital", and the ways our lives and love adapt in "When It's Time to Harvest". While the geek in me enjoyed the technical details of the tatuí bots and the organisation structure of the farming collectives, DkD is more than just parables for a sustainable future. It's a brilliant picture of resilience, and a promise that we can and will do better."

—Eliane Boey, author of OTHER MINDS and CLUB CONTANGO

"DIFFERENT KINDS OF DEFIANCE offers heart-rending and moving stories of small miracles. In Renan Bernardo's world, miracles aren't the deeds of saints, but of everyday people who count on themselves and each other for survival against a harsh landscape."

—Eugenia Triantafyllou, Ignyte, Nebula and World Fantasy Award-finalist author

"Step into a vibrant yet vulnerable future reimagined in Renan Bernardo's DIFFERENT KINDS OF DEFIANCE, where solarpunk visions meet the harsh realities of climate change, weaving human drama of resilience and innovation in a world transformed by environmental challenges."

—Chen Qiufan, author of WASTE TIDE and co-author of AI 2041: TEN VISIONS FOR OUR FUTURE

"The ten stories of DIFFERENT KINDS OF DEFIANCE are fiercely hopeful and ready to fight for something better. Bernardo's characters are full of heart as well as defiance. I'd gladly have read ten more like this, and I can't wait to see what he brings us next."

—Marissa Lingen

"This powerful collection of stories embodies the spirit of solarpunk and climate fiction. Bernardo’s magical prose infuses these tales with love, tragedy, rebellion, and hope. When all seems lost, look to this collection for a way to move forward and inspire positive change."

—S.B. Divya, Hugo and Nebula nominated author of MERU

"In DIFFERENT KINDS OF DEFIANCE, Renan Bernardo highlights the best of humanity against the backdrop of a world destroyed by humans. These stories are full of emotion and spirit, and are absolutely delightful."

—Lesley Conner, editor-in-chief of APEX MAGAZINE