In a dystopian future, Earth is dominated by the giant corporation Nattech, Inc., where social divides have widened and environmental damage is rampant. A mysterious rock discovered on Mars is returned to Earth, but the ship malfunctions, leaving the crew in comas. As civil unrest grows and natural disasters increase, people begin to vanish. Jim Pleasant Wolfshadow, a Cheyenne former Navy SEAL and retired Nattech operative, emerges from retirement to find his missing friend Max. During a meeting with The Seven, a group of leading physicists, Wolfshadow also disappears.
He finds himself in Earth's bleak future alongside a shapeshifter who guides him on a mission to return Max to Earth and confront a godlike entity named Mahu. Mahu dwells in another dimension and thrives on chaos. He has dispatched a monster called Briareus to destroy humanity, but his actions threaten to unravel time and space across the universe. Wolfshadow battles Mahu on his home world, and just when all seems lost, an unexpected ally appears. This is the premise of Shadow of the Storm, a new novel by Robert Edward Graham and C. S. Fuqua, published by Foolscap & Quill.
The story behind the book is as compelling as its plot. Writing a novel was Graham's lifelong ambition, repeatedly delayed by fate. In the 1990s, he was paired with instructor C. S. Fuqua through the Writer's Digest school. After the course, Graham asked Fuqua to co-author the novel. Their progress was hindered by cancer and addiction, which sidelined the project for long stretches. Yet Graham persevered, dictating the ending to his brother David from his deathbed. The first draft was completed just days before Graham succumbed to cancer.
Graham led a remarkable life. He was a stage and film actor, a model, and a founding member, lead vocalist, and songwriter of the 1960s band The Penthouse Five. His dedication to finishing Shadow of the Storm underscores the novel's themes of resilience and sacrifice. C. S. Fuqua, the co-author, has been widely published in non-fiction, science fiction, dark fantasy, mainstream and literary fiction, poetry, and mystery/suspense. His books include The Crosses (with Bonnie Lynne Del Aguila), Walking after Midnight: Collected Stories, Big Daddy's Fast-Past Gadget, White Trash & Southern: Collected Poems, and Native American Flute: A Comprehensive Guide. His short work has appeared in Cemetery Dance, The Christian Science Monitor, Naval History, Main Street Rag, and Year's Best Horror Stories. Fuqua currently lives in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Foolscap & Quill is an independent publishing company based in Jefferson County, Colorado.
The novel's release highlights the growing market for speculative fiction that tackles environmental collapse and corporate dominance, themes that resonate amid current global challenges. For readers, Shadow of the Storm offers an escape into a vividly imagined future while honoring the triumph of human will over adversity. The book also serves as a testament to the power of collaboration and the enduring legacy of an artist who refused to let go of his dream. As the publishing industry continues to evolve, stories like this remind us that behind every book lies a journey—sometimes as epic as the tale itself.
