by Derek KingPublish: Dec 03, 2025 Science Fiction
Book Overview
Maxx never follows orders, he follows his instincts. As the top reconnaissance scout for Off Planet Exploration, he’s mapped more habitable worlds than anyone. But when a new leader demands impossible results, Maxx disobeys protocol and heads into unexplored Zone Nine.
What he finds there changes everything. Beneath the surface of planet OP21 lies a truth that powerful leaders have fought to erase. His AI partner JEEV warns of failure, his director threatens exile, and the one person he trusts, Perscilla, holds the key to the mystery.
OP21 is a cinematic, character-driven YA sci-fi adventure filled with discovery, danger, and slow-burn tension. Perfect for fans of Skyward, The Expanse, and Project Hail Mary, this story explores what happens when one explorer dares to question the data and risks everything to uncover the truth.
Will Maxx’s instincts save humanity or destroy it?
Themes: YA science fiction, space exploration, ancient ruins, dystopian government, adventure, AI companion, teen sci-fi thriller.
BIOGRAPHY Derek R. King, is an award-winning poet, musician and published author. He lives in Scotland with his writing partner who is also his wife, the award-winning Julie L Kusma where they enjoy the great outdoors, long walks in the hills, the sounds of the seas and ocean, art, and photography.
Follow this author on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest under the handle of derekrking2 and on his website at derekrking(dot)uk