Blackstar (novel)
Blackstar is a science-fiction[3] novel written by seven-time award-winning author Josh Viola (The Bane of Yoto) based on the Wish Upon a Blackstar album by American electronic rock artist, Celldweller.
 Cover art for Blackstar Act One: Purified, Blackstar Act Two: Awakening and the full book | |
| Author | Josh Viola |
|---|---|
| Original title | Blackstar |
| Cover artist | Aaron Lovett and Josh Viola |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Science fiction |
| Publisher | FiXT Music |
Publication date | December 3, 2013 (Act One)[1] June 3, 2014 (Act Two)[2] September 18, 2015 (Trade Paperback) |
Background
While Klayton was working on Wish Upon a Blackstar, he envisioned a story based on the album.
Also, Klayton decided to write a musical score to the novel.
[...] I will be releasing a soundtrack to accompany each act of the book. I'm creating the music that I hear when I watch this movie in my head.[...] My "hope" (but not "promise") is to have a full album of score to release when the full book is released.[4]
The book will be first released as an eBook with the score. A paperback release is planned for a later release when all acts have been completed.[5][6] (Paperback Cover Art[7])
Acts
Act Three
The third act was released with the full book on September 18, 2015.
Synopsis
In a world blasted and barren, the last bastion of civilization is the fortress-city of Central. The people within its walls gladly accept the dominion of Kaine, the city's benevolent arbiter, in return for his gift to them - Re:memory. This public archive contains humanity's memories of the world before it was destroyed, allowing them to relive the lost glories of the past.
Rezin doesn't know who he is or how he came to be in Central, but he does know this: he is a Reaper. His combination of gifts and abilities allow him to decrypt any system and steal information to sell to the highest bidder. His talents afford him a life of luxury until the day he plugs into Re:memory and reaps something he wasn't looking for, something he doesn't understand - and something that Kaine will do anything to retrieve.
Forced to flee into the dangerous Outlands, Rezin must dodge Kaine's pursuing forces even as he finds that the secret he took from Re:memory is transforming him, awakening within him powers he can't control. When he encounters mysterious twins with powers of their own, Rezin begins a journey beyond the confines of the world he knew, a journey that will lead him across space and time, a journey that will bring him face to face with the nature of the universe - and of himself.[8]
Score
| Blackstar | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by | ||||
| Released | December 3, 2013 (Act One)[1] June 3, 2014 (Act Two)[2] September 18, 2015 (full album) | |||
| Genre | New wave, electronic rock, dark ambient,[10] space music | |||
| Length | 1:12:16 | |||
| Label | FiXT Music | |||
| Producer | Klayton | |||
| Celldweller chronology | ||||
| ||||
Track listing
The first part of the score accompanying Act One: Purified includes seven songs and its length is 45:25 minutes.[1] On March 1, 2013, a short preview of "Purified" was included in a video on Celldweller's YouTube Channel.[11] An extended preview of "Retros" was released on May 3, 2013.[12] Act One: Purified was also released as Limited Edition CDs of 150 hand-numbered copies that included a bonus track.[10] The second act, Blackstar Act Two: Awakening, had 250 hand-numbered Limited Edition CDs on sale.[2] In addition to the released songs, one more song was mentioned by Klayton.[4][13]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Retros" | 4:44 |
| 2. | "Purified" | 5:27 |
| 3. | "A Dystopian Utopia" | 3:14 |
| 4. | "The Possibilities of Purpose" | 7:40 |
| 5. | "On the Surface of Scardonia" | 14:07 |
| 6. | "Retros (Instrumental)" | 4:44 |
| 7. | "Purified (Instrumental)" | 5:29 |
| Total length: | 45:25 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 8. | "On the Surface of Scardonia (Instrumental)" | 14:07 |
| Total length: | 59:32 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Patched In" | 4:26 |
| 2. | "The Undercity" | 2:40 |
| 3. | "The Vaults of Re:memory" | 2:22 |
| 4. | "Venus Rising" | 3:32 |
| 5. | "Identities" | 2:42 |
| 6. | "6:17" | 1:18 |
| Total length: | 17:00 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Retros" | 4:44 |
| 2. | "Purified" | 5:27 |
| 3. | "The Possibilities of Purpose" | 7:40 |
| 4. | "A Dystopian Utopia" | 3:14 |
| 5. | "The Undercity" | 2:40 |
| 6. | "Patched In" | 4:25 |
| 7. | "Identities" | 2:42 |
| 8. | "The Vaults of Re:memory" | 2:21 |
| 9. | "Venus Rising" | 3:31 |
| 10. | "Into the Outlands" | 3:10 |
| 11. | "Lost Treasures" | 7:09 |
| 12. | "6:17" | 1:18 |
| 13. | "On the Surface of Scardonia" | 14:07 |
| 14. | "Echoes of Time" | 9:42 |
| Total length: | 1:12:16 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Kids Are Alright[13]" | TBA |
References
- "Amazon - Blackstar Act One: Purified (Original Score)". Amazon. 2013-10-31. Retrieved 2013-10-31.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-05-12. Retrieved 2014-05-09.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "Have questions about..." Facebook. 2013-04-30. Retrieved 2013-05-24.
- "Celldweller Plans New Music, Book Series, And More". Bloody-Disgusting. 2013-02-27. Retrieved 2013-03-07.
- "Have questions about..." Facebook. 2013-04-30. Retrieved 2013-05-24.
- "Blackstar Act One..." Facebook. 2013-11-01. Retrieved 2013-11-02.
- "View image: Blackstar Cover". Postimage. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-09-12.
- "Blackstar Novel info". Facebook. Retrieved 2013-05-24.
- "Blackstar Act Two: Awakening". Retrieved 2013-02-03.
- "Blackstar Act One: Purified (Original Score)". FiXT Music. 2013-11-01. Retrieved 2013-11-02.
- "Celldweller - Modulars, Sample Library, & New Track". Youtube. 2013-03-01. Retrieved 2013-11-02.
- "Retros (Extended Preview)". Facebook. 2013-05-03. Retrieved 2013-05-24.
- "The Kids Are Alright". Vine.co. 2013-05-06. Retrieved 2013-05-24.