The Revenant Star

John Thus · Lugren Chronicles · 2026

They called him the Paragon Star, once. Then Antec killed a tyrant, and they shattered him for it: power burned out, rank revoked, scarf hacked. Five years on, and he's still exiled to the rim, hauling grain in a rusting freighter for clients who don't ask questions. He's lucky to have a good crew: all two of them. It's the quietest life he can find. He just wishes it were what he wanted.

Then his oldest friend stows away onboard with a secret worth killing for. Three centuries of Guardian peace are unraveling, and someone will do anything to see it end. There's only one chance left, buried at the deep end of the rim, on the world where it all began. They just have to get there in time.

The man Antec used to be might be the only one who can stop what's coming. The trouble is, that man is gone.

John Thus

Science Fiction · The Revenant Star

John loves reading about underdogs with ridiculous power curves, so obviously he thought the world needed more such stories. His first novel, The Revenant Star, is an action-packed space opera available on Kindle.

AI Policy

Art requires human creativity, passion, and drive.

Fiction Core has a strict policy: don't use generative AI for anything creative. All authors are required to follow this policy without exception.

This is a living, nuanced policy and will change in the future. Our goal is to protect human creativity and art, while also taking advantage of new technologies that enable us to be more productive. We do not wish to ban a better word processor or thought organizer. We do wish to ban technologies that remove the need for human creativity, passion, and thought.

1. Narrative

All narrative elements, including but not limited to characters, plot, dialog, and setting, must be solely created by the author.

Examples of what's not allowed:

Using AI to generate characters, plot, dialog, or setting.
Using AI to recommend narrative changes.
Using AI to propose multiple options, then iterating through them with human guidance until a final selection is made by a human.

Examples of what's allowed:

Using AI to organize thoughts and elements.
Using AI to search for elements, including inconsistencies in characters, plot, or setting.
Using AI to find synonyms or look up unfamiliar words or concepts.

2. Covers and Art

All art and covers must be solely created by a human artist.

Examples of what's not allowed:

Using AI to produce images.
Using AI to edit or modify the creative aspects of human art.

Examples of what's allowed:

Using AI to crop, rotate, scale, remove backgrounds, or otherwise mechanically modify art. If you can use classic (non-AI) photo editing for it, it's probably allowed.

3. Editing

The use of AI for grammar, spelling, and general copy editing is allowed. The use of AI for developmental or line editing is not. One is mechanical while the other is creative.

Examples of what's not allowed:

Using AI to rewrite any narrative based on tone, voice, or word choice.
Using AI to recommend changes to style or voice.

Examples of what's allowed:

Using AI to find and correct grammar and spelling mistakes.
Using AI to find overused words, run-on sentences, incorrect idioms, etc.

About

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