Stars edge: Nel Bently Books

v. s. holmes

Lara Croft meets The X-Files in this snarky, queer sci-fi series
NO ONE FIGHTS DIRTIER THAN ​AN ARCHAEOLOGIST
​
Dr. Nel Bently has barely dug into Chile’s dry earth when her pristine site is vandalized. Her archaeologist’s dream of a ground-breaking project funded by a private patron turns into a nightmare: local activists Los Pobladores take issue with anyone brave--or stubborn--enough to set boots on their land. And foul-mouthed Nel is stubborn as they come.

Despite the danger, Nel refuses to surrender her site to vandals. Easier said than done, however, with the greenest crew she’s ever trained, absurd radiocarbon dates, and angry militants who may actually have a point. 

When Los Pobledores land a blow that turns Nel’s world upside down, she realizes her mysterious benefactor is playing chess with their lives. Grief-stricken and angrier than ever, Nel is ready to fight dirty.
THE ONLY PERSON ON EARTH SHE TRUSTS
IS IN SPACE

​​​Archaeologist Nel Bently left Chile in the wake of murder, vandalism and UFO sightings. She already dreads facing the fall semester without her best friend, but now cops are at her door. Accused of a murder she’s not certain is her fault, Nel has no choice but to run. Following her gut and vague directions from her elusive alien-benefactor-turned-almost-girlfriend, Nel finds herself the target of a extraterrestrial man-hunt.

Running from the law isn’t easy with only her field pack and a handful of scorned exes to depend on. Between starvation, untraceable texts, and a harrowing journey through the wilderness, Nel is forced to question everything about the science she loves and the people she trusted.
SOUND KILLS, SO HOW CAN NEL MAKE
THE WORLD LISTEN?

​Archaeologist Nel Bently dreamed of finding a ground-breaking site--she just never thought it would be on another planet. When she arrives on Samsara however, Lin confesses the trip took longer than Nel thought. Two years longer. Throwing her anger and homesickness into her work, Nel wonders if she just made the biggest mistake of her life.

Then one of her team's lead officers takes a walk without his atmosuit. Once again, grief and confusion rock Nel's dig. But this time, she's determined to fix it--even if it means mutiny. Lightyears separate her from home and as Samsara's body count rises, the more it looks like Earth is next.
WITHOUT EARTH, NEL HAS NO WHERE TO RUN 

​Hot-tempered Dr. Nel Bently is not cut out to save the world. After her last project ended in fire and death, Nel must put aside her distrust of just about everyone and embark on a lo-fi search for a deadly radio transmission. Earth’s survivors are torn between the austere superpower of IDH and the high-tech grassroots Los Pobledores.

At every turn more allies go missing and Nel questions where everyone’s true loyalties lie--and on which side Lin will fall when a line is finally drawn. They need experts. They need firepower. But it looks like the only thing standing between Earth and devastation is Nel: archaeologist, asshole, and functioning alcoholic with anger issues.
THE BODY COUNT IS RISING, AND SO IS NEL'S TEMPER
Archaeologist Dr. Nel Bently has spent her life avoiding clingy exes, but she never dreamed she’d be escaping across the stars. Now she and a fleet of refugees are hunted at every turn by the only woman she ever made the mistake of loving. And Nel, used to outrunning everything, just lost a leg.

Facing her life’s new trajectory is hard enough, but when Nel starts hearing the deadly signal they tracked on Earth, she is forced to team up with the two men who were once her greatest enemies. Then, a grisly discovery on an abandoned hauler sheds horrific light on the voices in Nel’s head–and what, exactly, Lin is after.

Their hold is full of bodies, their plans are full of holes, and bad-tempered Dr. Nel Bently, avoidant-extraordinaire, is sick of running.