Gaia (Routh)

They are the best. The brightest. The hope of humanity. And they might destroy us all… The future. Climate change has rendered much of the world desolate. Crops are failing. Rising seas have flooded coastal communities. The earth is dying, and humanity careens toward extinction. Enter the Olympus Project-a plan to colonise the moon, building on the Artemis Base, led by three of humankind's best and brightest: Troy Bruin, Xavier Consus, and Xanthe Waters. But even the best and brightest can fall prey to humanity's failing. Soon Xavier, Troy, and Xanthe are at war-with the arduous process of creating a new home on a hostile moon, with meddling corporations jockeying for control, with the new recruits battling for open positions on their team…and with themselves. The future looks grim-and it's about to get worse. Because even as the crew searches for a way to reconcile their differences and work together, a secret organisation is planning to destroy what they've accomplished, and finish off what Mother Nature has begun. The Earth is dying. The end draws near. Only the Olympus Project can save us-if they can just figure out how to save themselves… Fans of Margaret Atwood and Emily St. John Mandel will love the first book in the most thrilling dystopian science fiction series to come along in years. I'm a leadership expert, speaker and award-winning author specialising in the people stuff. I show leaders and teams struggling with office politics and silos how to work better together. I have worked with individuals and teams internationally and in Australia since 1987. From wild Canadian rivers to the Australian Outback, and Boardroom jungles, I love exploring what's possible when culture and strategy come together to navigate a better future. I'm obsessed with power and fairness in leadership. I believe better leaders can create a better world and my mission is to assist audacious teams in developing their leadership capability. I'm a multiple award-winning author with five leadership books and a dystopian technothriller series. I explore the themes of power, fairness, overcoming self-doubt, and creating better futures. I host and produce The Future of Leadership Podcast, dedicated to asking "What if…?" and sharing big ideas on what leadership we need now for what's next. I'm outdoor adventurer and love skiing and hiking. I have run six marathons, am a one-time belly-dancer, a cancer survivor and I sing badly to 80s tunes. I'm married to a gorgeous Aussie and love cats and birds (not together). I'm currently working on expanding my writing into other genres like Ancient Rome historical fiction.

Can ideals triumph over greed?Survival hangs on a knife-edge. Commander Xanthe Waters, a visionary leader haunted by her past, steers the groundbreaking Moon base, Olympus, through its darkest hour. As they stand six months into their lunar odyssey, catastrophe strikes, severing their lifeline to an Earth besieged by ecoterrorism, environmental collapse, and a spiraling political maelstrom.Amid the unforgiving lunar landscape, Olympus teeters on the precipice of transformation. A breakthrough in helium-3 technology redefines its destiny, pivoting from a beacon of human achievement to a critical node in asteroid mining, a sanctuary for climate refugees, and a volatile chess piece in the interstellar power game. Here, in the vacuum of space, the crew must confront not just external dangers but the internal shadows of ambition, jealousy, and fractured loyalties.At the heart of this maelstrom stands Xanthe Waters, whose leadership is tested like never before. Torn between duty and a suppressed longing for fellow designer Troy Bruin, she grapples with the weight of decisions where every choice reverberates through the void. Alongside her, a diverse crew of characters must confront their own personal demons while treading the thin line between survival and self-destruction."Olympus Bound" is a thrilling sci-fi epic that expertly weaves together themes of space exploration, political intrigue, ecological disasters, and the human drama of survival in an alien environment. For fans of speculative fiction giants like Kim Stanley Robinson, Neal Stephenson, and Margaret Atwood, this novel is a compelling journey through the trials of establishing humanity's first foothold beyond Earth.Join Xanthe and her crew on this harrowing adventure as they navigate not only the perils of space but the intricate labyrinth of human dynamics, where the future of humanity is forged amidst the stars. I'm a leadership expert, speaker and award-winning author specialising in the people stuff. I show leaders and teams struggling with office politics and silos how to work better together. I have worked with individuals and teams internationally and in Australia since 1987. From wild Canadian rivers to the Australian Outback, and Boardroom jungles, I love exploring what's possible when culture and strategy come together to navigate a better future. I'm obsessed with power and fairness in leadership. I believe better leaders can create a better world and my mission is to assist audacious teams in developing their leadership capability. I'm a multiple award-winning author with five leadership books and a dystopian technothriller series. I explore the themes of power, fairness, overcoming self-doubt, and creating better futures. I host and produce The Future of Leadership Podcast, dedicated to asking "What if…?" and sharing big ideas on what leadership we need now for what's next. I'm outdoor adventurer and love skiing and hiking. I have run six marathons, am a one-time belly-dancer, a cancer survivor and I sing badly to 80s tunes. I'm married to a gorgeous Aussie and love cats and birds (not together). I'm currently working on expanding my writing into other genres like Ancient Rome historical fiction.

Olympus Rising: Where the lines between hero and villain blur.Earth is dying, and the Moon holds humanity's last hope-a vast reserve of helium-3, a crucial energy source. But power corrupts, even in the vacuum of space.Commander Xanthe Waters leads the mission to secure the Moon's resources, but as the covert battle for control escalates, she's forced to question who the real enemies are. With political betrayal at every turn and eco-terrorists-backed by shadowy forces-seizing her crew, Xanthe finds herself walking a thin line between saving humanity and sacrificing her own values.In a race against time, Xanthe must risk everything to expose a conspiracy that could plunge Earth into darkness. But in the ruthless fight for survival, even heroes can become villains.Olympus Rising is a thrilling near-future eco-thriller, blending cutting-edge science, political suspense, and ethical dilemmas into a high-stakes battle for survival. If you love strong female leads, complex characters, and stories that explore the dark side of human ambition, this interplanetary adventure is for you. I'm a leadership expert, speaker and award-winning author specialising in the people stuff. I show leaders and teams struggling with office politics and silos how to work better together. I have worked with individuals and teams internationally and in Australia since 1987. From wild Canadian rivers to the Australian Outback, and Boardroom jungles, I love exploring what's possible when culture and strategy come together to navigate a better future. I'm obsessed with power and fairness in leadership. I believe better leaders can create a better world and my mission is to assist audacious teams in developing their leadership capability. I'm a multiple award-winning author with five leadership books and a dystopian technothriller series. I explore the themes of power, fairness, overcoming self-doubt, and creating better futures. I host and produce The Future of Leadership Podcast, dedicated to asking "What if…?" and sharing big ideas on what leadership we need now for what's next. I'm outdoor adventurer and love skiing and hiking. I have run six marathons, am a one-time belly-dancer, a cancer survivor and I sing badly to 80s tunes. I'm married to a gorgeous Aussie and love cats and birds (not together). I'm currently working on expanding my writing into other genres like Ancient Rome historical fiction.