Description

A surreal sci-fi novel written in the early 2000s, read and analysed chapter by chapter with brutal honesty.

This is Episode Zero of the Daniel's Nemesis Podcast—a short introduction explaining what this podcast is, what XBook is, and why it's finally being read aloud.

Written between the late 1990s and mid-2000s, XBook is an unpublished, surreal science fiction novel about an alien invasion of Earth after the First World War. In this podcast, I revisit the book that I wrote chapter by chapter, analysing what works, what fails, and what it reveals about creative ambition, youth, and ignorance.

Expect:

• Self-critique and literary analysis

• Discussion of surrealism, obsession, and isolation

• Commentary on early influences in film and fiction

• A celebration of terrible literature

This episode also includes the original synopsis sent to publishers—and the version that probably never should have been.

🎧 Recommended for writers, creatives, and anyone interested in storytelling, failure, and artistic self-examination.

XBook is a surreal, character-driven alien invasion novel set immediately after the First World War. Rather than focusing on plot mechanics, the novel explores internal conflict, obsession, identity, and psychological fragmentation through first-person narration.

This podcast is not about celebrating literary success — it is a retrospective autopsy of ambition, ego, ignorance, and the creative process.

Find out more about me at https://www.danielsnemesis.co.uk/