The Grove of Tau Ceti

A debut novel by Tobby Hagler

Demeter's not herself anymore.

Once the pride of humanity’s interstellar fleet, the ESS Demeter is on a final voyage to Tau Ceti, where the promise of a new alliance awaits. But something stirs deep within the ship’s rootwork, hidden and ancient, unfolding.

When psychic interference from a nearby alien moon plunges Demeter into strange silence, an unsettling truth emerges: the ship’s organic systems may no longer be under their control.

A telepathic technician haunted by her past must reawaken her abilities to help save Demeter. With the aid of a fellow Druid, a disgraced engineer, and a sentient sapling, the crew fights for survival against an unknown intelligence bent on reshaping them.

With time running out, the remaining crew face an impossible choice: reclaim their home or risk losing the galaxy.

Coming May 2025