Like Fast-Paced Sci-Fi? Try Chicago Author Wesley Chu

For those who enjoy high-speed planet-hopping adventures through outer space, contact with alien life forms and time continuum dilemmas, author Wesley Chu has a book for you.

Chu was born in Taiwan, immigrated to the United States as a young child and settled in Chicago in 1990. His journey to becoming an author included some interesting twists and turns, from acting to investment banking. Fortunately for his readers, he discovered his true calling—and won the 2015 John W. Campbell Best New Writer Award. Chu is now the author of six more novels (with the fourth rumored to be turned into a movie screenplay), so it appears he's on the right track. Chu's website offers additional tidbits about him, plus hilarious musings from his writing life.

I'm recommending eBooks here, but his titles are also available in print.

His debut, The Lives of Tao, which launched the Tao trilogy, won an Alex Award from the Young Adult Library Services Association, which is awarded to books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults. In this fast-paced read, ordinary IT specialist Roen has a rude awakening when an ancient alien life form called Tao invades his brain. Before he knows it, Roen is shedding his couch-potato physique and becomes a spy on a mission to save the human race from annihilation.

The Lives of Tao is also available in paperback.

Time Salvager, Chu’s fourth novel, is another adventure to save humanity from the brink of destruction. However, this time the setting is in outer space in the not-so-distant 26th century, when time travel is a regular occurrence. Enter our hero, James Griffin, who is tasked with traveling back in time to salvage multiple relics from the past to restore civilization, all without breaking any time rules. The time travel-weary Griffin soon breaks the most sacred rule—never, never bring anyone forward from the past—and readers are off on an action-packed adventure.

Time Salvager is also available in paperback.

In Time Siege, the sequel to Time Salvager, the now-renegade James Griffin continues his mission to save humanity and a ravaged planet Earth with his band of allies. The novel also includes a look at a futuristic Chicago.

Time Siege is also available in paperback.

Currently Chu is collaborating with bestselling author Cassandra Clare on a novel featuring the character Magnus Bane from The Mortal Instruments series.