Contestant in Royal Road Writathon Nov 2021

Book 2 of Universe Series

Two quirky aliens from another dimension accidentally crash land on the planet of Beldora. One secretly manipulates the local population and accelerates technological development in the hope of recovering his ship and rescuing his trapped friend. Scientist and entrepreneur, Jejliard Castonea, plunges ahead with daring experiments, unaware he is being used by the alien.

Beldora advances prematurely from the steam age to computerization and nuclear capability. Jejliard experiments with inserting a computer chip in an animal brain, then later his own, to enhance native intelligence. When it proves successful, he goes even further and implants one in his infant son, Tajlon, who effectively grows up with a supercomputer for a brain. 

After nuclear secrets fall into the wrong hands, a full-scale nuclear war soon threatens the planet. Jejliard decides the only hope is to leave Beldora. In a desperate attempt to escape the war, he restores the damaged spaceship where he stumbles upon the key to a new form of existence that transcends mortal life. His very sanity is at risk as he is seduced by the potential of unlimited power and the promise of immortality.