Eric Goebelbecker

Eric is the author of *Shadows of the Past*, the first book in an ongoing series about the aftermath of the Martian invasion in the War of the Worlds. He’s currently working on the fourth book as well as a few fantasy stories that he won’t talk about yet.

Eric was lucky enough to inherit an incurable curiosity about technology and a tremendous love of science fiction from his father. Both led to a career repairing radars in the U.S. Army, followed by another as a programmer on Wall Street. Now, he writes about technology during the day, while writing scifi part time.

The Martians failed in 1894. In 1915, humanity won’t be so lucky.

It’s 1915, and the trenches of the Somme are already hell for German soldier Emil Zimmerman. But when the familiar, terrifying howl of a Martian Wanderer sounds across the battlefield, he knows the true war has just begun. The invaders have returned, adapted to Earth’s environment, and this time they have help.

Across the German lines, Emil discovers a treasonous conspiracy: a rogue General is hoarding alien weaponry, and negotiating a dark alliance with the enemy. Now, Emil must lead a mutiny and turn the enemy’s own heat rays against them before Europe burns.

Meanwhile, in America, James Brogan, a brilliant engineer at Edison Laboratories, uncovers a silent invasion on his own soil. When transatlantic radios go dark and a massive explosion rocks Coney Island, James realizes German spies and Martian sympathizers are blinding the United States to the coming slaughter. Forced to step out from behind his workbench, James must expose a high-ranking traitor and restore the Planetary Warning System before the invasion reaches New York.

Twenty years ago, humanity only survived the first Martian invasion because Earth’s microbes decimated the invaders. Now, the Great War rages on, fueled by scavenged alien technology—fearsome heat rays and deadly canisters of Black Smoke—which the Martians now wield with ruthless efficiency.

From the burning ruins of Reims to the bustling streets of Manhattan, the Great War of the Worlds has begun.

Paris is burning. When the invading Martian turn their eyes to France, the shattered remains of the world have only one hope: the Marauders, a band of German expatriate soldiers sworn to defend the city. Haunted sharpshooter Christian Beckenbauer, consumed by the memory of losing his family, must now fight to save a city that is not his own.

Fifteen years after the first alien defeat, the Martians are back, engaging in calculated terror by establishing grotesque feeding grounds and harvesting humans for sustenance. As Christian navigates the growing conflict, he is forced to confront a new kind of enemy: collaborators like the ambitious Hauptmann Ritter, who uses alien heat rays to wage war on French villagers and sow chaos in the region.

With treachery within his own ranks and the ruthless gang leader Serpent tearing Paris apart from the inside, Christian’s skill is needed more than ever. But as the war demands greater violence, he must decide if saving lives is worth the cost of his soul.

The Martians are back, and if they succeed they’ll seize the United States without ever firing a shot.

After helping her fiancé thwart a plot in early 1915, Susan Wilson believed her life as a clerk at Edison’s radio laboratory had finally returned to normal. But she couldn’t have been more mistaken. When an attack strikes Edison itself, Susan is thrust into the heart of the crisis.

Working against curfews, betrayals, and the looming specter of alien tripods marching on the East Coast, Susan must decide whether to live a lie or become the lone voice that exposes the truth before the world is silenced forever.

Teamed with a war‑weary marine captain, a grizzled Old‑West veteran, and the relentless reporter Carl Urich, Susan darts between luxury Park‑Avenue suites, hidden warehouses, and the smoke‑filled newsroom of The Spectator. Her journey is a tale of resilience, identity, and the cost of survival as she learns that courage isn’t just about confronting external threats; it’s about facing the inner wars that define who we become when the world falls apart.

When the Martian menace first fell on Earth, H. G. Wells’ War of the Worlds left humanity scarred—and hungry for answers. Murder in Soft Words picks up the story decades later, delivering the third, pulse-pounding chapter of the Great War of the Worlds saga.

You can find out more about Eric and buy his books via:

Below are the recordings from the panels Eric has kindly taken part in…

The 1pm: Ideas Panel, the fourth panel of the 25 Jan 2026 Festival …

T&T #3 ~ Tuesday 24th March: How to Self-Publish

The 31 Mar 2026 T&T Panel on ‘Your Writing Process‘:

And the chat Eric had with Morgen about his writing journey: