A First Step into Reader Feedback

This week, a small but very meaningful milestone arrived for Icarus: my very first reader rating on Amazon. Five stars. No written review yet, but still a signal from across the void that someone out there has read my story and found value in it.

In just two months since launch, Icarus has found its way to readers in the UK, US, Canada, and Australia. Twenty-three books sold and more than 8,800 Kindle Unlimited pages read. For me, these numbers are less about sales and more about something deeply personal: the knowledge that people are willing to invest their time in a novel that stretches across 1,200 pages on Kindle. That trust, giving hours and hours of their life to a story I created, feels like the greatest honor an author could ask for.

Every writer dreams of the moment when the first feedback comes back, and while I still eagerly await the first written review, this first rating carries weight. It tells me the story is alive, traveling between countries and readers, slowly gathering momentum. Step by step, Icarus is no longer just my private project; it’s becoming part of other people’s imaginations.

Of course, the journey hasn’t been without its challenges. Occasionally, I receive criticism on social media for using AI tools to visualize my world through images and videos. I understand the concerns, AI divides opinion. But for me, as someone writing science fiction about imagined technologies and futures, using artificial tools to create artificial visions feels natural. The alternative would be to build million-dollar sets or to travel to Mars itself. Instead, these tools democratize creative storytelling, allowing someone like me to produce visuals that once required entire studios. And while AI has its limitations, I see it as part of the creative adventure, not a replacement for human artistry, but a way for independent creators to share worlds that otherwise would remain locked in words alone.

For now, though, I don’t want to dwell too much on the debates. What matters most is the simple joy of knowing the story resonates. To the first reader who left that five-star rating: thank you. And to all the readers picking up Icarus across the world, your time, your attention, your willingness to journey with me to Mars, that’s worth more than anything.