🚀 Welcome to ICARUS

An emotionally gripping, high-stakes sci-fi epic about survival, rebellion, and the fragile hope of beginning again, not just as individuals, but as a civilization.

📘 Kindle eBook: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FHQV1XB9

📕 Paperback Edition: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FHW3VYJX

💾 Direct EPUB + PDF Download: https://zsoltbugarszki.gumroad.com/l/icarus

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The Joy of Holding Your Book

There’s something indescribably special about holding your own book in your hands for the first time. Icarus has been a long journey—literally. I always knew it was a hefty novel, but seeing it printed and bound into a thick, weighty volume gave that reality a whole new dimension.

A book you can lift. Thumb through. Annotate with real-life coffee stains, maybe.

A Moment of Disappointment

And then, I opened it. What should’ve been a joyful moment turned briefly sour when I noticed a glaring mistake: all the Chinese characters were missing.

The Importance of Language in Icarus

Icarus tells a story that spans cultures, languages, and worldviews. From Ancient Greek aphorisms to Russian dialogue and Chinese poetry, language is a powerful part of the novel’s texture. I spent an enormous amount of time making sure each character set was used correctly—differentiating between Simplified and Traditional Chinese, and even incorporating Southern dialects like Teochew where appropriate.

All of it—gone.

The Formatting Challenge

At first, I suspected Amazon’s print service, but soon realized the issue lay with the formatting tool I used: Reedsy. While their platform worked beautifully for the eBook version (the Chinese characters displayed perfectly in the Kindle edition), their print-ready PDF export did not support non-Latin character sets.

In their response, they clarified that their formatting tools currently only support English-language typesetting. My book is in English. But it’s not only English.

A Solution Found

So I rolled up my sleeves—again—and reprocessed the manuscript with an external tool that allowed me to embed all foreign characters properly into the final PDF. Now, hopefully, the next batch of printed copies will reflect the story the way it was meant to be told.

The Indie Publishing Journey

This is indie publishing. A little bumpy, very personal, and always a learning curve.

But in the end—it’s worth it.

Conclusion: Embracing the Journey

The journey of writing and publishing Icarus has been filled with challenges. Each obstacle has taught me valuable lessons about the importance of language and cultural representation. I look forward to sharing this story with readers who appreciate the depth and richness that diverse languages bring to a narrative.

As I continue to navigate the world of indie publishing, I remain committed to ensuring that every aspect of my work reflects the story I wish to tell. The journey may be fraught with difficulties, but the rewards are immeasurable.

In the end, it’s not just about the book; it’s about the connections we make through storytelling.

Icarus is not just a novel; it’s a testament to resilience and hope.

Let’s embark on this journey together.