But they do, and the experience leaves his friends turned into alien vessels while a mysterious presence takes up residence in his head.
Soon, he discovers that every move he makes could have serious consequences for the human race.
He and seasoned intelligence officer Cassie Reeve must reveal this dangerous threat: but they end up entangled in a complicated web of death, secrets and betrayal, involving spies, soldiers, and world leaders.
Such is the scope of “The Black Accords: Emergence”, debut novel of UK-based Malaysian author Din Mustaffa, 35, writing under the nom de plume of Dean Moss.
According to Din, the book was inspired by his lifelong love of science fiction and cerebral topics, as well as lessons from his Malaysian upbringing.
Growing up, he said, the topics of power, loyalty, and survival were always part of daily conversation; no matter in politics, business, or even family life.
“As I expanded my horizons further, I came to realise this is true whether in Malaysia, the UK, the US, or anywhere else; the packaging and political correctness might be different but human nature remains the same,” the Selangor-born author told FMT Lifestyle.
“I wanted to ask questions in a global, even galactic, context. What do honesty and loyalty mean when survival is at stake? How do power struggles play out when the scale is cosmic, and how does it affect the wider populace?”
Din is currently deputy CFO at a private equity-backed financial institution in London, and a non-executive director at a high growth fintech business. Despite having lived in the UK for most of his life, he often returns to visit Malaysia, where many of his family members reside.
As a child, he was an avid reader, beginning with Enid Blyton before moving on to Japanese manga such as “Death Note” and “Eyeshield 21”. Later, he became absorbed in narrative non-fiction such as “Barbarians at the Gates” and “King of Capital”.
“I’ve actually been carrying core parts of the plot with me for nearly 20 years, developed and refined in my mind over time. My wife has had to listen to me tell her regularly how I had a book series in me that I just hadn’t had time to write down!” Din quipped.
Screen-wise, the author has always been a huge fan of classic sci-fi films and shows, such as “Dark”, “Altered Carbon”, “Stargate”, “The Expanse”, and “The Three-Body Problem”.
No surprise that his debut novel is a captivating mix of espionage thriller, hard science fiction, and psychological suspense.
Din described Jude, his novel’s protagonist, as an ordinary but smart person forced into extraordinary circumstances.
Cassie, on the other hand, represents resilience and determination, serving as an intellectual match for Jude, and another strong mind in a wider cat and mouse game.
“I’d love to go further than that, but I might spoil it for future readers! But you will find additional characters who embody the balance between pragmatism and morality, inspired by the difficult decisions leaders face in real life, and who introduce broader philosophical questions,” Din revealed.
The author revealed this volume was the first in a “high-stakes trilogy of first contact, politics, and survival”. He is already mapping out his second book!
“Right now, I’d like to build the series step by step and connect with readers, and see how they react to something I’ve carried with me for many years,” he said, adding that he personally felt the story had the scale and character depth for a TV drama or film.
“I think the novel blends the best of two traditions: the high-stakes, character-driven tension of espionage thrillers, and the expansive ‘what if’ scale of science fiction.
“I hope Malaysians everywhere, whether at home or abroad, will connect with the questions it raises about loyalty, power, and survival,” he said.
‘The Black Accords: Emergence’ will be released worldwide on Oct 24 on Amazon (Kindle, eBook and paperback), IngramSpark (wholesale paperback), and Lulu (retail paperback).