SETH W. JAMES

New Novel Pre-release Announcement: “Life in the Grey,” Book 6 in “The Cain Series,” Coming in November, 2026.

September 5, 2026

By Seth W. James

Life in the Grey, book 6 in The Cain Series, will publish this November, 2026, in ebook, paperback, and hard cover formats.  Like all Cain Series books, Life in the Grey is an episodic, near-future, cyberpunk science fiction novel, but with book 6, The Cain Series begins its second cycle, encompassing novels 6 through 8, which tells an overarching story about a conspiracy far more sinister than the Orbital Archipelago’s usual commerce in violence.

Paula Cruz, Cain and Francesca’s longtime DMI hacker associate, reached out in a panic, after Lester Sims, the archipelago’s most notorious crime boss, had pulled her aircover, exposing her to an attack from unknown mercenaries.  From running for their lives to hunting the hunter, Life in the Grey pursues not only the mysterious antagonist pursuing Paula, but also the unknown power behind him.

Cover copy:

“Cain and Francesca, two of the Orbital Archipelago’s elite soldiers-of-fortune, had anticipated a tedious morning of interviewing prospective clients when an emergency call came in on Cain’s private line.  Paula Cruz, the DMI hacker who had supported Cain on countless scores over the last eight years, had come under attack: Lester Sims, the mob boss with whom she had a protection agreement, had just pulled her aircover and mercenaries were inbound to kidnap her—or worse.  Cain and Francesca immediately set out to follow Paula’s escape vehicle to Earth, where the three fugitives must now run for their lives to evade the pursuing mercs and, ultimately, discover the identity of Paula’s attacker, his purpose, and end the threat—permanently.

From the riotous streets of Texas, to the opulent high-rises of Chicago, to the seediest corners of the archipelago, Cain, Francesca, and Paula must hunt the hunter in this next thrilling novel in The Cain Series.”

Life in the Grey begins The Cain Series’ second novel cycle, which will continue through books 7 and 8, and sees Cain’s ambition to expand his and Francesca’s operation to that of a full, autonomous crew take its first step.  Returning readers will, of course, remember Paula, as she has supported Cain through countless scores, going back to book 1; her mastery of DMI (direct, microelectronic intrusion) opens doors that no other method can—literally.

It was a blast to write this first novel in cycle 2, in part because of the excitement of the chase and turning the tables on the hunters, but also because the sprawling narrative takes us not only around the world and throughout the archipelago, but we also more deeply explore life in future America.  From income inequality, to the ever-present concern over freshwater scarcity, to the social and economic upheaval caused by the continuing effects of climate change—abated but not removed by the perfection of fusion power—Life in the Grey sets the stage, as all good Act 1’s do, for the larger, more insidious story told throughout the cycle.

Book 7 is already underway and the plan for 2027 is to publish both it and book 8, before the year’s end.  More on that to come soon.  But for now, I look forward to sharing the cover art for Life in the Grey, next month.  Until then, happy reading!