Book One
A Road to the Rift
A rogue black hole shifts Earth into a colder orbit. As the oceans freeze and civilisation collapses, one family must cross a ruined world to reach humanity’s last great refuge.
Independent science-fiction author · Wales
Worlds at the edge of extinction.
Hi, I’m Joseph R Holdsworth, an independent science-fiction author from Wales. I’ve always had an imagination full of stories, and seeing them become real novels still feels surreal.
I’m proud of these books and I’m learning with each one I write. There are more stories in development, too. I hope you’ll give my novels a go, and please do get in touch.
6 published novels Available on Amazon Read in the UK, USA, Europe & Australia
Select a cover to explore the story
Published fiction
Stories worth surviving.
From a frozen Earth to the silence beyond the galaxy, every story begins with humanity facing the impossible.
Complete trilogy
The Continuity Series
A civilisation-ending astronomical disaster. A last refuge. A human story spanning generations.
Book Two
Beyond the Rift
Ten years after the journey to the Rift Valley, the survivors face failing settlements, political division and a distant call for help.
Book Three
Legacy After the Rift
The trilogy reaches its final chapter as humanity looks beyond survival and towards the legacy it will carry into the future.
The Rubin Anomaly
Cosmic mystery. Begin with The Distortion, then continue with Enveloped.
Available now
The Rubin Anomaly · Book One
The Distortion
Far beyond the solar system, a telescope discovers a disturbance surrounding the Milky Way. The mystery soon becomes a threat older than civilisation itself.
Available now
The Rubin Anomaly · Book Two
Enveloped
Earth has been swallowed by the distortion. Beyond its violet boundary, the truth is still waiting—and humanity may not be ready to face it.
Standalone fiction
A fight for survival at sea.
Available now
Standalone novel
The Last Fleet: When the Flags Fell
As nations collapse during a fast-moving global outbreak, an international carrier battle group becomes one of humanity’s last organised strongholds at sea.
A place to begin
Find your next read.
A frozen world, the last refuge at sea, or a mystery at the edge of the galaxy. Where would you like to begin?
Currently writing
Next on the horizon.
New worlds are taking shape. Here’s what I’m working on next.
New science-fiction novel
Dawn of Creation
An ancient mystery challenges everything humanity believes about the beginning of life—and its place among the stars.
Release date:
Read a sample — Chapter One
Chapter One
What does it take for one moment to transform a life?
Sometimes a single instant rewrites everything you think you know about yourself, and your place in the universe. Sometimes all it takes is the courage to walk through a door.
J.R.H. · Science-fiction author · Wales
About the author
Big ideas. Human stories.
Hi, I’m Joseph R Holdsworth, also known as J.R.H., an independent science-fiction author from Wales and the creator of the Continuity series.
I’ve been fascinated by science fiction for as long as I can remember. Whether it’s humanity’s survival, first contact, distant worlds or the mysteries of the universe, I’ve always been drawn to big ideas that make you wonder, “What if?”
I don’t claim to be a seasoned professional. I’m learning with every book I write, but I’ve always had an imagination full of stories and scenarios I wanted to explore. Seeing ideas that once existed only in my head become real novels still feels surreal, and I’m proud to share them with you.
One of my biggest inspirations is A.G. Riddle, whose novels encouraged me to finally begin writing stories of my own. I’m also a huge admirer of Isaac Asimov, whose work helped shape my love of classic science fiction and ambitious world-building, and Stephen Baxter, whose scientifically grounded stories have inspired my fascination with humanity’s place in the universe.
Outside writing, I’m an enthusiastic Pokémon card collector. Like science fiction, it’s a hobby that has stayed with me over the years and continues to bring me a great deal of enjoyment.
Writing my first novel was something I once believed was beyond my reach. I was born with four learning disabilities, and for many years I lacked the confidence to pursue my dream of becoming an author. Eventually, I decided the only way to know what was possible was to try.
None of this would have been possible without the love and support of my wonderful fiancée, my amazing stepson and especially my beautiful daughter. At three days old, she suffered a neonatal stroke and now lives with epilepsy and cerebral palsy. Her strength, determination and courage inspire me every day.
“Limitations are the ones you set yourself.”
That journey led to the publication of my debut novel, Continuity: A Road to the Rift. The complete Continuity trilogy and The Last Fleet: When the Flags Fell are now available, along with The Rubin Anomaly: The Distortion and its sequel, Enveloped.
There are more stories in development, and I’m excited to keep sharing them. Thank you for visiting and supporting my work. I hope you’ll give my novels a go, and please do get in touch—I’d love to hear what you think.
The ideas behind the books
Inspiration behind the stories.
Some began with a documentary, others with a game or a question I couldn’t stop thinking about. Here’s how those ideas grew into my novels.
A question about survival
The Continuity series
Documentaries such as Evacuate Earth and How the Universe Works got me thinking about how humanity might survive a disaster on a planetary scale. One question stayed with me: what would happen if a black hole passed through our solar system, and how would ordinary people cope?
I began imagining the story almost like a film in my head: a changing world, families trying to reach safety, and the decisions humanity would have to make to survive. Those ideas became Continuity. Seeing that imagined world become a complete trilogy is something I’m very proud of.
Explore the trilogyBeyond the familiar universe
The Rubin Anomaly series
Watching The Twilight Zone and the 1990s series Sliders fed my fascination with strange realities and worlds beyond our own. Ideas about multiple universes added to that curiosity: what might exist beyond the universe we know?
I wanted to explore that sense of wonder and unease through a story of my own. The Rubin Anomaly grew from those questions, and from imagining how people might react when the familiar rules of their world begin to change.
Explore The Rubin AnomalyWhat about the Navy?
The Last Fleet: When the Flags Fell
This is my personal favourite of my novels. Playing the original Resident Evil on the PlayStation, watching Night of the Living Dead, and later enjoying World War Z and The Walking Dead all helped spark the idea.
I kept coming back to one question: what about the Navy? If an outbreak overwhelmed the land, could warships at sea offer a chance of survival? I wanted to explore what happened to those crews, how they might help others, and whether staying offshore would really be enough. That question became The Last Fleet, and I wanted to share it to see whether other readers had wondered the same thing.
Explore The Last FleetContact J.R.H.
Let’s talk.
Have a question about a book, a thought to share, or an enquiry about my work? I’d love to hear from you.
A note to the author.
Use the form to get in touch, or email me directly.
Joseph.holdsworth60@gmail.com