Palmetto Publishing, based in Charleston, South Carolina, United States, has released Operation Agartha, the debut speculative fiction collection by Aaron Quigley.
The book gathers three narratives that combine military history, mythology, and spiritual conflict. It is available through major online retailers, including Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com.
Three stories#
In the opening title story, exorcist Dr. Shipwright is pulled from the rain-soaked streets of Portland into a supernatural conflict rooted in declassified post-World War II military history. A joint Navy and Marine operation has uncovered the lost underground civilization of Agartha.
“The King Maker” follows civilian Devon Price, who discovers that military weapons software built to hunt enemies can be repurposed to sell art and solve urban crime.
“The Emerald Cup” centers on a combat engineer at the Battle of Okinawa who steps into a vacant Japanese bunker and encounters something far more unsettling than the dead.
Across the three stories, characters face threats that blur the line between the physical and spiritual. A centuries-old force from Tartarus pushes humanity to ally with the beings of Agartha and form a new military order called the Leonem.
“I wanted to write stories that cover topics like inner space and a familiar darkness that is unnerving without being too violent,” Quigley said. “The characters are tough and inquisitive, and the worlds they move through are grounded in real history and old legends passed down for generations.”
Audience and author#
The collection is marketed to readers of military science fiction and speculative adventure, including fans of Jeremy Robinson’s hollow earth thrillers and James Rollins‘ action-driven historical fiction. Its themes of wartime camaraderie, mentorship, and the toll of prolonged conflict are aimed at veterans, history enthusiasts, and readers drawn to mythology-infused military fiction.
Quigley is a science fiction and fantasy author whose work draws on world history, mythology, and forgotten legends. He has said he was drawn to speculative fiction by a desire to explore serious themes through imaginative storytelling, addressing what he calls “inner space” and a familiar darkness that unsettles without relying on gratuitous violence. He writes for veterans, fitness enthusiasts, and readers who appreciate a down-to-earth message woven through extraordinary circumstances.
Publication details#
- Title: Operation Agartha
- Author: Aaron Quigley
- Publisher: Palmetto Publishing
- Publication date: April 7, 2026
- ISBN-13: 9798318830747, 9798318830754
