What do you do when you're given advance notice that your planet is about to be inducted into a System in thirty days? When the announcement is made by people whose species have only been seen in stories and games? When these same people offer a chance to a select few, those who can afford it on short notice, to be inducted into the System early and grow in power before the System even arrives on Earth?
Strange arches show up all over the world, and no-one quite knows what's going on, although theories abound. Mike and his grandfather, Collin, try to investigate one of these arches, setting off a kerfluffle that leads to the people who have arrived having to announce themselves earlier than intended. The same incident also gets Mike in trouble with law enforcement as he posts video of some things the government would prefer not be released to the general public.
With the announcement that the training offered will take place on a planet already inducted into the System, and that only those who can afford the price of an ounce of gold will be allowed through the portals to the training planet, Mike loses hope. Collin, who's been a prepper for years, comes through, surprising Mike with a gold Krugerrand that will allow him to pass through the portal to train. Dodging the cops, Mike makes it to the local portal just in time for the first group.
The training is simple, but brutal, and one of the trainers, a rather unruly orc, seems to take an unhealthy interest in Mike. That interest turns to hatred as Mike refuses to be scammed. The conflict between the two has Mike fleeing into the forest outside of the Safe Zone used for training, a forest that looks like it has been untouched for thousands of years and is full of monsters, ruins, and more.
By the time Mike makes it home, he's gained a class, a group, and has grown in power more than most of the trainees taking the safer route with the trainers. Things on Earth are falling apart, with riots and burning cities from the panicking people who stayed home. On top of that, the arrival of the System also triggers the arrival of the monsters.
Mike and his group have trained for this, now it's time to put that training to work.
This story is approximately 160,000 words long and DRM free.
Now available on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F71XXLR2
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Tom
Just finished and it was great. Good start to your next series. Great characters, good concept, clean system as usual. Looking forward to the next! Keep up the great work. Hope you and your family have an awesome spring/summer.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you enjoyed it. I'm taking a couple of weeks off, but will be starting the second in this series before the end of the month.
Deletereading and enjoying
ReplyDeleteminor Ch1 it's "boarder" nor border when gramps is talking boarder is old word for food table. (I know editors are not free ...yet get to work on that JefffB!)
Thank you, I'll get that fixed in the manuscript, although I probably won't upload again until I have a few more alterations in there.
ReplyDeleteI actually do have an editor that I use for a very quick pass, only things that stick out to them and distract them from the story. It's a lot less expensive that way and normally cuts me down to forty or fewer errors on a 160k word manuscript.
Is there any idea when we can expect book 2? And can I get a peek at early chapters? Patreon? Royal Road?
DeleteSorry, I don't use Royal Road or Patreon so no preview available. The next book should be out in early September, give or take a little.
DeleteThat’s fine reading through book 1 for the second time and really want to see what happens next Thank you for the fast response
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