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D.J. Bodden
Hi! I'm D.J., and I write smart, character-driven escapism.
What does that mean?
First of all, reading one of my books should be fun, something to take your mind off the stresses of your life and plunge you into a vivid world where the protagonist matters and it's possible to win. The descriptions won't be pages long, just enough to let you build the world you want to experience, because my books are about letting you live, feel, and anticipate what comes next.
To that end, I write simply and cleanly: my first drafts are always shorter than my final drafts, and I try not to go heavy on flowery language. I also won't always explain everything, but focus on what it's like to have to do thing things involved. If you like to know things, you'll see a lot of research went into that simplicity, but if you just want to relax and follow the action, that's fine, too.
Finally, my characters usually start out at a disadvantage and gain the upper hand by being obnoxiously bold or clever. They're decisive, which can take other people off guard, and they're almost always in over their heads. My plots are layered, and my books tie into each other in complex ways. As a result, I've been told a first readthrough of my work is great (>4.5* average on Amazon), but the second readthrough is even better because you get to see all the layering that went into building it.
Visit my FiveFold Universe site to learn about my newest projects and the expanded hard sci-fi universe I've built along with some amazing veteran and upcoming sci-fi authors.
All of my books are available on Amazon, and many on Audible too. Check out my books below or visit my Amazon Author page to follow me and keep up with my new releases.
The Starborn Heir
An ancient secret. A legacy betrayed. A path to the stars.
Zack was bred and raised to be the heir to a planet, but he's decided he's not the chosen one. He wants to get offworld, see the galaxy, and track down a piece of lost technology from his family's past.
He'll need to steal a shuttle, get past the orbital defenses, and rendezvous with a smuggler on the star system's outskirts. But he can't do it alone—he's going to need a crew. Gathering a band of misfits from the colony's underworld, Zack strikes out toward the desert. The government is close on his heels, but Zack is willing to fight the gangs, make deals with aliens, and use illegal technology in wildly unsanctioned ways to blast his way to the stars. And if he can do a little good along the way, so much the better.
Zack and his crew have a whole planet after them. The only way out is up.
Zack was bred and raised to be the heir to a planet, but he's decided he's not the chosen one. He wants to get offworld, see the galaxy, and track down a piece of lost technology from his family's past.
He'll need to steal a shuttle, get past the orbital defenses, and rendezvous with a smuggler on the star system's outskirts. But he can't do it alone—he's going to need a crew. Gathering a band of misfits from the colony's underworld, Zack strikes out toward the desert. The government is close on his heels, but Zack is willing to fight the gangs, make deals with aliens, and use illegal technology in wildly unsanctioned ways to blast his way to the stars. And if he can do a little good along the way, so much the better.
Zack and his crew have a whole planet after them. The only way out is up.
The Voidburned Queen
A broken ship. A legacy tainted. A path into the dark.
Zack's crew survived running a Federal Fleet blockade only to fall into the clutches of an unscrupulous space captain. They have minutes to take over a ship three times the size of their shuttle before they get marched out of an airlock, and they're outnumbered eight to one. To make matters worse, the ship is carrying cargo for the biggest criminal organization in the star cluster, the Venturi Cartel, and no one has crossed them and lived.
Not every problem can be solved with a gun. The Federal Fleet is still after them. The Cartel is everywhere. Their AI has been infected with a deadly virus, and the planet they're heading toward is suffering from not one but two pandemics.
The simplest thing would be to give Desdemona Venturi what she wants, but this time she picked a fight with the wrong crew.
Zack's crew survived running a Federal Fleet blockade only to fall into the clutches of an unscrupulous space captain. They have minutes to take over a ship three times the size of their shuttle before they get marched out of an airlock, and they're outnumbered eight to one. To make matters worse, the ship is carrying cargo for the biggest criminal organization in the star cluster, the Venturi Cartel, and no one has crossed them and lived.
Not every problem can be solved with a gun. The Federal Fleet is still after them. The Cartel is everywhere. Their AI has been infected with a deadly virus, and the planet they're heading toward is suffering from not one but two pandemics.
The simplest thing would be to give Desdemona Venturi what she wants, but this time she picked a fight with the wrong crew.
The Sunforged Prophet
A hidden enemy. A legacy born. A path through fire.
Zack fled his homeworld to escape his inheritance and wound up the governor of a star system anyway. After three years leading the Venturi Nebula, Zack Lancestrom is on the verge of pulling the whole star cluster together into a grand alliance, a feat even his father couldn't achieve. But he's also made enemies, and as the day of the summit approaches, saboteurs and assassins move into position, ready to strike.
Soon, problems are cropping up all over the nebula. On Merton Creed, an agitator called the Kyrenian is inciting the dockworkers to violence, and food supplies are running low. On Asphodel, above the barren world of Duat, old resentments have spawned a murderous conspiracy, and starships prepare for combat. Are these isolated incidents or part of a greater plot? And can Zack and his team uncover the real force behind the conflict before the system descends into civil war?
His enemies may have Zack's number, but they've underestimated the courage of his people and how far he'll go to protect them.
Zack fled his homeworld to escape his inheritance and wound up the governor of a star system anyway. After three years leading the Venturi Nebula, Zack Lancestrom is on the verge of pulling the whole star cluster together into a grand alliance, a feat even his father couldn't achieve. But he's also made enemies, and as the day of the summit approaches, saboteurs and assassins move into position, ready to strike.
Soon, problems are cropping up all over the nebula. On Merton Creed, an agitator called the Kyrenian is inciting the dockworkers to violence, and food supplies are running low. On Asphodel, above the barren world of Duat, old resentments have spawned a murderous conspiracy, and starships prepare for combat. Are these isolated incidents or part of a greater plot? And can Zack and his team uncover the real force behind the conflict before the system descends into civil war?
His enemies may have Zack's number, but they've underestimated the courage of his people and how far he'll go to protect them.
Tears of Perseus Omnibus
Is This the End of Humankind, or the Beginning of Something New?
Humanity spread to the stars as soon as they broke the FTL limit, but a thousand lightyears weren’t enough to separate them from their natures. As a series of small incidents lead Earth and its colonies toward a galactic civil war, it’s up to people and AIs of good intent to pull us back from the brink.
But what if it’s already too late? As the super artificial intelligences sound the death knell of the galaxy, a few humans and machines struggle against the tide, to save their ship, their farm, their families, and their cause. In humanity’s darkest hour, the lives of a few heroes might make the difference, or serve as an epitaph for our species.
Buy it today to find out how we survived and if the beings that emerged from the nuclear fire were worth saving. Features an additional foreword by D.J. Bodden and three short stories not included in the individual novellas.
Tears of Perseus is one cohesive story told in six parts by six authors:
Truumeel's Light: A high-risk first-landing on an unsettled world.
Falk's Claim: A retired cybernetic soldier defending his claim against offworlders.
Mercia's Hammer: A daring prison escape, striking a blow for freedom in the colonies.
Metzler's Mistake: A final mission given to the Federal Fleet's craftiest admiral.
Raden's End: A surprise attack from a new enemy, forcing old foes to fight together.
Halloway's Charge: A choice to turn on each other or rise together from the ashes.
Written by Jennifer Brozek (Shadowrun, Battletech), Kevin Steverson (Salvage Title, 4HU), William Alan Webb (The Last Brigade, 4HU), D.J. Bodden (FiveFold Universe, Viridian Gate Online), Kevin J. Anderson (Star Wars, Dune), and Kevin McLaughlin (Starship Satori, 4HU), this omnibus combines life in the third millennium with all the space, air, and land high-tech combat you can handle.
Humanity spread to the stars as soon as they broke the FTL limit, but a thousand lightyears weren’t enough to separate them from their natures. As a series of small incidents lead Earth and its colonies toward a galactic civil war, it’s up to people and AIs of good intent to pull us back from the brink.
But what if it’s already too late? As the super artificial intelligences sound the death knell of the galaxy, a few humans and machines struggle against the tide, to save their ship, their farm, their families, and their cause. In humanity’s darkest hour, the lives of a few heroes might make the difference, or serve as an epitaph for our species.
Buy it today to find out how we survived and if the beings that emerged from the nuclear fire were worth saving. Features an additional foreword by D.J. Bodden and three short stories not included in the individual novellas.
Tears of Perseus is one cohesive story told in six parts by six authors:
Truumeel's Light: A high-risk first-landing on an unsettled world.
Falk's Claim: A retired cybernetic soldier defending his claim against offworlders.
Mercia's Hammer: A daring prison escape, striking a blow for freedom in the colonies.
Metzler's Mistake: A final mission given to the Federal Fleet's craftiest admiral.
Raden's End: A surprise attack from a new enemy, forcing old foes to fight together.
Halloway's Charge: A choice to turn on each other or rise together from the ashes.
Written by Jennifer Brozek (Shadowrun, Battletech), Kevin Steverson (Salvage Title, 4HU), William Alan Webb (The Last Brigade, 4HU), D.J. Bodden (FiveFold Universe, Viridian Gate Online), Kevin J. Anderson (Star Wars, Dune), and Kevin McLaughlin (Starship Satori, 4HU), this omnibus combines life in the third millennium with all the space, air, and land high-tech combat you can handle.
Metzler's Mistake
They sent a soldier to force the peace.
He always said war was an extension of diplomacy. When rebels intercepted the wrong political mission, the Federal Parliament of Sol dispatched Joshua “the Butcher” Metzler to put an end to the revolution. To the war-weary admiral, it was one last chance to do it right, to make amends for past mistakes, and to pass the torch to his daughter, Commander Metzler, the captain of one of his ships.
The trap is set. By the end of the day, the rebel fleet will be captured or destroyed because no one can break a rebellion like the Butcher. But with a powerful AI looking over his shoulder and both spies and diplomats meddling with his plans, will Joshua be able to soothe his conscience, or will the inevitable battle forever be known as Metzler’s Mistake?
He always said war was an extension of diplomacy. When rebels intercepted the wrong political mission, the Federal Parliament of Sol dispatched Joshua “the Butcher” Metzler to put an end to the revolution. To the war-weary admiral, it was one last chance to do it right, to make amends for past mistakes, and to pass the torch to his daughter, Commander Metzler, the captain of one of his ships.
The trap is set. By the end of the day, the rebel fleet will be captured or destroyed because no one can break a rebellion like the Butcher. But with a powerful AI looking over his shoulder and both spies and diplomats meddling with his plans, will Joshua be able to soothe his conscience, or will the inevitable battle forever be known as Metzler’s Mistake?
Raden's End
They sent the right woman after the wrong man.
The person who seeks revenge digs two graves. Fifteen years ago, Arlette Kopca lost everything, her family was killed, and her world scarred forever, but now she has the murderer within reach. The only thing standing between her and Cal Raden is a Perseid Battle Group, and Arlette has them outnumbered two-to-one.
On the planet below, Cal Raden awakens after twenty years in a cryo chamber, betrayed by his closest friend, his identity stolen. He’ll have to choose between salvaging his reputation and denying the acts he’s accused of or harnessing the myth to protect himself and the planet because the Federal Fleet is coming, and they won’t stop until he’s dead.
The person who seeks revenge digs two graves. Fifteen years ago, Arlette Kopca lost everything, her family was killed, and her world scarred forever, but now she has the murderer within reach. The only thing standing between her and Cal Raden is a Perseid Battle Group, and Arlette has them outnumbered two-to-one.
On the planet below, Cal Raden awakens after twenty years in a cryo chamber, betrayed by his closest friend, his identity stolen. He’ll have to choose between salvaging his reputation and denying the acts he’s accused of or harnessing the myth to protect himself and the planet because the Federal Fleet is coming, and they won’t stop until he’s dead.
Nomad Soul
If you had to choose between your life and your dreams, would you ever wake up?
Alan Campbell thought he’d gotten his dream job working on a revolutionary VRMMORPG with Osmark Technologies, until the project was canceled. He has one weekend to dive into an untested world full of intrigue, violence, and corruption to prove that Viridian Gate Online works, but the AIs running the game have their own plans for his soul.
Set a year before the events of “Viridian Gate Online: Cataclysm,” The Illusionist: Nomad Soul takes you back to when VGO was just a game, or so it seemed.
Alan Campbell thought he’d gotten his dream job working on a revolutionary VRMMORPG with Osmark Technologies, until the project was canceled. He has one weekend to dive into an untested world full of intrigue, violence, and corruption to prove that Viridian Gate Online works, but the AIs running the game have their own plans for his soul.
Set a year before the events of “Viridian Gate Online: Cataclysm,” The Illusionist: Nomad Soul takes you back to when VGO was just a game, or so it seemed.
Dead Man's Tide
Viridian Gate Online is more than just a game… and now, it's Alan Campbell’s whole world.
Recently deceased and squishy as hell, Alan, a newly minted Illusionist, is forced to flee for his life. He needs time to deal with his loss, both in-game and IRL, but first he’ll have to escape his crazy ex, the treacherous Firebrand, Thalia Daceran.
On his way to safety and revenge, he’ll team up with Titus, the Imperial spymaster, as well as a crew of pirates, commandos, and even a shapeshifting Mimic with a taste for blood. His path leads to Wyrdtide, a gaslit city hidden in mists and governed by dark demigods.
But even with Alan dead, the world marches on. Will the government seize control of V.G.O.? Did Horace, the blind beggar, really die? And whatever happened to Jeff? Find answers, new purpose, and the machinations of the gods in this action-packed continuation of the Illusionist Series.
Recently deceased and squishy as hell, Alan, a newly minted Illusionist, is forced to flee for his life. He needs time to deal with his loss, both in-game and IRL, but first he’ll have to escape his crazy ex, the treacherous Firebrand, Thalia Daceran.
On his way to safety and revenge, he’ll team up with Titus, the Imperial spymaster, as well as a crew of pirates, commandos, and even a shapeshifting Mimic with a taste for blood. His path leads to Wyrdtide, a gaslit city hidden in mists and governed by dark demigods.
But even with Alan dead, the world marches on. Will the government seize control of V.G.O.? Did Horace, the blind beggar, really die? And whatever happened to Jeff? Find answers, new purpose, and the machinations of the gods in this action-packed continuation of the Illusionist Series.
Inquisitor's Foil
He's a part-time Imperial hero, full-time thief. Lucky for him, she's not that kind of Inquisitor.
Illusionist and novice spy Alan Campbell just got out of one relationship only to have another woman walk into his life: the Lady Camilla Favonius of the Imperial Inquisition. He's close to broke and left without orders. She wears plate armor in the field and around her heart. Is the lady just what the Plague Doctor ordered, or will his efforts to get a job and woo her only leave him jaded...or dead?
From the city of Harrowick to the perilous depths of the Grass Sea, Alan will have to fight a corrupt syndicate, earn his place in the Thieves' Union, and face down monsters and the risen dead if he wants a happy ending. All the while, in the real world, Robert Osmark is as close to losing his company as he's ever been, and both Sandra and Jeff will have to pick sides once the battle lines are drawn. Brazen thievery, Death caught off-balance, the Dawn Elves' dirty secret, and unexpected love in Inquisitor's Foil, the third book of the Illusionist series.
Illusionist and novice spy Alan Campbell just got out of one relationship only to have another woman walk into his life: the Lady Camilla Favonius of the Imperial Inquisition. He's close to broke and left without orders. She wears plate armor in the field and around her heart. Is the lady just what the Plague Doctor ordered, or will his efforts to get a job and woo her only leave him jaded...or dead?
From the city of Harrowick to the perilous depths of the Grass Sea, Alan will have to fight a corrupt syndicate, earn his place in the Thieves' Union, and face down monsters and the risen dead if he wants a happy ending. All the while, in the real world, Robert Osmark is as close to losing his company as he's ever been, and both Sandra and Jeff will have to pick sides once the battle lines are drawn. Brazen thievery, Death caught off-balance, the Dawn Elves' dirty secret, and unexpected love in Inquisitor's Foil, the third book of the Illusionist series.
Sharper's Coin
Love can make a man do terrible things.
Somewhere within the Library, a clock is winding down. With Wendy safe, Alan needs to focus on paying his debt to the Plague Doctors of Wyrdtide by the end of the month. But a slip of the tongue doubles the amount, turning a hard task into an impossible one.
His only option is to ask the master of assassins for work. But murder for money isn't the only thing Alan needs to worry about. The gods are upset with him, his old colleagues want him dead, and the Circle of Brewers is hiding more than the secrets of Alchemy.
And there's something else, something deadlier, and it's reaching through time to seize everything Alan loves in its fist. Try as he might, it may have been too late from the start.
Somewhere within the Library, a clock is winding down. With Wendy safe, Alan needs to focus on paying his debt to the Plague Doctors of Wyrdtide by the end of the month. But a slip of the tongue doubles the amount, turning a hard task into an impossible one.
His only option is to ask the master of assassins for work. But murder for money isn't the only thing Alan needs to worry about. The gods are upset with him, his old colleagues want him dead, and the Circle of Brewers is hiding more than the secrets of Alchemy.
And there's something else, something deadlier, and it's reaching through time to seize everything Alan loves in its fist. Try as he might, it may have been too late from the start.
Phoenix of Ankara
He's holding his cards close to his heart...
They say you can find anything in the City of Glass. When the Imperial veteran who killed the last Merchant Prince returns to the scene of the crime, many wonder what he's looking for. Deals are struck in back rooms, and allegiances shift. For Canis Decentius, it's about remembering what he fought for and making good on old debts.
When the four factions that control Ankara decide to remove him from the board, Canis seems to pick a side, but rumors among the native Accipiter suggest he's playing a different game entirely. Has the old legionary come to the City of Glass to die, or will his private war be the beginning of something new?
They say you can find anything in the City of Glass. When the Imperial veteran who killed the last Merchant Prince returns to the scene of the crime, many wonder what he's looking for. Deals are struck in back rooms, and allegiances shift. For Canis Decentius, it's about remembering what he fought for and making good on old debts.
When the four factions that control Ankara decide to remove him from the board, Canis seems to pick a side, but rumors among the native Accipiter suggest he's playing a different game entirely. Has the old legionary come to the City of Glass to die, or will his private war be the beginning of something new?
Side Quests
The End is Coming.
An extinction-level asteroid is cannonballing toward Earth. In humanity’s final hours, a lucky few earn a one-way ticket to the brand-new, ultra-immersive, fantasy-based VRMMORPG, Viridian Gate Online. Making that leap of faith might mean survival, but it comes with a steep price tag: “Travelers” will forever be stranded as digital avatars inside a fantastical world filled with vicious monsters, all-powerful AIs, and cutthroat players. Let the games begin …
“A Final Kindness” by D.J. Bodden
Alan Campbell was a talker, not a fighter, until someone murdered his girl. He’d almost given up on finding the killers; now he’s got a fresh lead, a trio of mercenaries who outclass him in every way but his wits. He’ll cheat, bluff, and steal to get his revenge, and as one of V.G.O.’s immortal travelers, he’s willing to die trying.
An extinction-level asteroid is cannonballing toward Earth. In humanity’s final hours, a lucky few earn a one-way ticket to the brand-new, ultra-immersive, fantasy-based VRMMORPG, Viridian Gate Online. Making that leap of faith might mean survival, but it comes with a steep price tag: “Travelers” will forever be stranded as digital avatars inside a fantastical world filled with vicious monsters, all-powerful AIs, and cutthroat players. Let the games begin …
“A Final Kindness” by D.J. Bodden
Alan Campbell was a talker, not a fighter, until someone murdered his girl. He’d almost given up on finding the killers; now he’s got a fresh lead, a trio of mercenaries who outclass him in every way but his wits. He’ll cheat, bluff, and steal to get his revenge, and as one of V.G.O.’s immortal travelers, he’s willing to die trying.
Black Fall
Secret identities. Bloodsucking organizations. When a high-schooler unlocks mystical abilities, will he be the newest target on a deadly list?
Modern-day Manhattan. Jonas Black longs to wash his hands of existential drama. But with his mom increasingly paranoid, the worried sixteen-year-old nearly jumps out of his skin when paranormal predators invade his home hunting for his missing dad. And after his mother finally reveals that he’s the world’s one-and-only natural-born vampire, he resolves to unlock otherworldly skills and rescue his lost father.
Invited to train at an elite supernatural academy, Jonas dives fangs-first into arduous classes to prepare for sneak attacks from family enemies. And as he marvels at wisecracking werewolves, telepathic liches, and mind-bending powers, he vows to unleash his inner badass and pry out the truth… even if it puts his life on the line. With the odds against him getting longer by the minute, can Jonas outsmart those hellbent on bringing down his bloodline?
Black Fall is the thrilling first book in The Black Year YA urban fantasy series. If you like awkward heroes, dark humor, and surprise twists, then you’ll love D.J. Bodden’s fast-paced battle.
Buy Black Fall to wipe the floor with villains today!
Modern-day Manhattan. Jonas Black longs to wash his hands of existential drama. But with his mom increasingly paranoid, the worried sixteen-year-old nearly jumps out of his skin when paranormal predators invade his home hunting for his missing dad. And after his mother finally reveals that he’s the world’s one-and-only natural-born vampire, he resolves to unlock otherworldly skills and rescue his lost father.
Invited to train at an elite supernatural academy, Jonas dives fangs-first into arduous classes to prepare for sneak attacks from family enemies. And as he marvels at wisecracking werewolves, telepathic liches, and mind-bending powers, he vows to unleash his inner badass and pry out the truth… even if it puts his life on the line. With the odds against him getting longer by the minute, can Jonas outsmart those hellbent on bringing down his bloodline?
Black Fall is the thrilling first book in The Black Year YA urban fantasy series. If you like awkward heroes, dark humor, and surprise twists, then you’ll love D.J. Bodden’s fast-paced battle.
Buy Black Fall to wipe the floor with villains today!
The Starborn Heir
An ancient secret. A legacy betrayed. A path to the stars.
Zack was bred and raised to be the heir to a planet, but he's decided he's not the chosen one. He wants to get offworld, see the galaxy, and track down a piece of lost technology from his family's past.
He'll need to steal a shuttle, get past the orbital defenses, and rendezvous with a smuggler on the star system's outskirts. But he can't do it alone—he's going to need a crew. Gathering a band of misfits from the colony's underworld, Zack strikes out toward the desert. The government is close on his heels, but Zack is willing to fight the gangs, make deals with aliens, and use illegal technology in wildly unsanctioned ways to blast his way to the stars. And if he can do a little good along the way, so much the better.
Zack and his crew have a whole planet after them. The only way out is up.
Zack was bred and raised to be the heir to a planet, but he's decided he's not the chosen one. He wants to get offworld, see the galaxy, and track down a piece of lost technology from his family's past.
He'll need to steal a shuttle, get past the orbital defenses, and rendezvous with a smuggler on the star system's outskirts. But he can't do it alone—he's going to need a crew. Gathering a band of misfits from the colony's underworld, Zack strikes out toward the desert. The government is close on his heels, but Zack is willing to fight the gangs, make deals with aliens, and use illegal technology in wildly unsanctioned ways to blast his way to the stars. And if he can do a little good along the way, so much the better.
Zack and his crew have a whole planet after them. The only way out is up.
The Voidburned Queen
A broken ship. A legacy tainted. A path into the dark.
Zack's crew survived running a Federal Fleet blockade only to fall into the clutches of an unscrupulous space captain. They have minutes to take over a ship three times the size of their shuttle before they get marched out of an airlock, and they're outnumbered eight to one. To make matters worse, the ship is carrying cargo for the biggest criminal organization in the star cluster, the Venturi Cartel, and no one has crossed them and lived.
Not every problem can be solved with a gun. The Federal Fleet is still after them. The Cartel is everywhere. Their AI has been infected with a deadly virus, and the planet they're heading toward is suffering from not one but two pandemics.
The simplest thing would be to give Desdemona Venturi what she wants, but this time she picked a fight with the wrong crew.
Zack's crew survived running a Federal Fleet blockade only to fall into the clutches of an unscrupulous space captain. They have minutes to take over a ship three times the size of their shuttle before they get marched out of an airlock, and they're outnumbered eight to one. To make matters worse, the ship is carrying cargo for the biggest criminal organization in the star cluster, the Venturi Cartel, and no one has crossed them and lived.
Not every problem can be solved with a gun. The Federal Fleet is still after them. The Cartel is everywhere. Their AI has been infected with a deadly virus, and the planet they're heading toward is suffering from not one but two pandemics.
The simplest thing would be to give Desdemona Venturi what she wants, but this time she picked a fight with the wrong crew.
The Sunforged Prophet
A hidden enemy. A legacy born. A path through fire.
Zack fled his homeworld to escape his inheritance and wound up the governor of a star system anyway. After three years leading the Venturi Nebula, Zack Lancestrom is on the verge of pulling the whole star cluster together into a grand alliance, a feat even his father couldn't achieve. But he's also made enemies, and as the day of the summit approaches, saboteurs and assassins move into position, ready to strike.
Soon, problems are cropping up all over the nebula. On Merton Creed, an agitator called the Kyrenian is inciting the dockworkers to violence, and food supplies are running low. On Asphodel, above the barren world of Duat, old resentments have spawned a murderous conspiracy, and starships prepare for combat. Are these isolated incidents or part of a greater plot? And can Zack and his team uncover the real force behind the conflict before the system descends into civil war?
His enemies may have Zack's number, but they've underestimated the courage of his people and how far he'll go to protect them.
Zack fled his homeworld to escape his inheritance and wound up the governor of a star system anyway. After three years leading the Venturi Nebula, Zack Lancestrom is on the verge of pulling the whole star cluster together into a grand alliance, a feat even his father couldn't achieve. But he's also made enemies, and as the day of the summit approaches, saboteurs and assassins move into position, ready to strike.
Soon, problems are cropping up all over the nebula. On Merton Creed, an agitator called the Kyrenian is inciting the dockworkers to violence, and food supplies are running low. On Asphodel, above the barren world of Duat, old resentments have spawned a murderous conspiracy, and starships prepare for combat. Are these isolated incidents or part of a greater plot? And can Zack and his team uncover the real force behind the conflict before the system descends into civil war?
His enemies may have Zack's number, but they've underestimated the courage of his people and how far he'll go to protect them.
Tears of Perseus Omnibus
Is This the End of Humankind, or the Beginning of Something New?
Humanity spread to the stars as soon as they broke the FTL limit, but a thousand lightyears weren’t enough to separate them from their natures. As a series of small incidents lead Earth and its colonies toward a galactic civil war, it’s up to people and AIs of good intent to pull us back from the brink.
But what if it’s already too late? As the super artificial intelligences sound the death knell of the galaxy, a few humans and machines struggle against the tide, to save their ship, their farm, their families, and their cause. In humanity’s darkest hour, the lives of a few heroes might make the difference, or serve as an epitaph for our species.
Buy it today to find out how we survived and if the beings that emerged from the nuclear fire were worth saving. Features an additional foreword by D.J. Bodden and three short stories not included in the individual novellas.
Tears of Perseus is one cohesive story told in six parts by six authors:
Truumeel's Light: A high-risk first-landing on an unsettled world.
Falk's Claim: A retired cybernetic soldier defending his claim against offworlders.
Mercia's Hammer: A daring prison escape, striking a blow for freedom in the colonies.
Metzler's Mistake: A final mission given to the Federal Fleet's craftiest admiral.
Raden's End: A surprise attack from a new enemy, forcing old foes to fight together.
Halloway's Charge: A choice to turn on each other or rise together from the ashes.
Written by Jennifer Brozek (Shadowrun, Battletech), Kevin Steverson (Salvage Title, 4HU), William Alan Webb (The Last Brigade, 4HU), D.J. Bodden (FiveFold Universe, Viridian Gate Online), Kevin J. Anderson (Star Wars, Dune), and Kevin McLaughlin (Starship Satori, 4HU), this omnibus combines life in the third millennium with all the space, air, and land high-tech combat you can handle.
Humanity spread to the stars as soon as they broke the FTL limit, but a thousand lightyears weren’t enough to separate them from their natures. As a series of small incidents lead Earth and its colonies toward a galactic civil war, it’s up to people and AIs of good intent to pull us back from the brink.
But what if it’s already too late? As the super artificial intelligences sound the death knell of the galaxy, a few humans and machines struggle against the tide, to save their ship, their farm, their families, and their cause. In humanity’s darkest hour, the lives of a few heroes might make the difference, or serve as an epitaph for our species.
Buy it today to find out how we survived and if the beings that emerged from the nuclear fire were worth saving. Features an additional foreword by D.J. Bodden and three short stories not included in the individual novellas.
Tears of Perseus is one cohesive story told in six parts by six authors:
Truumeel's Light: A high-risk first-landing on an unsettled world.
Falk's Claim: A retired cybernetic soldier defending his claim against offworlders.
Mercia's Hammer: A daring prison escape, striking a blow for freedom in the colonies.
Metzler's Mistake: A final mission given to the Federal Fleet's craftiest admiral.
Raden's End: A surprise attack from a new enemy, forcing old foes to fight together.
Halloway's Charge: A choice to turn on each other or rise together from the ashes.
Written by Jennifer Brozek (Shadowrun, Battletech), Kevin Steverson (Salvage Title, 4HU), William Alan Webb (The Last Brigade, 4HU), D.J. Bodden (FiveFold Universe, Viridian Gate Online), Kevin J. Anderson (Star Wars, Dune), and Kevin McLaughlin (Starship Satori, 4HU), this omnibus combines life in the third millennium with all the space, air, and land high-tech combat you can handle.
Metzler's Mistake
They sent a soldier to force the peace.
He always said war was an extension of diplomacy. When rebels intercepted the wrong political mission, the Federal Parliament of Sol dispatched Joshua “the Butcher” Metzler to put an end to the revolution. To the war-weary admiral, it was one last chance to do it right, to make amends for past mistakes, and to pass the torch to his daughter, Commander Metzler, the captain of one of his ships.
The trap is set. By the end of the day, the rebel fleet will be captured or destroyed because no one can break a rebellion like the Butcher. But with a powerful AI looking over his shoulder and both spies and diplomats meddling with his plans, will Joshua be able to soothe his conscience, or will the inevitable battle forever be known as Metzler’s Mistake?
He always said war was an extension of diplomacy. When rebels intercepted the wrong political mission, the Federal Parliament of Sol dispatched Joshua “the Butcher” Metzler to put an end to the revolution. To the war-weary admiral, it was one last chance to do it right, to make amends for past mistakes, and to pass the torch to his daughter, Commander Metzler, the captain of one of his ships.
The trap is set. By the end of the day, the rebel fleet will be captured or destroyed because no one can break a rebellion like the Butcher. But with a powerful AI looking over his shoulder and both spies and diplomats meddling with his plans, will Joshua be able to soothe his conscience, or will the inevitable battle forever be known as Metzler’s Mistake?
Raden's End
They sent the right woman after the wrong man.
The person who seeks revenge digs two graves. Fifteen years ago, Arlette Kopca lost everything, her family was killed, and her world scarred forever, but now she has the murderer within reach. The only thing standing between her and Cal Raden is a Perseid Battle Group, and Arlette has them outnumbered two-to-one.
On the planet below, Cal Raden awakens after twenty years in a cryo chamber, betrayed by his closest friend, his identity stolen. He’ll have to choose between salvaging his reputation and denying the acts he’s accused of or harnessing the myth to protect himself and the planet because the Federal Fleet is coming, and they won’t stop until he’s dead.
The person who seeks revenge digs two graves. Fifteen years ago, Arlette Kopca lost everything, her family was killed, and her world scarred forever, but now she has the murderer within reach. The only thing standing between her and Cal Raden is a Perseid Battle Group, and Arlette has them outnumbered two-to-one.
On the planet below, Cal Raden awakens after twenty years in a cryo chamber, betrayed by his closest friend, his identity stolen. He’ll have to choose between salvaging his reputation and denying the acts he’s accused of or harnessing the myth to protect himself and the planet because the Federal Fleet is coming, and they won’t stop until he’s dead.
Nomad Soul
If you had to choose between your life and your dreams, would you ever wake up?
Alan Campbell thought he’d gotten his dream job working on a revolutionary VRMMORPG with Osmark Technologies, until the project was canceled. He has one weekend to dive into an untested world full of intrigue, violence, and corruption to prove that Viridian Gate Online works, but the AIs running the game have their own plans for his soul.
Set a year before the events of “Viridian Gate Online: Cataclysm,” The Illusionist: Nomad Soul takes you back to when VGO was just a game, or so it seemed.
Alan Campbell thought he’d gotten his dream job working on a revolutionary VRMMORPG with Osmark Technologies, until the project was canceled. He has one weekend to dive into an untested world full of intrigue, violence, and corruption to prove that Viridian Gate Online works, but the AIs running the game have their own plans for his soul.
Set a year before the events of “Viridian Gate Online: Cataclysm,” The Illusionist: Nomad Soul takes you back to when VGO was just a game, or so it seemed.
Dead Man's Tide
Viridian Gate Online is more than just a game… and now, it's Alan Campbell’s whole world.
Recently deceased and squishy as hell, Alan, a newly minted Illusionist, is forced to flee for his life. He needs time to deal with his loss, both in-game and IRL, but first he’ll have to escape his crazy ex, the treacherous Firebrand, Thalia Daceran.
On his way to safety and revenge, he’ll team up with Titus, the Imperial spymaster, as well as a crew of pirates, commandos, and even a shapeshifting Mimic with a taste for blood. His path leads to Wyrdtide, a gaslit city hidden in mists and governed by dark demigods.
But even with Alan dead, the world marches on. Will the government seize control of V.G.O.? Did Horace, the blind beggar, really die? And whatever happened to Jeff? Find answers, new purpose, and the machinations of the gods in this action-packed continuation of the Illusionist Series.
Recently deceased and squishy as hell, Alan, a newly minted Illusionist, is forced to flee for his life. He needs time to deal with his loss, both in-game and IRL, but first he’ll have to escape his crazy ex, the treacherous Firebrand, Thalia Daceran.
On his way to safety and revenge, he’ll team up with Titus, the Imperial spymaster, as well as a crew of pirates, commandos, and even a shapeshifting Mimic with a taste for blood. His path leads to Wyrdtide, a gaslit city hidden in mists and governed by dark demigods.
But even with Alan dead, the world marches on. Will the government seize control of V.G.O.? Did Horace, the blind beggar, really die? And whatever happened to Jeff? Find answers, new purpose, and the machinations of the gods in this action-packed continuation of the Illusionist Series.
Inquisitor's Foil
He's a part-time Imperial hero, full-time thief. Lucky for him, she's not that kind of Inquisitor.
Illusionist and novice spy Alan Campbell just got out of one relationship only to have another woman walk into his life: the Lady Camilla Favonius of the Imperial Inquisition. He's close to broke and left without orders. She wears plate armor in the field and around her heart. Is the lady just what the Plague Doctor ordered, or will his efforts to get a job and woo her only leave him jaded...or dead?
From the city of Harrowick to the perilous depths of the Grass Sea, Alan will have to fight a corrupt syndicate, earn his place in the Thieves' Union, and face down monsters and the risen dead if he wants a happy ending. All the while, in the real world, Robert Osmark is as close to losing his company as he's ever been, and both Sandra and Jeff will have to pick sides once the battle lines are drawn. Brazen thievery, Death caught off-balance, the Dawn Elves' dirty secret, and unexpected love in Inquisitor's Foil, the third book of the Illusionist series.
Illusionist and novice spy Alan Campbell just got out of one relationship only to have another woman walk into his life: the Lady Camilla Favonius of the Imperial Inquisition. He's close to broke and left without orders. She wears plate armor in the field and around her heart. Is the lady just what the Plague Doctor ordered, or will his efforts to get a job and woo her only leave him jaded...or dead?
From the city of Harrowick to the perilous depths of the Grass Sea, Alan will have to fight a corrupt syndicate, earn his place in the Thieves' Union, and face down monsters and the risen dead if he wants a happy ending. All the while, in the real world, Robert Osmark is as close to losing his company as he's ever been, and both Sandra and Jeff will have to pick sides once the battle lines are drawn. Brazen thievery, Death caught off-balance, the Dawn Elves' dirty secret, and unexpected love in Inquisitor's Foil, the third book of the Illusionist series.
Sharper's Coin
Love can make a man do terrible things.
Somewhere within the Library, a clock is winding down. With Wendy safe, Alan needs to focus on paying his debt to the Plague Doctors of Wyrdtide by the end of the month. But a slip of the tongue doubles the amount, turning a hard task into an impossible one.
His only option is to ask the master of assassins for work. But murder for money isn't the only thing Alan needs to worry about. The gods are upset with him, his old colleagues want him dead, and the Circle of Brewers is hiding more than the secrets of Alchemy.
And there's something else, something deadlier, and it's reaching through time to seize everything Alan loves in its fist. Try as he might, it may have been too late from the start.
Somewhere within the Library, a clock is winding down. With Wendy safe, Alan needs to focus on paying his debt to the Plague Doctors of Wyrdtide by the end of the month. But a slip of the tongue doubles the amount, turning a hard task into an impossible one.
His only option is to ask the master of assassins for work. But murder for money isn't the only thing Alan needs to worry about. The gods are upset with him, his old colleagues want him dead, and the Circle of Brewers is hiding more than the secrets of Alchemy.
And there's something else, something deadlier, and it's reaching through time to seize everything Alan loves in its fist. Try as he might, it may have been too late from the start.
Phoenix of Ankara
He's holding his cards close to his heart...
They say you can find anything in the City of Glass. When the Imperial veteran who killed the last Merchant Prince returns to the scene of the crime, many wonder what he's looking for. Deals are struck in back rooms, and allegiances shift. For Canis Decentius, it's about remembering what he fought for and making good on old debts.
When the four factions that control Ankara decide to remove him from the board, Canis seems to pick a side, but rumors among the native Accipiter suggest he's playing a different game entirely. Has the old legionary come to the City of Glass to die, or will his private war be the beginning of something new?
They say you can find anything in the City of Glass. When the Imperial veteran who killed the last Merchant Prince returns to the scene of the crime, many wonder what he's looking for. Deals are struck in back rooms, and allegiances shift. For Canis Decentius, it's about remembering what he fought for and making good on old debts.
When the four factions that control Ankara decide to remove him from the board, Canis seems to pick a side, but rumors among the native Accipiter suggest he's playing a different game entirely. Has the old legionary come to the City of Glass to die, or will his private war be the beginning of something new?
Side Quests
The End is Coming.
An extinction-level asteroid is cannonballing toward Earth. In humanity’s final hours, a lucky few earn a one-way ticket to the brand-new, ultra-immersive, fantasy-based VRMMORPG, Viridian Gate Online. Making that leap of faith might mean survival, but it comes with a steep price tag: “Travelers” will forever be stranded as digital avatars inside a fantastical world filled with vicious monsters, all-powerful AIs, and cutthroat players. Let the games begin …
“A Final Kindness” by D.J. Bodden
Alan Campbell was a talker, not a fighter, until someone murdered his girl. He’d almost given up on finding the killers; now he’s got a fresh lead, a trio of mercenaries who outclass him in every way but his wits. He’ll cheat, bluff, and steal to get his revenge, and as one of V.G.O.’s immortal travelers, he’s willing to die trying.
An extinction-level asteroid is cannonballing toward Earth. In humanity’s final hours, a lucky few earn a one-way ticket to the brand-new, ultra-immersive, fantasy-based VRMMORPG, Viridian Gate Online. Making that leap of faith might mean survival, but it comes with a steep price tag: “Travelers” will forever be stranded as digital avatars inside a fantastical world filled with vicious monsters, all-powerful AIs, and cutthroat players. Let the games begin …
“A Final Kindness” by D.J. Bodden
Alan Campbell was a talker, not a fighter, until someone murdered his girl. He’d almost given up on finding the killers; now he’s got a fresh lead, a trio of mercenaries who outclass him in every way but his wits. He’ll cheat, bluff, and steal to get his revenge, and as one of V.G.O.’s immortal travelers, he’s willing to die trying.
Black Fall
Secret identities. Bloodsucking organizations. When a high-schooler unlocks mystical abilities, will he be the newest target on a deadly list?
Modern-day Manhattan. Jonas Black longs to wash his hands of existential drama. But with his mom increasingly paranoid, the worried sixteen-year-old nearly jumps out of his skin when paranormal predators invade his home hunting for his missing dad. And after his mother finally reveals that he’s the world’s one-and-only natural-born vampire, he resolves to unlock otherworldly skills and rescue his lost father.
Invited to train at an elite supernatural academy, Jonas dives fangs-first into arduous classes to prepare for sneak attacks from family enemies. And as he marvels at wisecracking werewolves, telepathic liches, and mind-bending powers, he vows to unleash his inner badass and pry out the truth… even if it puts his life on the line. With the odds against him getting longer by the minute, can Jonas outsmart those hellbent on bringing down his bloodline?
Black Fall is the thrilling first book in The Black Year YA urban fantasy series. If you like awkward heroes, dark humor, and surprise twists, then you’ll love D.J. Bodden’s fast-paced battle.
Buy Black Fall to wipe the floor with villains today!
Modern-day Manhattan. Jonas Black longs to wash his hands of existential drama. But with his mom increasingly paranoid, the worried sixteen-year-old nearly jumps out of his skin when paranormal predators invade his home hunting for his missing dad. And after his mother finally reveals that he’s the world’s one-and-only natural-born vampire, he resolves to unlock otherworldly skills and rescue his lost father.
Invited to train at an elite supernatural academy, Jonas dives fangs-first into arduous classes to prepare for sneak attacks from family enemies. And as he marvels at wisecracking werewolves, telepathic liches, and mind-bending powers, he vows to unleash his inner badass and pry out the truth… even if it puts his life on the line. With the odds against him getting longer by the minute, can Jonas outsmart those hellbent on bringing down his bloodline?
Black Fall is the thrilling first book in The Black Year YA urban fantasy series. If you like awkward heroes, dark humor, and surprise twists, then you’ll love D.J. Bodden’s fast-paced battle.
Buy Black Fall to wipe the floor with villains today!
The Starborn Heir
An ancient secret. A legacy betrayed. A path to the stars.
Zack was bred and raised to be the heir to a planet, but he's decided he's not the chosen one. He wants to get offworld, see the galaxy, and track down a piece of lost technology from his family's past.
He'll need to steal a shuttle, get past the orbital defenses, and rendezvous with a smuggler on the star system's outskirts. But he can't do it alone—he's going to need a crew. Gathering a band of misfits from the colony's underworld, Zack strikes out toward the desert. The government is close on his heels, but Zack is willing to fight the gangs, make deals with aliens, and use illegal technology in wildly unsanctioned ways to blast his way to the stars. And if he can do a little good along the way, so much the better.
Zack and his crew have a whole planet after them. The only way out is up.
Zack was bred and raised to be the heir to a planet, but he's decided he's not the chosen one. He wants to get offworld, see the galaxy, and track down a piece of lost technology from his family's past.
He'll need to steal a shuttle, get past the orbital defenses, and rendezvous with a smuggler on the star system's outskirts. But he can't do it alone—he's going to need a crew. Gathering a band of misfits from the colony's underworld, Zack strikes out toward the desert. The government is close on his heels, but Zack is willing to fight the gangs, make deals with aliens, and use illegal technology in wildly unsanctioned ways to blast his way to the stars. And if he can do a little good along the way, so much the better.
Zack and his crew have a whole planet after them. The only way out is up.
The Voidburned Queen
A broken ship. A legacy tainted. A path into the dark.
Zack's crew survived running a Federal Fleet blockade only to fall into the clutches of an unscrupulous space captain. They have minutes to take over a ship three times the size of their shuttle before they get marched out of an airlock, and they're outnumbered eight to one. To make matters worse, the ship is carrying cargo for the biggest criminal organization in the star cluster, the Venturi Cartel, and no one has crossed them and lived.
Not every problem can be solved with a gun. The Federal Fleet is still after them. The Cartel is everywhere. Their AI has been infected with a deadly virus, and the planet they're heading toward is suffering from not one but two pandemics.
The simplest thing would be to give Desdemona Venturi what she wants, but this time she picked a fight with the wrong crew.
Zack's crew survived running a Federal Fleet blockade only to fall into the clutches of an unscrupulous space captain. They have minutes to take over a ship three times the size of their shuttle before they get marched out of an airlock, and they're outnumbered eight to one. To make matters worse, the ship is carrying cargo for the biggest criminal organization in the star cluster, the Venturi Cartel, and no one has crossed them and lived.
Not every problem can be solved with a gun. The Federal Fleet is still after them. The Cartel is everywhere. Their AI has been infected with a deadly virus, and the planet they're heading toward is suffering from not one but two pandemics.
The simplest thing would be to give Desdemona Venturi what she wants, but this time she picked a fight with the wrong crew.
The Sunforged Prophet
A hidden enemy. A legacy born. A path through fire.
Zack fled his homeworld to escape his inheritance and wound up the governor of a star system anyway. After three years leading the Venturi Nebula, Zack Lancestrom is on the verge of pulling the whole star cluster together into a grand alliance, a feat even his father couldn't achieve. But he's also made enemies, and as the day of the summit approaches, saboteurs and assassins move into position, ready to strike.
Soon, problems are cropping up all over the nebula. On Merton Creed, an agitator called the Kyrenian is inciting the dockworkers to violence, and food supplies are running low. On Asphodel, above the barren world of Duat, old resentments have spawned a murderous conspiracy, and starships prepare for combat. Are these isolated incidents or part of a greater plot? And can Zack and his team uncover the real force behind the conflict before the system descends into civil war?
His enemies may have Zack's number, but they've underestimated the courage of his people and how far he'll go to protect them.
Zack fled his homeworld to escape his inheritance and wound up the governor of a star system anyway. After three years leading the Venturi Nebula, Zack Lancestrom is on the verge of pulling the whole star cluster together into a grand alliance, a feat even his father couldn't achieve. But he's also made enemies, and as the day of the summit approaches, saboteurs and assassins move into position, ready to strike.
Soon, problems are cropping up all over the nebula. On Merton Creed, an agitator called the Kyrenian is inciting the dockworkers to violence, and food supplies are running low. On Asphodel, above the barren world of Duat, old resentments have spawned a murderous conspiracy, and starships prepare for combat. Are these isolated incidents or part of a greater plot? And can Zack and his team uncover the real force behind the conflict before the system descends into civil war?
His enemies may have Zack's number, but they've underestimated the courage of his people and how far he'll go to protect them.
Tears of Perseus Omnibus
Is This the End of Humankind, or the Beginning of Something New?
Humanity spread to the stars as soon as they broke the FTL limit, but a thousand lightyears weren’t enough to separate them from their natures. As a series of small incidents lead Earth and its colonies toward a galactic civil war, it’s up to people and AIs of good intent to pull us back from the brink.
But what if it’s already too late? As the super artificial intelligences sound the death knell of the galaxy, a few humans and machines struggle against the tide, to save their ship, their farm, their families, and their cause. In humanity’s darkest hour, the lives of a few heroes might make the difference, or serve as an epitaph for our species.
Buy it today to find out how we survived and if the beings that emerged from the nuclear fire were worth saving. Features an additional foreword by D.J. Bodden and three short stories not included in the individual novellas.
Tears of Perseus is one cohesive story told in six parts by six authors:
Truumeel's Light: A high-risk first-landing on an unsettled world.
Falk's Claim: A retired cybernetic soldier defending his claim against offworlders.
Mercia's Hammer: A daring prison escape, striking a blow for freedom in the colonies.
Metzler's Mistake: A final mission given to the Federal Fleet's craftiest admiral.
Raden's End: A surprise attack from a new enemy, forcing old foes to fight together.
Halloway's Charge: A choice to turn on each other or rise together from the ashes.
Written by Jennifer Brozek (Shadowrun, Battletech), Kevin Steverson (Salvage Title, 4HU), William Alan Webb (The Last Brigade, 4HU), D.J. Bodden (FiveFold Universe, Viridian Gate Online), Kevin J. Anderson (Star Wars, Dune), and Kevin McLaughlin (Starship Satori, 4HU), this omnibus combines life in the third millennium with all the space, air, and land high-tech combat you can handle.
Humanity spread to the stars as soon as they broke the FTL limit, but a thousand lightyears weren’t enough to separate them from their natures. As a series of small incidents lead Earth and its colonies toward a galactic civil war, it’s up to people and AIs of good intent to pull us back from the brink.
But what if it’s already too late? As the super artificial intelligences sound the death knell of the galaxy, a few humans and machines struggle against the tide, to save their ship, their farm, their families, and their cause. In humanity’s darkest hour, the lives of a few heroes might make the difference, or serve as an epitaph for our species.
Buy it today to find out how we survived and if the beings that emerged from the nuclear fire were worth saving. Features an additional foreword by D.J. Bodden and three short stories not included in the individual novellas.
Tears of Perseus is one cohesive story told in six parts by six authors:
Truumeel's Light: A high-risk first-landing on an unsettled world.
Falk's Claim: A retired cybernetic soldier defending his claim against offworlders.
Mercia's Hammer: A daring prison escape, striking a blow for freedom in the colonies.
Metzler's Mistake: A final mission given to the Federal Fleet's craftiest admiral.
Raden's End: A surprise attack from a new enemy, forcing old foes to fight together.
Halloway's Charge: A choice to turn on each other or rise together from the ashes.
Written by Jennifer Brozek (Shadowrun, Battletech), Kevin Steverson (Salvage Title, 4HU), William Alan Webb (The Last Brigade, 4HU), D.J. Bodden (FiveFold Universe, Viridian Gate Online), Kevin J. Anderson (Star Wars, Dune), and Kevin McLaughlin (Starship Satori, 4HU), this omnibus combines life in the third millennium with all the space, air, and land high-tech combat you can handle.
Metzler's Mistake
They sent a soldier to force the peace.
He always said war was an extension of diplomacy. When rebels intercepted the wrong political mission, the Federal Parliament of Sol dispatched Joshua “the Butcher” Metzler to put an end to the revolution. To the war-weary admiral, it was one last chance to do it right, to make amends for past mistakes, and to pass the torch to his daughter, Commander Metzler, the captain of one of his ships.
The trap is set. By the end of the day, the rebel fleet will be captured or destroyed because no one can break a rebellion like the Butcher. But with a powerful AI looking over his shoulder and both spies and diplomats meddling with his plans, will Joshua be able to soothe his conscience, or will the inevitable battle forever be known as Metzler’s Mistake?
He always said war was an extension of diplomacy. When rebels intercepted the wrong political mission, the Federal Parliament of Sol dispatched Joshua “the Butcher” Metzler to put an end to the revolution. To the war-weary admiral, it was one last chance to do it right, to make amends for past mistakes, and to pass the torch to his daughter, Commander Metzler, the captain of one of his ships.
The trap is set. By the end of the day, the rebel fleet will be captured or destroyed because no one can break a rebellion like the Butcher. But with a powerful AI looking over his shoulder and both spies and diplomats meddling with his plans, will Joshua be able to soothe his conscience, or will the inevitable battle forever be known as Metzler’s Mistake?
Raden's End
They sent the right woman after the wrong man.
The person who seeks revenge digs two graves. Fifteen years ago, Arlette Kopca lost everything, her family was killed, and her world scarred forever, but now she has the murderer within reach. The only thing standing between her and Cal Raden is a Perseid Battle Group, and Arlette has them outnumbered two-to-one.
On the planet below, Cal Raden awakens after twenty years in a cryo chamber, betrayed by his closest friend, his identity stolen. He’ll have to choose between salvaging his reputation and denying the acts he’s accused of or harnessing the myth to protect himself and the planet because the Federal Fleet is coming, and they won’t stop until he’s dead.
The person who seeks revenge digs two graves. Fifteen years ago, Arlette Kopca lost everything, her family was killed, and her world scarred forever, but now she has the murderer within reach. The only thing standing between her and Cal Raden is a Perseid Battle Group, and Arlette has them outnumbered two-to-one.
On the planet below, Cal Raden awakens after twenty years in a cryo chamber, betrayed by his closest friend, his identity stolen. He’ll have to choose between salvaging his reputation and denying the acts he’s accused of or harnessing the myth to protect himself and the planet because the Federal Fleet is coming, and they won’t stop until he’s dead.
Nomad Soul
If you had to choose between your life and your dreams, would you ever wake up?
Alan Campbell thought he’d gotten his dream job working on a revolutionary VRMMORPG with Osmark Technologies, until the project was canceled. He has one weekend to dive into an untested world full of intrigue, violence, and corruption to prove that Viridian Gate Online works, but the AIs running the game have their own plans for his soul.
Set a year before the events of “Viridian Gate Online: Cataclysm,” The Illusionist: Nomad Soul takes you back to when VGO was just a game, or so it seemed.
Alan Campbell thought he’d gotten his dream job working on a revolutionary VRMMORPG with Osmark Technologies, until the project was canceled. He has one weekend to dive into an untested world full of intrigue, violence, and corruption to prove that Viridian Gate Online works, but the AIs running the game have their own plans for his soul.
Set a year before the events of “Viridian Gate Online: Cataclysm,” The Illusionist: Nomad Soul takes you back to when VGO was just a game, or so it seemed.
Dead Man's Tide
Viridian Gate Online is more than just a game… and now, it's Alan Campbell’s whole world.
Recently deceased and squishy as hell, Alan, a newly minted Illusionist, is forced to flee for his life. He needs time to deal with his loss, both in-game and IRL, but first he’ll have to escape his crazy ex, the treacherous Firebrand, Thalia Daceran.
On his way to safety and revenge, he’ll team up with Titus, the Imperial spymaster, as well as a crew of pirates, commandos, and even a shapeshifting Mimic with a taste for blood. His path leads to Wyrdtide, a gaslit city hidden in mists and governed by dark demigods.
But even with Alan dead, the world marches on. Will the government seize control of V.G.O.? Did Horace, the blind beggar, really die? And whatever happened to Jeff? Find answers, new purpose, and the machinations of the gods in this action-packed continuation of the Illusionist Series.
Recently deceased and squishy as hell, Alan, a newly minted Illusionist, is forced to flee for his life. He needs time to deal with his loss, both in-game and IRL, but first he’ll have to escape his crazy ex, the treacherous Firebrand, Thalia Daceran.
On his way to safety and revenge, he’ll team up with Titus, the Imperial spymaster, as well as a crew of pirates, commandos, and even a shapeshifting Mimic with a taste for blood. His path leads to Wyrdtide, a gaslit city hidden in mists and governed by dark demigods.
But even with Alan dead, the world marches on. Will the government seize control of V.G.O.? Did Horace, the blind beggar, really die? And whatever happened to Jeff? Find answers, new purpose, and the machinations of the gods in this action-packed continuation of the Illusionist Series.
Inquisitor's Foil
He's a part-time Imperial hero, full-time thief. Lucky for him, she's not that kind of Inquisitor.
Illusionist and novice spy Alan Campbell just got out of one relationship only to have another woman walk into his life: the Lady Camilla Favonius of the Imperial Inquisition. He's close to broke and left without orders. She wears plate armor in the field and around her heart. Is the lady just what the Plague Doctor ordered, or will his efforts to get a job and woo her only leave him jaded...or dead?
From the city of Harrowick to the perilous depths of the Grass Sea, Alan will have to fight a corrupt syndicate, earn his place in the Thieves' Union, and face down monsters and the risen dead if he wants a happy ending. All the while, in the real world, Robert Osmark is as close to losing his company as he's ever been, and both Sandra and Jeff will have to pick sides once the battle lines are drawn. Brazen thievery, Death caught off-balance, the Dawn Elves' dirty secret, and unexpected love in Inquisitor's Foil, the third book of the Illusionist series.
Illusionist and novice spy Alan Campbell just got out of one relationship only to have another woman walk into his life: the Lady Camilla Favonius of the Imperial Inquisition. He's close to broke and left without orders. She wears plate armor in the field and around her heart. Is the lady just what the Plague Doctor ordered, or will his efforts to get a job and woo her only leave him jaded...or dead?
From the city of Harrowick to the perilous depths of the Grass Sea, Alan will have to fight a corrupt syndicate, earn his place in the Thieves' Union, and face down monsters and the risen dead if he wants a happy ending. All the while, in the real world, Robert Osmark is as close to losing his company as he's ever been, and both Sandra and Jeff will have to pick sides once the battle lines are drawn. Brazen thievery, Death caught off-balance, the Dawn Elves' dirty secret, and unexpected love in Inquisitor's Foil, the third book of the Illusionist series.
Sharper's Coin
Love can make a man do terrible things.
Somewhere within the Library, a clock is winding down. With Wendy safe, Alan needs to focus on paying his debt to the Plague Doctors of Wyrdtide by the end of the month. But a slip of the tongue doubles the amount, turning a hard task into an impossible one.
His only option is to ask the master of assassins for work. But murder for money isn't the only thing Alan needs to worry about. The gods are upset with him, his old colleagues want him dead, and the Circle of Brewers is hiding more than the secrets of Alchemy.
And there's something else, something deadlier, and it's reaching through time to seize everything Alan loves in its fist. Try as he might, it may have been too late from the start.
Somewhere within the Library, a clock is winding down. With Wendy safe, Alan needs to focus on paying his debt to the Plague Doctors of Wyrdtide by the end of the month. But a slip of the tongue doubles the amount, turning a hard task into an impossible one.
His only option is to ask the master of assassins for work. But murder for money isn't the only thing Alan needs to worry about. The gods are upset with him, his old colleagues want him dead, and the Circle of Brewers is hiding more than the secrets of Alchemy.
And there's something else, something deadlier, and it's reaching through time to seize everything Alan loves in its fist. Try as he might, it may have been too late from the start.
Phoenix of Ankara
He's holding his cards close to his heart...
They say you can find anything in the City of Glass. When the Imperial veteran who killed the last Merchant Prince returns to the scene of the crime, many wonder what he's looking for. Deals are struck in back rooms, and allegiances shift. For Canis Decentius, it's about remembering what he fought for and making good on old debts.
When the four factions that control Ankara decide to remove him from the board, Canis seems to pick a side, but rumors among the native Accipiter suggest he's playing a different game entirely. Has the old legionary come to the City of Glass to die, or will his private war be the beginning of something new?
They say you can find anything in the City of Glass. When the Imperial veteran who killed the last Merchant Prince returns to the scene of the crime, many wonder what he's looking for. Deals are struck in back rooms, and allegiances shift. For Canis Decentius, it's about remembering what he fought for and making good on old debts.
When the four factions that control Ankara decide to remove him from the board, Canis seems to pick a side, but rumors among the native Accipiter suggest he's playing a different game entirely. Has the old legionary come to the City of Glass to die, or will his private war be the beginning of something new?
Side Quests
The End is Coming.
An extinction-level asteroid is cannonballing toward Earth. In humanity’s final hours, a lucky few earn a one-way ticket to the brand-new, ultra-immersive, fantasy-based VRMMORPG, Viridian Gate Online. Making that leap of faith might mean survival, but it comes with a steep price tag: “Travelers” will forever be stranded as digital avatars inside a fantastical world filled with vicious monsters, all-powerful AIs, and cutthroat players. Let the games begin …
“A Final Kindness” by D.J. Bodden
Alan Campbell was a talker, not a fighter, until someone murdered his girl. He’d almost given up on finding the killers; now he’s got a fresh lead, a trio of mercenaries who outclass him in every way but his wits. He’ll cheat, bluff, and steal to get his revenge, and as one of V.G.O.’s immortal travelers, he’s willing to die trying.
An extinction-level asteroid is cannonballing toward Earth. In humanity’s final hours, a lucky few earn a one-way ticket to the brand-new, ultra-immersive, fantasy-based VRMMORPG, Viridian Gate Online. Making that leap of faith might mean survival, but it comes with a steep price tag: “Travelers” will forever be stranded as digital avatars inside a fantastical world filled with vicious monsters, all-powerful AIs, and cutthroat players. Let the games begin …
“A Final Kindness” by D.J. Bodden
Alan Campbell was a talker, not a fighter, until someone murdered his girl. He’d almost given up on finding the killers; now he’s got a fresh lead, a trio of mercenaries who outclass him in every way but his wits. He’ll cheat, bluff, and steal to get his revenge, and as one of V.G.O.’s immortal travelers, he’s willing to die trying.
Black Fall
Secret identities. Bloodsucking organizations. When a high-schooler unlocks mystical abilities, will he be the newest target on a deadly list?
Modern-day Manhattan. Jonas Black longs to wash his hands of existential drama. But with his mom increasingly paranoid, the worried sixteen-year-old nearly jumps out of his skin when paranormal predators invade his home hunting for his missing dad. And after his mother finally reveals that he’s the world’s one-and-only natural-born vampire, he resolves to unlock otherworldly skills and rescue his lost father.
Invited to train at an elite supernatural academy, Jonas dives fangs-first into arduous classes to prepare for sneak attacks from family enemies. And as he marvels at wisecracking werewolves, telepathic liches, and mind-bending powers, he vows to unleash his inner badass and pry out the truth… even if it puts his life on the line. With the odds against him getting longer by the minute, can Jonas outsmart those hellbent on bringing down his bloodline?
Black Fall is the thrilling first book in The Black Year YA urban fantasy series. If you like awkward heroes, dark humor, and surprise twists, then you’ll love D.J. Bodden’s fast-paced battle.
Buy Black Fall to wipe the floor with villains today!
Modern-day Manhattan. Jonas Black longs to wash his hands of existential drama. But with his mom increasingly paranoid, the worried sixteen-year-old nearly jumps out of his skin when paranormal predators invade his home hunting for his missing dad. And after his mother finally reveals that he’s the world’s one-and-only natural-born vampire, he resolves to unlock otherworldly skills and rescue his lost father.
Invited to train at an elite supernatural academy, Jonas dives fangs-first into arduous classes to prepare for sneak attacks from family enemies. And as he marvels at wisecracking werewolves, telepathic liches, and mind-bending powers, he vows to unleash his inner badass and pry out the truth… even if it puts his life on the line. With the odds against him getting longer by the minute, can Jonas outsmart those hellbent on bringing down his bloodline?
Black Fall is the thrilling first book in The Black Year YA urban fantasy series. If you like awkward heroes, dark humor, and surprise twists, then you’ll love D.J. Bodden’s fast-paced battle.
Buy Black Fall to wipe the floor with villains today!
D.J. Bodden is a science fiction and fantasy writer, and creator of the FiveFold Universe, a hard sci-fi universe for fans of The Expanse, BattleTech, and Star Trek. Before he was a writer he was a Marine and military attack helicopter pilot, as well as being a coffee trader, tech COO and video game aficionado.
He currently lives in Switzerland and is always looking for a new story.
Stay in touch with D.J. to chat about his upcoming books, and talk stories by joining his mailing list, by CLICKING HERE.
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