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SAVE GAME
Ready Player One
meets Dark Souls in this game-changing GameLit novel…
In the digital realm, Levi Jensen is a force to be reckoned with—a virtuoso gamer. But in the real world, he’s a loser who dropped out of college and will never make it beyond his job working at the chippy. Faced with familial tragedy and financial despair, Levi's only chance at salvation lies within the labyrinthine depths of the dark-fantasy RPG, Fate of Ellaria.
As Levi's father succumbs to a rare illness, the coveted million-dollar prize promised to Fate of Ellaria’s winnerproves the last hope to save him. But in the cutthroat world of gaming, Levi quickly realizes he's not the only player with everything on the line.
Save Game is a gripping tale of resilience and redemption, where pulse-pounding LitRPG action meets the raw emotion of real-world struggle. Save Game explores the indomitable courage of those who dare brave the darkest of dungeons in order to re-write their destiny.
Praise for Save
“ Save Game is triumph, one of the most richly written pieces of fantasy that I've ever read. Sale's mastery of the genre in Save Game is startling, his characters are fresh and unique, his plot sharply woven, intuitive and beguiling, all of these things make Save Game an earth-shattering experience.”
-Ross Jeffery, Bram Stoker Award Nominated author of Juniper and Tome
“An estus flask for the soul.”
-Samuel Parr, author and winner of the Ron L. Hubbard Writers of the Future Award
“In Save Game, Joseph Sale has immersed us fully in the dangerous, dark, and beautiful world of Fate of Ellaria. We are just as swept away by the adventure as Levi and by the mysterious characters he meets on his quest. The reader becomes a player in the game, watching as Levi and those he encounters forge alliances and make rivalries. When avatars mask the truth of the humans behind the pixels, no one knows exactly the right path or who to trust.”
-Christa Wojciechowski, author of Oblivion Black
“Save Game is heavily fantasy but absolutely has horror elements. It gave me the feeling of Elden Ring with a mix of Skyrim and a touch of Cyberpunk. If you are a gamer and you enjoy a good dark fantasy story I think you will also devour this one.”
-Kylie Trombley, Goodreads review
In the digital realm, Levi Jensen is a force to be reckoned with—a virtuoso gamer. But in the real world, he’s a loser who dropped out of college and will never make it beyond his job working at the chippy. Faced with familial tragedy and financial despair, Levi's only chance at salvation lies within the labyrinthine depths of the dark-fantasy RPG, Fate of Ellaria.
As Levi's father succumbs to a rare illness, the coveted million-dollar prize promised to Fate of Ellaria’s winnerproves the last hope to save him. But in the cutthroat world of gaming, Levi quickly realizes he's not the only player with everything on the line.
Save Game is a gripping tale of resilience and redemption, where pulse-pounding LitRPG action meets the raw emotion of real-world struggle. Save Game explores the indomitable courage of those who dare brave the darkest of dungeons in order to re-write their destiny.
Praise for Save
“ Save Game is triumph, one of the most richly written pieces of fantasy that I've ever read. Sale's mastery of the genre in Save Game is startling, his characters are fresh and unique, his plot sharply woven, intuitive and beguiling, all of these things make Save Game an earth-shattering experience.”
-Ross Jeffery, Bram Stoker Award Nominated author of Juniper and Tome
“An estus flask for the soul.”
-Samuel Parr, author and winner of the Ron L. Hubbard Writers of the Future Award
“In Save Game, Joseph Sale has immersed us fully in the dangerous, dark, and beautiful world of Fate of Ellaria. We are just as swept away by the adventure as Levi and by the mysterious characters he meets on his quest. The reader becomes a player in the game, watching as Levi and those he encounters forge alliances and make rivalries. When avatars mask the truth of the humans behind the pixels, no one knows exactly the right path or who to trust.”
-Christa Wojciechowski, author of Oblivion Black
“Save Game is heavily fantasy but absolutely has horror elements. It gave me the feeling of Elden Ring with a mix of Skyrim and a touch of Cyberpunk. If you are a gamer and you enjoy a good dark fantasy story I think you will also devour this one.”
-Kylie Trombley, Goodreads review
228 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 31, 2025
3 people are currently reading
12 people want to read
About the author
Joseph Sale
61 books62 followersJoseph Sale is an author and filmmaker. He has published more than 30 books, including The Book of Thrice Dead, Virtue’s End, Dark Hilarity, and The Claw of Craving. He is drawn to the baroque, the spiritual, and the mythic like a moth to flame.
He lives in the south of England with his wonderful family, where he obsesses over table-top RPGs, trading card games, book bindery, esoteric Christianity, and anime.
He lives in the south of England with his wonderful family, where he obsesses over table-top RPGs, trading card games, book bindery, esoteric Christianity, and anime.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 13, 2024
I have IMMEDIATELY jumped into the second book! I finished this last week, and I’m just so blown away. Joseph has such an incredible skill with creating intricate and immersive worlds, characters that feel so real and a story that’s immediately engrossing.
Save Game is heavily fantasy but absolutely has horror elements. It gave me the feeling of Elden Ring with a mix of Skyrim and a touch of Cyberpunk. If you are a gamer and you enjoy a good dark fantasy story I think you will also devour this one.
I found the pacing to be engaging, the characters to be well rounded and really likeable, and the environment was just an absolute treat for my visual reading brain. I cannot wait for where this series is going to go, I am so stoked to see more!
Joseph Sale is working on building this into a series- so it’s the perfect time to jump in!
Save Game is heavily fantasy but absolutely has horror elements. It gave me the feeling of Elden Ring with a mix of Skyrim and a touch of Cyberpunk. If you are a gamer and you enjoy a good dark fantasy story I think you will also devour this one.
I found the pacing to be engaging, the characters to be well rounded and really likeable, and the environment was just an absolute treat for my visual reading brain. I cannot wait for where this series is going to go, I am so stoked to see more!
Joseph Sale is working on building this into a series- so it’s the perfect time to jump in!
May 17, 2025
An Epic Tale of High Adventure and Redemption
A son enters a video game contest, and gives up everything to try and save his father. Fans of Ready Player One will feel right at home here. This is an epic, emotional adventure through an Elden Ring style virtual reality MMORPG will take you to the heights of exaltation, and make you tear up. Fantastic read.
A son enters a video game contest, and gives up everything to try and save his father. Fans of Ready Player One will feel right at home here. This is an epic, emotional adventure through an Elden Ring style virtual reality MMORPG will take you to the heights of exaltation, and make you tear up. Fantastic read.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews