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Ripple
A wounded fox in search of home.
The war pushes further, leaving deeper scars than ever. First comes an attack on the colony of Phoenix Perch, then it expands to fronts no one knew existed. All of which could have wide reaching ramifications for both sides.
Sundale, meanwhile, has his own problems. While wounds from his time as a POW are only just beginning to heal, he must return to the field in time to defend not only his fighter group and crew mates, but the future of his entire race. Things get even worse when some of his scars make it hard for him to be around those who care about him, while the war throws surprise after surprise at him, and them, from all sides.
The barrage of hits keeps growing as dangerous plans and personal shocks push Sundale past his limits. Then when the final blows begin to land, Sundale, his CO, his mother, and so many more, may face more challenges than they can handle; both within, and without.
The war pushes further, leaving deeper scars than ever. First comes an attack on the colony of Phoenix Perch, then it expands to fronts no one knew existed. All of which could have wide reaching ramifications for both sides.
Sundale, meanwhile, has his own problems. While wounds from his time as a POW are only just beginning to heal, he must return to the field in time to defend not only his fighter group and crew mates, but the future of his entire race. Things get even worse when some of his scars make it hard for him to be around those who care about him, while the war throws surprise after surprise at him, and them, from all sides.
The barrage of hits keeps growing as dangerous plans and personal shocks push Sundale past his limits. Then when the final blows begin to land, Sundale, his CO, his mother, and so many more, may face more challenges than they can handle; both within, and without.
546 pages, Hardcover
Published March 17, 2026
About the author
Forest Wells
5 books28 followersForest Wells is an author with a deep passion for all things wild canine, as well as pro football, hockey, and e-sports. Forest has authored a short story, as well as several poems, in the 2015-2017 editions of the "Wolf Warriors" anthologies, in addition to another short story in the March/April 2019 issue of Kyanite Publishing's collection of dragon stories. Forest continues to work on his future stories, including a military sci-fi and a fantasy. He currently lives in his home town of Thermal, California.
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Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review
April 23, 2026
I finished Ripple in two sittings and spent a good portion of the second one fighting back tears. Forest Wells has crafted something genuinely special here, a war story that refuses to let the conflict overshadow the people caught inside it.
Sundale is one of the most achingly real protagonists I've encountered in this genre. Watching him navigate the aftermath of his time as a POW the invisible wounds, the way trauma makes you flinch from the very people trying to love you felt painfully human. Wells never rushes his recovery, never makes it tidy. The emotional honesty throughout is extraordinary.
The war itself escalates in ways I genuinely did not see coming. The attack on Phoenix Perch sets the pace early, but Wells keeps raising the stakes with a confidence that never tips into chaos. Each new front, each revelation, feels earned. By the final act, when the blows start landing in rapid succession on Sundale, his CO, his mother, I was completely floored.
What sets this book apart is how Wells balances the personal and the epic without sacrificing either. The fighter group dynamics crackle, the world-building deepens organically, and the emotional beats hit harder precisely because the larger stakes feel real. The ending left me breathless and desperate for whatever comes next.
Sundale is one of the most achingly real protagonists I've encountered in this genre. Watching him navigate the aftermath of his time as a POW the invisible wounds, the way trauma makes you flinch from the very people trying to love you felt painfully human. Wells never rushes his recovery, never makes it tidy. The emotional honesty throughout is extraordinary.
The war itself escalates in ways I genuinely did not see coming. The attack on Phoenix Perch sets the pace early, but Wells keeps raising the stakes with a confidence that never tips into chaos. Each new front, each revelation, feels earned. By the final act, when the blows start landing in rapid succession on Sundale, his CO, his mother, I was completely floored.
What sets this book apart is how Wells balances the personal and the epic without sacrificing either. The fighter group dynamics crackle, the world-building deepens organically, and the emotional beats hit harder precisely because the larger stakes feel real. The ending left me breathless and desperate for whatever comes next.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review