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Darkcrasher #1
Magus
On Earth in 2089, the extremely wealthy control a new technology they’ve illegally used to build planet-scale playgrounds on other worlds – worlds out there, on the q-side, where time flows differently relative to Earth’s.
These wealthy world-gamers have complete control within their playgrounds, projecting their consciousness into the distant host bodies that they’ve seeded there for their pleasure. But when the new technology gets hacked and crashes, it cuts these gamers off … with deadly consequences.
High in a Los Angeles megatower, corporate employee Dante Rosso must fix the crash and restore the systems so his megalomaniac boss can get back to his game. As he works, he discovers highly disturbing secrets — and makes the dangerous decision to act alone on what he finds.
Out there, the people on these distant game-worlds whose ancestors were “seeded” there long ago are completely unaware of their true origins. Let alone their status as corporate property. But on one of these worlds – the one that belongs to Dante Rosso’s boss – there is one troubled man who is aware that a long-gone evil is seeking to return.
Heath of the Hadrak magi believes he stands alone against this returning evil, the destroyers of mind and renders of flesh his people know as wizards. Forced to keep his awareness secret, blind to the greater truth, he is unaware that he may have an ally from another world. Instead, he does the only thing he can: he readies himself to risk all that he has and all that he loves to stop the horror to come.
Weapon. Pawn. Lord. And slave. He must become the darkness in order to save the light.
These wealthy world-gamers have complete control within their playgrounds, projecting their consciousness into the distant host bodies that they’ve seeded there for their pleasure. But when the new technology gets hacked and crashes, it cuts these gamers off … with deadly consequences.
High in a Los Angeles megatower, corporate employee Dante Rosso must fix the crash and restore the systems so his megalomaniac boss can get back to his game. As he works, he discovers highly disturbing secrets — and makes the dangerous decision to act alone on what he finds.
Out there, the people on these distant game-worlds whose ancestors were “seeded” there long ago are completely unaware of their true origins. Let alone their status as corporate property. But on one of these worlds – the one that belongs to Dante Rosso’s boss – there is one troubled man who is aware that a long-gone evil is seeking to return.
Heath of the Hadrak magi believes he stands alone against this returning evil, the destroyers of mind and renders of flesh his people know as wizards. Forced to keep his awareness secret, blind to the greater truth, he is unaware that he may have an ally from another world. Instead, he does the only thing he can: he readies himself to risk all that he has and all that he loves to stop the horror to come.
Weapon. Pawn. Lord. And slave. He must become the darkness in order to save the light.
182 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 21, 2016
About the author
T.S. Vale
9 books79 followers Hi, fellow reader. Thanks for stopping by!
I’ve loved and practiced the art and science of "writing" my entire life. I've published and been recognized for both fiction and non-fiction, commercially and independently.
Another thing I love — no surprise, probably, to most of you who’ve found your way here — is reading. I’m an avid book fan and have been honored to work with, support, and learn from some amazing authors.
Both as a writer and a reader, my top genre love is what I often refer to as speculative fiction — that is, science fiction and fantasy, in all their many variations. My tastes are broad but it’s easy to note post-apocalyptic SF / fantasy, dystopian SF / fantasy, historical fiction, epic SF / fantasy, and technological SF / fantasy as top favorites in those fields.
Manifesting new worlds and telling characters’ stories has been my great and lifelong passion. I’m exceedingly grateful that it’s a passion that has provided some of you out there with some entertainment and even some inspiration. Thanks for letting me know about that: I truly appreciate it. Keep on reading!
I’ve loved and practiced the art and science of "writing" my entire life. I've published and been recognized for both fiction and non-fiction, commercially and independently.
Another thing I love — no surprise, probably, to most of you who’ve found your way here — is reading. I’m an avid book fan and have been honored to work with, support, and learn from some amazing authors.
Both as a writer and a reader, my top genre love is what I often refer to as speculative fiction — that is, science fiction and fantasy, in all their many variations. My tastes are broad but it’s easy to note post-apocalyptic SF / fantasy, dystopian SF / fantasy, historical fiction, epic SF / fantasy, and technological SF / fantasy as top favorites in those fields.
Manifesting new worlds and telling characters’ stories has been my great and lifelong passion. I’m exceedingly grateful that it’s a passion that has provided some of you out there with some entertainment and even some inspiration. Thanks for letting me know about that: I truly appreciate it. Keep on reading!
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 15, 2017
Started out with a good premise, but ultimately it lost me. I struggled with the rating and would really have given it a 1.5 for a good idea, but I can't say I really liked the book - I was annoyed by it, I am sorry to say.
So start with a large technology group/company where people can create off worlds and live in alternate existences through interaction of their mind and a "game" they created. What happens if the games are hacked? People are trapped in their other worlds and have to live or die their by the rules they have set up, while their body back on earth will eventually wither and die, if they don't die outright from shock.
An exception is one of the mega-rich, the owner of this company, who happened to build in extra safeguards and his personal tech who is responsible for keeping the boss alive and finding out who and why hacked the game - the boss believes it was just to "get him" and its personal, but the tech thinks otherwise.
At the same time, we are introduced to the alternate world with mages, magic and more - threat of the powerful in this world trying to bring back the wizards, who apparently were battled against previously.
Obviously there is some connection between what is going on in the real world and the game, but by the end of the book it isn't clear which characters match up to who in the game or still any real hint about how it will parallel at all. My main problem is I for whatever reason had a hard time with the vernacular this author chose to use in dialog sequences by both sets of characters. I didn't really enjoy the writing style, and it was taking too long for the story to develop in the new world. By the end of the book, I felt more like why did I bother if this was all I was going to get for the time I spent reading it. I might come back and do book 2 but someone will have to coach me and tell me its worth it.
So start with a large technology group/company where people can create off worlds and live in alternate existences through interaction of their mind and a "game" they created. What happens if the games are hacked? People are trapped in their other worlds and have to live or die their by the rules they have set up, while their body back on earth will eventually wither and die, if they don't die outright from shock.
An exception is one of the mega-rich, the owner of this company, who happened to build in extra safeguards and his personal tech who is responsible for keeping the boss alive and finding out who and why hacked the game - the boss believes it was just to "get him" and its personal, but the tech thinks otherwise.
At the same time, we are introduced to the alternate world with mages, magic and more - threat of the powerful in this world trying to bring back the wizards, who apparently were battled against previously.
Obviously there is some connection between what is going on in the real world and the game, but by the end of the book it isn't clear which characters match up to who in the game or still any real hint about how it will parallel at all. My main problem is I for whatever reason had a hard time with the vernacular this author chose to use in dialog sequences by both sets of characters. I didn't really enjoy the writing style, and it was taking too long for the story to develop in the new world. By the end of the book, I felt more like why did I bother if this was all I was going to get for the time I spent reading it. I might come back and do book 2 but someone will have to coach me and tell me its worth it.
February 6, 2023
Yet another book by a wonderful author. Well written, great characters, excellent plot, this one goes on my "Will Read Again" shelf. I could write a long dissertation concerning every aspect of the book, with obligatory spoiler alerts and what not. I'm not going to do that. What I am going to do is say this; You should read this book, I highly recommend it.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews