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Valder

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Reed is a lower-class citizen scraping by in a world ruled by immortal beings called Aetherians. While working at the shipyard, an unexpected delivery brings about the attention of the vile Devlin Serridan, the ruler of the Aetherians who seeks to destroy a rising rebellion among the humans.

Shaken out of his apathy, Reed finds himself embedded as an upper-class spy among the Aetherian military. During his clandestine facade, he builds relationships with some Aetherians, and finds his boiling hatred turn to bewilderment as he gets to know a commanding but benevolent Aetherian girl. This double-sided life leads him to discover hidden truths about their Gods, their mortality, and the lies that led to the foundation of their society. Reed becomes a symbol of the rebellion to take Devlin off of his throne, seek retribution, and restore what was taken from humanity.

424 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 13, 2022

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8 people want to read

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Brandon Stauffer

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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
Profile Image for Chalay Cragun.
447 reviews
January 25, 2026
This was a fantastic debut novel! It gave me Enders Game vibes with just the right amount of sci-fi mixed with dystopian elements. I thought the main character was well developed and the story line flowed well. The battle scenes were very well played out. My favorite parts were the little twists and turns you didn't see coming.
Profile Image for Natalie.
14 reviews1 follower
February 14, 2026
I really enjoyed reading this! It’s not a genre I typically choose to read, but I was so impressed that my friend’s husband wrote this and I thought it was very well done!
Profile Image for Seralyn Hampton.
71 reviews
July 25, 2025
No notes. Such a good story with so many twists! Everyone needs to stop what they are doing and go read this right now.
Profile Image for Keith.
2,173 reviews6 followers
October 17, 2022
Interesting, Better than Many Others

A well laid out storyline, with a multilayered plot and a rather sudden, an unexpected twist in the eventual denouement at the end. The book finishes with a question and an unknown future, rather than a definitive resolution. Character development is acceptable, and supporting cast is varied and entertaining. Overall a decent story though one with more bloody battles than might be expected.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews

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