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by M.L. Cook

How cool would it be to find yourself living inside your favorite video game? Wait. What? No. When the monsters you battle become real, so too does the pain. You’re going to get hungry, thirsty…and hey, just where are you going to sleep tonight? Imagine combining very real needs in a world that you must battle monsters and villains simply to stay alive. Three strangers find themselves trapped inside a fantasy world. Each must complete a quest where they will be left with the choice of returning to their miserable lives, or stay and become a part of the magical world of Ashtelon. But wait…it’s not so simple as that. (It never is.) A low-level NPC decides he’s tired of the monotony of his life and will do anything to escape. Then he learns of a ring that will grant the bearer access to the real world, where he can live as a king. In order to do that, he needs to use every bit of magic at his disposal to bring the unsuspecting into his world. Meanwhile…An elite knight, Dareyou, who everyone thought was just another player, needs the help of her newfound friends. When she refuses to aid an evil dryad, he puts a curse on her. But wait! One more thing…her subscription is nearly over. Once that happens, what will become of her? Will she cease to exist or be forever trapped in this world. Together the friends fight to not only get Dareyou home, but to keep the evil from escaping the fantasy realm. In order to do that, they’ll need help from both outside players and NPC’s. But wait, how? Ever talk to an NPC? No? Because you can’t. Now you see the real dilemma.

340 pages, Hardcover

Published March 17, 2022

About the author

Mary (M.L.) Cook is retired, with hours and hours to write. She was born and raised in Indiana. Although she’s lived in several other states, her heart lies in the Hoosier state.
Worlds come alive. Characters stand over her shoulder. Sometimes they wake her at night. All of them want to have their stories written. No matter how she thinks the story should go, it goes according to how the character decides it should. They all write their own stories.

Sometimes you can find Mary wandering the magical lands of Azeroth. If you happen to find someone who goes by Didntdream, say hello. Or perhaps it will be one of those days when she’s casting spells with her Orc, Loktoria. Either way, make her day and give her a shoutout.

Reviews

[M.L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun book.
Since I like to play video games, it shed a new light on an imaginary world.
Sitting at a computer (console for others), the idea of jumping into the fantasy world might sound amazing. From the perspective of players who found themselves in exactly that situation, it might not be quite as fun as one would think.
It's a bit of fantasy, with a little romance, with a happy ending. If you're a gamer, check it out!