Well, the first part of the giveaway is done. Exodus: Machine War: Book 1: Supernova, was given away to the tune of just over a thousand books. Not as good as most of my giveaways in the past, but still seemingly worth it if it got the book into the hands of a thousand people who hadn’t heard of it. Hopefully, people who had not heard of me. I spent just under a hundred dollars on promotion. I won’t know the effect, except by guesswork. Some people might buy my other books, both in the series and others. Some who got it for free might also buy it. It does happen. So, on to the next book.
Refuge: The Arrival: Book 1 is a genre bender of technothriller and high fantasy. It can be found in the UK here. It was the series I thought would take off, but Exodus: Empires at War, released after Refuge, was the one that took that honor. Still, Refuge, both books 1 and 2, sold about 5,000 copies each, a little more for 1, a little less for 2. I really enjoyed writing the series, which is now up to four books plus a sort of spinoff (sort of, because it was written before any of the Arrival books). I am currently working on book 5 of the main series, and plan to do at least one more after that, just so my readers will get closure for the series. I may pick it up again in the future.
I have talked about this series to science fiction and fantasy fans at conventions, and people thought it a cool idea. I still think it is. And now for the blurb.
In the year 2025 a nuclear war breaks out in Central Europe, the Russians trying to secure their old empire. The dimensional gates open to another world, a world of magic, where our dreams of fantasy are real. The evil Emperor of the Ellala sees the millions of transplanted humans as soul energy to forward his scheme for immortality. He orders his armies to capture the newcomers, to place them in concentration camps where they can be harvested. But the Germans, French, Polish and other peoples or Earth have other ideas. With the help of their American allies and the modern weapons of war they will fight back against the magic of the evil elves, while gathering their own allies in the fight for survival. For they are seen by the native peoples as the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy. And they have brought immortals with them to this world, men and women of great power on Earth, who become true demigods on the new world. So it is tank against mage, attack helicopter against dragon, and nuclear warheads against impregnable fortress, as the humans must use their technology while they still have it, and gain a foothold on a world beyond their understanding.
The first book of a series about the establishment of a human Empire on a world of magic, led by their immortal king, Book 2 should be out by the first half of June, book 3 in the winter of 2012.
Next up: Refuge: The Arrival: Book 2.