Imagine if you could fully enter a game and play as you are, fully experiencing everything as you would in the real world. That is the dream of the full dive system. The only problem is there is currently no idea what that may do to the human psych and body. Well for Scion this opened a new door of opportunity. Dieing from an unknown disease he is given a choice. His body will be frozen allowing time to pass for a cure to be developed and although the body will be at rest the mind stays active. Thus making him the perfect candidate to be a test subject for the new full dive system. Or die. For Scion the choice was simple, with nothing left to live for and no relatives to worry about, he'll become the first test subject for the new full dive system. The only catch is, the system might kill him itself. Join Scion as he travels an unknown world, tempting fate as the new system is developed.

Nearly a year ago an alien race had laid claim to our world. But through the sacrifice of so many the Druidth quickly learned of Human Determination and the mountains it can move. As Operation Unity continues across the world hero's are made and justice wrought. However, the Alien War Machine will not be defeated so easily...

************************************************************************************** An outcast rogue must break a curse put on his fate, or die on his nineteenth birthday. To survive, he'll need the sword of a maiden, the aid of an immortal, and the power of forbidden magic that could cost him the only girl he ever loved. ************************************************************************************ *** THE JACK OF SOULS won a Silver IPPY this year! *** THE JACK OF SOULS won 1st place in the PNWA Competition in Fantasy! * *** THE JACK OF SOULS won 1st place in the Southwest Writers competition! * *** A "Featured Book" on Wattpad! * *** Now a "Staff Pick" on Kickstarter! * *** Available on Amazon in paper, hardback, and ebook ! * *** My contract with Kindle Select won't allow me to post more than 3 chapters here, but... *** Sign up for my newsletter on stephenmerlino.com for alerts when it's free on Amazon! * MY INSPIRATION I wrote this out of pure love of trickster rogues; I love the wit over brawn motif -- Odysseus over Achilles, Raven over Eagle -- so I like to play with it in my stories. In JOS I set the rogue and con-artist Harric against a foil of warriors in a land threatened by magic and civil war. Whenever possible I turn familiar tropes on their heads: instead of a handsome young Lancelot, I cast a broken-down ex-champion addicted to pain-killing herbs; instead of a dashing Squire Brian, the old knight reluctantly takes an ambitious young woman as squire. Similarly, I re-imagine the standard medieval milieu by infusing aspects of two of my favorite historical periods, Elizabethan England, and The American Frontier. Both eras boast a kind of nationalistic arrogance that borders on hubris, and a magnificent spirit of resourcefulness and re-invention that is fun to play with. SERIES The Jack of Souls is first in a series. I am posting parts of the sequel here now (The Knave of Souls), to help me refine the story.

“A breathtaking new epic fantasy series. Morgan Rice does it again! This magical saga reminds me of the best of J.K. Rowling, George R.R. Martin, Rick Riordan, Christopher Paolini and J.R.R. Tolkien. I couldn’t put it down!” --Allegra Skye, Bestselling author of SAVED The epic coming of age story of one special boy, a 14 year old from a small village in the Kingdom of the Ring. The youngest of four, the least favorite of his father, hated by his brothers, Thorgrin senses he is different from the others. He dreams of becoming a great warrior, of joining the King’s men and protecting the Ring from the hordes of creatures on the other side of the Canyon. When he comes of age and is forbidden by his father to try out for the King’s Legion, he refuses to take no for an answer: he journeys out on his own. But King’s Court is rife with its own power struggles, ambitions, jealousy, violence and betrayal. King MacGil must choose an heir from amongst his children, and the ancient Dynasty Sword, the source of all their power, still sits untouched, waiting for the chosen one to arrive. Thorgrin arrives as an outsider and battles to be accepted, and to join the King’s Legion. Thorgrin comes to learn he has a special gift, and a special destiny. He falls in love with the king’s daughter, and as he struggles to make sense of his powers, the king’s sorcerer takes him under his wing and tells him of a mother he never knew, in a land far away, beyond the Canyon, beyond even the land of the Dragons. With its sophisticated world-building and characterization, A QUEST OF HEROES is an epic tale of friends and lovers, of rivals and suitors, of knights and dragons, of intrigues and political machinations, of coming of age, of broken hearts, of deception, ambition and betrayal. It is a tale of honor and courage, of fate and destiny, of sorcery. It is a fantasy that brings us into a world we will never forget, and which will appeal to all ages and genders.

'Absolute power corrupts absolutely' -William Shakespeare It is true that power can change people, mostly for the worse. History is ripe with evidence to this. But what if absolute power was given to someone who didn't want it or couldn't even control it properly? Would he lose himself in the power and change for the worse? Or could he overcome the addictive pull of the power and do something good with it? Jason Mitchel finds himself crossing that bridge after a trip to Athens changes his world for life. But even with superhuman powers his life is constantly in danger. Can he save himself and stop himself from hurting people? Or will he succumb to his powers and lose himself?

When fifteen year old Drake was born, they called him boneless. Destined to die for what his clan called an abnormality, the love of his mother saved him. But growing up with a weak bone disease meant he cannot fight, hunt, joust, or draw a blood-sigil that has become a custom for every kid. Considered a weakling by many including his family, Drake knows his only chance to succeed is to learn faster and work twice harder than the other boys, but he lacks the very thing that defines greatness amongst his clan; the ability to wield a blood bonded magic. When a failed assassination attempt leaves him lost in the woods, a chance encounter sets him upon a strange creature with secrets that could change his life or destroy him. In the prominent cities of the Nine Worlds, an assassin strikes fear in the hearts of Kings. People whisper of the Black Fury, a goddess of vengeance, but Zelos Shadowstealer is just a girl burdened by a great power, whose identity, happiness, and future have been enslaved to serve the greed of her masters. Kingdoms have fallen, wars ignited, and great names extinguished at the edge of her blade, but when she is set upon a young prince doomed to die by her hand, she begins to entertain questions that leaves her with two choices- smother the affection that had sprouted in her cold heart or be hunted by the murderers she had once served. In a world where a strong arm and a cold heart rules, the two begin to realize that the line between withering and surviving is truly thin.

Sam is the most promising swordsman among this year’s crop of Paladin trainees...and knows it. Brash, cocky, and unbeatable with a sword (well, almost), Sam is the kingdom of Thule’s best hope against the violence wrought by demons. The only problem is that Sam is really Lady Samantha, daughter of the seventeenth Duke of Haywood, and if her father has his way, she’ll be marrying a Paladin, not becoming one. But Sam has never held much interest in playing damsel-in-distress, and so she rescues herself from a lifetime of boredom and matrimonial drudgery. Pity that Tristan Lyons, the Paladin assigned to train her, is none other than the hero of her childhood. He hasn’t recognized her as Lady Samantha--yet-- but if he does, he’ll take away her sword and send her packing. Sam is not the only trainee hiding secrets: Braeden is a half-demon with a dark past that might be unforgivable. Sam, Braeden and Tristan set out for the western coast, charged with rooting out an infestation of demons that has made the West unlivable. As they travel, they uncover a deep-seated corruption of power that threatens to derail everything they stand for. Rebellion stirs, led by a rival faction of warriors who tempt Sam to join them with an irresistible offer. A war between men is coming, and Sam must pick a side. Will saving the kingdom cost her life -- or just her heart? Reminiscent of Mulan, but with a medieval fantasy twist, Paladin is a tale of adventure, action, and romance.

[COMICS OUT NOW!] What's worse than going to school? Going to school for knights in another world! After accidentally witnessing a woman killing a demon in the streets of Boston, Valeriana is kidnapped and forced to enroll in the magical Celeste Academy. It would've been great if she fit right in, but while everyone's calling upon fireballs and tornadoes, she's stuck being the only human in class! Surely demons can wait from destroying the world until she gets her life together, right? |Wattpad version is complete, but is otherwise an old draft. For the revised and edited one, please go to mylovelywtiter.co|

The continuation of the Starcross series. Last time a battle had just been won by the ragtag 33rd Colorado showing the world that the Druidth could be beaten. Now, the war rages on as men lose themselves in their inner demons doing whatever it takes to beat the alien menace and the fate of Humanity is staked on one impossible gamble... Will Humanity be victorious or will Earth become a new colony in the Druidth Empire?

We as a race have spent millennia warring and killing each other over everthing from God to Country, Money and Power, Love and Jealousy, or even simple Psychotic Rage. But now that Humanity has a new enemy to face, one from the stars with far superior technology. And it is now up to every Man, Woman, and Child to come together and make a choice: fight for their Freedom, no matter the cost and to the bitter end, or Surrender and face the implications of what that means...