Kaishi embraced the gifts the Sevora gave her, but becoming an empress has attracted the kind of attention that comes with claws.
That sets the stage for Mind's Eye, the second book in The Skyward Saga, now available in impeccable narration everywhere thanks to Mikhaila Aaseng's awesome efforts behind the microphone.
While this sci-fi action adventure series has been out for a few years, giving it the professional audio treatment has been a delight, as Kaishi's story was so fun to write, and hearing it again makes it feel so new. Starshot, of course, is out and about as well, so if audiobooks are your deal, check these out. The rest of the series will be cropping up throughout the rest of the year, and I'll drop notices every time a new one drops.
In other adventures this week, I'm launching a number of new stories, available in audio format on YouTube and in both text and ad-free audio on my Patreon. This is a bit of an experiment, both in providing more raw writing earlier on in my process for all of you, and also as a chance to write more adventures at the same time.
So you'll see several chapters across these adventures coming out roughly every week, and I'll break down those releases in this here newsletter. As each novel wraps, it'll be released like any other book across all the retailers, but if you're a fan of reading a story as it's told, be sure to check out either of those spots to catch nuggets of sci-fi and fantasy goodness.
With that in mind, here's what launched this week:
The Seven Isles: breaking down my current Epic Fantasy series into sections and giving them the audio treatment, every week will see new chapters released. With The War of Winds coming later in May, this is a great way to get caught up prior to the next volume.
Rakers: A long lost novel of mine, always meant to be revisited and now given a chance to shine. This is an action-packed sci-fi with a wild concept that I'm excited to dive back into.
Hope's Hollow: A sword-and-sorcery adventure full of magic and mayhem, with more than a little humor thrown in too. We'll see where this one goes, but these characters make me laugh, and they'll hopefully do the same for you.
A Long and Silent Scream: A sci-fi thriller of sorts, full of mysteries as a lone agent investigates a strange, crowded ship where everything seems to be going rogue, but who and what are behind a series of strange murders, and why was Haro hired to investigate in the first place, if everyone on board seems to want him dead?
Pick your favorite to listen to (or read on the Patreon) or indulge in them all, or wait till they're wrapped and out at your preferred store. Either way, adventures aplenty for you to read and me to write 😄
And now, the lifestyle section of this here newsletter!
With spring coming to Wisconsin, we're immersed in house projects. Getting the yard revamped after Winter is always an adventure, as is getting our dining room ready for the imminent arrival of a board gaming table, a necessity to give these cardboard quests a chance to proceed unmolested by children and cats alike.
What I'm Reading: Onto the 4th Malazan novel, House of Chains! Book Three, Memories of Ice, ended with a great big battle and a slew of magical twists and turns. I still really enjoy the detailed world Steven Erikson's created with these and plan on plunging straight ahead to the conclusion, even if it takes me forever to get there.
What I'm Playing: Took Res Arcana with me on a recent trip, and it showed its chops as a smallish box stuffed with delicious decisions. You're trying to build a tight engine, attack other players, and grab power to earn enough points to win. Myriad strategies abound in a game that plays in an hour once you know the rules. Great stuff, and the expansions are effortless inclusions.
What I'm Watching: Invincible's second season remains eminently watchable, if not quite as tight as the first. The show gives its college-aged heroes real stakes and often goes beyond the usual superhero zest, but without the oddball gross-out humor of, say, The Boys. If I had a knock, it's that it occasionally falls into the Superman trap, wherein situations are overly contrived to keep less powerful players relevant. Even so, I'm enjoying just about every minute.
And that's a wrap on this week! Hope it's been a good one for you, and thanks for reading!
~Adam
