Eye of the Abyss for Pre-Order!

Eye of the Abyss is now available for PreOrder from Amazon.com.

I admit, it was something of a last-minute decision, and it's limited to the ebook version only, but

Art by Michael Lam 2016

Eye of the Abyss is now available for Pre-Order from Amazon.com!

(Sorry to shout, I'm excited)

If you want to make sure your copy pops on your Kindle on release day, head on over and order one up.

Can't wait for release day? Want a taste now? I got you covered. Here's an excerpt from Michael Formichelli's Eye of the Abyss for your reading enjoyment:

Before the assembled audience six, two-meter tall humanoid robots in banded armor, DS-109 combat drones, moved through the night air. The myriad of eye-dots beneath their translucent skulls flashed as they sought to keep up with the twin blurs of motion around them. Already a scattering of their fellow robots lay on the ground at their feet, deactivated by the harmless laser devices the combatants were using instead of real guns.

“Impressive, but what is the point?” Aunt Aki said in a low voice. “Our jinzōbushi robots can do the same.”

Ichiro looked to his father’s face, wondering if his response would shed some light on the matter, but he only tightened his lips together and refused to make eye contact.

It was obvious from early in the presentation that the twins were moving with an unusual level of coordination. Several times Enéas or Europa would shoot a DS-109 behind the other twin, angling the shot just right while their sibling ducked out of the line of fire with exacting precision. They dodged, and fired around and behind each other, one making shots that only the other could have seen. It was impressive, but his aunt was right. It wasn’t anything their jinzōbushi combat robots couldn’t do. Even the DS-109’s could replicate the results with the right coordinating AI.

He looked over at Setha, wondering what her opinion could be. It was hard to tell; her expression was as stone-faced as his father’s. It impressed him, and he could see her fitting in with his family in the donjon. He must have stared too long because he heard his aunt clear her throat. She gave him a stern look when he turned towards the sound.

“Ha!” the twins shouted together as they finished off the last DS-109.

Beaming, their parents applauded as though this was some kind of kabuki show. Ichiro could see his father was not amused.

“Well? What do you think, Baron Mitsugawa?” Baron LeRoux asked using the Confederate title.

His father’s expression did not waver, though he could sense the displeasure coming off him. His instincts were confirmed when Mamiya-san spoke.

“Mitsugawa-uesama thanks you for your time, and applauds the athleticism of your fine children.”

“What?” The smiles faded from the LeRoux’s faces. “You’re not impressed?”

Baron LeRoux stood up and moved towards Ichiro’s father. Mamiya-san walked into the space between them, not quite blocking the baron, but close enough that he would have to pass within arm’s reach to get to the Mitsugawa family. The LeRoux children, dressed in minimal, dark-gray armor, came walking over from the demonstration area, but stopped several strides away when Ichiro stood up.

“Don’t tell me I’ve wasted my time here,” Baron LeRoux’s expression hardened. “If you’ve dragged me across hundreds of parsecs just to—”

His father held up a hand. “Baron LeRoux, I apologize if you feel slighted. So far you have shown me nothing that my own robots could not accomplish, and I’m not interested in risking biological lives in ground warfare.”

“Did you review the specs I sent you?”

His father nodded. “Yes, and several of the promotional materials from your barony’s website.”

Baron LeRoux’s cheek twitched. Behind him, the baroness looked like she was tasting something particularly bitter. It reminded him in some ways of his mother when she got upset. With the Sovereign Council in session, she was unable to accompany them to Taiumikai when they left the capital.

“And you’re still not impressed?”

“There is still one feature you have not demonstrated today,” his father said.

The baron’s anger melted away, his face became stern. “I don’t know what you mean.”

Ichiro watched their interaction. Though he didn’t show it, he could tell his father was frustrated. They didn’t invite the LeRoux’s here for a routine demonstration, that was obvious now, and he started to wonder what hidden feature the twins might have that would make their system desirable to his father.

“Thank you for your time, Baron LeRoux. I look forward to seeing you in the Barony.” His father inclined his head.

The tension in the baron’s face was visible, but none the less he returned the gesture before looking at his children. “Go get packed.”

Want to see what happens next? Don't forget to Pre-Order your copy of Eye of the Abyss today.