Company Unknown - Book 1
Fight monsters for fun and profit? What could be better?
Mer had born into one of the best monster hunting companies in the known world. He had found lots of friends and made the world a better place along the way. Stab evil thing until it stops moving, gain experience points, collect money, repeat. It was a simple life and he was happy.
But everything changed one day when he walked into the commander’s office. First, she told him he was destined for great things. Then, she told him he wasn’t living up to his potential. A pat on the back later, he was out on the street and looking for new work. Moms could be funny that way sometimes.
With nothing more than a small bag of gold and a “do your best,” she had tasked him with forming a new company, becoming a better person, and not getting horribly murdered along the way. Nothing too grand. Life was going to get a lot more complicated.
Company Unknown - Book 2
Hunting monsters? Easy . . . The rest of life? Too bad you can’t solve everything with a hammer.
Finally figuring himself out and beginning to trust his new company, Mer was well on his way to a successful career keeping people safe from the things that go bump in the night. All he had to do was sort a few things out first.
Rebuilding the town he never wanted was at the top of the list. Maybe move the massive monster corpse out of its center too. The skull did give the right ambiance, the smell not so much.
Might be a good idea to avoid the delusional lunatic who thought he was his dad while he was at it. The only good thing about that guy was his hair. Not a single late Christmas present or birthday card in sight.
That impossible to please king fellow was a bit of a problem. He just kept giving Mer more things to do. But even Mer wasn’t dumb enough to piss off the guy who listed “Executing Peasants” as one of his turn ons.
Whatever. As long as there were bloodthirsty beasts to fight, treasures to loot, and experience to gain, Mer would be fine. Life wasn’t so bad after all.
Company Unknown - Book 3
More monsters. More money.
Why does success always mean extra responsibility? It should be the opposite, right? But, no, you kill more monsters than everyone else and your reward is just even more of them to kill. Wait . . . that’s not so bad. Slaughtering monsters is fun!
Flush with success from making that King guy happy, Mer is put in charge of two other squads. He’d probably say “no,” but these ones are special. They’re old friends, good at their jobs, and actually listen to him for some reason. Hilarity and violence will definitely ensue.
Why he barely even cares that there’s some legendary conqueror roaming around. The guy has a cute daughter and she likes drinking and hitting things just as much as him. Now if only Mer could figure out if he’s related to her, and maybe if her dad’s the one trying to kill him. Eh, life could always be worse.
Company Unknown - Book 4
Traveling to another dimension to meet your derelict demon dad? That’s what hammers are made for.
Teaming up with some disgruntled old friends, the crush who tried to kill him (and who would definitely try again), and a mysterious masked woman with unknown magical powers sounds like the start of a bad joke, but for Mer it’s just life as usual. His entire life has been a bad joke anyway; the only difference now is the location—a war-torn, demon-filled paradise.
Finding his dad missing after going through all that trouble is the least surprising thing of all. But does Mer really want to find him?
Yes, he does—not to give him the hammer to the face he so richly deserves, but because if he doesn’t, Mer will be declared king. Find the guy he hates or become the thing he hates more? Good thing there’s plenty of stuff that needs bashing. Monsters be gone. Enemies be dead. Random passerby? Beware. Be very, very ware.
Team Newb
Being Murdered sucks.
Waking up in your least-favorite game afterwards . . .
The game Sun & Shadow Online used to be the epitome of cool thirty years ago—when it introduced the concept of cashing out in-game currency for real world money—but Lucas couldn’t care less. It was all his dad ever talked about. Now it’s the only life he has . . . as long as he doesn’t run out of money, then it’s game over for good.
While trying to figure out how not to lose the last of his limited money by dying yet again, Lucas stumbles across a player who looks rather familiar. Is it the man who murdered him? If it is, how can he make him pay for what he did? And why is he inside the game?
Expedition Newb
Clever or Lucky?
Does it really matter if you’re still alive?
Having survived sure death, Horus and his friends barely have time to breathe before they rush off to face the impossible again. It’s for a good cause. Finding really nice guy’s long-missing son is something you kind of have to do right away. It’s just good manners, there’s less guilt, and your mom won’t nag you as much afterwards.
A possibly insane fellow player might know the son’s whereabouts. The only problem is he was last seen heading towards one of the hardest dungeons in the game. The group has to try, but will they survive?
The Golden Newb
What’s this fun thing all the kids are babbling about?
For the first time since entering this crazy game, Horus is finally free of life-or-death situations, world-shattering consequences, and tiny men with mustaches. He has absolutely no idea what to do with himself. Should he do an ultra-rare quest to make some money? Finally take up a trade skill? Or find out why one of the most popular players in the game is suddenly watching him?
It’s the last one, right? Of course it is . . . Or he could just do all of them at once. Have it all! Money, fame, and a nice, clay ashtray to give to mom.