Game of Aeons: A short novel, republished for Kindle

Again with a little less hoo-hah than Brexit, I'm delighted to reveal that the mystical sci-fi adventure, Game of Aeons: A short novel by H.M. Forester has been revised, edited, reformatted and has now been republished for the Kindle.

Young Robin Hargreaves is looking for something to occupy his time and spice up his life. Apparently by chance, whilst perusing the wares in a second-hand shop, he is introduced to Game of Aeons, a computer simulation.

In the game, he meets up with a young lady, Ellie, who takes him under her wing. Despite her youth, Ellie has risen to the ranks of a veteran in the game and as well as a loving heart, she has a wise head on her shoulders.

Robin soon discovers that like life itself, Games of Aeons is not all beer and skittles. As he becomes more and more involved and immersed in the game, it becomes increasingly real and at times frightening. But by the time he realizes this, it is too late to back out and there is too much at stake – not only in-game but also in what we commonly and mistakenly think of as the Real World.

As it turns out, though Robin initially has no inkling of this, the game leads Robin to the greatest open secret that the world has ever known.

Game of Aeons: A short novel, H.M. Forester

The biggest "open secret" the world has ever known.

Young Robin Hargreaves is looking for something to occupy his time and spice up his life. Apparently by chance, whilst perusing the wares in a second-hand shop, he is introduced to Game of Aeons, a computer simulation.

In the game, he meets up with a young lady, Ellie, who takes him under her wing. Despite her youth, Ellie has risen to the ranks of a veteran in the game and as well as a loving heart, she has a wise head on her shoulders.

Robin soon discovers that like life itself, Games of Aeons is not all beer and skittles. As he becomes more and more involved and immersed in the game, it becomes increasingly real and at times frightening. But by the time he realizes this, it is too late to back out and there is too much at stake – not only in-game but also in what we commonly and mistakenly think of as the Real World.

If you like The Matrix, you might like Game of Aeons.

☆☆☆☆☆ "A fascinating idea; thought provoking; a great read."

Genres: psi-fi, soft sci-fi, young adult.

Some quotes

"Once you become thoroughly engrossed in the work, you'll never see this world in the same light again."

"There comes a point when you stop thinking of you playing the game, and you simply become a part of – and merge into – and become lost in the game."

"There really is more to this world than meets the casual or untutored eye."

"There are universal laws at work, even here. The Law of Attraction; the Law of Correspondence; and the Law of Karma. That is: like attracts like; as within, so without; and what goes around comes around." 

"These technical impediments [... things like ignorance, impatience, unexamined assumptions, habit ...] get in the way of what would otherwise occur or develop quite naturally, such as wakefulness, awareness, inspiration and infallible intuition. Things that should be our birth right. This preliminary stage, then, we call learning how to learn." 

"Then there was the not-knowing, itself. Human minds being the fallible instruments that they are, she couldn't help but fill in the gaps with horrific possibilities, the application of a thumbscrew being a case in point. They hadn't said a word about torture, and yet here she was already bracing herself for something that might never happen, and scaring herself silly for no good reason. So yes, the psychological torture had already begun, if not in reality then in her own mind."

"Red pill or blue pill? If only it were that simple. You've been watching the wrong movies."

(7) The Gift (Shadowlands)

The Gift tells the moving story of Emily Hart and Bradley Frogmorton as they awaken to the Gift and answer the summons of the Doyen Mugwash ... and what comes after. If you have 'the Gift', whatever you do, keep the secret to yourself.

“You're beginning a whole new life -- and for your own good and for the good of your future employers, it is better that you leave your old attachments behind. The more completely you make this transition, the better. 'To serve and gladly' is our motto, and the very essence of our activity. This should be your only concern from now on. It is a great honour to be called to enter the ranks of the Ancient and Noble Order of the Mugwash, and vitally important that you understand, appreciate and above all wholeheartedly embrace this ethos; and develop and nourish the precious Gift that makes all this possible. Don't let us down.” ~ The Noble and Most Reverend Mater Mugwash.

The Gift is a short novel, circa 42,000 words. It is book 7 in the Shadowlands series, but may be read on its own.

OCTOBER 2017 UPDATE: You can download copies of ALL the books from here on our web site. Although marked as "review copies", there are no strings attached.

Reviews

Five read, Five more to go
Amazon.com, 21 January 2013
By Paul Berglund
☆☆☆☆☆

"The Gift, by Etienne de L'Amour, is Book 7 in the Shadowlands Series, from Sher Point Publications, UK. I have read 5 of the 10 thus far, and these five all take place in a world very much like our own, yet different and mysterious, as though somehow from a parallel dimension, seeming like out of the past yet in present time.

Within this world of the Shadowlands are places such as Narayana, Godweir (the Outlands) and the Shangri-La-like Abshar. As I read, I always think it must figuratively be somewhere in Central Asia or near India, but it really could be many places.

Adventures with journeys happen here, something of the nature of Harry Potter-like journeys, but with their own uniqueness and character. There are, layered throughout, or brought forth here and there in each of the books, thought-provoking philosophical statements and 'life-sayings', if you will, of a quality you don't find often. The intriguing adventures seem to have at least this dual purpose, one to entertain, and the other to help, to assist the 'traveler' (the reader) on his or her own journey.

In this 7th book, The Gift, there is a most interesting idea as the basis for the story. The central feature of the tale is the seemingly very unjust and backwards state-of-things where when people who are 'gifted' with sensitivity (telepathy and related abilities) are 'found out' they then have to spend their lives in servitude to other seemingly unworthy and disagreeable people. From this starting point proceeds the adventure. As with the other books in the series I have read, I have found The Gift thoroughly enjoyable, and as a bonus there is within it the happy tear-in-the-eye in the concluding pages, which some of us readers do enjoy now and then. For this reader, the only question now is which one of the remaining books in the series to pick up next."

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Another great read in the Shadowlands series!
Amazon.com, 9 March 2013
By Omar
☆☆☆☆☆

"This book, like others in the Shadowlands series rocks along with a solid story line sprinkled with humor and wisdom. The central motif, that an ability like telepathy might be the cause of the subjection of those possessing it by others is an intriguing and unusual perspective on how a society might deal with such abilities.

Is the 'Gift' a blessing or a bane to its possessor? And how far can it be developed? All this and more in a thoroughly enjoyable read.

Certainly this book demands a sequel and I hope there is one on the way."

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The Gift is available for the Kindle at Amazon UK, Amazon US and European web sites. ASIN: B007D35KI4. If you don't have a Kindle, simply google "free kindle reading apps".

You can also find the book at Goodreads.

Enjoy!

• By Etienne de L'Amour ~ Google+