In the year 2030, the US government is engineering super soldiers in its secret Starforge facility in the Nevada desert. Upon birth, “Jaegers” must prove their prowess in gladiator-style fights to the death called Crypteias. Victorious Jaegers then endure a life of captivity, combat missions, and psychological abuse until new variants supplant them. Unable to harm their expensive assets physically, humans torture reigning Jaegers by exiling them into hellish dream worlds to keep them submissive.

Alaudae is a Jupiter, the strongest type of Jaeger. He leads the six other types on combat missions and is supposed to mentor them when they are stationed in Starforge. But he cannot do those things. His body is barely up to the task, and his mind even less so, especially as Starforge’s abuse takes its toll on his sanity. Then he hears rumors of an impending apocalypse, threatening the lives of him and his fellow Jaegers, the only family he has. Can he endure what is coming? Is the inferno that is his life melting him or refining him?

KZAR I: Jupiters is a complete novel at 87,000 words. Though technically military SciFi, Jupiters does dabble in fantasy with its dream sequences.

I am a retail supervisor in Maryland. Beyond expanding Jupiters into a trilogy, I hope to write full time one day. I have multiple other story ideas across several genres, but I’ve got to get Jupiters off the ground before any of them can come to fruition.

Thank you in advance to anyone who leaves feedback! Even if the story does not interest you, I’d appreciate if you would then mention it to a friend who may like it. And don’t hesitate to voice your criticisms. I want to make Jupiters the best it can be.

Commissioned artwork by Chris Cold https://www.artstation.com/chriscold

Contains content inappropriate for children.