Children of the Reign: Book the Second: The Shepherd Becomes A Dreamer

By Richard Valot

Who are the "Children of the Reign?"

They are the bold and the daring; the lost and the illustrious; the wild and the wicked. They are kings, prophets, warriors, and slaves. They are the beating heart within the Nation of Syril; and the Promised People of God

As such, these brave men and women fight even unto death to see that His will is done in a universe that is quickly being consumed by the evils of mortal men, some of which even lurk in the shadows of their own beloved nation

They are the "Children of the Reign," and they shall reign supreme

LO The plot thickens

Continuing the first major story arc, the second book joins Acton and his people who are finally free Having defeated all of their enemies during the grand exodus, the Nation of Syril suddenly finds itself in an age of peace and prosperity, and instantly becomes immersed in the dreamworld that is King Daul's glorious reign

Yet, as Acton weaves his way in and out of this blissful fantasy, he starts seeing signs that something might be rotten in this virtual paradise. However, it is far too little and far too late. For there is indeed a new enemy on the rise, and everyone will ultimately bow down to him

What makes Children of the Reign a fantasy "pulp" serial?

Successors to the dime novels and penny dreadfuls of the late 19th century, the "pulps" were inexpensive magazines that were printed on cheap wood pulp paper to save on costs - hence, the name.

The pulps are best known these days for their lurid, exploitative, and sensational subject matter; ranging in stories from steamy romance to detective crime cases to wild adventures on other worlds.

Modern superhero comic books are sometimes considered to be descendants of the "hero" pulps, which often featured illustrated stories of Flash Gordon, The Shadow, and Doc Savage.

Another way that pulps kept costs down was by paying authors less than other markets would; thus, many eminent authors started out in the pulps such as Stephen King, Frank Herbert, and Isaac Asimov.

However, it was authors like Robert E. Howard, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and H. P. Lovecraft that really left their mark in pulp fiction, creating such iconic characters as Tarzan, Conan the Barbarian, John Carter of Mars, Soloman Kane, and the Cthulhu.

There were also speculative and science-fiction writers that made a name for themselves in the pulps, with Philip K. Dick and Harlan Ellison being the most notable among them, who went on to pen some classic episodes of Star Trek, The Twilight Zone, and Tales From the Darkside, and even wrote the original stories for the movies: Blade Runner, Total Recall, and Minority Report.

Beyond a shadow of a doubt, the pulps made an indelible mark on all things science-fiction, fantasy, and horror in the world today. And it is in this vein that we, Gregory Myers and Richard Valot (the co-authors), present the Children of the Reign fantasy "pulp" serial. For even though it isn't printed on the cheap wood pulp paper of that time, Children of the Reign is being created on a dime, with Greg and me doing all of the work: the writing, editing, producing, publishing, advertising, and marketing.

Because just like all of the authors and publishers from the good old "pulp" days, we are both just working men with practically no money to our names desperately trying to get our craft out there into the world; for we truly believe in it, and want to share our fantastical universe with everyone, along with all of the savagery, strange suspense, and mythological drama that can be found therein.

So, without further ado, here is the latest creation in this "new" pulp era: Children of the Reign

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B08BWHQB8H
• ISBN13: 9798640544961
• Release Date: June 2020
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 108 Pages
• Weight: 0.27 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.0" x 8.0"