The Hard Way Round (Again)

By S. M. Kiel

Arthur Donald Venture dismantled his own legend.

Unfortunately, nobody told the galaxy.

Across the outer systems, self-appointed "Ventures" have begun appearing - selling confidence, certainty, and meaning to anyone willing to follow them. Some are harmless. Some are persuasive. Some are getting people killed.

Arthur wants nothing to do with it.

Reluctantly drawn back aboard the stubbornly unimpressive Unreliable Star, Arthur sets out not to reclaim his name, but to stop it becoming a belief system. Along the way, he encounters a Venture academy teaching confidence without responsibility, shortcuts that demand faith instead of evidence, and conventions dedicated to arguing over what Arthur "would have done."

The greatest danger comes from Venture Prime - a charismatic organiser who understands Arthur's philosophy perfectly, and knows exactly how to turn it into something centralised, impressive, and obedient.

Arthur refuses to fight him.

Instead, he removes the spectacle, drains the certainty, and lets belief collapse under the weight of its own confidence.

The Hard Way Round (Again) is a witty, quietly subversive space-fantasy about imitation, authority, and why boredom can be revolutionary - perfect for readers who enjoy humour with teeth and adventures that refuse to behave like adventures.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0GMHT26H8
• ISBN13: 9798247540823
• Release Date: February 2026
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 228 Pages
• Weight: 0.62 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.0" x 9.0"