After two years in the making, it's hard to think of what to say about this second volume of the Odyssium Collection, other than it's almost here! I chose WHAT LIES BETWEEN as a title because of what it represents: these are stories that take place between the events of the six mainline Odyssium novels, and you'll see that concept illustrated to perfection by the returning king of cover art, Dennis Willman of Iron Dead Studio.
WHAT LIES BETWEEN tells its five stories in a variety of styles, never complacent to simply dole out shorter works for the sake of telling trifling tales, which leads me to a question. Have you ever read a piece of short fiction and wondered, "what was the point of that?" I know I have. If you have as well, then this collection is for you. My mission with Odyssium novellas and shorts is to pack them with memorable characters and impactful events. If you read IN DARKNESS AND LIGHT: Odyssium Collection Volume 1, then you know what I mean.
Remember me? Pepperidge Farm remembers.
So, without further ado, let's get to the juicy meat of this Od-Blog. I've already dropped the title of the second Strange Days of Odyssium novella in a previous Od-Blog--which was KNOCK-KNOCK for those who can't remember what they had for breakfast yesterday...in other words, those of you like me!
My brain 99% of the time:
What follows is the back cover blurb for WHAT LIES BENEATH: Odyssium Collection Volume 2. The descriptions of each story are incredibly brief, but I think give a nice taste of what you can expect from each. In future Od-Blogs leading up to its release, we'll go a bit deeper, but for now:
Dive into this collection of five all-new tales packed to the teeth with enough action, heart, twists, and intrigue to keep you immersed in the Odyssium universe for weeks to come.
ORPHAN SEA kicks things off with a thunderclap: it’s up to a small, determined band of Majdi to save a runaway eleven-year-old girl from a city-destroying supernatural horror. Next, I BEGIN tells the intimate and harrowing tale of a nameless young woman, taking her from a mysterious and brutal training compound all the way to the darkest night of her life.
The second chapter of Croe Kidson’s off-kilter Strange Days of Odyssium series arrives with KNOCK-KNOCK. It’s your typical day in the life story…that is, if your day usually involves winding up in the covetous clutches of a clueless conspiracy theorist. Then, THE SERRUS tells the heart-pounding tale of how the titular ascenti first seen in ISLE OF THE SLEEPING GODS was taken from a lethal pit in the belly of a primordial jungle.
And lastly, famed novelist-turned-serial killer Stian Scurmaud’s old journal entries are given a fresh look in EVIDENCE OF MADNESS…and what is uncovered therein could hold the promise of an unthinkable, nightmarish end to the world of Odyssium as we know it.
So, there you have it. The lineup of all-new stories in WHAT LIES BENEATH is as follows:
ORPHAN SEA
I BEGIN
KNOCK-KNOCK
THE SERRUS
EVIDENCE OF MADNESS
For those of you counting, that makes 16 unique stories set in the Odyssium universe to date (along with three more in various stages of completion). Kinda cool, if you ask me.
Up next: THE COVER REVEAL!
Till next time, take care.
-C
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