The Shattered Gates: The Rifter, Book 1

In this serialized dystopian fantasy, Hale (Wicked Gentlemen) sends an unwitting trio to a world in which they’ll be lucky to survive. John Toffler has no idea that his odd roommate, Kyle, supposedly a milkman, actually hails from another dimension—and that John has the ability to move between the two. When John pinches a key meant for Kyle, he and his friends Bill and Laurie unwittingly open the door to horror. They valiantly attempt to navigate war-torn Basawar, a frightening place in which nothing is familiar, and soon learn things about themselves that suggest their presence in this realm is anything but an accident. Hale writes movingly of regret, bravery, and resignation. Intricate plotting and deft world-building, including the creation of a new language, lend believability to this depressing but compelling tale, making the unresolved ending even more disquieting than your typical cliffhanger. (Nov.)