Co-Owner of Playfully Ever After Publishes a Young Adult Novel

Posted by John Burger on

I AM SLEEPLESS: SIM 299One of the owners of Playfully Ever After (pen name Johan Twiss) just released his debut novel I AM SLEEPLESS: SIM 299.   It's a Young Adult science fiction/adventure that we think is awesome! Plus, his even awesomer wife did all the internal sketches for the book.


Below is the blurb for the book and you can download chapters 1-4 sampler from his website at www.iamsleeples.weebly.com.

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EXCERPT:
While everyone else slept, Aidan spent hours each night running sim after sim. Although he was only a twelve-year cadet, he had completed more simulations than any prime— ever.
       

“You are setting history,” General Estrago told him. “No one has ever made it to the current simulation you are attempting. The other Masters and I are eager to see what comes next.”
       

So was Aidan.

SYNOPSIS:
The planet Ethos is at war with a mysterious enemy known as the Splicers. Their only successful defense is the Prime Initiative. All newborns with the compatible genetic code are taken from their families and injected with the Prime Stimulus. Each child that survives the stimulus develops an extraordinary ability and is conscripted into the military for training. 

After turning twelve, Aidan is moved to the upper-class at the Mount Fegorio training complex. His special gifts allow him unprecedented success in the virtual training simulations, advancing him further than any prime cadet in history. No one knows what lies after sim 299, not even Director Tuskin, the ruthless and reclusive ruler of their planet. But something, or someone, has been guiding Aidan there. If he can pass the final tests, he may discover the key to ending the Splicer War. 
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CLEAN RATING: 
There are no scenes with sex, drugs, graphic violence or typical "earth" swearing in this novel. There are numerous fight scenes and action sequences where people are injured and/or die, but it is not graphic and takes place in a virtual simulation. Swear words are fitting to the fictional world of Ethos, such as Tuskin's Fury, Batmonkeys, Holy Hippophants, etc... There are budding romances with kissing involved. There are suspenseful situations with monster alien creatures, fitting of the science fiction genre, and an overall thematic undertone of good v. evil that is suitable for tweens, teens and young adults.
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REVIEWS:

By EditorSEM on November 23, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition
I found Aiden's story in "Sim 299" so intriguing that until I finished reading it, I lost all interest in another novel I was already in the middle of. The characters were well rounded, the world building was orchestrated with finesse, and the sketches of the hybrid creatures were a delightful addition. I am eager to learn what becomes of Aiden's coterie in the remainder of the series, as well as discovering more of this civilization's history and the origin of the Prime Initiative.

I do agree that the explanation at the end of the seven variations of primes would have been helpful earlier in the book, but I don't think it could have been placed anywhere else. It's simply a downside of the ebook format that a reader doesn't spot it sooner when just flipping through the pages. Maybe I'll start paying closer attention to the Table of Contents when I start a new ebook. ;)


A cross between Ender's Game and Brandon Sanderson's books
By Sarah on November 16, 2015
This novel felt like a cross between Ender's Game and Brandon Sanderson's books. I found the different Prime abilities and defects fascinating, and the forced split between the human race and Primes an intriguing dilemma. *Spoiler Alert* Neither race can coexist without the other, but both suffer as a result, with families torn apart to make new Primes that can save humanity. But at what cost? Humans themselves have largely been relegated to second class servants, and some Primes resent being made into soldiers in a war they inherited before they were even born, having their true lives and names stolen away. I am looking forward to the sequel!

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book
By kaimori kazoku on November 10, 2015
While I tend not to read in this genre, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. The author has worked hard, and I'm excited for the second installation in the series. It's almost like a dark Asimov book.

Well written sci-fi tale
By S. Gregory on November 14, 2015
A well written sci-fi tale with some good characters. The author has created a unique world and I think the story flowed well. Aidan was a great character and I enjoyed reading about his abilities. I think this book will do very well and I would recommend it.---


You can learn more about Johan Twiss and his writing at www.iamsleeples.weebly.com.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


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