Commonality Games (The Gladiator Cycle)
Mark Rounds
- File Size: 2347 KB
- Print Length: 250 pages
- Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
- Publication Date: March 1, 2018
- Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
- Language: English
- ASIN: B07B667RDZ
Synopsis
Aliens have taken over the Earth and installed their own government and rebuilt the economy of the planet. Poverty is mostly eradicated and the masses of Earth's population are growing. The new diversion is the Games. Gladiators done the clothing and equipment of many historical eras and brawl to entertain the masses. Taol Ubner and his friends are drawn into the Games and must be victorious or die in the attempt.
My Thoughts
Commonality Games is set against an interesting backdrop. It’s a gripping plot to think Aliens have been in control of our planet for almost 200 years and are making strides to either understand the universe or manipulate it.
Population control is in place and a mutated influenza epidemic has killed off some colonists. Aliens now dictate the direction of humanity and if their authority is not followed, you're toast, or at least your brain is, wiped, and replaced with a smile.
In this adrenaline-fueled read, there are some strong and likable characters. My favorites are Taol and Jeffrey. Taol is twenty, a little cocky, and he’s a coordinating authority in building this mercenary company. The other is Sergeant Major Jefferson (Jeffrey). He is a guy with a big grin who's confined to a chair as a result of previous mortar bursts. Thankfully, his chair fits into an armored car.
Now, one might think a grudge match is a unique assignment but we see Taol and Jeffrey collaborate together to combine a unit of noncombatants and technicians that can negotiate this match using a diverse tactical discipline. Shattering my illusions that there was no permanent harm that the games caused was the mention that about one death occurs in every twenty or thirty phantom deaths.
Despite my rather limited knowledge of combat, I knew they would need to prepare, and, what better two to lead, than these two men who have the fire in their bellies?
This story does paint a convincing picture, we know that they use guidance and support to seek out vulnerabilities and discourage the enemy. Amongst the maneuvers, explosions and small arms fire, there are many valuable lessons from which we can learn themes of innocence and experience, comfort and suffering, bravery and fear. I expect the faint echo of Sousa's, 'The Stars and Stripes Forever' rings in their ear even when it's not coming across their radio.
In closing, Commonality Games was an entertaining read. The pace is steady and rhythmic. Much of the power of this novel is in recognizing that these men perform this mission by analyzing, examining and procuring morale. This story cleverly fuses a token expression most of us have heard a time or two, “ A man is made by the company he keeps.”
I received a copy of this book through the generosity of the author Mark Rounds.
He was very generous with his time and allowed me to bombard him with questions about his writing process among other things.
Mark - You appear to be well educated with a background in cybersecurity and well as expert knowledge of military weapons and protocol. How did you come up with the idea to write a book/series about Aliens and other worlds?
Among my other hobbies, I am a historical miniatures gamer. We were doing a long term game with several battles that were linked and this originally started as the rationale for that. I got more and more into the genre’ and before I was even aware of it, I had the outline for this book. I wrote it and then promptly sat on it for about 20 years as I was focusing on raising kids and keeping our home solid. When my last daughter moved out, I was able to start writing again.
What do you think our world needs most today?
I have two answers, the first is tolerance. We need to be more receptive of others, especially those who believe in something different than we do.
My second answer is more technology based. We need an efficient and safe method of storing energy. Batteries are expensive, hard on the environment, and waste 80 percent of the power poured into them. Our current best energy storage is fossil fuels with all the issue there in. Cheap and efficient energy storage will solve so many of the worlds problems.
What part of this book was the hardest for you to write?
The hardest part was what I didn’t write. There were several of my beta readers that said this book needed a romantic interest. It was a mixed gender group of young people, they assumed that there would be tensions along that line. I walked away from that because it would have clouded the story line.
If you had to describe your writing style, what words would you use?
Direct, focused
Do you use friends and family as characters names?
All the time. I usually ask permission when they are still living but even after they pass, I’ll ask relatives if it’s OK. I’ve never had anyone turn me down
Do you get writer's block?
I don’t know if this is writer’s block but what happens to me on occasion is that while I can see the sweep of the story and how the characters will inter act, I have trouble making the words say the things I’m thinking. When my wife asks what the problem is, my pat response is “Wot r wurds?” It’s become a running joke.
What is your favorite genre to read and who are your influencers?
I read a great deal. I like most kinds of science fiction though I tend more towards the hard side. I read a great deal of history and science related writing and my current passion is steam punk.
What are you currently doing when not writing?
My hobbies include Civil War Reenacting, Miniatures Gaming, Cooking, and recently I have been showing my car at local car shows. Oh yeah, and I have this job at the University that takes time I could spend elsewhere.
Is there anything you'd like to tell readers?
Find something to be passionate about. Life is too short to waste it just existing. We have been poor and we have saved out money and come out in a better state. Even when my wife and I were broke, we found things to be passionate about. Life is not boring if passion is part of your life.
Marks Bio
The first book Mark Rounds read, other than “See Spot Run” was “Rocketship Galileo” in the second grade. He was restricted from the library in the third grade because it was such a wondrous place, that he forgot to do his “real” homework. Things haven’t changed much since then.
Mark has been an Air Force officer fuzzing radars in B-52’s, a bouncer in some of Spokane’s least classy bars, a consultant in information technology, geek in a cube in a couple .com’s, folk singer, and currently faculty at the University of Idaho in MIS. He has published papers and conference proceedings on Computer Security, Hacking Motivations, Geographical Information Systems, and Grizzly Bear Habitat. Academically, Mark has a BS in Computer science from Montana State University in 1978, MBA from University of North Dakota in 1985, MS in Computer Science from Washington State University in 2000, and a PhD at the University of Idaho in 2014 focusing in Cyber Security, projected Mark has promised his wife that he will enter into a 12 step program to kick his education habit.
When he was younger and more foolish, he competed as an IPF power lifter and has a first ascent in Glacier Park on Red Rock Point. Mark’s current hobbies include Civil War Reenacting, Reading, Folk Guitar, competing in Practical Pistol meets, and cooking gourmet food for his wife of 37 years and 3 kids. Mark is also known as a gamer and has recently published his first novel, "Hell is Empty and All the Devils Are Here".