UNKNOWN

A deftly crafted dystopian science fiction action/adventure novel by an author with a genuine flair for originality and a compelling, entertaining, and narrative-driven approach to storytelling, "Of Courage and Sacrifice" by Matt Hartle is especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated SciFi fans that "Of Courage and Sacrifice" is also readily available in a digital book format and print. --Midwest Book Review

The world is a deeply troubled place-years of crippling unemployment, a collapsed economy, and rampant crime have left people feeling desperate, but Adam Wesley and his friends don't care about that. They've finished classes for the final time and are looking forward to a carefree summer of parties, camping, and enjoying their first authentic taste of freedom after high school!

Fate has another plan for them.

On their inaugural summer outing, the friends encounter a reconnaissance robot, or 'bot' as they are known-with disastrous results. One of the friends is grievously wounded in the exchange, kicking off a race against time to get help before it's too late!

When the friends finally make it back to the city, they find the streets are overrun with bots; martial law is in effect. People are being loaded onto buses and taken to transition camps. Anyone caught in the open is pacified and detained; not all will survive. Adam and his friends go underground, taking up with Skip, a brilliant but eccentric hacker. Skip has built a tech hideout called The Nest-a Faraday cage suspended in the maintenance tunnels beneath the city. Using antiquated technology-dial-up modems and BBSs-the friends begin to organize. Together, they will fight desperately to survive, unintentionally planting the seeds of a resistance that will become more important than any of them can imagine.

Fans of the Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins and Robopocalypse by Daniel H. Wilson will love Of Courage and Sacrifice!

383 pages

Matt Hartle is an award-winning writer, director, designer, and VFX artist. He lives in northern Montana with his wife, two children, and their dogs Nana, and Jaques. For several decades, he has worked in theatrical advertising and visual effects, at first in Los Angeles and later remotely from Montana. As a partner in a successful visual effects company, he spends his days helping others to realize their dreams, but at night (or very early in the morning!), works to manifest his own! He has been fortunate to contribute to several of the Harry Potter films, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and the Lionsgate logo, to name a few.

In Montana, he and his family ski, bike, swim, camp, hike--basically anything to be out of doors in the beautiful place they live! They also enjoy traveling, meeting new people, and seeing new places.

Matt has written a number of screenplays and directed several short films, including the award-winning short, Agent.