When I heard that friend of the blog Adam Lane Smith had written Battleborn, a short story about mechs, I wanted to see what he would do with the concept since I myself had published a mech story a year earlier.
When I read it, I thought it fairly standard at first — especially considering the title. Badass space marines in giant robots and power armor stomping out rebel scum? How much more testosterone-fueled can you get? Now this story had some chest hair.
Then I read the ending, and it made me not only see the title in a different light, but the slam-bang action as well. It was all building up to that key moment.
You can get Battleborn for free when you sign up for Smith’s mailing list. Do that right here.
And if that’s not your cup of tea, get my favorite one of his novels, Valkyrie Doll and the Ashen Brotherhood.
