[Apostle 01] • The Vanity of Hope

1499 A.D. Thomas Ryder is a medieval gamekeeper with a lot on his mind. Where did he fit in the world of Nature? Would he ever be at peace? What was the alien’s final move?

Abducted from Alice Holt Forest, along with his partner, Sarra Chambers, he is taken to the hyper-technology planet of Heyre and trained by superior beings to be their Great King against an encroaching, undefeated destroyer of worlds.

As his knowledge grows beyond that of any human who has ever lived, his inner world becomes increasingly chaotic. The reality-distorting technologies of artificial intelligence, bio-mech integration, genetic manipulation, and virtual reality lead him to question the very nature of what it means to be human. Inferior to all around him, he is feted as a savior king by deed of his mysterious connection to a supernatural creature whose subtle presence points to a greater and more ancient war?

Can one man save the world? What hope for a lasting peace of mind? Will Thomas Ryder survive the Great War of mortals to play his part in the ultimate conflict?