They gave him a soldier's skills.
His war was still hell.
Tomas Neumann wants off his backwater planet and away from his suffocating mother. "Taking the shilling"—joining the Confederated Worlds Ground Force—promises escape, purpose, and the father figure he's never had.
The Confederated Worlds uploads combat training directly into his brain—decades of tactical knowledge in mere hours. He's the perfect soldier before he fires his first shot.
But no implant can prepare him for the reality of killing. Especially when his "enemies" are human civilians who should welcome him as liberator, not occupier. On the war-torn world of New Liberty, Tomas discovers that downloaded skills mean nothing when every doorway could hide a sniper.
As his unit bleeds out in brutal counterinsurgency warfare, Tomas faces a choice that will define him: break under the weight of what he's done, or forge something stronger from the wreckage of his innocence.
Thousands of lives will soon depend on which choice he makes.
Fans of Marko Kloos's Frontlines and Joe Haldeman's The Forever War will find a gripping new series that asks what it costs to become a soldier—and what it takes to remain human.
Journey from middle America to the ends of the Universe with science fiction author Raymund Eich.
As a writer, Raymund aims to give readers exciting stories featuring big ideas and characters with depth. Critics, editors, and readers like you agree he hits the target. His titles have been called "solid" (Locus) and compared with Poul Anderson and Kristine Kathryn Rusch (Analog). Speaking of Analog, six of his short stories were first published there. Readers have given his books hundreds of 5-star reviews.
Outside of writing, Raymund earned a Ph.D. in biochemistry. He has decades of experience in patent law. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, golf, and strategy games.
You can learn more about Raymund at his website, https://raymundeich.com. To read an exclusive free edition of five of his short stories, go to https://raymundeich.com/
Tim Brunson served in the United States Army for many years before retiring with the rank of colonel. He lives in Alabama with his wife.