Rubicons: A Freaks Novel

Rubicons: A Freaks Novel

Finding themselves. Fighting together. Growing apart.   It’s junior year in Quapaw City, Arkansas. With it comes a new foe that even the Freaks cannot stop--adulthood. As they ponder what the future will be like with college and careers looming, they must contend with the ever-more-dangerous threat of the Team, the shadowy government agency determined to save the world from supernatural menaces. Even with the creepy Baltar Sterne acting as an advisor, our teenage heroes struggle with these tremendous pressures. At the same time, they must face their most dangerous threat yet, a creature of scales and wings that could threaten every life in town and beyond. New questions arise: can the Freaks achieve a common objective when they no longer agree on precisely what those goals should be? And what happens when they realize they might be the villains in someone else’s story? “The exciting final confrontation between all of parties leads to secrets being revealed and unexpected alliances to form.” —Don Sauer, PopCultureGuy.com “The conclusion leaves the Freaks and their associates facing both deep rifts and a new and genuinely sinister threat.” — Kirkus Reviews. “A great spin on the superhero story, told with genuine depth.” —Mark Waid, best-selling author of History of the Marvel Universe, Doctor Strange, and Superman Birthright. “A fun and fresh twist on the superhero story! Fast-paced, strong characters, and twists and turns make this a must read!” —Jennifer Brody/Vera Strange, author of The 13th Continuum Trilogy, Spectre Deep 6, and the Disney Chills series. Brett Riley is a professor of English at the College of Southern Nevada. He grew up in southeastern Arkansas and earned his Ph.D. in contemporary American fiction and film at Louisiana State University. His short fiction has appeared in numerous publications including Folio, The Wisconsin Review , and The Baltimore Review . Riley’s debut novel, Comanche, was released in September 2020, followed by Lord of Order in April 2021.  Freaks , a superhero thriller featuring dangerous aliens and badass high school kids was published in March 2022.  The second novel in the Freaks series,  Travelers , was released in August 2022.  Riley lives in Henderson, Nevada.