Cirrus@Austlit

'A failed US crypto trader inherits a macadamia nut farm in Australia that’s under threat from some evil New Zealand frackers.'

Source: Production blurb.

'Sam hates his office job, but at least every night he can delve into Alterwhere and forget about stupid teamwork for a while. The world’s hottest new cerebral reality game is a fully immersive mash-up of the retro fantasy RPGs he used to play on his dad’s steam account, back in the early 2030s – the kind where you can eat a bowl of stew in the middle of a battle, fire crossbows underwater, and steal all the plates from an NPC’s kitchen as long as they’re looking away at the time.

'As Sam sets out to solo champion monsters and drink mind-altering potions, he realises the greedy devs are working hard to monetise their free-to-play model. On top of morally questionable microtransactions, he must also contend with a mob-thieving elf, the unexpected success of his alchemical experimentations, a mind-bending crossover of game life and reality, and worst of all – if he’s not very careful, he might even be in danger of making some real friends.

'Old Man Gamer is a fresh and comedic LitRPG which pokes fun at tropes both new and old. A standalone story, it is primarily concerned with gaming, and contains some violence, a fair whack of drug and alcohol use, mild romantic interludes, and surprisingly little cursing (not sure why that happened).' (Publication summary)

'Ever since Scharlette’s parents gave her a name no one can really pronounce, she’s been stuck in a bit of a rut.

'She hates her job in airport security, making people take their belts off before they fly away to exotic locations she can only dream about. She owns a small apartment with large repayments, drinks bargain bin red while she watches Star Trek, and misses her beloved sister, Jenelope, lost to an exploding sandwich press, ten years ago.

'Scharlette fears she might live out her entire existence without doing anything important or mattering to anyone. It still comes as quite a surprise when a handsome time traveller named Tomothy appears out of nowhere and verifies she is correct – that, according to his records, she doesn’t matter at all.

'Scharlette isn’t sure this news is as wonderful as Tomothy seems to think but, as he explains, since her life was to have no impact on the timeline whatsoever, Scharlette is free to travel time and space, and have amazing adventures with heedless abandon.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Little Bad Wolf dreams of being big and bad, wreaking havoc wherever he goes - just like his grandad, the Big Bad Wolf, before him. He does his best to make trouble around the neighbourhood, especially for Mrs Pig! But does he live up to his grandfather's fearsome reputation? 

'Fans of Shrek will love the fabulous and funny The Little Bad Wolf - from the illustrator of Wombat Went A'walking. '  (Publication summary)

'These are the adventures of Sam, Jake and Dylan, three degenerate losers who live on the 42nd floor of Hazy Towers, the worst apartment block in the known universe. They don't have jobs, or buy food, or ever pay a single cent of rent to their spineless landlord, Mr Hayes, because it's so much cheaper just to slam the door in his pitiful face. Still, government handouts only buy so much booze, and the boys are always looking for a crazy way to make a buck.

'In Episode Two - The Summer of Our Discontent - the heat is driving everyone increasingly insane. Sam is trying to concoct new cocktail recipes using leftover spirits stolen from parties, Jake is building something mysterious and possibly atomic on the roof, and strange forces are at work in the abandoned 'Pool and Gymnasium Facility Section' which seem to defy the laws of time and space. It's even possible that this episode is stupider than the last one!'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'These are the adventures of Sam, Jake and Dylan, three degenerate losers who live on the 42nd floor of Hazy Towers, the worst apartment block in the known universe. They don't have jobs, or buy food, or ever pay a single cent of rent to their spineless landlord, Mr Hayes, because it's so much cheaper just to slam the door in his pitiful face. Still, government handouts only buy so much booze, and the boys are always looking for a crazy way to make a buck.

'In Episode One - Black Market Prawns - Jake strikes a deal with a dodgy mariner to acquire one tonne of prawns illegally obtained from the horribly polluted harbour. Sounds like a good way to earn some coin, but during the height of Summer and without adequate refrigeration, the race is on to offload the goods before the funk really settles in.

'Will Sam, Jake and Dylan convince the suspiciously smiling owner of the crappy restaurant downstairs to buy their ripening stock? Or perhaps their brand new recipe for Prawnshakes ('Prawns and milk, together at last') will prove a big hit with the unsuspecting public? Find out the answers to these, and other weird questions you never would have thought to ask, in the stupid tale that is Black Market Prawns.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Downton Abbey meets Mordor in this darkly funny gamebook for adults, in which YOU play the butler to the Dark Lord, and your choices change the story. Looking after your master Malacandros is never easy. Like any good Dark Lord, he will just as soon fireball you to death as look at you - but this week things are particularly hectic. The Stygias ceremony is about to occur for the first time in a hundred years, the castle is bustling with treacherous nobility and unwelcome relatives, there's a feast of live balfrog tadpoles to organise, and let's not forget the sinister plot to murder your master that's taking shape behind closed doors. With multiple pathways through the story depending on the choices you make, 9 different endings to discover, and plenty of ways to meet an untimely demise, you're going to have your work cut out for you ensuring that everything runs smoothly. Will you sleep with the virgin sacrifice before the ceremony? Will you sample too much in the wine cellar? Will you be able to teach the castle harpies the merits of personal hygiene? Most importantly, will dinner be served on time?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Centuries have passed since the Wardens slew the tyrant Lord Regret, but while the Wound that he ripped in the sky remains open, the earth trembles and the sun vanishes without warning.

'The great warrior Rostigan wanders Aorn, weary of battle and unwanted renown. With him travels his lover, the minstrel Tarzi, who hopes she may soon witness further deeds from him worthy of song and tale. Despite Rostigan's reluctance to re-enter the world, she may get what she wishes for . . .

'When they travel to the once magnificent city of Silverstone they discover it has been wrenched out of existence. Journeying onwards, they come to learn the disturbing truth. The land has descended into chaos for the Wardens, now craving destruction, have returned from their ancient graves and Lord Regret's malicious legacy grows ever stronger, corrupting the very nature of reality.' (Publisher's blurb)

'War is coming. A war that will finally end the struggle between Kainordas and Fenvarrow, the lands of shadow and light.

'It is foretold that a blue-haired man will be the ultimate victor, and lead his people into a glorious new age of dominance.

'The only problem - there are two of them.

'Bel sets forth to retrieve the Stone of Evenings Mild, his sole chance to reunite with his darker half, Losara ... but the Stone has been stolen by an undead mage of questionable allegiance and is hidden in the lair of an insane dragon. Meanwhile, Losara grows dangerously curious about his other self, and devises a weapon so uncontrollable, it frightens even him.

'How can two men fulfil a fate meant for one? Will this infernal balance persist, or is there a way to bridge destiny's rift?' Source: author's website.