Hello there!
Today we have exciting news for all of you that are fans of the Endless Universe! Stephen Gaskell, one of our writers here at Amplitude, has been working on this project for several years, and it is SHOWTIME, it is time to introduce the novel, Shadow of the Endless.
It is the first novel that has been setin the Endless Universe, and today you can get this magnificent book! ✨
MEET THE AUTHOR
Daarkarrow: Stephen, I would love it if you could tell the players a bit more about who you are, the work you have done here at Amplitude, and well anything you want.
Stephen: Thanks, Daarkarrow! I’ve been with Amplitude over ten years now (wow, time flies!), working mainly on Endless projects like Endless Legend and Endless Space 2, but also on Amplitude’s entry into the historical strategy genre, Humankind. Science-fiction is my first love though—and the reason I ended up a games writer at Amplitude—so when the opportunity came up to write a novel set in the Endless universe I jumped at the chance. Space travel, precursor civilizations, and existential cosmic questions—all these things have fascinated me from my earliest years, and the Endless universe is the perfect backdrop to explore these elements!
Daarkarrow: Thanks for the introduction. I think players are eager to know a bit more about the book you have been writing, should we go straight to that?
Stephen: Let’s dive right in!
SHADOW OF THE ENDLESS
Daarkarrow: Okay Stephen, could you explain to us what Shadow of the Endless is about?
Stephen: Essentially, Shadow of the Endless is about a young Pilgrim named Sewa, who uncovers a plot to betray her people, resulting in a wild adventure across the galaxy. For those who don’t know, the Pilgrims are an offshoot of the United Empire, who fled into space in a dozen or so fleets when Emperor Zelevas sought to eradicate their Endless-worshipping religion. As a hunted people, the Pilgrims are constantly on the run, and as such, Sewa’s first duty is to her people’s survival. She wants to be a caver, but it seems fate has other ideas...
Daarkarrow: Okay so based on what I can see it is a sci-fi + adventure novel, right?
Stephen: Yes, exactly. Strange worlds, starships, weird and horrifying aliens. All the classic stuff. The novel delves deeper into many elements of the Endless universe, such as the nature of Dust, the inner workings of the Academy, and the United Empire homeworld, but at heart it’s a story about a young woman coming to terms with her place in the world (or galaxy!). If you like (or fear!) the idea of caving deep into subterranean places, the novel should give you a lot of feels too!
Daarkarrow: Amazing, thanks for the details!
As we all know you wanted to start reading it, no worries! We’ve prepared a small sample of the book so you can start having fun and get your eyes on the first pages while you wait for the book to arrive.
FREE to download in Games2Gether.
WHERE TO BUY
We know you are wondering “Okay but where can I get the book? I need it!”
The book is only available in English (we are checking other languages), but you will be able to get it in most countries, as the book is available on Amazon (but do not hesitate to check other online retailers)
You can click on the banner to go to the retailer page! 👇
BONUS CONTENT
If you get to this point, Thanks for sticking with us! Now we’d like to take a moment to develop on the lore from the book and perhaps to present/reveal certain elements.
Factions
Daarkarrow: Stephen, since the book is based in the ENDLESS Universe, are we going to see some familiar factions in the story?
Stephen: Definitely. The main character, Sewa, hails from the Pilgrims, a high-tech, religious faction who are obsessed with the Endless, but remain in the cross-hairs of Emperor Zelevas’ United Empire who hunt down the Pilgrims ruthlessly. The novel features a lot of insights into both factions, and the eagle-eyed reader will spot many more characters of other factions who cross Sewa’s path during her adventures. A Niris commander working on behalf of the United Empire plays a key role.
Daarkarrow: For anyone new to the Endless Universe (or just less knowledge from Endless Space 2), here it is a quick synopsis of the factions Stephen just mentioned.
The Academy
Daarkarrow: The Academy has a big role in the book. Players of Endless Space 2 might already know it, but for new readers and/or players, could you explain to them what it is?
Stephen: The Academy is a secretive organization led by a charismatic individual named Isyander St Shaiad. The central role of the Academy is to find and train those few individuals who have been altered by the mysterious substance known as Dust (and survived). The organization helps these "Heroes" to control and exploit the powers that Dust gives them, before sending them back out into the galaxy to work for client-empires. The Academy is an energetic political player on the galactic stage, and its fascination with Dust and the ancient Endless civilization leads it to a mastery of arcane knowledge.
Daarkarrow: We "discovered" the Academy in Endless Space 2, but didn’t go into much details. How does ‘Shadow of the Endless’ give us a deeper look at it?
Stephen: In ‘Shadow of the Endless’ readers will get a front-row seat view of the Academy from the inside, as one of Sewa’s companions takes her into the heart of the Harrow star-system where the famous Academy ‘pyramid-city’ is located. As well as wandering through the city, Sewa’s journey will also take her into the catacombs below...
It is time to close for today, as we could keep talking and talking about this book and the lore for quite a long time!
Do not hesitate to share with us (and Stephen), if you have any questions, or if there is anything you are curious about!
Have a nice day ^-^
FAQ
We’ve prepared a quick FAQ, but if you have any other questions, we will do our best to answer them and I will include them here
- In which language is the book available?
The book is only available in English
- Do you have any plans to include additional languages?
We are first going into the English-speaking market, and we hope to have more exciting news to share in the future about potential additional languages.
- Is there a way I could get a signed book?
We are all chasing Stephen to get signed copies, you are not the only one! He will be participating in several Events in the UK to sign copies, but we will share more details on our social media channels.
- Will the book have an audio edition?
The Audio edition is confirmed! The team is working really hard to bring it as soon as possible.