Operation Bounce House Sample Chapter

Hey folks. We interrupt your regularly* scheduled DCC chapter posts to bring you an announcement. As previously mentioned, my standalone novel Operation Bounce House comes out February 10, 2026. It is now available to preorder wherever fine books are sold.

If you are a reviewer with a NetGalley account, you may request to read the whole thing NOW.

Attached to this post is an epub and a pdf which includes a wee portion of the book so you can get a quick idea of what to expect.

So, what is Operation Bounce House? I'm glad you asked. It is a standalone, one-and-done book. I wrote it concurrent with This Inevitable Ruin, and it has been completed for a while now. I'm looking forward to hearing what you guys think. (Also, for the record, I am not writing anything other than DCC book 8 right now)

Please do not distribute the PDF or sample. If it ends up all over the place, they won't let me give you guys samples in future.

BLURB:

What do you do when you become your planet's final boss?

A man must fight for his planet against impossible odds when gamers from Earth attempt to remotely annihilate it in this epic, fast-paced novel from the New York Times bestselling author of the smash-hit Dungeon Crawler Carl.

All colonist Oliver Lewis ever wanted to do was run the family ranch with his sister, maybe play a gig or two with his band, and keep his family’s aging fleet of intelligent agriculture bots ticking as long as possible. He figures it will be a good thing when the transfer gate finally opens all the way and restores instant travel and full communication between Earth and his planet, New Sonora. But there’s a complication.

Even though the settlers were promised they’d be left in peace, Earth’s government now has other plans. The colossal Apex Industries is hired to commence an “eviction action.” But maximizing profits will always be Apex’s number one priority. Why spend money printing and deploying AI soldiers when they can turn it into a game? Why not charge bored Earthers for the opportunity to design their own war machines and remotely pilot them from the comfort of their homes?

The game is called Operation Bounce House.

Oliver and his friends soon find themselves fighting for their lives against machines piloted by gamers who’ve paid a premium for the privilege. With the help of an old book from his grandfather and a bucket of rusty parts, Oliver is determined to defend the only home he’s ever known.

Out February 10, 2026 in hardcover, ebook, and audio. More details on audio coming soon.

Thank you all for your support. I'll see you all at DragonCon if you're going. I'll post my full schedule for that soon.