— Book Three of the Mother Trilogy —
Genre: Epic Fantasy/Science Fiction
Recommended Ages: 15–adult
Projected Release Date: Q1 2026
The culmination of the genre-bending Mother Trilogy. In the wake of Gaea’s unthinkable revolution, alliances stand uncertain, all waiting to see what unfolds. Lyn of Nytaea turns her gaze skyward, toward the golden moon of Gaea, homeworld of the Cydenges. Behind the metallic beasts is an entity of whom only fables remain.
Back on Mani, monsters are stirring, and the forces of Dark and Silver are both closer and more volatile than ever. Will Rhidea’s gambit pay off? Can Mani defend against the overwhelming might of the Gaean League?
Not recommended as a starting point in the trilogy.
Author Bio:
Jacob Gamber grew up in Araluen, Alagaësia and Fablehaven, and spent the remainder of his childhood in rural Pennsylvania, telling stories to sheep. When the time came to embark on his own journey to a fantasy world, he botched it thoroughly several times and eventually got a full-time factory job. Presently, he lives in eastern Ohio with his wife and children. He enjoys music, role-playing games and puzzles, and is reportedly allergic to bad love triangles.
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Updates:
Update 8/23/2025: Luna 2.0 revisions underway. Structure first, then we’ll tackle all the fun stuff like cutting and adding material . . .
Update 7/31/2025: Luna Draft 1.0 is complete. Awaiting revisions. (Already pre-clenching my teeth.)
Update 5/21/2025: Getting closer to finishing the first draft. 60% finished.
Update 5/20/2025: Hard at work on the first draft now (29% done), hoping to finish by the end of July 2025. Lord willing, that means the first couple rounds of revisions in late summer, beta reading and more editing in fall, and publishing in early January. (Note: I’m an optimist sometimes.)
— Excerpt —
(not final, more to come)
The Core
We all go there eventually. Each body of gleaming metal one day corrodes, cracks, becomes defective, and is no more. Body now dust, the figment returns to nothing, but the Light returns to Mother’s Core.
— Cydenges Eternal Vault
It did not end there. When the aberrant creature did not submit to its Queen, she lit into it once more. The beast was nearly as long as she, and thicker, armor chinks glowing with as much a black light as red. But whatever his rabid furor, the Queen’s was greater. She abandoned the animalic dogfighting and began throwing him around like Hellebes in the Iron Dojang. She kicked with a hind leg, and his body flew directly into one of the onlooking Cydenges, plowing it over. She trampled the thing as she gave chase.
It wasn’t long before she had the rebellious Cydenges pinned, gripped by the neck, forelegs bent outward and held down with her own. It bucked with its back feet, but she only bound them with her long, serpentine tail, cinching it with her spines. “Give up,” she growled, “or I will take your life here and now.”
The Brute Cydenges glared at her for what seemed an eternity before slowly, slowly draining of its crazed malice. “Why? You should slay me for my impudence.” It did not sound angry, nor even sorry, but more confused.
“Fairness was never a Lunar ideal,” she replied with a malicious, fanged leer, pulling back from his neck just long enough to gauge whether he would snap at her. “If you agree to serve me till your last pulse, I will show you a path to true greatness.”
Again, a long pause. Then, “Yes, My Queen.”
“Very good.” The Queen backed away, standing up and allowing the umbral Cydenges to spring to his feet, stance not as submissive as most but head kept bowed. “Now kill, and consume. Let your anger be free, that it may consume these weaklings, and then save it for the day we march on Gaea.”
She backed away, toward me and the doorway, where we stood and watched as the slat-colored Cydenges pursued and tore apart the living. They fought back viciously, but they were no match for his nightmarish fury.
Shaken, I asked, What is he?
I asked the same of him. He is the first of the new blood, it would seem. This was prophesied, yet I failed to see when we had achieved it. The anger of Luna has consumed him in the Pits, and he must have devoured countless, triumphing over all, before clawing his way out, no doubt leaving a trail of sparking corpses in his wake. The strength to destroy is a beautiful thing, is it not?