Lore of the Sleepers

J.C.Willis' 2023 sci-fi fantasy novel LORE of the Sleepers follows Captain Nick Sevren, a soldier known for his quick wit and devastating temper. Sevren belongs to a specialized military corps responsible for keeping an underground facility known as the Sanctuary safe in a post-apocalyptic world. The Sanctuary houses millions of people (known as sleepers) and animals in cryostasis and keeps their minds active through a fantasy program called LORE.

Things get complicated after Sevren becomes entangled in the political machinations of the Sanctuary's administration by foiling an attempted sexual assault he is later framed for. To secure his freedom, he must do the evil Administrator's bidding by plugging into the L.O.R.E. program and helping two terrorists escape the underground Drow (dark elf) city of Vash'Pal with an ornate box. He only has three days, or he will die in the real world. The box contains the wraith gauntlets which are the last piece of a Codex sought by an evil wizard. With all three pieces, the wizard can activate the Font of Eternal Life and become immortal in the game so that his life will never "reset" and start over.

Things quickly escalate once Sev'Ren, now a Drow "in game," learns that one of the terrorists is, in fact, the princess of the dark elf city. Sev'Ren must fight in the Drow arena to win the freedom of the other terrorist, Gun'Dros, who assassinated the Drow King to find the box and also stole a sacred book from the Assassins Guild. Only when the box makes it above ground and sees the light of the twin suns, will Sev'Ren be safe. He is poisoned in the last fight, however, and in order to live, must join the Assassins Guild and help them retrieve the book. He also agrees to help the princess after she explains to him the stakes of allowing the evil wizard to win.

Deceit and betrayal await around every corner as Sev'Ren struggles to save himself, the Drow, the princess, and the sleepers.