Every week, the Castalia House Blog spotlights some of the many new releases in independent, pulp, and web novel-influenced science fiction and fantasy.

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Apocalypse Arena: Mortal Gauntlet – J. Pal

The multiverse is watching. He’ll be damned sure to give them a show.

Saving an innocent from a drug-crazed superhuman should’ve left Nil broken. Instead, it wins him the Nexus’ attention.

Nil is done feeling small and watching his family scrape by. He now has the opportunity to make a difference.

Apocalypse Arena holds the key; where the multiverse’s champions battle and keep the Scourge at bay. Pain, death, and heartbreak await all who run the gauntlets, but Nil has what it takes to grapple his way to the top.

The stronger his opponent, the harder he hits. Perhaps even knock out a God.

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Battlestations (The Iron Fleet #1) – Daniel Gibbs

Lt. Colonel Arthur Hanson suffers from imposter syndrome. While grateful for promotion to second-in-command of the CSV Margaret Thatcher, he’s still a nerdy engineer at heart. The CDF’s presence in the Orion Spur is to project strength and maintain peace among the former League-held settlements. Confronting minor skirmishes is a cakewalk compared to open war.

But freedom demands a price.

Without warning, coordinated terrorist strikes across the Spur leave the fleet limping on life support. The Margaret Thatcher herself narrowly escapes destruction—at an unspeakable cost.

With the fleet decimated and backup stalled behind political power plays, Colonel Hanson is forced into shoes he feels ill-qualified to fill. But as ranking officer, survivors look to him to lead the charge against terrorists who wantonly rape and murder with no regard for the innocent.

Now Arthur must steel his spine and rise to the challenge of his namesake ship.

Because the Iron Lady does not turn from the fight.

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Commerce Emperor #3 – Maxime J. Durand

The Devil is purchasing godhood, and Robin has to outbid her.

The Lord of Wrath Belgoroth lays defeated, but his fellow Demon Ancestors proceed with their own plans. The Devil of Greed, wealthy from her hoard of damned souls, now schemes to forge a divine crown that will allow her to rule the world; all while the Shadow of Envy plots behind stolen faces.

Only the chosen Heroes stand between the world and its destruction, but they are far from united. The Archer and the Assassin are at each other’s throats, the Monk struggles with her own demons, and the Wanderer is not to be trusted. Robin Waybright now faces the difficult task of uniting and leading them into their final battle. It is a race against time, but a Merchant always has a plan…

This will be his final sale, and the world his prize.

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The Primal Hunter #12 – Zogarth

With only one Challenge Dungeon Left, Nevermore is quickly winding to an end…

The Nevermore Leaderboards competition has gathered more attention than perhaps in any era prior, with gods getting both directly and indirectly involved to see who will eventually come out on top.

Jake, who has so far been performing above all expectations, enters his final Challenge Dungeon before it’s time to meet up with his party once more. Together, they’ll make a final push to try and climb as many floors as possible before time is up and, hopefully, in the end, find their names atop the Nevermore Leaderboards.

However, the competition is tough. Jake and his party aren’t the only ones performing far above expectations. Ell’Hakan, the self-proclaimed rival of Jake, has set himself up to rival or even shatter all records prior, aiming for the top spot himself.

In the end, who will prove themselves the top C-grade of their generation?

And, perhaps more importantly to Jake, will there be a forced after-party following the Leaderboards reveal?