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Keeper of the Realm

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Keeper of the Realm is a continuation of the story of Matt, who was pulled into his computer game in H.J. Ralles Keeper of the Kingdom.

The sequel picks up almost immediately from the point where the first book in the series let off. When we last saw Matt he had completed the task at hand, but instead of being released from the game, Matt is back in somewhat familiar surroundings. He's not home. He's just progressed to another level of the game.

Once again our hero meets up with his friends Varl and Targon, who he met in the previous level. Matt and his friends must help this under water realm of Karn, which has been invaded by the Noxeran. The only problem is that Matt doesn't have his laptop and he must get it back from the enemy's well-guarded vault.

Young sci-fi fans will once again enjoy the tales spun by this excellent author.

Be sure to check out all the titles by H.J. Ralles!

A Dangerous Computer Game

Ralles, H.J. Keeper of the Realm, Dallas, TX. Top Publications, Ltd. Co. 2002. 232 pages. ISBN 1-929976-21-6.

H.J. Ralles continues to offer readers a fascinating affiliation between computers and books, a wonderful reading experiences, constructed to keep the pages turning from beginning to end.
Although Matt has had enough adventure to last him the rest of his life, he is in trouble from the first line in the sequel to Keeper of the Kingdom. His only interest, after escaping entrapment in Zaul (Keeper of the Kingdom, 2000) is to go home. When two old friends from Zaul, Varl and Targon, appear, Matt has company in his misery.
A beautiful girl, Keela, shares a map of The Realm with the three wayfarers. They plan a strategy to retrieve Matt's laptop computer and escape Karn. Citizens of Karn become their allies as they plot a rebellion against the cruel Noxerans to reclaim their underwater realm, three hundred feet below sea level.
Matt recognizes they are ensnared in another computer game. Zaul was Level 1 of the game and they have reached Level 2, Karn. Matt and Varl use an obsolete dolphin-looking submersible to proceed on their doomed mission to locate Matt's laptop and rescue Braymar.
An old friend, Dorin, shows up with Matt's laptop, but their problems are not solved. Getting safely back to Karn they realize that Balbus plans to destroy Karn and Noxera and set himself up as a dictator.
When Matt accesses the rules of Level 2 game, our heroes get yet another poetic riddle. Even Matt, usually the optimist, has severe doubts about freeing Braymar and feels their whole plan is doomed to fail. The reader, like Matt, is also trapped in the adventure and must continue to play the dangerous game
Despair is replaced with cautious optimism when Varl, with his scientific mind, and Matt, with his technological training, use sonic encryptors, identification chips, double laser vidium, electronic bracelets, genetic engineering and microsubs to advance their plans and defeat Balbus and his legionaries.
Another twist at the end when Matt completes Level 2 will lead the reader to Keeper of the Empire. Players of computer games will see themselves as right in the middle of the game, rather than simply watching on the monitor.