The Range Series by Yuri Ulengov

Yesterday Altai was a war hero. Today he is a prisoner who chose exile to Rhapsody instead of death. This planet, the Range, knows no mercy. Here, thousands of prisoners fight each other for a place under the strange, cold sun. Here, the leftover alien biomechanisms and out-of-control Terran war machines roam in the ruins, and human life is measured in virtual experience that can be exchanged for armor and implants... moreYesterday Altai was a war hero. Today he is a prisoner who chose exile to Rhapsody instead of death. This planet, the Range, knows no mercy. Here, thousands of prisoners fight each other for a place under the strange, cold sun. Here, the leftover alien biomechanisms and out-of-control Terran war machines roam in the ruins, and human life is measured in virtual experience that can be exchanged for armor and implants.Surviving in the Limbo slaughterhouse, upgrading to the tenth level and getting into the Green Zone is all any dead man can hope for. Except not everyone succeeds. Altai will have to make a lot of effort just to take a breather, and remaining high in the audience’s favor is something worth striving for. After all, the Range, among other things, is the most popular reality show, one of the few where everything is real, and death...death only raises the ratings. less

Altai managed to survive in Limbo and get a coveted pass to the Green Zone, but this is only the beginning of his journey. Thanks to the “Hand of Justice” achievement, the former planetary assault trooper saw a faint glimmer of hope that one day he’ll escape Rhapsody. One day, maybe, if he’s lucky... Now is not the time, though. After all, a visit to Elysium is just a short respite before a new race with death begins... moreAltai managed to survive in Limbo and get a coveted pass to the Green Zone, but this is only the beginning of his journey. Thanks to the “Hand of Justice” achievement, the former planetary assault trooper saw a faint glimmer of hope that one day he’ll escape Rhapsody. One day, maybe, if he’s lucky... Now is not the time, though. After all, a visit to Elysium is just a short respite before a new race with death begins.At the Verge, the Orange Zone of the Range, all achievements received in Limbo mean nothing. The rules change as the game progresses and the most important one, as usual, is written in small print. The only way to survive is to become stronger, faster and smarter than your opponents but that’s not easy. You’ll have to shed blood for credits and virtual experience that allow you to buy weapons and power-ups. Hopefully, this will be the blood of your enemies and not your own. less

Few people on Rhapsody have ever managed to achieve what Altai has achieved. The status of a champion, a high level, increased loyalty of the Administration... But when things go completely sideways and the Range system falls apart, virtual achievements lose value. When forts perish and the Perimeter collapses, when the Xenos have swarmed Limbo and are trying to break into Elysium, the only things that matter are the thick walls, a supply of ammunition, and a friend’s shoulder to lean on... moreFew people on Rhapsody have ever managed to achieve what Altai has achieved. The status of a champion, a high level, increased loyalty of the Administration... But when things go completely sideways and the Range system falls apart, virtual achievements lose value. When forts perish and the Perimeter collapses, when the Xenos have swarmed Limbo and are trying to break into Elysium, the only things that matter are the thick walls, a supply of ammunition, and a friend’s shoulder to lean on. Altai has it all, but he can’t just sit it out. A once-in-a-lifetime chance is calling him to the very epicenter of the Invasion. And he can’t pass it up.As he heads out for the wastelands of Inferno, Altai has no idea that it is there where the final act of the tragedy will play out—the tragedy that began on the other end of the Galaxy and turned the war hero into a criminal and a murderer. Will he be strong and fortunate enough, or will someone else, the one who started it all, put an end to it? Who knows? But it's worth the effort. After all, it's not just his life that's at stake. less