The Central Series by Zachary Rawlins

Alex Warner’s life hasn’t been a great success – so maybe its better that he can’t remember any of it, even the fire that killed his family, the one he was blamed for setting. Still, a horrifying attack by werewolves in a city park is a new and violent low, until Mitsuru, a woman with odd red eyes and tremendous powers intervenes, turning Alex’s world upside down... moreAlex Warner’s life hasn’t been a great success – so maybe its better that he can’t remember any of it, even the fire that killed his family, the one he was blamed for setting. Still, a horrifying attack by werewolves in a city park is a new and violent low, until Mitsuru, a woman with odd red eyes and tremendous powers intervenes, turning Alex’s world upside down.Waking to find himself in a hospital bed in a very different place – the Academy, a school in a hidden, fog-shrouded city named Central, where teenagers with remarkable abilities train to become Operators like Mitsuru, soldiers who use their amazing and frightening powers to fight Witches, Weir, and each other. And Alex is the Academy’s newest student. In a class of students who can read minds, turn to stone, and sort through possible futures – and staff who can control emotions, set fires with thought, and level mountain sides on a whim - Alex is quickly in over his head. Worse, he has caught the interest of both the cartels vying for control of Central – the fragmented and aristocratic Hegemony, and the ruthless and dictatorial Black Sun. Alex is forced to make his way through a school populated by telepaths, vampires, and most puzzling of all, a number of girls who seem interested in him: Emily, lovely and almost powerless, with orders to make Alex fall in love with her; Anastasia, a Machiavellian heiress trapped in the body of a adolescent; and Eerie, only half human and not entirely sane, but strangely captivating.All the while, an elite cadre of Operators drawn from the staff of the Academy, the Auditors, fight brutal battles against the Witches and rebellious cartels, as Alex attempts to navigate the Byzantine politics of Central in the hopes of survival, passing grades, and possibly even a girlfriend. less

It sounds like a Spring Break out of a dream – a lush island, perfect beaches, and the company of a beautiful girl. But for Alex Warner, things are never that simple. After all, his host for spring break is no other than the tyrannical future head of the Black Sun, Anastasia Martynova. And while Emily Muir is indeed beguiling, she could end up costing him both his freedom and his budding relationship with the Changeling, Eerie... moreIt sounds like a Spring Break out of a dream – a lush island, perfect beaches, and the company of a beautiful girl. But for Alex Warner, things are never that simple. After all, his host for spring break is no other than the tyrannical future head of the Black Sun, Anastasia Martynova. And while Emily Muir is indeed beguiling, she could end up costing him both his freedom and his budding relationship with the Changeling, Eerie. From the depths of the Ether, The Anathema, exiled from Central for a half a century, put an elaborate plan in motion to return to Central by force, stalking the depleted Auditors with a combined force of heretic Operators, Weir and Witches. During their long stay in the Outer Dark, The Anathema have developed a host of terrible new protocols and abilities that Central is completely unprepared for. Even worse, the Auditors face a betrayal from one of their own that will rock the very foundations of the Academy. Meanwhile, Alex is reluctantly forced to make a number of choices, knowing that whatever he leaves behind will come back to haunt him. No longer able to cling to his apathetic neutrality, Alex must choose sides in both love and war, and quickly, before the decision is made for him. It will take the mustered forces of the Auditors, the Black Sun, the Hegemony, the student body, and even poor Alex Warner, to contend with the violent return of The Anathema. And by the time the dust has settled, the conflict will have lasting – even fatal – consequences for the staff and students of the Academy. The Anathema is the second volume of The Central Series. NOTE: New version published 11-4-2013 – Includes professional edit and proofing! less

Built on the Fringe of Central, where the sand meets the endless sea of Ether and the fog never breaks, the Far Shores is an institution dedicated to the pursuit of scientific discovery, remote from Central and a neutral party in the simmering conflicts between cartels... moreBuilt on the Fringe of Central, where the sand meets the endless sea of Ether and the fog never breaks, the Far Shores is an institution dedicated to the pursuit of scientific discovery, remote from Central and a neutral party in the simmering conflicts between cartels. Shrouded in a sinister reputation, rumors of forbidden sciences, and layers of official secrecy, it is one of the most mysterious and isolated locations in Central – and, thanks to radical changes in the political and military organization of Central, it’s also the new home for both the Auditors and the students enrolled in the Program. Thrown into the unfamiliar and occasionally creepy environment of the Far Shores, Alexander Warner does his best to juggle an evolving protocol, a violent introduction to the realities of fieldwork, and the complexities of attempting to date a Changeling. Katya Zharova, on the other hand, focuses mainly on keeping Alex alive – generally by killing people with sewing needles.In the wake of the Anathema raid on Central, alliances crumble and allegiances shift. The Director is in open conflict with the Committee-at-Large, and is the target of an Inquiry directed by his brand-new Chief Auditor, Alice Gallow. The weakened Black Sun Cartel is consumed with internal conflicts, while the ascendant Hegemony starts to coalesce around new leaders. Cartels of all denominations eye each other nervously, uncertain how far the Anathema contagion has spread, and defection and sabotage are rife. In an effort to bolster the depleted ranks of the Auditors, dire and irreversible steps are taken. Old wounds are opened, and old rivalries are renewed, against the background of the expanding power of the Outer Dark.As the war between Central and the Anathema continues in the shadows, Alice Gallow and the Auditors battle an unlikely alliance of vampires, Witches and Renegade Operators, working toward an unknown goal and equipped with arcane technology years beyond anything in Central. Emerging from the Outer Dark, Alistair leads a powerful team of Anathema bent on evening the score with Central, the Auditors, and Alex personally. The Mistress of the Black Sun, Anastasia Martynova faces her most difficult trial in the form of an old and forgotten enemy, whose return will upset the balance of power in Central at the very highest levels. And from somewhere in the unknown expanse of the Ether, the Church of Sleep stirs ominously.The Far Shores is the third volume in the Central Series. less