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detect magic · Aug 16, 2026

No Extra Lives

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Dan Blakely · detect magic

Thane is dying. His body is failing, his mind is fraying, and the world feels like a cruel joke. When a cutting-edge virtual reality game offers an escape, he logs into Arbelon hoping to disappear into someone else’s world.

But Arbelon does not behave like a game. Its people remember. Its magic has consequences. And the deeper Thane goes, the harder it becomes to believe that any of this is virtual at all.

What begins as an escape becomes a choice Thane may not be able to undo, forcing him to decide what he is willing to risk for a world he was never supposed to believe was real.

Get No Extra Lives

Available in Kindle, paperback, and audiobook.

“I didn’t expect a story about magic and virtual worlds to resonate quite so deeply—but this one did. No Extra Lives begins as familiar territory: a protagonist escaping into a digital fantasy realm. But somewhere along the way, without trying too hard, the story becomes something else—something weightier, more emotionally grounded.”

— eugene, Amazon Verified Purchase

“This book had good pacing and kept me turning pages. An interesting concept and kept me guessing about what was going to happen. Can’t wait to find out what happens in the sequel!”

— SA, Amazon Verified Purchase

“If your escape is a heroic journey with questers surviving on almost pure pluck and relentlessly pursued through exotic landscapes, then this is the book for you. Intriguing plot with tension until the last page!”

— AmazonAddict, Amazon Verified Purchase

Want to try the story first? Read Chapter 0 before beginning No Extra Lives.

Read Chapter 0 →

Begin the Broken Circle Duology with No Extra Lives.

Get No Extra Lives

Already finished No Extra Lives? Continue with The Final Save

Read the original on danblakely.substack.com

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