In the near future, the most popular sport in America is a team deathmatch sport called The Blood Games. The rules are simple: two teams of twelve enter the arena. After one hour, the team with more survivors wins. Whatever happens within that hour is fair game.

Ryan Eastwood was once one of the most feared fighters in the sport. His bold, aggressive playstyle made him a feared opponent, earning him the bloody nickname “the Butcher of the Backwoods”. He fought alongside his brother Jake, a brilliant strategist, forming an unstoppable duo that ruled the sport for years. That is, until one fateful evening in the arena, resulting in Jake’s death and Ryan’s retirement at the peak of his career.

A decade later, Ryan wants nothing to do with the sport. But he is coaxed out of retirement by an enigmatic new team owner in search of a coach to mentor the next generation of young fighters. Ryan is appalled by the direction the sport has taken and seeks to instill a more old-school mentality in these glory-seeking youngsters. All the while he must battle the demons of his past and avoid the pull of the sport that took his brother away from him.

Two excerpts of The Blood Games are available free of charge below. They may not be reproduced, republished, or used for AI training purposes without the express prior written consent of the author, Austin Daniel.

Sample #1 (Chapter 1)

Sample #2 (Chapter 4)