In a world of hyper-capitalism there are no laws, only contracts. There are no safety nets. Most people barely get by, but at least they have something dramatic and exciting to distract them from their misery: the Games of Honor.
When Arch learns he has an incurable, fatal disease he sells himself to the Games of Honor as a gladiator, securing his wife's financial future. Believing he won't survive very long, he is surprised to find himself climbing the ranks of the gladiators, eventually becoming one of the Fatal Five of rising stars in the Games. However, he soon attracts the attention of Spider, a Beast of the Arena. When over 50% of gladiators' human body parts have been replaced by cybernetic components they become Beasts. The Powers That Be use the Games to bypass ethical considerations in developing cutting edge, and often highly dangerous, medical devices, drugs, and techniques.
Spider is less than 10% human, and the toughest competitor in the Games. Even while Arch vows to die while still 100% human he finds himself involved in a conspiracy to kill Spider and destroy the Games. As the Games grind on, the other members of the Fatal Five are picked off, one by one, and Arch slowly begins to have body parts replaced by cybernetics.
Genre: Science Fiction
When Arch learns he has an incurable, fatal disease he sells himself to the Games of Honor as a gladiator, securing his wife's financial future. Believing he won't survive very long, he is surprised to find himself climbing the ranks of the gladiators, eventually becoming one of the Fatal Five of rising stars in the Games. However, he soon attracts the attention of Spider, a Beast of the Arena. When over 50% of gladiators' human body parts have been replaced by cybernetic components they become Beasts. The Powers That Be use the Games to bypass ethical considerations in developing cutting edge, and often highly dangerous, medical devices, drugs, and techniques.
Spider is less than 10% human, and the toughest competitor in the Games. Even while Arch vows to die while still 100% human he finds himself involved in a conspiracy to kill Spider and destroy the Games. As the Games grind on, the other members of the Fatal Five are picked off, one by one, and Arch slowly begins to have body parts replaced by cybernetics.
Genre: Science Fiction