Lone Player (Lone Player #1)
Julia Rosemary Turk
From the 2021 Lost Island Writing Contest Winner
To manage overpopulation, citizens are marked with playing card tattoos—and an annual draw from a deck determines who the Chaser Corps exterminates.
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About the Book
“You can lie all you want, but every lie will come back to bite you someday. They always do.”
To manage overpopulation, citizens are marked with playing card tattoos—and an annual draw from a deck determines who the Chaser Corps exterminates.
Eddie resents her pro-Chaser father for expecting her to join the Corps. Her true desire is to become an illegal healer to save her best friend Margot, who hides her chronic illness to avoid a death sentence. Determined to follow her heart, Eddie defies her father by secretly dodging the Chaser Corps Entrance Exam and aligning herself with the rebels, where one wrong move could have dire consequences.
Margot’s twin brother Ren longs to become a Chaser, despite his hatred for the inhumane organization. Playing a role in population control as a member of the Corps would secure his immediate family Immunity and protect Margot’s life. His secret decision to take the entrance exam challenges his family’s anti-Chaser principles, and receiving his acceptance letter plunges him deeper into a moral crisis.
Although Eddie and Ren despise each other, their shared love for Margot compels them to strike a deal—Ren will devote his life to the Corps, while Eddie will risk her life with the rebels. Together, they weave an intricate web of falsities to keep their families in the dark.
But as they dive deeper into opposing sides, doubt threatens their fragile alliance. Will their bond prove strong enough to shatter the system, or will the weight of their lies turn them against each other?
With beautiful prose and witty characters, debut author Julia Rosemary Turk delivers an epic tale of sacrifice, betrayal, and the pursuit of truth in a society built on deception.
About the Release
Publication Date: July 8, 2023
Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy
Paperback Pages: 583
Praise for Lone Player
“Lone Player is a captivating and thought-provoking novel that offers a fresh take on dystopian fiction. Turk's masterful storytelling, well-developed characters, and exploration of themes make this book a must-read for fans of the genre.”
—Gabriela Petkova
“I adore this novel. I’ve read it twice and wouldn’t mind reading it again!”
—Hannah Diane
“This story delivered. It felt slow at some parts, and quick at others, but there are moments where my heart was ripped out, chewed, spit out and stepped on.”
—Seth Dharma
“I laughed several times throughout Lone Player and enjoyed how realistic and relatable all the characters were.”
— Carlie Harper
“THIS BOOK WAS GOOD. Like really good. It was also really sad. Horrifically sad...I almost broke into loud obnoxious tears a few times.”
—evievaluates
“This is something I would read again, over and over, to feel all the emotions and gasp in the right places and never get tired.”
—Shu’aib Muhammad
“I truly adore this novel, and I’m already dying for the next book in this trilogy.”
—Paige Fonte