The Runes of Engagement

The Lord of the Rings meets Slaughterhouse-Five (by way of World of Warcraft) in this delirious mashup pitting the U.S. military against legendary monsters from fantasy novels and roleplaying games. From a science fiction award-winner and an author, former Marine, and extreme amateur-landscaper comes a riotous fantasy/military science fiction adventure that will delight fans of Terry Pratchett, J. R. R. Tolkien, and John Scalzi.

No one could have been prepared for the day when orcs, trolls, and dragons fell from portals in the sky. But the world fought back against the invaders as best it could, with soldiers, tactical weapons, and even some rudimentary magic.

Now a tough but not-quite-prepared platoon of Marines is trapped on the wrong side of the portals. The enchanting landscape looks like Middle Earth but—to the dismay of the nerdiest soldiers—is nothing like it. While the Marines fend off dangerous, improbable, and very rude assailants, their mission is to escort a VIP (Very Important Princess) who could broker a strategic alliance between worlds.