Author Description

Six months into his virtual life, traveling to colonize distant planet Rayas, Gabe Oliveri devises shapeshifter magic for a campaign in the Classic Maya world. In the video-game time travel that is history class, beliefs are real, and fuel Gabe's magical powers. But the AI's Maya campaign amounts to gringo-grade tourism, because it skips Mexico's most challenging belief - shapeshifting shamans. Specifically, were-jaguars. In the lush rainforests of Mexico and Guatemala, the Stone Age flourished into one of Earth's great civilizations. The Maya mastered mathematics and astronomy. They bequeathed corn and ball sports to the world. They built pyramids and beguiling art, all without horsepower. Instead they relied on blood sacrifice. Maya religion is mystifying. To gain a shapeshifter's power, Gabe must embrace his unknown dark side, including his fears on the cusp of manhood. The Rayas expedition ruled out older students, because the virtual life broke their mental health. He fears the same fate. Can Gabe warp his mind into the arcane Maya worldview, plumb his darkest depths, and master the jaguar? Rayas Colony is a time travel LitRPG adventure with gritty bootstrapped space colony and overpowered artificial intelligence. In book 2, mage Gabe relives history in early Britain and Classic Maya scenarios, while competing to lead a viable space colony.