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The Initiates
A cynical high school graduate must overcome otherworldly odds with a group of fellow misfits if they hope to survive an alien invasion at summer camp. The Outsiders meets Annihilation.
Myles Harper’s transition to adulthood couldn’t be more disturbing.
After celebrating his high school graduation, his stepfather tells him he needs to get a job. The cynical Los Angeles native, more concerned that climate change will affect his life than his lack of a career, grudgingly applies to Camp Friendly Forest, where he is hired to work as a counselor for the summer. Soon Myles has more responsibilities than he bargained for. Supervising a cabin of boys in the mountains means that he must prioritize the needs of others over himself.
Even worse, vicious cosmic canines, Kiaskis, have crash landed off the coast and quickly overrun Southern California. As the situation at camp deteriorates, Myles and a group of fellow misfits, his new friends, realize they must work together if they hope to survive a horrifying nightmare.
A science-fiction horror novel involving humanity’s first contact with a violent extraterrestrial race, exploring notions of youth, masculinity, and morality during a time of crisis.
Myles Harper’s transition to adulthood couldn’t be more disturbing.
After celebrating his high school graduation, his stepfather tells him he needs to get a job. The cynical Los Angeles native, more concerned that climate change will affect his life than his lack of a career, grudgingly applies to Camp Friendly Forest, where he is hired to work as a counselor for the summer. Soon Myles has more responsibilities than he bargained for. Supervising a cabin of boys in the mountains means that he must prioritize the needs of others over himself.
Even worse, vicious cosmic canines, Kiaskis, have crash landed off the coast and quickly overrun Southern California. As the situation at camp deteriorates, Myles and a group of fellow misfits, his new friends, realize they must work together if they hope to survive a horrifying nightmare.
A science-fiction horror novel involving humanity’s first contact with a violent extraterrestrial race, exploring notions of youth, masculinity, and morality during a time of crisis.
224 pages, Paperback
Published February 11, 2025
9 people are currently reading
10 people want to read
About the author
Ryan Hyatt
12 books70 followersRYAN HYATT tells stories about your future. He is a former news reporter, current educator, and author of the Terrafide sci-fi series. He edits the satirical sci-fi news site, The La-La Lander, as well as Not Your Father's Bedtime Stories, kid’s lit he creates with his daughter, author Sage Hyatt. Find him at the beach and his stories across the internet. Connect with him @ucalthisreality.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 28, 2025
Are you ready for an invasion?
The multiple story line novel blends science fiction, fantasy, and some horror into the intriguing tale. The year is 2036, and there is an invasion that is not going well for those in California. Many are losing friends and family members, but this could have been avoided if they had listened to Alice. She foretold this event, but no one wanted to believe her. Now, the aliens have invaded and are killing people left and right.
Myles recently graduated from high school and is trying to figure out his life. What better place to do it than as a counselor at a summer camp? I think Myles was my favorite character because he seemed down to earth and might have had a few things together compared to the other counselors.
We also have Gus, a hacker, who is accompanied by Mr. Pootin, a bobblehead that isn't one that I would want to own or have in my home. The bobblehead has knives that retreat from the fingers and seems to have a mind of its own. I thought the bobblehead was distracting, and I wasn't sure of his purpose. He seemed like a keeper for Gus since it was a gift from the Russians, and he had no problem trying to hurt Gus.
The story brings in other characters from other books by this author. I haven't read anything else, and while there was a little backstory I was missing, I didn't feel like it hindered reading this book.
The ending of the book was a huge surprise. What a way to twist the plot!
My only "complaint" is that the storylines would change within a chapter with no warning. It was somewhat jarring to switch gears so quickly.
If you enjoy sci-fi, check this book out. We give it 4 paws up.
The multiple story line novel blends science fiction, fantasy, and some horror into the intriguing tale. The year is 2036, and there is an invasion that is not going well for those in California. Many are losing friends and family members, but this could have been avoided if they had listened to Alice. She foretold this event, but no one wanted to believe her. Now, the aliens have invaded and are killing people left and right.
Myles recently graduated from high school and is trying to figure out his life. What better place to do it than as a counselor at a summer camp? I think Myles was my favorite character because he seemed down to earth and might have had a few things together compared to the other counselors.
We also have Gus, a hacker, who is accompanied by Mr. Pootin, a bobblehead that isn't one that I would want to own or have in my home. The bobblehead has knives that retreat from the fingers and seems to have a mind of its own. I thought the bobblehead was distracting, and I wasn't sure of his purpose. He seemed like a keeper for Gus since it was a gift from the Russians, and he had no problem trying to hurt Gus.
The story brings in other characters from other books by this author. I haven't read anything else, and while there was a little backstory I was missing, I didn't feel like it hindered reading this book.
The ending of the book was a huge surprise. What a way to twist the plot!
My only "complaint" is that the storylines would change within a chapter with no warning. It was somewhat jarring to switch gears so quickly.
If you enjoy sci-fi, check this book out. We give it 4 paws up.
January 2, 2025
Ryan Hyatt knocked this one out of the park! The Initiates took me on an emotional journey that I was not expected, but totally worth it. Trust me when I say, you don't want to miss this one. Check out my full review and interview with Ryan about The Initiates here: https://thereadingwife.com/the-initia...
November 18, 2024
This book tackles a lot, and it starts out pretty innocuous. Myles Harper is a recent high school graduate, and he has no idea what he wants to do with his life. It’s 2036, the earth is in a climate crisis, the United States has split in a few ways, and folks are generally miserable. Welcome to Mr. Hyatt’s world of the Terrafide. There are a few books that precede The Initiates, but it’s not vital you revisit those before you read it.
What you will quickly learn, is that while Myles is trying to figure out what he is going to do with his life, He has decided to apply to Camp Friendly Forest as a camp counselor for the Summer.
Ever charismatic, Myles charms his way through his interviews and ends up in charge of a cabin of young boys in the mountains, and starts to learn how to interact with his fellow camp counselors to keep this well-oiled machine running.
As Myles gets settled in and starts to form bonds with his camp crew, we pan to Oakland, California where Henrik Gustavo (Gus) is meeting up in a diner with a blast from his past: Alice Walker.
If you’ve read other Terrafide books, you know all about Alice. If not, let’s just say that she knows everything that is going on in the world far before it occurs. Read The Psychic’s Memoir (Terrafide #2) to get up to speed on Alice and Gus’ history.
Alice puts Gus in an uncomfortable position by passing out, and he is forced to flee with her unconscious body.
That’s when Alice’s first Bestagram post in ten years pops up on Gus’ screen: changing everything for everyone.
I’m going to stop there with the recap other than to say that in a wild set of situations, the planet gets attacked by these weird space bear/dog monsters called the Kiaskis, and all hell breaks loose for both the campers and Gus and Alice. I like to think of the Kiaskis as resembling the monsters from Attack the Block, but that’s just my visualization.
Per usual, Mr. Hyatt really nails the pacing of this story. Jumping back and forth between Gus’ adventures and the campers really puts a multi-focal view on how time is unfolding, and you can see both storylines careening toward some sort of end.
The characters are all very well-rounded, and masterfully developed to lean on their strengths. The Camp Friendly Forest crew learn very quickly about teamwork, and how to rely on each other in this time of crisis.
The Initiates was a very enjoyable read, and I really hope there will be a follow-up to continue the paths of these intrepid adventurers. Knowing Mr. Hyatt, I’m sure he has something in the works.
This review originally appears on 23rdlegion.com.
What you will quickly learn, is that while Myles is trying to figure out what he is going to do with his life, He has decided to apply to Camp Friendly Forest as a camp counselor for the Summer.
Ever charismatic, Myles charms his way through his interviews and ends up in charge of a cabin of young boys in the mountains, and starts to learn how to interact with his fellow camp counselors to keep this well-oiled machine running.
As Myles gets settled in and starts to form bonds with his camp crew, we pan to Oakland, California where Henrik Gustavo (Gus) is meeting up in a diner with a blast from his past: Alice Walker.
If you’ve read other Terrafide books, you know all about Alice. If not, let’s just say that she knows everything that is going on in the world far before it occurs. Read The Psychic’s Memoir (Terrafide #2) to get up to speed on Alice and Gus’ history.
Alice puts Gus in an uncomfortable position by passing out, and he is forced to flee with her unconscious body.
That’s when Alice’s first Bestagram post in ten years pops up on Gus’ screen: changing everything for everyone.
I’m going to stop there with the recap other than to say that in a wild set of situations, the planet gets attacked by these weird space bear/dog monsters called the Kiaskis, and all hell breaks loose for both the campers and Gus and Alice. I like to think of the Kiaskis as resembling the monsters from Attack the Block, but that’s just my visualization.
Per usual, Mr. Hyatt really nails the pacing of this story. Jumping back and forth between Gus’ adventures and the campers really puts a multi-focal view on how time is unfolding, and you can see both storylines careening toward some sort of end.
The characters are all very well-rounded, and masterfully developed to lean on their strengths. The Camp Friendly Forest crew learn very quickly about teamwork, and how to rely on each other in this time of crisis.
The Initiates was a very enjoyable read, and I really hope there will be a follow-up to continue the paths of these intrepid adventurers. Knowing Mr. Hyatt, I’m sure he has something in the works.
This review originally appears on 23rdlegion.com.
February 23, 2025
The year is 2036. Myles Harper has just graduated from high school. Now he faces the rest of his life. He’s not sure what that should be, but his parents are going to start charging rent. On a whim, he takes a job as counselor at Camp Friendly Forest. Little does he know that, following an invasion of giant alien dog-monsters, it will be up to him and the remaining camp survivors to accomplish the ultimate camp challenge: prevent the world from becoming dog food.
The invasion was predicted by a mysterious psychic. She might be the key to stopping it, but she’s fallen into a sleep-like trance. Even so, she remains a high-value commodity for the American military, the Russian military, her old schoolfriend, Gus. He’s a fellow wonder child. He’s still hoping for a date, but for the moment, he’s just trying to keep her safe from the clutches of a ruthless assassin. His only ally is a psychopathic robot with a bad Russian accent and a penchant for American idioms.
The story is fast-paced and exciting. The writing skillfully combines elements of horror with youthful exuberance and teenage angst, while also providing a very real warning as regards mankind’s increasingly uncertain future.
The invasion was predicted by a mysterious psychic. She might be the key to stopping it, but she’s fallen into a sleep-like trance. Even so, she remains a high-value commodity for the American military, the Russian military, her old schoolfriend, Gus. He’s a fellow wonder child. He’s still hoping for a date, but for the moment, he’s just trying to keep her safe from the clutches of a ruthless assassin. His only ally is a psychopathic robot with a bad Russian accent and a penchant for American idioms.
The story is fast-paced and exciting. The writing skillfully combines elements of horror with youthful exuberance and teenage angst, while also providing a very real warning as regards mankind’s increasingly uncertain future.
April 6, 2025
“The Initiates” introduces Myles Harper in 2036 California. He’s a recent high school graduate unsure of what his future holds, but he knows he can’t stay in his parent’s house rent-free forever.
What a wild ride! The book starts off as a pretty straight-forward new adult leaving the nest and finding themselves type of tale. Set in the near-recent future, political and environmental challenges are rampant and Myles starts off as jaded as you would expect. His charm and desire to fit in allow him to quickly make friends while also becoming a distinctive and likable character. His friendship with Jose, the wise-cracking second-chancer, and encounters with Tiffany, the strong-willed but poor decision making counselor, and Billy the video-game obsessed and reluctant camper, provide further character details for Myles and his friends. Find the full blog review at heatherlbarksdale.com
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
What a wild ride! The book starts off as a pretty straight-forward new adult leaving the nest and finding themselves type of tale. Set in the near-recent future, political and environmental challenges are rampant and Myles starts off as jaded as you would expect. His charm and desire to fit in allow him to quickly make friends while also becoming a distinctive and likable character. His friendship with Jose, the wise-cracking second-chancer, and encounters with Tiffany, the strong-willed but poor decision making counselor, and Billy the video-game obsessed and reluctant camper, provide further character details for Myles and his friends. Find the full blog review at heatherlbarksdale.com
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews