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Matthew J. Barbeler
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Bleeding Edge (EDGE Force Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Matthew J. Barbeler (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars 215 ratings

EDGE Force: A clandestine organisation that leverages the best and brightest humanity has to offer to defend against the threats that can't be fought by normal means.

JD Rideout is a washed-up writer with the best years of his career behind him. Nursing the wounds of a marriage breakdown, his kids are the only thing keeping him going.

When JD wakes up on a tropical island in the middle of the Whitsundays on Queensland's Central Coast, chained to the ceiling, he knows something is very wrong. He feels like a character in one of his novels.

Those who fight for EDGE Force unlock the ability to level up and gain powerful skills to help them fight against threats to our reality.

JD is given a pistol and an axe, along with a new callsign: Hatchet. Uprooted from his life and forced to fight for the fate of the world, Hatchet may just be planet Earth’s last line of defence.

As Hatchet, he’s tasked with fighting back against a shadowy cult that has reappeared after 15 years in hibernation. But fighting the cult isn’t the only thing that drives Hatchet. These cultists are using the essence of an ancient entity to reshape reality into whatever their twisted imaginations can bring forth. This entity is reaching out to Hatchet too, propelling him towards an epic showdown with the forces of the Fellowship of Cosmic Truth.

During the course of his mission Hatchet encounters an unexpected ally - a German Shepherd dog named Kaiser - who might just be smarter than Hatchet. Kaiser has his own reasons for fighting the cult and the two form an unlikely alliance.

This story contains LitRPG elements, which includes level ups, skill increases, new abilities, and a deep crafting system. The book is written using Australian English, and contains Aussie slang.

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  1. Book 1 of 3
    EDGE Force
  2. Print length
    346 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    October 21, 2021
  6. File size
    2.6 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09JFSFQXG
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Player One Publishing
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 21, 2021
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.6 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 346 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 1 of 3 ‏ : ‎ EDGE Force
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 215 ratings

About the author

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Matthew J. Barbeler

Matthew J. Barbeler

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Hello there! My name's Matthew, and I write dark fiction to die for. I write across genres, from Science Fiction, to Horror, to LitRPG, GameLit and Dark Fantasy. The one thing my fiction has in common is that it's all a bit dark, and it always has kick-arse monsters.

I grew up in Queensland, Australia, and still live there with my family. I'm an indigenous Australian hailing from Butchulla country. I've been working a day job since I was 16, but the dream is to be able to write full-time.

I previously wrote under the pseudonym Matthew J. Hellscream, but he's been dead and buried for a while now.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
215 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book reasonably fun to read about, with one noting its interesting approach to the theme. Moreover, the writing is well-executed, with one customer describing it as a solid bread-and-butter of the genre. Additionally, the story flow receives positive feedback, with one customer mentioning it starts with action.

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8 customers mention "Enjoyment"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the book reasonably fun to read about, with one mentioning its interesting approach to the theme and another noting its appeal to readers of the LitRPG genre.

"...All in all, this book was just a lot of fun. And I can't wait to read more about Kaiser and his human, Hatchet. 10/10 Highly Recommended!" Read more

"...new or unique, but I honestly thought the writer had an interesting approach to the theme...." Read more

"...Really liked the twists the author our in, and the setting. The system was interesting, not just a standard rpg...." Read more

"I enjoyed reading this book very much and I recommend this book to anyone who like LitRPG and progression type of books with lots of action." Read more

8 customers mention "Readability"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the book well written and notice its quality, with one customer describing it as a solid bread-and-butter of the genre.

"...book itself, I want to praise everyone involved for both the quality of the cover, (Which got me to read the book), and the excellent editing,..." Read more

"...This is not a top-tier litrpg, but it is definitely the solid bread-and-butter of the genre." Read more

"Great read! Story stats with action and doesn't let up. Really liked the twists the author our in, and the setting...." Read more

"...Could use a little less OP for the main, but a good read. I am interested in a book 2" Read more

4 customers mention "Story flow"4 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the story flow of the book, with one mentioning that it starts with action.

"Great read! Story stats with action and doesn't let up. Really liked the twists the author our in, and the setting...." Read more

"...The story hits the ground running and it feels like you are right behind the main character as more of the world is gradually revealed...." Read more

"The book was... surprising. Story flows easily and characters are well done. Even the "game" part fit the story...." Read more

"Good use of a different angle that closes some gaps so the story can be focused on. Good character development...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Nemo
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic and Clever!
    Reviewed in the United States on November 3, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Before I get into the book itself, I want to praise everyone involved for both the quality of the cover, (Which got me to read the book), and the excellent editing, (Which was noticeable in its quality.)

    JD Rideout is a divorced writer with an uninteresting life. Until he wakes up hanging upside down in a cult's commune. He quickly learns that the world as he knows it is a simulation and he has been given the ability to level up like a character in a video game. Using his newfound abilities he begins his task of saving the world and getting back to his normal life.
    Now code-named, Hatchet, and with Kaiser the dog in tow, he is off to face whatever this place has to throw at him.

    What made this book a 5 star pleasure to read is:
    1. We get into the action immediately.
    2. No reluctant hero whining. (Seriously, if you want me to put your book down for good, have a character complain about how all he wants is to be normal, (I'm looking at you, X-men), and get back to his life as a TV watching barista somewhere.)
    3. Made me wish I was in the character's boots. (This is adventuring at its finest. Dad-bod guy gets to upgrade his body to an Olympian and beyond...I wonder if they could fix my screwed up rotator cuff?)

    All in all, this book was just a lot of fun. And I can't wait to read more about Kaiser and his human, Hatchet. 10/10 Highly Recommended!
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Travis L.
    4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Lovecraft-esque litrpg
    Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    I'll be clear that I am only writing this review since people seem to be ignoring this book entirely. That isn't because it isn't good (it is) but because I generally usually only write reviews for books I have extremely mixed feelings about, because I don't see the point in mindlessly praising or bashing a book.

    First, the concept of the world being a simulation and the creativity of a fiction writer bringing worlds to life is not new or unique, but I honestly thought the writer had an interesting approach to the theme. I did find the way the protagonist was immediately dropped into the deep end with no real prelude slightly irritating (mostly because I wasn't given a chance to know him before he got screwed over).

    Second, it needs to be noted that this is a book for people who want to see the protagonist become overpowered, fast. The protagonist does indeed become way overpowered, and it is reasonably fun to read about. I will say that I thought the protagonist being a writer with no experience of violence and adjusting so quickly with no real hiccups was... pushing suspense of disbelief a bit too far.

    Last of all, I thought going straight back to his regular life after that mess without getting any knowledge of EDGE was a bit annoying (I say 'a bit', but it actually annoys me more each time I think about it).

    While I may sound irritable, I can say that my four star rating is honest. This is not a top-tier litrpg, but it is definitely the solid bread-and-butter of the genre.
    9 people found this helpful
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  • Robert S
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great read
    Reviewed in the United States on December 26, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Great read! Story stats with action and doesn't let up. Really liked the twists the author our in, and the setting. The system was interesting, not just a standard rpg. Can't wait to see what happens next, and how he fleshes out the world.
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  • Gilbert M. Stack
    3.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining
    Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2024
    Bleeding Edge has a decent plot and one novel idea that I enjoyed a lot, but overall bogs down into many game mechanics taking over the story. The plot revolves around a man who finds himself in a prison with a zombie trying to get at him. As he rescues himself, he begins to discover that he is experiencing the world through a game-like interface that permits him to rapidly gain skills and levels. This is pretty typical of the LitRPG genre. The unique element that I enjoyed so much was the ability of the main character to enter the fictional worlds he has created and interact with his characters even to the point of getting their help in the "real" world.

    Where the book slows down is in its use of leveling up skills. The balance of game versus story in a LitRPG can be a difficult one and Barbeler doesn't have it quite right yet in this book. He spends much too much time on experience, skills, and levels, and it really slows the story down. He also finds a way for his character to maximize his skills very quickly which I think also lessened the tension of the story and created a too-powerful main character.
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  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars A fun romp
    Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    I always disliked MCs spending chapters coming to terms with their new realities. As a horror writer this guy gets a grip quick before buckling down to business. As a gamer after my own heart he finds ways to exploit the system ASAP. With the world at stake, if you ain't cheating you ain't trying.
    There's no Mickey Mouse artificial existential angst about how killing once-human now evil flesh-eating monsters might eventually turn you into same; he just pays attention to his ammo count and moves on.
    For the first time I didn't feel annoyed at an MC for ignoring a crafting system, as his penchant for looting anything not nailed down and actually *gasp! shock!* going back for useful stuff gave me the warm fuzzies.
    This book isn't perfect, and there were still points that vexed me, but it would have taken it from intelligently OP to pointlessly OP in a hot second so I gave it a pass. You can't take the powers with you, 'cus going from Pillsbury to Hercules might raise some questions. Plus wibbly-wobbly logic said the missions were self-contained non-cannon instances; good enough. /me shrugs.
    I greatly enjoyed this book and would happily read a sequel. Hopefully the dog can get a vox upgrade next time and contribute some pithy one-liners.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Andrew Dell
    4.0 out of 5 stars Crazy isand
    Reviewed in the United States on August 22, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Remember Dr. Moreau? Think waking up and having to deal with monster like creations on that level....and more. But the good news is you get a. Interface that lets you power up enough to destroy the baddies. Now think of why heroes really exist. The main character has kids he wants to protect. Add a dog that really understands humans words as well as emotions, and you got just half of the story.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • wrw
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fun
    Reviewed in Canada on October 27, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Really entertaining in a way that makes things that probably shouldn't work come together into a cohesive fun story that kept me up finishing it way too late. I don't know where it will go from here, but a sequel seems absolutely required.
    Report
  • Jaimi
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very enjoyable, I'll read the next :)
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 22, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Really interesting plot, and likeable characters.
    The end made me cry! Which is always a good sign. I love Kaiser!
    Report
  • Frank W. Mikes
    4.0 out of 5 stars An Entertaining RPG Lit novel
    Reviewed in Australia on September 11, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    I've been lucky enough to correspond with Matthew J Barbeler and have read his Crematorium Online books which I consider to be excellent. That is what prompted me to read the Edge Force books. They are pretty good as well.

    This book I found to be more 'game oriented' than Crematorium Online. In this book there is even references to power levelling, a lot of increasing in stats and how game mechanics are effecting his world; and I'm afraid these took me a little out of the book and the story being told.

    On the other hand, Barbeler does create great characters and for his protagonist, going mostly by the name Hatchet, I'm sure he drew a lot on real life. Hatchet is a writer from Queensland who is thrust into the story where his knowledge of games and author's imagination are real benefits. The villain is good and his animal companion, Kaiser – a German Shepherd with human level intelligence, is excellent.

    The plot isn't quite as good and is very meta in places. It is very much like a video game and the protagonist comments more than once on this using terms like “boss fight” “minions” and “levelling”. This unfortunately, doesn't leave a lot of room for surprises. If you know roughly how games go, you've got a pretty good idea of what is going to happen next. However, the pacing is very good and the reader is never bored and it isn't as if the story isn't moving forward.

    Despite a few quibbles, I quite liked this book and will be reading the second in the series in the near future.
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  • C.Daly
    4.0 out of 5 stars A solid start, I can't wait to read more.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 23, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    EDGE Force book 1 starts down an intriguing tale that blends urban fantasy espionage with litrpg elements and creates a surprisingly deep world that I can't wait to explore again. My only critique is that the system read out can be repeated a bit too often at close intervals and might need more spacing out in future volumes.
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  • All the books
    5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome sauce.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 17, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Who doesn't love apocalypse survival with man's best friend. Loved kaiser loved the mc's solutions great book and can't wait for the next
    Report

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