Rivennia :A Game of Wagers by Jaime Urencio BLOG TOUR #Rivennia #sarpress @sunriseandrooster @randomttours @randomthingstours #BookExtract

 

EVOLUTION IS NO LONGER NATURAL - IT'S POLITICAL

When Gren Moritz is elected head of the global government of Rivennia, he is ridiculed and isolated by others in power for his stance against the rise in genetic engineering.

Following his inauguration, Gren is lured into the dark shadows of the Liffdom Lodges, a covert gambling syndicate that controls Rivennia. 

The Lodgers promise political backing, but it comes at a price – Gren must partake in a macabre wager. 

His fellow players are anxious analyst Samuel Rosendale and sharp-tongued supermodel Primula Zhang. 

As the stakes rise and the Lodgers’ true motives come to light, the rivals form an unlikely alliance, forced to navigate a treacherous web of power. 

The future of civilisation hinges on the choices they make.

Rivennia : A Game of Wagers by Jaime Urencio was published on 14 February by Sunrise & Rooster Press. As part of this #RandomThingsTours Blog Tour I am delighted to share an extract from the book with you today. 

Extract from Rivennia by Jaime Urencio 

PROLOGUE

GREN

Sixth Day of Month Ten, Year 500

The queen had asked for the anaesthetic to be administered before leaving the Royal Palace. I pictured her lying there, serene as the drug spread through her bloodstream, her eyes, once so fierce, slowly closing for the last time.

The bell marked eleven hours as I sat on the official dais,every muscle tensed to hide even the slightest sign of discomfort. Sweat beaded on my skin, and I once again clung to the dogma: The greatest good for the greatest number.

The screens came to life at half past. Twenty of them formed a ring along the middle tier of the arena. There was no way the audience could watch all of them at once. Ironic, since the only person at the centre of the stage would be unconscious.

Pigeons were everywhere – dirty, grey, purring and fluttering. They moved in waves, oblivious to the occasion. A flashing circle on the otherwise blank screens accompanied the queen’s pulse, broadcast for all to hear.

Dum-dum.

Dum-dum.

She was no longer awake, but her heart continued its labour. Startled by the noise, the pigeons took off in chaotic flocks, only to settle back moments later, feathers scattering dust. I let out the breath I had been holding and managed to draw in another one. My wife Lorelei squeezed my hand, her touch barely registering.

At a quarter to twelve, the queen was brought in, her body lying flat on the floating platform. Her distinctive bun was unravelled, and the long white hair fell over her gaunt frame. My eyes were fixed on that hair, and a chill passed through me as visions of the Lodgers’ wigs surfaced in my mind.

Slowly, the stretcher moved, coming to a stop above the pile of logs. The gap between each beat was so deep, I feared even the sound of my breath would disturb it.

Dum-dum.

Dum-dum.

It started with a spark. A flick of flint beneath the tree stumps. The crackling came before the flames, a wisp of smoke spiralling to where the queen lay above. I glanced at the crowd; some people were looking down, unable to face it, while others stared, eager to absorb every detail of the spectacle. No one but me knew, however, the reason behind her decision to go.

I turned my gaze back to the stage – to look away felt like a betrayal. It was her will to die here in front of all of us, and I owed it to her to watch, to bear witness.

Jaime Urencio was born in Mexico City.  

After working in several countries, he has long made London his home. 

His career has been in corporate finance, primarily in the biotechnology sector. 

Rivennia is his debut novel.