In a world where everyone has power, Niko was always destined to lose…

Niko has long since given up on his dreams of being a world class Battle Artist. Thanks to his damaged core and crazy family, he never stood a chance anyway. With money, fame, and untold power on the line, the corporations decide who wins. End of story.

But when a mysterious group, calling themselves the Sages of the Underpass, threaten to upend the entire system with their unorthodox training and cultivation methods, Nikko soon learns that what was once a handicap might be his greatest asset. The only thing standing in his way is a bitter, hard-hearted veteran, who would like nothing more than to see Niko stay in his place. Right at the bottom.

Rocky meets Dragon Ball Z in this underdog redemption story from Dragon Award Finalist Aaron Michael Ritchey. Sages of the Underpass is an epic blend of Urban Fantasy, Cultivation, and Magical MMA that captures the passion, the power, and the perseverance it takes to follow your dreams—no matter what kind of artist you are.

“Sages of the Underpass is an excellent novel with a fully fleshed-out system for character development. This is a great modern cultivation story!”
—Dakota Krout, Author of the Divine Dungeon and the Completionist Chronicles

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So I read The Alchemist: A Fable About Following Your Dream by Paulo Coelho. And I loved how the writer told a story, while at the same time, giving us a self-help book. It talked all that go-team-fight rhetoric. Follow your dreams! Don’t listen to your fear!  Don’t fall prey to despair! You can succeed!

I wanted to write something similar with Sages of the Underpass. I wanted to tell a story about what my writing journey has been, the things I’ve faced, and the wonderful experiences I’ve had. So, yes, this is all very Dragonball Z, and there are demons, and marital arts, and yes, everyone was kung fu fighting. While at the same time, this is about my writing journey, my early success, then giving up writing forever, then committing again, going to cons, meeting people, and enduring failure as books failed to sell.

Like Niko, the hero in the story, I gave up on all this writing business. I didn’t find much success with traditional publishing. And my biggest talent isn’t in my writing ability, such as it is, but in my dogged determination.

So, yes, I’m proud of this book. I’ve been busy writing my other books, and pushing them, but I wanted to give this story a shout-out. Thanks everyone for your YEARS of support!

I’ll continue to fight. I’m a battle artist after all.