Radiant [Sci-fi/Grimdark/Progression]

As an orphan raised in the military shelter at the edge of the Zone, Adrian had been trained to join the army. But all he really wanted was to follow in the footsteps of his late parents and become a therizer—a reckless pathfinder, who ventures into the hostile territories full of radiation, invisible deadly anomalies, and dreadful monsters in search of magical artifacts. Adrian had learned the craft the hard way, making contracts with shady customers and sneaking into the Zone secretly from his teachers. Until one day, unfamiliar mutants attack him on the trail, forcing him to flee and abandon his loot. Worse, the mobsters he’d made a contract with abduct his friend to extort him. Trapped between two dangers, Adrian chooses to venture into the Zone again. He does not yet know that this run will be only the first step of a long journey toward the unknown worlds, and, ultimately, toward the heart of the Zone, where no ordinary human can survive. What to expect: - Grimdark sci-fantasy world, governed by brutal laws of survival - Eldritch abominations - Lots of blood, violence, some gore - Slow-burn progression, the MC acquires new abilities by finding rare artifacts - Single lead, occasional POV switches - Romance subplot - Backlog: Book 1 fully written with a complete main arc, 180k words. Book 2 in progress Inspired by: “Roadside Picnic” novel, “S.T.A.L.K.E.R.” and “Fallout” computer game series, “The Last of Us” show