Gears & Girls, Book 1

By: Damien Hanson, Cassius Lange

Narrated by: Christopher Boucher, Juno Narre

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Being a tech-serf sucks, but being powerless and broke sucks even more.

Trapped by crushing debt in the ancients-powered city of Alnda, Alaric barely scrapes by on five-credit repairs and monster scavenging. Gaining his freedom feels more impossible by the day, until he discovers a forbidden alien AI.

Crimson Death isn’t just a program, it is self-aware and pissed that it lost the war against humanity. He offers Alaric a simple deal: power in exchange for partnership. The catch? Put him out in the sun to recharge his battery.

First order of business? A history lesson and a whole new understanding of the monsters haunting his world, and the lies it is built on. The second? Teaching him how to grow monster cores into mech frames and build them.

Alongside CD, Alaric isn't just surviving, no, he is thriving. And the women around him are taking notice. So are those who want to use him.

Elli, the brilliant engineer best friend, finally gets the man she's been waiting for. Seo Rin, a capable scavenger with black market connections, finds his new confidence irresistible. Dame Yesabel, a fierce knight tired of noble games, sees something worth fighting for.

With alien tech enhancing his abilities and beautiful women at his side, Alaric sets his sights higher than just buying his freedom. The guilds that exploited him, the nobles who looked down on him, the system that kept him chained, they are all about to discover what happens when the underdog gains real power.

Forget five-credit repairs, Alaric's about to carve out an empire of his own, one dangerous mission and passionate encounter at a time.

©2025 Cassius Lange, Damien Hanson, Lit Forge Publishing (P)2025 Lit Forge Publishing

This was so much better than I expected!

If you like mechs, Fallout, Pacific Rim, and some spice, then you're going to love this! The storytelling is engaging and the narrators were fantastic. I can't wait for book 2 to come out on Audible. Give this book a shot, you won't be dissapointed.

Great first book in this new series

I really enjoyed this book. The premise was interesting. The main character actually did something instead of letting him self being pushed around. The ensemble cast was excellent excellently described and had their own motivations and desires. Really excellent plot.
The narration was fantastic with both narrators contributing multiple voices to the effort
I highly recommend this book

So good so…

I picked this to read out of pure curiosity. It started out fine, however the main character and the girls that he ends up with are kind of bland. It is very predictable and the authors seem to played to much Fallout and it leaks into the story. The story’s one saving grace is CD. The insults he uses are childish but CD is the absolute best part and steals every scene he is in. After all, what is more entertaining than a murderous AI who believes humans are no better than apes. If you like Fallout or mechs, it will be fine. If not you’re not missing much.

Wow really good

Most of the book in this genera have women with no personality, who clothes fall off at a stiff breeze,not with this book. having many wife's is need to rebuild the world...nice,believable at least. This is a bromance with funny believable characters a good story and great voice acting. Be warned this is not fade to black

great first book in the series.

narration is solid and the story is a unique one for the genre. great book