ROBERT M. O'BRIEN
rebellions overture
In the epic conclusion of the Aeritheria trilogy, "Rebellions Overture," the flames of rebellion ignited by "Rhapsody's Echo" have engulfed the city in the fires of revolution. The city, once a bastion of oppression and control, now stands on the precipice of a new age of freedom and reconstruction.
The citizens of Aeritheria, emboldened by Zane and the resistance's unyielding spirit, must navigate the chaos of rebirth. The mines of Sheol have ceased their harrowing echoes, and the once-silenced voices of the reclaimed are now vibrant chords in the symphony of resurgence.
"Rebellions Overture" is a tale of resilience and fortitude, where the seeds of insurrection blossom into the fruits of sovereignty. As Aeritheria grapples with its identity in the wake of liberation, each citizen must choose their role in this new society, shaping a future once deemed unattainable. The anthem of the rebellion may have silenced the age-old cries of anguish, but the true test of Aeritheria's destiny is only just beginning.
The Last Companion
Twelve-year-old Eli Carter makes a solemn promise to his dying grandfather: to bury Boone, his loyal dog and companion when it’s his time, beside him in Montana. When his parents dismiss the idea, Eli sets off on a treacherous journey across the Midwest with his husky, Sebastian, determined to honor his word. Battling harsh winter storms, wild animals, and exhaustion, Eli relies on survival skills his grandfather taught him and memories of their bond to guide him. As Eli’s parents and uncle frantically search for him, they confront their own fears and fractured relationships. Their pursuit brings them closer to understanding the strength and values instilled in Eli.
THE THIRD PLACE:
LIFE, WORK & CONNECTIONS AT STARBUCKS
The Third Place: Life, Work & Connection at Starbucks is a celebration of the unsung heroes whose work shapes our world in ways we often overlook. Inspired by more than a decade of encounters in over 400 Starbucks locations across 15 countries, this book explores the lives of individuals whose stories began with a simple cup of coffee but reveal profound insights into the dignity of work, human connection, and community
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Through heartfelt narratives, the book highlights the quiet resilience of everyday people—teachers, truck drivers, morgue technicians, firefighters, and more—whose paths intersected with mine in Starbucks, the quintessential “Third Place.” This welcoming space provided a backdrop for conversations that not only deepened my understanding of their lives but also reinforced the idea that extraordinary stories often emerge in ordinary settings.
The Third Place is more than a collection of stories; it’s an invitation to see the world through the eyes of those who keep it turning, often without recognition. It is a tribute to the spaces that foster connection and to the people who carry unseen strength, joy, and purpose in their daily lives.
Whether you’re a fan of Starbucks, a seeker of human stories, or someone simply looking to reconnect with the value of everyday moments, The Third Place offers a journey of discovery, appreciation, and inspiration—one cup of coffee, one story, one connection at a time.
The LOOM
The Loom is not just a prison. It’s a machine.
Its threads bind the forgotten, the unwanted, the broken—spinning lies for the world above while silencing the truth beneath its surface.
Lila Braithwaite never planned to end up in The Loom. But when her quiet rebellion leads to the death of an elite, she is branded a traitor and thrown into a world of steel and shadows. Inside the prison, she finds herself among women stripped of their names and freedom, forced to weave tapestries of beauty while enduring unimaginable cruelty.
But The Loom holds secrets stitched into its very fabric—truths hidden in the threads, messages meant for those brave enough to see. With the help of Mags, an aging poet imprisoned for her subversive writings, Lila must navigate the brutal hierarchy of The Loom and the ever-watching eye of Clara, the AI that controls their every move.
As whispers of rebellion begin to stir, Lila faces an impossible choice: survive in silence or risk everything to unravel the lies that bind them all.
In a world of control and oppression, how far will one thread of defiance go?
What The River Carried
In What the River Carried, Thomas Albee returns to his rural hometown decades after the disappearance of his younger brother, Ben—a tragedy that unraveled his family and haunted his every step. Now a respected forensic psychologist consulting for the FBI, Thomas has spent a lifetime studying the darkness that resides in others. But when a series of murders emerges across the country—each victim linked to the group of boys who tormented Ben as a child—the darkness begins to look eerily familiar.
As the FBI scrambles for answers and a suspect is apprehended, Thomas is drawn into the heart of the investigation. Unbeknownst to his colleagues, the killer they seek isn’t a stranger—it’s someone much closer. With each flashback, each body, each carefully staged scene, the reader is pulled deeper into the moral ambiguity of justice and the chilling possibility that trauma never truly fades—it only evolves.
In this riveting psychological thriller, past and present collide in a quiet town where secrets run deep, guilt cuts sharp, and revenge flows as steady as the river that once stole a boy’s life. When truth finally surfaces, the question remains: can healing ever come from the hands that once trembled with grief?
THE
SILENCE OF
LIONS
The Second Declaration
In a near-future America paralyzed by corruption, partisanship, and the longest government shutdown in history, faith in democracy has withered into resignation. Budgets have collapsed, civic institutions grind to a halt, and the public’s patience—once considered the nation’s greatest virtue—has curdled into quiet fury.
At the center of this slow-motion implosion stands Congressman Daniel Reeve, a decorated veteran and principled moderate from Pennsylvania who still believes reform is possible. But when his final attempt at bipartisan legislation dies on the floor of Congress, Reeve is approached by a clandestine network calling itself The Founders’ Union—a grassroots alliance of citizens, veterans, and technologists who no longer seek reform but rebirth. Their goal: to reclaim the republic from the political elite and reestablish governance “of the people, by the people” in the most literal sense.
Among the Union’s architects are Sarah Delaney, a brilliant but disillusioned cybersecurity analyst who builds the encrypted system that connects millions in secret; Colonel Marcus Hale (Ret.), a soft-spoken veteran who organizes regional chapters under the guise of civic volunteerism; and Elijah Park, an ordinary truck driver whose quiet loyalty makes him the human face of a movement that has outgrown its founders’ control.
When the nation teeters on the brink of economic collapse, the Founders’ Union seizes its moment. On the night of the President’s annual address before Congress—a symbolic plea for unity that few believe—Reeve rises from his seat and delivers an unscheduled speech that will fracture history. Before a stunned chamber and a live global broadcast, he invokes the spirit of the American founders and declares the beginning of what he calls “The Second Declaration.” Across the country, millions gather peacefully in 100 cities, demanding immediate restructuring of the government. The old order, stripped of legitimacy, capitulates without violence but not without consequence.
What follows is the birth of the New Republic—and the slow corrosion of its ideals. Reeve, once hailed as a patriot, becomes its conscience and eventual outcast. As the new government consolidates power, mirroring the flaws it promised to erase, Reeve is quietly removed from public life and sent into internal exile at St. Anselm Refuge, a monastery-turned-sanctuary for disillusioned reformers. There, he writes a final letter—“To the People of the United States”—reflecting on the revolution he began and the cycle of ambition that continues to haunt humanity.
Told through intersecting points of view, The Second Declaration blends political suspense with moral philosophy. It explores how nations lose their faith not through invasion or catastrophe, but through exhaustion—and how the struggle to reclaim integrity can birth both renewal and regret.
Both timely and timeless, The Second Declaration asks one question that lingers long after the final page:
When a government forgets its people, how far should the people go to remind it?