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About

J.P. Colman writes things. Most of them are too long. Some are nice and short. He lives in Canada, enjoys furry creatures, and doomscrolls far too much of his life away.

Books

The Comedy of Imperial Manners

The Comedy of Imperial Manners is the first novel in a trilogy set in a late Roman Empire-inspired fantasy world. It tells the early years' story of Maia Harpalion, a young aristocratic girl, and her entry into Imperial society amidst a backdrop of waning influence and great dangers around every corner. A story style deeply indebted to Guy Gavriel Kay's blend of history and fantasy, but with a touch of humour and a strong-willed protagonist. Now for the blurb (following the links to buy):



An empire, long standing, must fall. But before it does a young girl gets to experience it at the height of its glory.


Maia Harpalion is born into a life of wealth and privilege. A private tutor, a lady-in-waiting, and a spot in the most prestigious academy in the Tecian Empire. All by the age of eight. But even surrounded by every luxury imaginable she can't escape the looming shadow that dampers the joy of every young girl: the shadow of responsibility.


Whether it's her burden to look after her younger sister, her obligation to attend her family's every social event, or even her duty to stand up to the school bully, Maia's list of responsibilities threatens to never stop growing. Yet these are nothing compared to the responsibility borne by her father.


As the official ambassador to the barbarian peoples that border the empire, Maia's father is duty bound to serve the very Emperor that once murdered his own family. When the barbarians grow more and more restless and march closer and closer to the great city of Adrianapolis, Maia will be forced to take on a responsibility greater than any she could ever imagine.

Kaiserreich: Prelude to the Second Weltkrieg

What if Germany won World War One? And what if World War Two was right around the corner? In this collection of alternate history short stories based on the popular computer game Hearts of Iron, readers will explore a portrait of history’s awesome power to shape our everyday world, even if it’s not the world we know.


As a derivative fan work (based in large part upon the fan works of hundreds of others), these stories will always be available for free online. They can currently be found on Archive of Our Own, or for purchase online at Amazon.



The blurb:


On February 3, 1936 the Berlin stock market collapsed. The centre of global trade and the seat of the world’s most powerful empire fell into economic ruin, dooming millions to poverty and setting in motion the terrifying gears of war. One year on from that dark day, nations around the world are still reeling from the impacts of this financial downfall, and the terrible gears have continued to turn. With the world inching ever closer to a second global war, every nation faces an uncertain future, and every person a nearly impossible challenge: to plan their lives in the face of that future.


In this alternate history, based on a popular modification for the best-selling Hearts of Iron computer game series, the United States never entered World War 1, and Germany wound up winning the war, known forever after as the Weltkrieg. Yet even in this timeline, the same forces of nationalism, imperialism, colonialism, ideology, and economic suffering that helped give rise to our World War Two threatens to birth another Weltkrieg. A tour of the world one year on from the collapse of the German economy, this collection of short stories sets the stage for the conflict to come: they are the prelude to the Second Weltkrieg.


Karl Schreiber, a university student called home for the funeral of his grandfather; Zheng Hui, a peasant farmer seeing off her husband for a trip to the nearest village; Mary Hernandez, a woman just trying to keep clothes on her back and food in her stomach; Ilya Mikhailov, a political operative pursuing his dream and looking out for his family – on their own each character lives a relatively normal life that threatens to be turned upside down by powers beyond their control. Put together they paint a portrait of history’s awesome power to shape our everyday world, even if it’s not the world we know.

Market Based Solutions or: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Operation Iraqi Freedom

Market Based Solutions or: A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To Operation Iraqi Freedom is a military thriller with a sense of humour. Inspired by equal parts Sorkinese political banter and video game classics like Metal Gear Solid, it follows mercenary Cris Fehr as he enters a dangerous geopolitical game in Central Asia. Behold, the blurb (following the link to buy):



Cris Fehr isn’t your typical mercenary. He only works for the underdogs and the downtrodden, taking the jobs too risky and too poorly financed for anyone else. He’s got a reputation of fighting for things other than money, and it’s well earned.


He’s also just found his dream job.


Out in the Central Asian steppe, a rogue weapons development facility has fallen into the hands of armed extremists, and the United States Government wants Fehr to find out what’s inside. There’s only one catch: he’d be working for a man he swore he’d never serve under again.


Compromising his ideals this one time, he takes his team of highly trained experts and descends into a lethal web of geopolitics and heavily armed opponents. As he enters the dark heart of the facility, each step reveals more secrets and more danger. But nothing could prepare him for what waits at the very bottom…