Mecanimus

The Calamitous Bob 234: Hellbringers

Mages peered up, distracted from their spells. Soldiers stole upward glances when they were not fighting. Archers and crossbow wielders sometimes felt the weight of mana on their shoulders. Knights rode aware of the death that could fall on them at any moment while commanders wondered if an errant attack would destroy the sons and daughters of their cities in single instants. Above the Plain of the Gods, demigods fought for supremacy. Oleander struck in seamless hurricanes of blade strikes, e...

Changeling Part 78: The Guilds

Nestra inserted her roadster in the slow lane and the long line of expensive cars making their way down the ramp. It was 8:19AM. She had planned to arrive early because she expected a lot of people to show up.

In front of her, the road opened towards the domineering pillar of the Gidung megastructure. It was, Nestra had to admit imposing. The tower rose from a lush park, all post-modern lines in glass and steel, then halfway through the walls disappeared under a vertical garden so dense...

Announcement: Audible bet successful

So I said when the audiobook came out that I'd order 1k worth of artwork if we passed the top 1000 on Audible. Well, apparently the audiobook peaked at 771. Pretty good considering Bob has been out for a while!

I had no plan so those who have ideas better write them down in the comments. I'll pick the more popular ones and those I like the most, shove them into a poll, and then let you decide which project my cheese fund will finance.

Lewds are even allowed because Patreon beli...

Announcement: book 10 of Journey is out (finally)

Look at the eyeball faerie. Daw.

US link: Amazon.com: Stranded in Faerie: A Journey of Black and Red Book Ten eBook : Gilbert, Alex: Books

As usual please enjoy the glorious artwork as an apology for the ping.

I'm currently working on all the paperbacks for both series. Quite a few should already be out but I'll make an announcement when ...

The Calamitous Bob 233: War

Crest watched the battlefield from above, among the many mage flights serving Oleander. It was early afternoon in the Harrakan heartlands. The ground between the two army was unseeded soil, brown and a little dry. The army to his back numbered almost a hundred and ten thousand soldiers — the largest force ever assembled by a human nation. In front of him, the allied armies gathered maybe forty thousand soldiers. Despite being severely outnumbered, they were still the second largest force ev...

Changeling Part 77: Nestra is an Adult

Nestra was informed she was temporarily between positions by mail. From HR. Scrolling down the long list of superfluous bullshit, she noticed she would be paid her full salary without overtime bonus for the duration. This meant it was a paid holiday. It also meant that they were not angry at her, just probably wondering what they should do with someone who triggered a diplomatic crisis by breathing.

“It’s not fair. I also solve them. Speaking of…”

It ...

The Calamitous Bob 232: Plain of the Gods

The last humans to join the Paramese Alliance had been the Order of the White Orchard, Baran’s best knight order. They had crossed the last intact portal network line in a daring escape. They had claimed neutrality in the civil war. Some people had taken a long time to learn that Nero didn’t do ‘neutrality’. He was more of a ‘with me or against me’ kind of person. Now their glittering armor would join the Baranese battle lines. Viv really liked the knights in glittering armor, esp...

Part 76: Expert Diplomat Nestra

Nestra peered down with interest. The lizard builder placed his hand on the ground, which smoothed and hardened it. The human soldiers did the same a moment later. The ground at the bottom of the pit turned into a packed earth floor of decent hardness. It was interesting watching the two species silently cooperate, for once, even though it was only to see their champions fight.

Outside of the pit, Carved Tusk lizards were observing their human counterparts create an amphithea...

The Calamitous Bob 231: The Slayer

“What the fuck are you doing? Are you mad?”

Celerin Crest pulled his hair — what else was he supposed to do? He ignored the gasps, the glares, the ‘oh!’ of consternation. This was too much. Too much!

“Nero I swear to Maranor!”

“Do not.”

A monstrous aura swept the tent, quieting the courtiers and generals under a cloak of cold control. Even Crest’s fury was quenched from a raging fire to dull embers of simmering resentment.

“Do not pronounce ...

Changeling: 75 In which Nestra is tested

Someone knocked on Nestra’s door, or rather, on one of the metal tubes that kept the tent upright. She gave her alarm a bleary gaze.

It was 8AM.

“Who the FUCK —”

“Special Agent Palladian?”

Camille wasn’t there. Nestra was left poking her head through the tent flap, glaring at the muscular army gleam standing at attention. It was cold here in the mornings which wasn’t an issue for Nestra but still… that was t...

The Calamitous Bob 230: Funneled

It was night near the Enorian city of Koltis. Viv hadn’t returned since her short visit more than ten years before as she was on her way north towards the Academy. Back then, the ancient fortified town had been a hotbed of smuggling and intrigue between the two rival factions of the civil war. Now, it had lost much of its luster. Some of the dilapidated roofs Viv could see over the distant walls and shallow fields spoke of broken fortunes. War was the bane of mankind, but war was also profi...

Bob mass release day.

It's the big day. Bob 1 is on KU, Book 7 will be out soon on paperback, book 9 is out as an ebook. And most importantly, the audiobook is live.
If you're reading this, you're already my patron and the reason I can live from my art. You are my promoters and I literally could not do this without you. If you do enjoy my work, consider giving those a glance but know that you already changed my life.

I know some of you already purchased the audiobook. Thank you so much because early p...

Changeling Part 74: Cold Blooded

The trip back was fast now that Camille was no longer playing bait, and also because Mazingwe carried Nestra on his back. The good doctor had a lot of questions about her new body and its functions. Unfortunately, Nestra couldn’t answer as first she had little idea herself, and second, she was drooling hard while her stomach cried for food. Every energy bar and piece of jerky they’d taken disappeared down her gullet in her ravenous search for sustenance. She was still starving when Camp R...

The Calamitous Bob chapter 229: Total War .

Crest watched the column advance with a sense of purpose. In the cold Paramese winter, the soldiers of the Kingdom of Maranor moved forth: Baranese, Shadowlanders, Helockians, men and women, veterans and green horns, all of them braving the cold with determination. Pristine snow covered the sleepy trees and the field beyond. It was also very quiet, the silence only broken by the crunch of boots and the breaths of hundreds of throats. That contrasting view was almost enough to forget all the h...

Changeling Part 73: Mirrors

Nestra’s brain went into overdrive. A Carved Tusk B-class standing together with five of the raiders who had attacked the camp? Some of them still carrying bags of human heads? That was definitely in the ‘political nightmare’ category. There was too much to consider and she was in danger so… fuck it.

Step 1, ignore the B-class. It might leave her alone, and besides, she couldn’t kill it. 

Step 2, don’t stop. Stopping was dying against the liz...

Bob audiobook sample for those who might be interested!

Kindly provided by Soundbooth:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5N8-ZH8SiZw

Some Bob Audible news

Sorry for spamming about that. I'll be brief.

• Pre-orders of the audible version of Bob book 1 is available.

• I have 3 US promo codes and 3 UK promo codes. Leave a message below if you're interested (precise the marketplace) and I'll send the codes to winners I will pick at random. RAFFLE OVER CONGRATS TO Marsharbour, Chris Wilson, and Rabka for winning the UK contest and Unwillingmainer Warstrider72 and Sky Abronson for the much more competitive US contest.

  2025-01-18 16:40:23 +0000 UTC View Post

The Calamitous Bob 228: Param, Burning.

There was a time in the life of every man when he had to take a leap and make an impossible decision, Tallit decided. Not enough time. Not enough knowledge to understand the ins and outs. Much at risk, including his reputation. It was thus a great relief to have a clear, defined hierarchy of purpose. Tallit’s purpose had always been to serve the Academy. The Academy served its students. It was a guiding beacon he could use to lead him when nothing else would.

The procession...

Name of Bob book 9?

It will cover the beastling arc, the kark arc, and some politics. I can't decide so I need a bit of help here.

Changeling Part 72

Camille walked down the path with their shields up and transparent, which was extremely difficult to manage and would get tall praise from any instructor but no one was here to appreciate it. Most raiders had no idea how hard it was to maintain barriers and keep them altered at the same time because people didn’t respect mana aspects enough. Not as flashy as earth, or metal. High flow defensive affinity. But Camille was shaping a transparent armor set because they were just that good. ...

Calamitous announcement READ THIS OR DON'T COMPLAIN LATER

A couple of months back, I sold the audio rights to Bob to Soundbooth. That means Bob will go audio with some of the highest possible quality the market can offer and I’m serious because we have two voice actors, music, sound effects… the works. I listened to a short sample and I was floored by Solfis’s voice. This also means that the onus is on me to do my part so Soundbooth can succeed in making Bob popular when Journey wasn’t.

Now you may know my stance on Kindle U...

The Calamitous Bob 227: Scrambling

Snow fell on the Academy. In her seat at the front desk of the administrative building, Darla tightened her scarf, then placed her ungloved hand on a mug of steaming hot klod for the airy corridors of the ancient building were wet and drafty. A noise. She looked up to see a woman entering through the door, bringing a cloud of snow with her. She wore a dark travel cloak of good make with no visible weapons or focuses, bur Darla wasn’t just a competent admin.

She was first an...

Changeling Part 71

Part 71

There were no stairs leading to the Beacon’s most secure level, but there was an elevator that could probably fit a small plane. The steadily descending platform was almost packed with men and supplies. 

Most of them were gleam workers, with their affinities locked behind slowly glowing eyes. Those wore jumpsuits and, in some rare cases, basic worker exoskeletons. Crates and containers by the dozen awaited in neat rows. The rest of the crew wer...

The Calamitous Bob 226: The Night of Fire

Viv used her dregs of willpower to assume the [Aspect of the Paragon], feeling her people with the confidence she felt. As planned, the Sword of Neriad beached itself with a thud and a dull shock. Viv sent people across the railing and onto the sandy beach beyond. It was low tide, from what she could tell.

The sailors left wielding weapons and a determined air, jumping down the four meters or so with their awesome physical stats while the yries had simply brough...

Announcement: just a little longer

Just a message to tell you that I am slightly late and you should expect the chapter tomorrow. I was delayed by sickness and laziness. No I haven't played PoE2, stop asking.

I am playing Silent Hill 2 remake. There.

Changeling Part 70

Nestra floated in the center of the rotating planets that represented her main abilities. She remembered when she’d just awoken and those had been balls over a puddle. Now the planets were, well, definitely not planets, but they were as large as houses. Their quiet dance never stopped above a chasm of deep waters representing her mana reserves. It was difficult to be sure, but she believed she already had several times what the average human C-class could conjure up. Her unique s...

The Calamitous Bob 225: The Trickster Run

Viv walked up the stairs feeling strange. Mana roared in her conduits like never before, a familiar and welcome sensation, but there was also that new and confusing feeling like a new sense waking up. It tickled her brain in ways that wasn’t very comfortable.

[Spark of Luck removed.]

[New Path skill unlocked: Will of the Black Witch. [Beginner 1]

The fact this skill started at beginner was unusual when most started a rank below.  2024-11-29 16:38:02 +0000 UTC View Post

Changeling Part 69 (nice)

Outside of the walls, the world was on fire. The reclamation zone was now a hellscape of blazes and detonations, scoured by spells, tracers, and the squirming masses of the monster tide. The more she watched though, the more she noticed the patterns emerging from that primordial chaos. Most of the fires were not random but deliberate no man’s land scoured by dragoon battle walkers, their hulking forms ruling over the sea of flames without contest. The controlled inferno funneled most of the...

The Calamitous Bob 224: Rout

Viv flew over the devastated remnants of the Sandsong army. Light cavalry had attacked them from the dunes, their paths allowing them to fight well on sand. Islands of resistances had formed to break through, but the road was still littered with the dead and the dying. They were all beyond her help.

She stopped to launch an astra swarm around the last large convoy approaching the portal, this one carrying so many wounded, those who could walk had to carry those who couldn’t...

Changeling Part 68

“Alright. Most of those portals are fairly small, but I count two C-class ones about to breach,” Nestra said after a quick examination.

“I know the one on Garden Square,” Valerian said. “It’s a fairly long one. If it hasn’t already been started then it will breach.”

Nestra remembered Garden Square. It was an unaffiliated city landmark famous for its wild architecture and coffee shops around a wide pedestrian plaza. If she remembered c...