Ada Forge Books
Ada Forge Books is an independent storytelling brand created by author Todd Thorne, dedicated to delivering bold, genre-bending fiction rooted in imagination, emotional depth, and real-world relevance. With stories that stretch across timelines and realities, our mission is simple: forge unforgettable narratives and support causes that matter.
What We Write:
- Alternate Histories – Explore reimagined 1950s America where science, myth, and atomic optimism collide.
- Post-Apocalyptic Futures – Witness survival and reinvention after the collapse of civilization.
- Family Dramas – Dive deep into stories of love, loss, trauma, and healing.
- Multiverse & Dystopia – Travel between dimensions and fight for meaning in broken worlds.
- Speculative Social Fiction – Question power, technology, and identity in near-future societies.
The Contest
In the world of The A, women rule and men exist only for one purpose. Each year, a generation of boys is raised for a single event known as the Contest.
Fifty boys enter. Only one is meant to survive.
Inside the arena, they walk an endless track under unrelenting lights. To stop means death. To endure promises ascension to a place called The B, a paradise that no one has ever seen. What they do not know is that the truth behind that promise has been buried for more than a century.
As the Contest drags on, a small group of boys form a fragile bond that challenges everything they have been taught. Above them, thousands of women watch and cheer, believing this ritual ensures their society’s survival. Yet among the spectators, a few begin to question the cost.
When an apprentice announcer risks everything to show mercy to a dying contestant, the first cracks appear in the illusion. The Leader, Dierdra, must choose between her conscience and her duty, while the powerful Commissioner June fights to silence any sign of rebellion.
What begins as a test of endurance becomes a battle for truth and compassion. The Contest will end, but not in the way anyone expects.
The Contest is a haunting and deeply human dystopian story about control, conscience, and the courage to defy cruelty. It asks one enduring question: how long can a society survive once it begins to remember its heart?
Support Alzheimer's research.
- 5% of all book sales are donated to ALZ.org to fund Alzheimer’s research and support.
This mission is personal, and every story you read helps advance the fight against memory loss and neurodegenerative disease.
- Please take a moment and read up on Alzheimer's research and the advancements being made everyday.
Ada Forge Books is where the past meets the future, where fiction serves a cause, and where stories are designed to endure.
Join us, because every book you open helps forge a better world.
