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Fans of Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption can now explore a novel authored by the previous lead writer of both franchises. A Better Paradise: Volume One – An Aftermath by Rockstar Studios co-founder Dan Houser is accessible in stores starting October 14. You can acquire the hardcover version for $29 at Amazon, Walmart, and Barnes & Noble. A Better Paradise is also listed on Kindle for $15 and in audiobook format solely from Audible.
Houser’s inaugural novel is an extended adaptation of the 2024 audio fiction series crafted by Absurd Ventures, the multimedia studio he established in 2021 following his departure from Rockstar the previous year. A Better Paradise: Volume One centers around a terminated video game that evolved into a decade-long ordeal. The work was released by the studio’s new imprint, Absurd Ventures Press, and distributed by Simon & Schuster, one of the Big Four publishing houses. Houser is most recognized for his role as the chief writer for every Grand Theft Auto installment since 1999, both Red Dead Redemption games, Bully, and Max Payne 3.
A Better Paradise: Volume One: A Novel by Dan Houser
The hardcover physical version of A Better Paradise: Volume One is published by Simon & Schuster.
A Better Paradise is set in the imminent future (2041) and focuses on Daisy’s Ark, a sophisticated gaming universe established by the tech innovator Tyburn Industria. Designed by the forward-thinking psychologist Mark Tyburn, Daisy’s Ark was ultimately scrapped due to a trend of “unanticipated and troubling outcomes.” A decade later, their creation refuses to be forgotten, haunting those involved in its inception.
A Better Paradise features several first-person viewpoints, including Kurt Fischer, a significant former member of Tyburn Industria, Daisy Tyburn, Mark’s daughter who shares the name with the gaming realm, and an AI named NigelDave.
This hardcover edition consists of 448 pages, but it’s a faster read than the typical novel of this length; every concise paragraph is distinctively divided by a line break, ensuring ample white space on each page.
As stated earlier, the book is derived from the narrative audio series of the same title. The series premiered last June and consisted of 12 episodes. Each episode showcases a diverse cast of actors, including The Walking Dead’s Andrew Lincoln, Shamier Anderson, and Paterson Joseph. You can access the audio series for free on podcast platforms.
The novel interpretation of A Better Paradise enhances the narrative by offering additional context regarding the early phases of Tyburn Industria’s gaming endeavor and the individuals who shaped it.
As indicated by the title, this is the initial installment in a series by Houser. The total number of volumes planned remains uncertain, but it is known that A Better Paradise will eventually host a genuine video game. The first title set in the universe of A Better Paradise is currently in production at Absurd Ventures.
Absurd Ventures has also collaborated with Dark Horse on American Caper, a 12-part comic book series authored by Houser. American Caper #1 is set to release on November 12 and is available for preorder on Kindle for $5. You may also preorder American Caper #2 for $5 before its release on December 24.
Books focused on video games and gaming studios:
If you’re eager to explore more fiction focused on games and the individuals who create them, take a look at the compilation of novels below. I particularly suggest Jason Rekulak’s coming-of-age story The Impossible Fortress for retro aficionados. Likewise, Gabrielle Zevin’s Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow tells a touching tale of two friends who connect over gaming and eventually establish their own game studio.
- Jason Rekulak – The Impossible Fortress
- Gabrielle Zevin – Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
- Austin Grossman – You
- Collin Armstrong – Polybius
- Neal Stephenson – Reamde
- Neal Stephenson – Fall; or, Dodge in Hell
- Ernest Cline – Armada
- Ernest Cline – Ready Player One
- Ernest Cline – Ready Player Two
- Marie Lu – Warcross
- D.B. Weiss – Lucky Boy Wander (Kindle) — $6
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