Fires In Viversi
Book description
When Matteo Vinci was twelve, someone strapped a helmet to his head and reached into his mind. He came out changed. Something in him could catch fire now, and he has spent the sixteen years since making sure it never does.
Then a museum curator walks through his office door. A hacker called Cipher has threatened the Museo Egizio's new virtual exhibit, and the museum wants the small security firm Matteo runs with his brother to stop it. The catch is that the exhibit lives inside Viversi, a world that runs on the human subconscious, and the last place he wants to go. He takes the job anyway. His brother is already excited, the rent is overdue, and he is very good at pretending he is fine.
Inside Viversi, people are bursting into flames.
Matteo has less than twenty-four hours to find the source, before Cipher makes good on the promise to leave the museum in ash. But the longer he stays in Viversi, the harder it is to believe the fire is a stranger. And his brother and the friends who followed him in are standing far too close to it.
This is a standalone science-fantasy adventure about the pasts we try to outrun and the people who refuse to let us face them alone. For readers who like a mystery with a clock on it and a hero who would rather not be one.
Author
Vincent Tan writes science fantasy about quiet people under pressure and the fire it takes to keep going.
He came to fiction from applied mathematics and computational science, which is probably why his worlds tend to run on code, the human subconscious, and the occasional alien AI. He has a soft spot for reluctant heroes, and for stories where hope is something you endure your way toward rather than simply win.
He lives and writes in Singapore.
Book Information
ASIN : B0FL32Y8G4
Publisher : Vincent Tan
Publication Date : August 2025
Page Count : 262
BISAC Categories :
- FICTION / Fantasy / Action & Adventure
- FICTION / Fantasy / Urban
- FICTION / Mystery & Detective / General
- FICTION / Science Fiction / Adventure
- FICTION / Thrillers / Technological
Sample Content (First chapter)
Being bound and gagged for the first time was absolutely terrifying. My heart pounded in my chest as my body hung upside down against someone’s back. I should have listened to Mom and gone straight home after school. But I didn’t. Instead, I went to the forgotten playground and sat on my favourite swing. I didn’t hear the footsteps behind me until it was too late.
“Let me go!” I said through the gag, but it came out muffled. My head bounced against his back with each step, his bony shoulder jabbing into my stomach like the corner of a table.
“I don’t speak Italian. And quit struggling,” said the man in English, gripping my legs tighter against his chest.
The gag tasted like an old ashtray stuffed in my mouth, making me want to throw up. In my head, I started calling him SmokeBreath, which made me feel a tiny bit braver. Light leaked through my blindfold until everything went dark as we moved inside. The rope dug into my wrists behind my back.
My kidnapper’s footsteps echoed like when Dad stomped up the stairs carrying groceries. Except this wasn’t Dad. Another set of footsteps echoed beside us. A door opened. We went through, and all outside sounds disappeared. The door closed behind us.
“Where do you want us to put him, Dr Bellucci?” SmokeBreath said.
“Just secure him on the bed,” said a woman.
He laid me down on a soft mattress. “Don’t move.” His breath reeked of cigarettes and alcohol. Something snapped, and my hands were free.
“Remove his blindfold and gag,” said the woman.
Someone untied my blindfold. Light stabbed my eyes like at the dentist’s office. The ceiling stretched up forever, all metal and cold. Near the ceiling, thick grime covered long rows of windows, and the afternoon sun had to squeeze through. The light made dirty yellow bars across the floor, turning the whole place into a giant, dusty cage.
“Rise and shine, peach,” said SmokeBreath. He pulled the cloth from my mouth, and I gagged on air that tasted like medicine mixed with floor cleaner.
Another man pushed me down on the bed, yanking my hands away to tie them to the railings. My heart hammered so hard I thought it might explode, but I couldn’t move. My arms felt heavy, like they weren’t mine anymore. I wanted to kick and scream and fight, but my body wouldn’t listen.
“My dad’s a police officer!” Whatever they injected me with still made me dizzy.
“So you can speak English. Obnoxious twat,” said SmokeBreath. His boots scraped the concrete as he moved. I should have kept pretending I didn’t understand English. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Would they be more careful about what they said around me now? Or would things get worse?
[Download the sample below to continue reading the first three chapters of the book.]
Book Tropes and Themes
- Artificial Intelligence. And one of them is an alien.
- Found Family
- Reluctant Hero
- High Stakes
- Cozy Moments (how does this work with "high stakes"? Read the book!)
- Animals. There's a kitten, a puppy, a parakeet, and a giant white wolf intent on making the protagonist's life miserable. And two made-up creatures, the Tolux and Murkshade.
- Humour
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is this book part of a series?
A: Yes, it is the first book.
Q: Can this book be read as a standalone?
A: Yes. There are a couple of loose bits of information that are relevant to future books and the larger plot, but the main plot in this book is resolved.
Q: What age group is this book appropriate for?
A: Somewhat mature. The first chapter deals with the kidnapping of the protagonist as a young boy, which may be upsetting for some people. That said, there are no swear words at all, so it's a "clean" book.
Q: How does this book compare to other books?
A: This book draws inspiration mainly from Belgariad by David Eddings, the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher, and the Alex Verus novels by Benedict Jacka. It combines character dialogue and humourous interactions with near-future science fiction and urban fantasy.
Q: Is this a LitRPG or progressive fantasy?
A: No. There is a virtual reality game world which is prominent in many LitRPGs, and the protagonist does grow fairly strong within the virtual reality, but there are no stat-heavy mentions nor detailed game mechanic descriptions. Any such related descriptions are to help the reader understand the world of Viversi and some of its mechanics, so that the reader can appreciate the story better.
For Current Readers
Here's the time dilation conversion:
Real world time conversion to Viversi time
00:00 to 03:59 == 1-Mistmorn 00:00 to 23:59
04:00 to 07:59 == 2-Dawnrise 00:00 to 23:59
08:00 to 11:59 == 3-Sunpeak 00:00 to 23:59
12:00 to 15:59 == 4-Zenith 00:00 to 23:59
16:00 to 19:59 == 5-Sunwane 00:00 to 23:59
20:00 to 23:59 == 6-Twilgloam 00:00 to 23:59
Note that each real world day has 6 Viversi days. And if you don't know the significance of the number 6, then read the book to find out.
Character Guide
Matteo Vinci - 28 year old Italian male. Data security analyst. Co-founder of VinciNovum, a data security company. Likes hot chocolate. Viversi role is a healer.
Elio Vinci - 24 year old Italian male. Data security analyst. Co-founder of VinciNovum. Younger brother of Matteo. Viversi role is an air and ice mage.
Camille Delacroix - 24 year old French female. Junior manager at SurRealite. Daughter of Simon Delacroix, CEO of SurRealite. Graduated from University of Turin together with Elio and Karl. Viversi role is sniper.
Karl Schmidt - 24 year old German male. Junior manager at Ethersil. Son of Wolfgang Schmidt, CEO of Ethersil. Graduated from University of Turin together with Elio and Camille. Viversi role is knight.
Imelda Conti - 28 year old Italian female. Psychologist. Childhood friend of Matteo. Viversi role is rogue.
The real world
The story is set in Turin, Italy.
Bicerin Corner - a made-up caffè located in Turin. Bicerin is a Turin-specific drink that is a mix of chocolate and espresso.
Museo Egizio - a premier museum on Egypt located in Turin.
Viversi
Nexus - a central city that is located in the "middle" of Viversi. It is a grand metropolitan city.
Ukkopolis - a technology-focused city located to the north of Nexus. "Ukko" is the name of the Finnish god of thunder and weather.
Mageheim - a magic-focused city located to the south of Nexus. Tolux sled rides are available here.
Coliseum - a combat-focused city located to the east of Nexus.
Brinecrest - a beach resort city for tourist players.
Caelus Core - a floating island-city that caters to rich players (the "whales").
Wasteland - where the Deleted fester.