Read Online
(FYI: An overview of Teal can be found here: Teal – A Free Sci-Fi Novel)
Teal is available in its entirety on this website. I’ve only been able to test the site on a subset of browsers, but the online chapters should be readable on any modern browser (desktop, mobile, console, or TV-based).*
(Note: to download a copy of Teal for offline viewing, please visit the Download page.)
Table of Contents
A letter from kEpik to cRonus. One has been poisoned, the other is condemned to die… but there may be a way to save them both.
The eponymous Teal is introduced. We also meet Eddie (Teal’s best friend), and a school janitor who knows more than he should. Green explosions make their first appearance.
After Teal’s school is attacked by… something, a detective investigates Teal as a possible suspect. The interview is cut short when Eddie realizes the detective isn’t who he claims to be.
Teal and Eddie start their own investigation into the events at their high school. They learn that the school is no stranger to weirdness. Research is cut short when they receive news about Teal’s father.
A visit with Teal’s father goes badly. More explosions. Teal’s mom is added to the list of “people who know more than they should.” (Also, lasers.)
Teal tries to get information out of his mom. She doesn’t reveal much. An otherwise pleasant morning is interrupted by murder.
A car chase. In a minivan. (It’s cooler than it sounds.) Some characters survive. Others don’t.
Teal tries to make sense of recent events. He has limited success. A nap offers temporary respite from the horrors of the last 12 hours.
Teal awakes to find things getting worse. A lot worse. After a dangerous encounter, he and Eddie return to the school in hopes of getting some answers.
Answers are received. Unfortunately, the answers are worse than the questions. The Zargansk are introduced, and we learn more about the janitor-who-knows-too-much.
Secret passageways. Weapons. Explosions. Possibly lasers. One character disappears, another is shot, two others escape.
Teal’s enemies arrive at the school. A friend disappears. Teal plans a rescue.
Teal seeks help from an unlikely source. After a narrow escape leaves one character injured, a decision is made to head for the nearest hospital.
Cronus is revealed, and he needs Teal’s help.
Glad to finally have a clear-cut mission, Teal attempts to find objects left behind by Cronus. We also learn of a new use for trampoline springs.
Teal has his first encounter with magic-that’s-not-really-magic. This is followed the best bike chase scene in the history of literature. Seriously – it’s awesome. It should be the standard by which all bike chase scenes are judged.
Also, Teal’s life is saved. By a girl. Named Kyralee.
Kyralee’s presence raises more questions than answers. Unfortunately, Teal’s curiosity must be put on hold while he and Kyralee rescue another character from certain death.
…or do they? We won’t find out until chapter 17.
Emnons are helpful. (Don’t know what emnons are? How about reading the book instead of relying on these summaries! Sheesh! Do I have to tell you EVERYTHING?!)
Sorry about that outburst. I’m just a little tense from all the crap happening to Teal. In this chapter, a lot of enemies appear. Things get stressful. Teal decides to play the hero.
Heroism is overrated. Fortunately, Teal manages to prevent the capture of at least one friend. Also, magic-that’s-not-really-magic becomes an important part of the story.
Teal and a friend break into the school. They must be on the right path, because enemies are everywhere. Lasers might make an appearance. (Explosions too.)
As Teal gets closer to his goal, his enemies become more and more resourceful. It’s going to take more than luck to get him out of this chapter. Disturbing information is revealed about HIRCs.
Teal accomplishes a key part of Cronus’s mission, but it requires a sacrifice larger than he anticipated. The lines between friend and enemy become blurred as a HIRC offers to help.
Teal has his first conversation with a Zargansk. As it turns out, they’re not so bad when they’re not trying to kill you. An old friend returns.
Teal learns key information about the Zargansk and their plans.
A clever escape isn’t clever enough. Teal is told the location of an antidote for Cronus, but he must meet with Zyken before acquiring it.
Zyken seems nice enough. He and Teal have an amicable conversation… until Teal interferes with a potential murder. Way to go, Teal.
Teal’s attempted heroism lands him in his bleakest situation yet. The bleakness is made slightly better by the company of friends.
If an opportunity to escape seems too good to be true, it probably is. Teal loses someone close to him.
On the plus side, the prologue finally makes sense.
Teal and his friends make their way to the portalgate. Unfortunately, their plans are no longer secret, and Teal’s enemies use this to their advantage. A traitor (or two) is revealed.
The final showdown between Teal and the individual hunting him. Some things are resolved. Some things are not.
(This is only the first book in a series. What did you expect?)
* Each chapter has been validated as XHTML compliant (1.0 transitional). If a chapter doesn’t display properly on your particular browser, I encourage you to send an email to the company or organization who developed that browser. In it, please encourage them to support open standards. (For extra emphasis, include a link to this page.) Thanks for contributing to a better Internet!