Odd Men Out

Series · 2 books · 2013-2021

By Matt Betts

Books in series

Odd Men Out

2013

The Civil war has ended but not because the South surrendered, instead it's on hold while both sides face a new enemy—the chewers, dead men who've come back to life. Cyrus Joseph Spencer didn’t fight in the war and couldn’t care less about the United Nations of America that resulted from it. His main concern is making money and protecting his crew from all manner of danger. But when tragedy strikes he's forced to take shelter onboard a dirigible piloted by the U.N.'s peace-keeping force. It's soon apparent that many more dangers are lurking and Cyrus must decide whether to throw in with strangers in a desperate bid to protect the country or cast off on his own.

Red Gear 9

2021

A daring prison break at Alcatraz Island sets Reeves, a former Confederate spy, on a path that can either lead him to freedom or back into war. As he and his fellow escapees struggle to make their way in a frightening new world full of airships, truces, and hordes of living dead, he finds the Office of Military Operations doggedly pursuing them. Reeves manages to stay just ahead of his pursuers thanks to his training, determination, and blind luck. Red Gear 9 picks up mere months after the events of the first book, Odd Men Out. The airship Polk is still flying and the OMO is still determined to keep the peace along the West Coast of the United States. Three of their best officers, Cyrus, Bethy, and Lucinda race to stop the convicts before the criminals either disappear into the vast reaches of the two Americas, or they decide to burn everything down.

Author

Matt Betts

Author · 8 books

I've been writing for a number of years and had some good fortune in getting my work in print and online venues. I've also contributed as a staff member to a few magazines. I'm a big fan of pop culture. I love old movies; good ones, bad ones, doesn't matter. Actually, I sometimes prefer the bad ones. My first book, Odd Men Out, was launched in the summer of 2013 from Dog Star Books. It has some steampunk, some alternate history, some horror and a giant lizard. That's plenty for the first book, right? My second book, Indelible Ink, is an urban fantasy crime story that's sort of my homage to the late Elmore Leonard by way of the Dresden Files. I had so much fun writing this and I think it shows in the book. Two of my novels were released in 2018: The adventure/kaiju/scifi book The Shadow Beneath the Waves, and the dark fantasy/comedy Indelible Ink. I've also written two books of speculative poetry - See No Evil, Say No Evil and Underwater Fistfight. I'm working on a sequel to Odd Men Out and a stand-alone monster book. I love attending cons - I've been a panelist, moderator, invited guest, and presenter. It's always a joy to interact with readers, other writers, and creators.