Rockstar Studios co-founder Dan Houser is branching out into the world of books this fall. Houser’s novel A Better Paradise Volume One: An Aftermath will be published October 14. The 464-page hardcover edition is up for preorder for $29 at Amazon. The novel will also be available in ebook and audiobook formats at launch.
A Better Paradise is adapted from an audio fiction series that aired in 2024 and revolves around video game development. Houser is best known for his work as head writer and creative director on the Grand Theft Auto and Red Redemption franchises. Houser’s debut novel is an expanded adaptation of the 2024 audio fiction series produced by Absurd Ventures, the company he founded in 2021 after leaving Rockstar the year prior.
$29 for Hardcover | Releases October 14
Simon & Schuster, one of the Big Four publishing houses, will distribute the physical edition of A Better Paradise. With Amazon’s preorder price guarantee, you will be eligible for any discounts offered between the time you order and when the book ships.
A Better Paradise takes place in the near future and revolves around Daisy’s Ark, an advanced video game world developed by tech startup Tyburn Industria. Conceived by visionary psychologist Mark Tyburn, Daisy’s Ark was eventually canceled following a pattern of “unexpected and disturbing results.” A decade later, the project is unearthed and development resumes.
As mentioned, the book is adapted from the narrative audio series of the same name. The series debuted last June and ran for 12 episodes. Each episode features an ensemble cast of performers, including The Walking Dead’s Andrew Lincoln, Shamier Anderson, and Paterson Joseph. You can listen to the audio series for free on podcast services.
The novel version of A Better Paradise expands the narrative by providing more background on the early days of Tyburn Industria’s video game project and the people who made it.
As the title suggests, this is the first novel in a series by Houser. It’s unclear how many volumes are planned, but we do know A Better Paradise will eventually be home to a real video game. The first game set in A Better Paradise’s universe is in development at Absurd Ventures.
Novels about video games and game studios:
If you’re interested in reading more fiction centered around games and the people who make them, check out the list of novels below. I’d especially recommend Jason Rekulak’s coming-of-age novel The Impossible Fortress to retro gamers, especially if you grew up playing the Commodore 64 or other home computer systems. Similarly, Gabrielle Zevin’s Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a heartfelt saga about two friends who bond over video games and eventually start a game studio of their own.
