Exodus is getting a series of in-universe books to expand its lore before the game comes out

You’ll soon be able to explore the beginning of the Exodus universe with a series of novels written by sci-fi legend Peter F. Hamilton.

Exodus books

Random House Worlds will be publishing a series of two novels set in the beginnings of the Exodus universe that will take readers through the world of Exodus.

James Ohlen, co-founder and executive creative director at Archetype Entertainment said it’s exciting to have Hamilton on board as a creative consultant on the Exodus game.

“I have been a huge fan of Peter F. Hamilton since his earliest novels,” Ohlen said. “He creates fantastic science-fiction worlds, that transport the reader to the center of an action-packed story that feels so real, it blurs the lines between our world and his. I am thrilled to have him helping us create this new sci-fi world for the Exodus video game that will engage players for years to come.”

According to a release, the events of the novels will take place “many lightyears removed from the star system featured in the game’s story.” The aim of the books is to give readers an early glimpse into the universe that Archetype Entertainment has created with the kinds of encounters and challenges players will face.

This means that the books will be stand-alone stories that won’t affect the game’s narrative, but I’m hoping we’ll get at least a couple of references in the game. It would be kind of disappointing if the game doesn’t even acknowledge the existence of the books in any way.

Exodus: The Archimedes Engine

The first book in the series is called Exodus: The Archimedes Engine, and it will release on September 17 this year. While it’s disappointing that we have to wait so long from the announcement to get our hands on the first book, pre-orders are open now — so you can at least reserve your copy.

The official synopsis of the book reads:

Forty-thousand years ago, humanity fled a dying Earth. Traveling in massive ark ships these brave pioneers spread out across the galaxy to find a new home. After traveling thousands of light-years, one fleet of ark ships arrived at Centauri, a dense cluster of stars with thousands of potentially habitable planets. The survivors of Earth signaled to the remaining ark ships that humanity had finally found its new home among the stars.

Thousands of years later, the Centauri Cluster has flourished. The original settlers evolved into advanced beings known as Celestials, dividing themselves into powerful Dominions. One of the most influential is that of the Crown Celestials, an alliance of five great houses that controls vast areas of Centauri. As ark ships continue to arrive, the remaining humans and their descendants must fight for survival against overwhelming odds or be forced into serving the Crown Dominion.

Among those yearning for a better life is Finn, for whom Earth is not even a memory, but merely a footnote from humanity’s ancient history. Born on one of the Crown Dominion worlds, Finn has known nothing but the repressive rule of the Celestials, though he dreams of the possibility of boundless space beyond his home.

When another ark ship from Earth, previously thought lost, unexpectedly arrives, Finn sees his chance to embrace a greater destiny and become a Traveler – brave heroes dedicated to ensuring humanity’s future by journeying into the vast unknown of distant space.

Exodus

While the synopsis is pretty vague and non-specific (I’m sure to hide most of the plot details), I have to say I’m already hooked. The reveal of Exodus at The Game Awards was the highlight of the show for me, and I’ve been dying for more information about the game ever since. I really think that it has the potential to be the next Halo or Mass Effect in terms of world-building and lore, especially since they’re starting off with in-universe novels right off the bat.

I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I am for these books, and I will be getting my hands on them as soon as humanly possible. September 17 can’t come fast enough.

One thing’s for sure, Archetype Entertainment isn’t messing around when it comes to Exodus lore. They’re making sure the world-building is top-tier right out the gate, and that’s something I can’t wait to see.