"I am writing this now hoping that you may one day understand what is happening to me. I can't elaborate. I've sworn an oath. But, after a sudden tragedy has left me with no other alternative, I have joined the elite military organization of a strange alien race known as the Rovanekrens. I have traveled far from Earth to a planet known as New Rov to live amongst them, train with them, follow them into battle, and perhaps even discover the key to an ancient mystery, hidden away long ago." "They have unleashed a great and mysterious power locked away deep within me. As each day passes, I struggle more and more to understand it, to bring it forth, and to bend it to my will." Cartlidge is a futuristic science fiction trilogy series about the terrors of war, the beauty of love, the sting of desperation, the pain of death and the trials and experiences that either define or destroy us. -Rise of the Imperfect Flame- follows the young college student Jacob Cartlidge, the son of a famous alien diplomat who died when Jacob was but an infant. Raised by his mother, Jacob lives in a post World War III Earth in the year 2152. In the midst of his college years, tragedy strikes Jacob, and reveals the truth about himself and the world around him. Upon the discovery that Jacob Cartlidge might in fact be a rare hybrid of human and Rovanekren, he is forced to make a difficult choice: remain on Earth, or delve into a universe filled with creatures, powers and technology completely unknown to him. Jacob quickly decides, and leaves his home, along with everything he knows in life, to enlist as a warrior in the Rovanekren Special Forces, the military power of an ancient alien empire that spans the entire galaxy. As an outsider, Jacob must endure overwhelming hardships and challenges designed to break even the sturdiest of minds. These challenges are meant for the strong and disciplined Rovanekren, not some vacant minded college guy from New York. But Jacob is special. Soon enough, they will discover that Jacob has a particular gift; A special power that sets him apart from his classmates. Will he unearth the secrets of a dark, hidden past? Can he learn the true identity of the strange and beautiful woman he meets on his very first mission? Will he learn to harness the power of fire that rages inside of him? Or will the many trials and tribulations that await prove too much for him to handle? The stage is set for him to make profound changes to a torn and broken universe. As long as those changes don't kill him first.