Some men go to war for the glory. Some men go to war to escape.

For fans of the Epic novel series, those two sentences are familiar ones. Lee Stephen's Dawn of Destiny, the first of eight planned installments in the science-fiction series, was released in December of 2006. "When I forwent the traditional route to publish independently, I was aware of the odds for success," Stephen said. "Typically, independent books don't find a lot of it. The market's not tipped in our favor." The Louisiana native explained that, on average, independent books sell between 50-150 copies in their lifetime, noting that those statistics vary depending on the source. "Fifty was kind of the first milestone I set for myself. I said, 'if I can get past fifty, I'll be exceeding minimum expectations.' You want to be optimistic, but you also want to be realistic. So for me, success started with that number.'" With that mindset, a straightforward website, and a release limited to internet outlets like Amazon.com, Dawn of Destiny set off on its quest to exceed that goal of fifty sold copies.

By the end of 2007, he'd sold almost seven hundred.

"It was crazy. I literally had no idea who was buying those books. I'd get emails from readers asking when the next book was coming out, and all I wanted to ask was, 'where the heck did you even hear about me?'"

The culprit, it turned out, was word-of-mouth. As more readers talked, more new readers listened. Before long, a fan base had been born, complete with message board, Facebook group, and official podcast. "I love the Epic series," said Stephanie Police, podcast host. "It's a very realistic take on what lies ahead for Earth, even being science fiction. The characters are likeable and easily identified with and the storyline is thrilling and addicting. I'm not a fan of science fiction but the Epic series has been added indefinitely to my list of favorite things to read."

Up until this point, fans of the series have only been able to enjoy reading its installments. They're about to get their first chance to hear them. According to Stephen, the desire to create an audio book has been with him since Dawn of Destiny was released. In 2011, that desire will be fulfilled. With a cast of over twenty voice actors, Epic is priming to be released as a chapter-by-chapter serial. The goal? To experience Epic like never before.

"Every writer has that ultimate dream of having their work brought to the silver screen," said Stephen "That's the experience I wanted to create from an audio perspective. No one has experienced Epic like this." From adrenaline-pumping firefights to earth-shattering explosions, the audio incarnation of Dawn of Destiny will put listeners in the middle of the battle for Earth. But where the audio book truly shines, explains Stephen, is in the voice-work of the cast.

"Auditioning cast members was difficult, but fun. Every character in Epic is unique, and that needed to be reflected in the finished product. Well over two hundred actors auditioned for the project. It was such a neat experience to just close my eyes, listen to the various audition files I'd receive, and visualize the characters they were auditioning for. Not just anyone could have been Becan McCrae, or Captain Clarke, or Ignatius van Thoor." And most certainly, not Scott Remington. "Without a doubt, the casting of Scott was the most important. This is my protagonist, the guy who carries Epic. If Scott's wrong, the whole project's wrong."

Enter Stewart Cummings. A Vancouver native, Cummings' career has included improv with the Upright Citizens' Brigade in New York City, work in various incarnations of commercial media, and script writing for television and stage. But most importantly for Dawn of Destiny, he had the perfect voice for Scott Remington. "I heard Stewart, and I was blown away. He had the perfect mix of command and sincerity that had to be reflected in Scott's voice. The moment I heard his audition, I was like, 'that's the guy-that's Scott.' He made that decision very easy."

"Voicing Scott has been exciting," said Cummings. "He's a dynamic character. He's a young and inexperienced soldier, yet seems to possess the judgment and skills of a seasoned veteran. But I'd say these skills are only half of what makes him a strong character. Scott's faith is constantly being tested, and doing what's right and what's wrong isn't always clear. He is surrounded by people that aren't always fighting for the same 'good.' So he's pulled in a lot of directions that really test his spirit. I really like Scott's sense of humor, too. It plays well in several scenes and lightens the mood a lot when having the small task of saving humankind from total destruction!"

Cummings joins a varied cast, ranging from industry veterans to fresh new talent. According to Stephen, each and every one of them went above and beyond. "This project is going to blow your mind. The level at which these guys went at it is amazing. At one moment you've got guys screaming at the top of their lungs in the middle of a firefight, and at the next you have quiet moments that rip your heart out. I couldn't have asked for a better crew."

Fans can expect the Dawn of Destiny audio book in 2011, though a more specific time period may be announced soon. "Before The Glorious Becoming," said Stephen, referring to Epic's as-of-yet unreleased fourth installment. "Hopefully this will give fans something to enjoy while they wait for the next book. I know it's been a long wait! It'll be worth it."



Check out http://www.epicuniverse.com/audio.html for more information on the audio book, including audio samples and interviews with the cast.