They say a good man cannot make a good king, but what if he isn't given a choice?

It was a question that Matthew Irons hadn't really expected to need to answer. His college degrees had gotten him a dead-end job as a night security guard, and he spent most of his time struggling with his own anger about how his life had turned out.

Then one night he stops a murder by force, and as a result, is dragged onto the throne of a kingdom in another world. It's not some fairy tale place of wonders, either; instead, he'll be ruling over would-be warlords, traitors, and slavers. If the threats from his supposed allies aren't enough, he faces invasions, assassins, and worst of all, bad city planning.

Still, even as he struggles to survive in a world full of danger, Matt is determined to drag his newfound kingdom into a new age, one where kings and despots aren't needed—no matter who he has to fight to make it happen.