The Demon Inside: The Zone War, Book 1 Paperback - 2008

"Cloutier has written a stylish tale of fantasy that glitters with all the action and suspense of a modern psychological thriller."
-NY Times best-selling author, Ellen Tanner Marsh

For Edward Fox, the complex fantasy world that he created, called The Zone, has always been his salvation. Traumatized at an early age by a terrifying kidnapping ordeal that forever left him scarred, both mentally and physically, his fictitious world is all that stands between him and the memories that plague him relentlessly. Inside The Zone, he is free from those memories, even if only temporarily, and there he feels safe and empowered from the real world around him. A magical realm where he can be whomever he wishes, whenever he wishes, with the awesome powers of a God always at his disposal.

But now, something has changed. His worst memory of all has somehow found its way inside his safe haven, tormenting him mercilessly, forcing him to make a tragic choice. After a botched suicide attempt that leaves him lying in a coma, Edward awakens in The Zone to find that now the rules have been dramatically altered. His God-like powers have been stripped from him, leaving him alone and helpless in a world of magic and mayhem that is ruled by a mad Emperor bent on his annihilation . an Emperor that seems all too familiar.

Peopled by diverse characters from his past and present, some of them determined to destroy him, and some to save him, Edward must somehow learn to survive against all odds as a vicious war erupts around him, with the prize not only control of The Zone itself . but his mind as well.

"My first reaction on finishing The Demon Inside was a resounding . Wow! That was brilliant!"
-Deb Shunamon, readerviews.com