The Speaker Series
Stories of a Speaker who time has left behind.
The man out of time. The foreman who takes him in.
The widow who makes the harvest a home.
The six drifters who repay her in magic.
When the world was young, Joe was advisor to emperors, could challenge gods—he even succeeded in cheating death. Now Joe is the last speaker of magic.
Or so he believes.
Penniless, and hopping a train, he meets three hoboes who don't just show him the ropes of riding the rails. They show him magic hasn't faded out of the world the way he thought…
Working as a farm laborer with them, and keeping his own abilities secret, it feels like he's found his people again, and for the first time in eons he's shocked to discover he has something to lose.
Unfortunately, as Joe knows so well, very little lasts forever. Now, if he can't help hold his newfound friends together, he'll have to show them what he can do to make their remaining time unforgettable.
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“This was a really poignant and thoughtful story to read, touching on themes of loneliness, belonging, and the impact other people can have on our lives. This author does a brilliant job of building the world of the story, which drew me in immediately... I would definitely recommend this if you’re looking for a gentle read, perfect for a quiet afternoon…”
SPEAKER ORIGINS
In the beginning, when the world is new, Jad the young shepherd meets his god, and his god is an idiot.
But before Jad can tell anyone, he and his friend, Ez, stumble across a Rada soldier in the river, bleeding from a sword strike. He tells the boys that Phentinite soldiers are coming to take their village, and kill anyone who resists.
Jad’s father says they’ll fight. Their god will protect them. The Rada soldier says many gods have been fed to the Phentinite empire’s terrible god eater, including his own. If only, he says, the village had a Speaker of magic, who his father would deem a terrible heretic, only then might they be able to save their village.
And the Rada is looking directly at Jad.
SPEAKER SHORTS
"A magician is an actor playing the part of a magician."
- Houdin
Jasper Barton, reporter for the Harperville Gazette, is pleasantly surprised when he gets called up on stage to aid the traveling prestidigitator, the Great Scotini, with a dangerous trick, pushing a sword through the man’s forehead, and is astonished when he can’t mark how the trick is done. It looks too real.
Going backstage to interview the magician for the paper, he soon realizes how right he was. The real sleight of hand, he soon learns, stems from the performers themselves, the magician and his unassuming assistant, the Lovely Janet. Not everything is as it seems. If only Jasper could find his notebook…