D. T. Kane reads chapter 26 of his epic fantasy fiction novel, The Acktus Trials, and discusses the chapter with his audience.
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Part II of The Spoken Books Uprising, Declaimer’s Discovery, now available!
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Map of Oration: https://dtkane.com/resources/map-of-oration/
Characters in this Chapter:
Baztian (Baz): Our main character
Rox: Deliritous’s Harbour (bodyguard)
Ehma: Leader of Citiless Patrol
Below is my script/notes for the episode, not a verbatim transcription:
PERSONAL UPDATE
Welcome back to D. T. Kane’s Epic Fantasy Book Club. Today is Thursday, May 19, 2022, as I record this, episode 21.
This is the last of my vacation pre-recordings, so not much of a personal update since it’s only been a couple days for me since I recorded the last one. But one big piece of news: I completed my first draft of Part IV of the Spoken Books Uprising. It came in at around 97,000 words, so a bit under my estimate of 110,000. But I tend to underwrite my first drafts, so I expect it to creep closer to 110 by publication time.
Also, I’m ready to disclose the title: Declaimer’s Stand! So get ready, that’ll be releasing end of summer, beginning of fall.
Also, just a quick note, I’ve been working my way through the tome that is Ulysses by James Joyce, since I’m going to Ireland on part of my vacation. I’m not going to finish it before I go. It’s certainly an undertaking–sort of like putting a puzzle together, but you don’t have a photo of what the puzzle is supposed to be, and there’s a few pieces sprinkled in that don’t actually belong to it at all. It’s more of a pursuit than a read. But it is amazing how Joyce managed to pack so much meaning into virtually every line. I wouldn’t even consider reading it without a guide to explain all the smart things hidden in the book. I can certainly see how multiple re-reads would be rewarding, though to be honest, completing it just once will be a life accomplishment.
ANAYLIS CH. 26
So it’s a short chapter this week. Remember at the end of Chapter 25 we were left with Rox about to be executed and Baz shouting for him to show the Citiless the dragon blood Eromer gave them. And when Baz names Eromer, that gets everyone’s attention. It seems the Citiless know him. When Baz tells them Eromer gave them what’s in Rox’s pocket as proof of friendship and as partial repayment of debt that can’t be satisfied, one of the Citiless even says, “Sounds like something Ero would say.” So obviously they’re familiar with him.
So the woman who was about to slit Rox’s throat instead reaches into his pocket and freaks out when she sees the blood. So a couple things: One, it would seem that these Citiless are actually who Eromer referred to as “The Keepers of What Remains.” Still don’t know what that means, but certainly implies there’s more to the Citiless than the Readers back in Erstwhile would like to believe. And two, everyone’s reaction to the blood confirms it’s some rare thing, as Rox said earlier.
Ehma is alarmed rather than impressed, though. She threatens Baz, thinking he’s harmed Eromer to get the blood. It turns out this whole time she’s been thinking he is a Reader, and can we blame her? He’s got a Bookpack and a Harbour apparently protecting him, after all. But Baz tells her to look under his hat and when she sees his brand, her attitude changes. “Her face softened.”
Still, they’re not just going to let Baz go. They have to “take him to Tessa,” presumably their leader. Aelan is concerned that Baz and Rox have seen their hiding spot that Ehma revealed by making the illusion of rubble disappear. Baz jumps on that opportunity to insist Eromer told him and Rox to talk directly to Tessa, keeping his cards close to the vest, getting himself a ticket inside the Great Library, presumably to find Spoken Books.
And so, our heroes enter the Great Library of Tome. What will they find within?
CONCLUSION
Homework: Read Chapter 27. It’s a long one, and many revelations will be made! Who is Tessa, what secrets does she reveal, and did you gasp at the chapter’s end?
Quote:
“All life is theatre,’ he said. ‘We are all actors, you and I, in a play which nobody wrote and which nobody will see. We have no audience but ourselves….”
― Susan Cooper, Silver on the Tree
Until next time, this has been D. T. Kane’s Epic Fantasy Book Club.
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