The Brink
Human beings are flawed and unpredictable and societies rise and fall as one, regardless of the few who struggle against the tide.
But could such beings achieve perfection if wholly united under one cause? Could you put all your faith in that cause, especially if you were blind to all of its underlying implications?
Explore these ideas and more in this stand-alone fiction tale which will shed a differing light on society for each reader…and perhaps new ones still after each read through.
SYNOPSIS:
Coriander and his people face annihilation at the hand of a band of masked oppressors…but the arrival of a mysterious philosopher named Orion changes everything. By the guidance of a book only he can read, Orion asks them to journey to the cursed lands beyond the Ashwall; a land where the last great civilization mysteriously vanished. Far from misery and war, Orion promises to establish a perfect city where all can finally live in peace.
Possessing extraordinary skills and wisdom, Orion is prepared to lead Coriander’s people to safety if they would but put all their trust in him. Would you?
BEHIND THE SCENES:
This project came from an idea I had nearly a decade ago but it was not until early 2021 that I felt it had simmered enough in my head and was ready to take form. It started as a short story which I intended to give to my subscribers for free but I changed course as it quickly grew into something more than I originally envisioned.
In contrast with the high-fantasy, quest-based structure found in The Eyes of Fate trilogy before it, this would be a stand-alone book, heavy in theme and symbolism and with a central twist meant to make the reader think and discuss long afterward. It’s written in a different style and voice than anything I’ve done to this point and I feel will really stand apart as something special. It’s been a new challenge to shift genre away from my norm of epic fantasy to literary fiction, which focuses on style, theme, and thought-provoking questions rather than a fast, action-based plot. But don’t worry…it has its fair share of twists and turns. While it could be considered to exist somewhere within the realm of fantasy, there is no magic system or creatures to be found here. Part social commentary, part character study, consider this the fantasy baby of Lord of the Flies and The Great Gatsby.
TRIVIA:
- The names of the main characters, Orion and Coriander, speak to their respective natures and roles in the story, ‘Orion’ calling to mind the cosmos and vastness of knowledge, and ‘Coriander’ humbleness and of the earth.
- Though it is not specifically stated, each main character of the township loosely represents one of the seven deadly sins, collectively demonstrating a view of the human condition.
- Many of the epitaphs at the beginning of each chapter were drawn from some of my personal notes around my study of the martial arts.
- The first draft of the book was only a novella size in length, around 25k words. Once the story was reworked and fleshed out, it ended at a novel length of just over 50k words.
- The book is written in 1st person point of view with the exception of the first, middle, and last chapters.
CHECK OUT SOME CONCEPT ART BELOW:
