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The Son of Sirens

by Shane Dale

129 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #05-0189; ISBN 1-4120-5294-7; US$16.00, C$17.95, EUR13.00, £9.50

A collection of journal entries depicting experiences of Ghost. Throughout the book there is a series of worldly events that solidify his belief in a land he has only experienced in his dreams.

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About the Book      About the Author      Excerpts      Catalogue Information

About the Book

Ghost has been dreaming. A world hidden in visions calls to him and uncontrollably he becomes an integral part in the power struggle between Camotz (the dragon of darkness) and Illumea, (the dragon of light). Armed with teaching of a quixotic old man and the musings of an apprentice wizard, Ghost travels the dimensions in search of his identity.

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About the Author

Shane Dale born and raised in Langley, British Columbia and currently resides on Vancouver Island. He is working on his second novel and a collection of poems.

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Excerpts

In my dream, I drifted through starlight, passed asteroids, skimmed across stratospheres. Galaxies scintillated against black space as Camotz came forth in his wrath. Storm clouds beneath immense, bat-like wings buffeted, in their approach, many a hapless planet. I felt the dragon's might from afar, red moon eyes regarded me through light years and spoke enough that I knew Camotz would claim my world too. I wept, unable to wake, as the dragon of darkness flew toward me, seeking to consume all that I knew.

A song came then and spread its ethereal refrain behind the swipe of Camotz' massive spiked tail. I watched from still space as the dragon of darkness sought to swallow the heavenly refrain with a blood-soaked maw that tore apart planets at each fiery breath.

The song flowed onward despite the destruction and Illumea appeared in a shimmer of sunrises and sunsets mirrored in gold scale. I watched as the dragon of light snaked through my dream, borne by rainbow wings, rejoiced as Illumea found a path between my world and an unrelenting shadowy twin. The song would not be lost, for it came from Illumea's breath.

They clashed in a starlit vortex, rended with their claws and traded fire for music with the bite of their breaths. The two interlocked, spiraling, thrashing, weaving, and descending from their divine reign. Finally, Camotz held Illumea in his talons. I could not wake, forced by the weight of the dream to bear witness to Camotz' gloating embrace of Illumea's corpse.

Droplets of the dragon of light's blood flowed, a faint pulse of red beneath Camotz' victorious orbit. From Illumea's blood, the rivers flowed and mountains rose. I saw the coming of Illumea's children; mournful, beautiful, shining, each one with a song that rang forth throughout the darkness and beneath Camotz' enveloping wing.

In a new world of unrealized light, the children of Illumea tended the land and flourished.

Camotz' blood frothed and spattered on the new world, and his children soon began their vile and twisted roam. The dark children, incited with rage and hatred, set forth to war with the children of Illumea. Camotz' children stormed across the land, ravaging peaceful settlements and taking only the most beautiful of Illumea's children as captives and later slaves.

Illumea's children rallied to their city by the sea, Ael-lian. Those of a martial bent defended the walls with enchanted and mystifying weapons. Camotz' children proved relentless and savage, sacking Ael-lian and driving the children of Illumea to the beach.

As Illumea's children waited, huddled and outnumbered on the shores of the Lonely Sea, a great globe of fire burst through the waves and knocked Camotz from his hold on the dragon of light. At the first appearance of the first dawn, Camotz' children fled, blinded and fearful of the new burning sun.

The children of Illumea rejoiced under the rays of the day, and beneath the brilliance of the Pillar of Light that marked the ascent of the sun and shines still, when nightfall comes brighter than all the stars in the sky.

Some of Illumea's children sought the tale of the Pillar of Light and went to the sky in search of the burning globe that came from the waves. Others built fleet ships and departed to the Lonely Sea. Long afterward, these would be sighted by other seafarers and were referred to as the Siren. One stayed within the city, and waited for his brethren's return.

I awoke in the coffee shop alone, gathered my belongings and took to the road.

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Catalogue Information

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