Publisher's Synopsis
In these ten visionary tales, Anna Maddalena guides you into the mysterious world of Táre. Upon this vast backdrop, characters both ordinary and strange rub shoulders with the mystical: an escaped slave, a sadistic emperor, an obsessive scholar, a virgin-harlot, a gambling witch, a lonely magical creature, and a reluctant seer. These stories explore sublime realities beyond our awareness-sea monster goddesses, ambrosia hallucinations, stony giants, ravenous wolf-gods, djinn of climate change, timeline convergences-and heartfelt homecomings to the simple ground of being.
- Chamber of the Ork. Two slaves flee their masters into the dark heart of the mountain, but they must face what lurks in the depths if they wish to find freedom.
- The Doom of Prince Droedd. A sadistic emperor is undefeated and unchallenged until a drunken prophet stumbles into his throne room and proclaims his inevitable demise.
- The Conference of Matrical Daemons. The Lords of the Matrix who oversee the Web of Life hold a speech contest to determine which of them is most suited to preside over the new age.
- A Giant's Heartbeat. An obsessive scholar discovers something remarkable about the Stone Giant that looms over his town.
- Testament of Rouge. A visionary homeless woman rants about her encounters with the incredibly normal and profoundly mad people in her town.
- Hunger of the Gods. In this lyrical vision, a furious mortal seeks to thwart the wolf-god who chases him.
- The Wise One. His island beset by unnatural storms, a tinker goes on a quest to find the wise man who will save his homeland.
- That Which Takes Itself Too Seriously. Holy books record the teachings of the high and noble Aristo; but what of his chief rival, the gambling witch Helassi?
- Tales of Auspicious Beasts. In a series of related dreams, a lonely magical creature is taken through the animals of the zodiac and discovers she is not so alone as she feels.
- The Tree. Time branches out into separate realities, and prophecy abounds at their meeting. Can you feel what approaches just over the horizon?
