I’m hosting an excerpt from “Zandernatis”, a fantasy / alternate history / conspiracy theory novel. Enjoy!
Book Excerpt
Encounter with the revellers
from “The Song of Gorin” Stanzas 299-324
| H |
is staring eyes and expression of naive disbelief finally caught the eye of a group of revellers standing next to an enormous table, overflowing with the most succulent array of delicacies, sweetmeats and wine pitchers. There were perhaps half a dozen young men and as many girls dressed, like all the others, in brightly coloured, even garish, clothing. Judging by their unsteady balance and exaggerated laughter, they had all been celebrating for some considerable time.
Once Gorin realised they had spotted him, his only thought was to become less conspicuous and melt into the crowd. But it was too late. They had already started towards him. One of the young men, clothed in a blue tunic and bright red trousers, hailed him in a challenging, though kindly, voice.
“Hey there, friend. What are you looking so miserable about? On a day like this! You’re supposed to be having a good time.”
“I know,” answered Gorin, forcing a pleasant smile as the young people gathered around him. “And I am! Truly.”
“Well show it then,” said a girl in a revealing, low cut lime-green and red spotted dress, putting her hand on his shoulder. “Instead of looking like you’re scared of us. We’re your friends.”
“We’re everyone’s friends,” said another, heartily slapping him on the back.
“But what’s the fancy dress for?” enquired another of the girls, looking him up and down. “The costume ball was yesterday!”
Gorin couldn’t hide his surprise at this comment. For the brightly coloured, extravagantly cut clothes all the revellers were wearing looked much more like party garb than the rather subdued, rough and practical garments he was wearing.
“What is this then?” he asked.
The revellers looked at him in sheer disbelief, before exchanging concerned glances.
“You mean you don’t know?” said one of the young men, who appeared to be the group’s leader. “How can that be? It’s Renewal Day, for Cosmo’s sake! Everyone knows it! The most important festival of the year!”
“Until tomorrow,” the first girl reminded him. “The Feast of the Angels.”
“Never mind about tomorrow,” the leader replied. “We’re only concerned by today.”
Gorin finally had to admit he knew virtually nothing about Renewal Day, or indeed about anything else to do with the City, its customs and way of life.
“You see, I woke up a couple of days ago and couldn’t remember anything of what happened to me before. Where I come from, what I’ve been doing, who I am, nothing!”
This revelation seemed to have quite a sobering effect on the revellers. They all gaped at him in disbelief for a moment.
“How very strange,” said the young man in red trousers. “You mean you really can’t remember things like which part of the City you come from, who your friends are, who you’re bonded to, any of that?”
“Nothing,” confirmed Gorin.
“I know who you are!” suddenly cried another of the men who had been staring intently at Gorin ever since the group started talking to him.
“You do?” exclaimed Gorin, turning round to look at him, a smile beginning to spread over his face.
“But of course,” the man said, lunging forward and hugging Gorin tightly as tears began to pour down his face. “You were my sister, my little sister Drianne… all those lives ago… I never thought I’d ever find you again…”
Gorin recoiled in horror. What was this? Was the man totally drunk? Delusional? Mad…?
“Are you sure?” asked red trousers. “But that’s wonderful!”
“We must celebrate!” exclaimed lime-green and red spotted dress.
“Hooray!” everyone chorused, cheering at the tops of their voices and jumping up and down in a frenzy of delight.
Gorin began to get really scared by their exuberance, understanding absolutely nothing of what was going on. It did enable him to escape the emotional embraces of his self-declared “former brother” though, who was now busy being hugged by all his friends who wanted to share the joy of his long hoped-for reunion.
When the “brother” finally realised Gorin was no longer in the midst of the happy party, he broke away from the group, but was stopped short.
“You must forgive my nephew, he’s not quite himself.”
All heads turned to look at the old man who was raising his hand in a commanding gesture, his other arm securely around Gorin’s shoulders.
“He’s a little confused, I’m afraid. I think he’s been celebrating a bit too much this evening and the mead has gone to his head. And when that happens, he really can’t remember who he is. Let alone who he was…”
Zandernatis
Title: Zandernatis – Where Legends Were Born
Author: Gordon Keirle-Smith
Genre: Fantasy, Alternate History, Conspiracy Theory
Facts stifled for 50 years revealed at last! In 1962 a cache of ancient urns was discovered in Antarctica dating back tens of thousands of years. They contained writings proving our ancestral myths are rooted in the history and culture of a pre-glacial utopian civilization…
“Zandernatis” retells the most fascinating story contained in these texts: “The Song of Gorin”, an epic poem describing what really led up to the “Fall of Man” in “Paradise”. Initially, it reads like a fable – only here it is backed by robust corroborative evidence and endorsements from researchers, the media and eminent experts, despite efforts from the establishment to block publication.
Volume One of the trilogy breaks the silence, laying the foundations of this multi-faceted revelation, combining alternative history, conspiracy theory, allegorical fantasy, suppressed archaeology and insider analysis, all in a single work – while defining a whole new literary genre in the process…
Fabulous facts or fabulous fable…
Where do you draw the line?
Author Bio
Gordon Keirle-Smith’s current home is Nîmes, in the south of France. His preferred form of expression was always writing, particularly drama, although he has also lived several other “lives”. He was a successful visionary artist in the late 1960s (when his studio was located in a famous London West End theatre). He regularly exhibited – and sold – his work in a top Cork Street gallery.
He moved to France in the early 70s and decided to put all the paintings he would never have time to complete into a book. This became the first version of “Zandernatis” in 1974.
He then worked in tourism, headed a Paris language school’s team of 40 teachers, coached top advertising executives in communications skills, won the Toastmaster’s European Speechmaking Championship (twice), contributed articles to house magazines for market-leading companies (e.g. Oracle and GDF SUEZ) wrote advertising copy for major international brands (Air France, L’Oreal, Renault, Heineken, Delsey, etc.), founded and managed his own highly successful marketing transcreation agency…
All of this experience was then applied to reworking the original version of “Zandernatis” and developing its “meta-realist” aspect with the aim of creating a new kind of reading experience.
Links
Author Blog: http://zandernatis.com
