Caliban's End: A Christmas Tale

Thursday, December 25, 2008

A Christmas Tale

In my last post I mentioned that my novel What Lies Beneath had inexplicably dropped off the face of the earth (or, more specifically, Lulu's website). Well, I'm happy to report that the problem has been quickly resolved and the book is not only accessible from this link http://www.lulu.com/content/2796543 but it is also available now through search at Lulu.com.

I'll just use this post to add my thanks for all the interest and support I have received from people as I have bumbled my way through this project. Merry Christmas.

5 comments:

Anonymous9:21 am
Hi Paul,

I wanted to let you know about my positive experience recently in purchasing copies of your novel, What Lies Beneath.

The purchasing process was very quick and easy via lulu.com, especially for international orders, which can sometimes be a very tricky task! I received a prompt follow-up email confirming my order.

On Monday 22nd December, I arrived home to find a card from Australian Air Express in my letterbox. Unfortunately, I wasn't home when they called :(
However, the next day I called in to the freight depot to pick up my books. (In my town we are very fortunate, everything is "five minutes away"!)

It was very exciting to get home and open the parcel! The books were well-packed and in perfect condition. I proudly showed them to my family and explained the concept of self-publishing. My husband wants to do the same thing with his English students in 2009 so was keen to hear about the process.

Thanks Paul for sharing your incredible journey with us. It is exciting on so many levels - as an incredible novel that you have written and to illustrate to others how the internet can turn works of writers of all ages into something very special.

We look forward to the sequel!

Lucy :)
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Paul Stewart10:39 am
Lucy,

I am so pleased that the experience was a positive one for you. Ideally, I would like to have had a publisher like Random House or Allen & Unwin to sweep me up in their ink-stained arms and do everything for me, as I have stumbled frequently on the meandering path of self-publishing, but when I read comments like yours, it makes it all worthwhile.

I really do hope you enjoy the book. I'm certainly pleased with the story and the style of writing, but structurally 'What Lies Beneath' can be a little taxing. Also at times events in the narrative are quite brutal, but hopefully this makes moments of tenderness and compassion all the more potent.

A friend of mine said she was reluctant to allow herself to become attached to characters in 'What Lies Beneath' as a number of early chapters suggest that no-one is safe in the novel. Whilst that is true to an extent, the book is not so bleak that all good people meet undeserving ends.

Please feel free to email or DM me with any questions or observations you may have - or even drop a comment on the blog. There are things dwelling amongst the pages of the book that I can't wait to discuss with my readers.

It might be worth checking in on the wiki http://calibansend.pbwiki.com/ from time to time as you read to discover more about the characters, places and events of 'Caliban's End'.

Thank-you so much for purchasing the book. The delivery costs stunned me at first - it's much cheaper for multiple copies - but hopefully by having the entire book available for free (by PDF download and on the wiki) at least buyers get a sense of what lies beneath the cover (cringe - terrible pun).

Looking forward to hearing from you as you make your way across the Myr.

Best wishes to you and yours.

Paul
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Anonymous9:21 pm
What Lies Beneath -Review By Jack Emery

What Lies Beneath, is a most suitable name for Paul. Francis. Stewart’s exceptional first book in the Caliban’s End tale.

From the very beginning, we are drawn into a truly astonishing and intricate world; a home to countless strange and bizarre creatures who are amidst an age of darkness and evil.

But beneath the skin and bone of all on the planet lie myriad mysteries ready to be released.

Twin brothers Remiel and Caliban Grayson stand to inherit great power from their dying father, but only one of whom may be granted the sort after gift.

Premonitions of terror compel Remiel to send his brother to the secluded lands of a leper colony - thereby having no access to the outside world.

Yet, as in many adventures, something goes horribly wrong which in turn impacts upon those across the world – so called the Myr. The story then starts to bear characteristics somewhat similar to The Lord of the Rings, with numerous characters both good and bad, and an abundance of violence.

As we venture through the lands of this boundless realm we start to realize that long lost secrets are coming to life, as innocents across the Myr rapidly dwindle in number. Something is back. And with revenge.

Stewart delves into the lives of different creatures across the globe; building characters with detail seldom found in other novels. We slither through the Bregon Woods and live amongst the famed witches, trudge through the uliginous swamps of Mag Mel meeting the apothecaries that hide beneath its mist, and enter the barracks of the potent Helyan warriors who are prepared to fight whatever comes their way.

Flashbacks here and there add to the profound puzzle, always leaving half finished stories which slowly answer themselves as we travel through the Myr.

In practically every chapter we hear a new story. A new tale of one of many races as grief strikes upon their lands. We learn the history of each race, their lifestyle, and their personalities. As the novel progresses these threads intertwine with one another, weaving a complex tapestry that is still only half complete.

Stewart is a fascinating person to speak to, always expressing himself clearly and gripping you with his gift for explaining things. His lucid writing style is no different, trapping you in a truly imaginative world, making it hard to stop reading.

Written in third person perspective with passages of discourse, the writing is detailed and rich, bearing a sense of authority with a broad vocabulary. Epitomizing this is a race called the Sprigans who have a love of language, using continually bombastic speech. At times this becomes annoying as you find yourself scouring through the dictionary for answers, but you’ll also find yourself glued to their somewhat comical presence.

Here is a caption from What Lies Beneath which exemplifies Stewart’s meticulous writing style maintained throughout the story:

“Kali heard a tiny growling sound at his feet. In the dirt before him, a twin-headed flummox sat with a round kor-kor nut in its small, pudgy hands. Although diminutive in size, being no larger than Kali's foot, the flummox was as irascible and pugnacious a beast as one could find on Terra.”

Being a school English teacher for a number of years and working in the technology department Paul. F. Stewart has an expansive knowledge in both writing and technology. His knowledge has enabled him not only to write a magnificent novel, but to display aspects of it in ways that many would struggle to do. His blog and wiki pages are excellent for tracking his progress and allow him to express his thoughts on the book. Excerpts and character images enhance and bring to life the characters in ways I have never seen before.

All in all Stewart has succeeded in creating a surreal world in which we can let our imagination fly as we journey across the Myr and visit the vast and varied races he has so brilliantly designed. But again beware. Arcane wonders will be resurrected and will threaten the existence of every creature on the planet. So look out for What Lies Beneath!

I recommend this novel to be read by those who enjoy such books or movies as The Lord of the Rings or Star Wars. But nonetheless I’m sure many, irrespective of what genres they like, will find a passion for Stewart’s exceptional world.

On the site: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3109/2654208470_9c26c2de88_b.jpg
is a photo I found of Lake Wakatipu in New Zealand – which in my imagination strongly resembles Lake Eras in What Lies Beneath, and is the same lake featured on the front cover. Lake Eras plays a central role in the book and is home to a stupendous whirlpool known as the World Pool. Lake Wakatipu is the ideal setting for the novel with its beautiful scenery and mystical essence
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Paul Stewart3:40 pm
Jack,

Not sure I deserve such praise, but after spending so much time writing the book, I'll take it all the same.

I must say how impressed I am with your commentary. Believe me, I was a long way from being so articulate when I was your age. Thank-you for taking such a thoughtful interest in my first book. I can't wait to see how you respond to Akin to Pity (due out April).

I am so grateful that you have conveyed your impressions so comprehensively. If anything, your comments highlight that writers should never speak down to an audience, especially teenagers who are capable of great insight and clarity of perspective.

Hopefully your peers will feel similarly positive about my writing.

Thanks so much for your comments.

Cheers, Paul
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Anonymous10:36 am
Congratulations Paul!

It was a great read and I was impressed with the vivid details of each character. Your love for language brings a richness to the book that makes it unique. It is a roller coaster ride as I found myself trying to predict the next sequence of events, only to read another twist that would pose more questions. You are not afraid to kill one of the most appealing characters, especially near the end of the book. I look forward to the sequel as I want to know why?

There was many layers and I look forward to seeing how all these treads will come together in the second book. I will need to read it again with a dictionary by my side as the Srigans introduce me to vocabulary that was unfamiliar to me. Maybe a need to read more genres!

The passage of the book which was most confronting was Lucetious's lack of empathy when breaking the fingers of any individual that would dare speak out. (Remind me not to make you angry!) Parts of the book are quite brutal and disturbing. We are introduced to some of the darker side of various personality traits. In the darkness, when all seems lost, we are given a glimmer of hope as someone will step forward against the tide and perform a heroic act. Agaist the odds someone may push back the dark forces. There are some characters that have virtues that makes them easily admired while others display behaviours that are repulsive. It poses the question - Are we a product of our environment or our genes? Would the races of Myr ever have reason to fear Caliban if his brother Remiel chose another course of action?

Paul, I am sure many people will appreciate your writing style. I am impressed that you have a young family and full time job and manage to write such terrific book.
I think it will inspire others to follow their dreams.

Michael
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Birren Brand

Central Tower, Sarras

This tower, simply called Central, was much taller than all the towers through which he had passed on his high-speed journey to Sarras. His line was one of three adjoining the tower. His slider slowed down as his line leveled off. Tagtug could see a similar cable coming in from the east. His view of the southern line was obstructed by the colossal tower which, like every other transit tower, had its metal outer shell removed. Tagtug slid to a halt and gingerly stepped off the slider, his muscles taut and aching from hours and hours of concentrated effort.

The Crouching Mountain

Taking a large gulp of air that caused the wind to change direction, Kyuukyuu walked across the floor of the sea, past pods of great leviatha and herds of nep'gii. After walking for many days, holding his breath all the while, he noticed that the sea floor began to rise. Soon he found himself on the shores of Kompira. His eyes widened when he saw the beautiful land before him, but despite the loveliness of the forests and the arousing scent of the purple mists, he found he was exhausted and had to lie down. So he cleared a spot of forest not far from the golden shoreline and lay down to rest. His exhaustion was so great that he fell into the deepest sleep, a sleep from which he is still yet to wake.

Bith Brand

Bith Brand sang a sad tune and the long plaintive notes floated up through the leaves and hung upon the branches. Lara closed her eyes and listened to her mother’s song. It was a ballad about a woman whose love had gone across the sea. The woman was heart-broken and was setting off across the water to find the one she had lost. Lara didn’t really understand the song – she had never even seen the sea – but the doleful melody was strangely soothing and Lara could feel herself getting drowsy as she listened to it. Underneath her lace top Lara’s heart glowed, and the intricate white filigree of her shirt was suffused with a gentle blue light.

Arrowfish

Suddenly, an Arion arrowfish shot high into the air. The mother bellycan opened her wings to steady herself as she leaned back slightly, and positioned herself directly under the arrowfish as it reached the apogee of its brief flight into the air. The fish plummeted back down and the bellycan extended a large pouch that had been hidden under the feathers covering the bird’s stomach. The arrowfish plopped straight into the bellycan’s pouch which then closed instantly, storing the catch for the family meal that evening. Although books had been written on the subject, no-one truly understood the reasons for the arrowfish’s perplexing suicidal flight.

The Worldpool

Five leagues from the churning vortex, translucent ice floes could be found, stretching out across the pale blue surface of the lake. Any ships that came within two leagues of the Worldpool risked being battered by crystalline icebergs that roamed the lake’s centre like silent predators, waiting for a vessel that had strayed too close. The waters closer to the Worldpool were wrapped in mystery as no vessel had ever returned from wandering so close to the maw. Nothing escaped. It was believed that even time itself was disturbed so close to the malevolent sinkhole. The lake’s centre was a living contradiction, a turbulent place where frozen waters were roused into violent motion, where waters made white by the freezing heart of the lake succumbed to its darkness and disappeared to a forgotten realm below. And yet, inexplicably, from dawn to dusk, the sun always shone on the Worldpool. It was if the clouds were too scared to venture so close to the glaciated maelstrom. It was a black hole, reaching out and sucking in all it could under eternally sunny skies.

Flummox

Kali heard a tiny growling sound at his feet. In the dirt before him, a twin-headed flummox sat with a round kor-kor nut in its small, pudgy hands. Although diminutive in size, being no larger than Kali's foot, the flummox was as irascible and pugnacious a beast as one could find on Terra. The flummox's two heads were facing each other, two pairs of bulbous green eyes staring at each other in a confrontation that was typical amongst the two-headed rodents that infested the Kolpian hills. Suddenly, the left head tilted right back, the mouth opening to an impossible wide degree. As the mouth opened, the flummox lifted this head up high on its neck. The head on the right cowered but the creature would not lift a hand in defence for fear of losing possession of the kor-kor nut. With a ferocity that would make a marrok squirm, the flummox's left head swooped down on the right, enveloping it entirely. Sharp incisors sheared through the right head's neck and in one of the world's most obscene animal behaviours, the flummox swallowed its own head. The violence of self-decapitation done, the flummox then spent the next few minutes yelping as the pain from its self-inflicted wound ripped through its entire body. A few minutes more and it collapsed to the ground dead, the trauma of the wound and the accompanying loss of blood too much for the little animal to bear.

Adzoba Aethelflaed

Juliet yelped with fright and skidded to a halt. Before them stood a man taller than any Edgar had ever seen before. He was at least eight foot tall, even taller if one counted the massive horn that grew from the man’s forehead. The distinctive keratin projection rising two feet from the man’s skull marked him as a Kheperan, a race that lived in the deserts to the south of Lake Erras. Edgar had never met a Kheperan before, but he knew of them – their reputation for having short tempers and an endless supply of stubbornness preceded them.

Palia

The manifesto listed two passengers: Wade Grayson and his twin brother, a leper by the name of Caliban. The latter was particularly memorable. The day he arrived in Palia, he was placed in the quarantine station where all lepers destined for Sanctuary were kept until the boat taking them across the treacherous waters was ready to depart. Caliban had been brought into the station kicking and screaming. He pleaded with the locals to release him and when the Palians refused, he swore he would have the bloodiest of revenges upon the world and that the sleepy hamlet of Palia would be first to bleed.

Sulis

The triplet moons shone down on Sulis. Pylos walked out onto his balcony to take in the evening air. Below him the city streets spread out in intricate patterns, bathed in the silvery light raining down from the night sky. All over the city, the amber light of lanterns flickered outside the houses on the main streets. The comforting drone of sandcadas reverberated across the city. Above this gentle hum, the General could hear snippets of conversation float up from the café on the street below.

Grisandole

The Isle of Grisandole lay directly ahead. The isle itself thrust up from the dark depths of the ocean to the equally brooding depths of the sky. Grisandole was even more barren and depressing than Lara had imagined. No trees or plants clung to the steep mountainside of the island. No beach encircled it. No seabirds flew above it. It was a place as lifeless as Terra’s distant moons. All was rock upon which nothing moved, save for the endlessly buffeting wind and waves. The peak of the conical isle was crowned with tall black towers and battlements devoid of flags or any other sign of habitation. On its own, the Morgai citadel seemed immense but in the context of the empty, lonely landscape surrounding it, it seemed insignificant. Its crumbling columns ineffectually pricked the thick skin of the sky.

The Sapphyrro

The Sapphyrro were unusual looking by most races’ standards. They stood five foot tall on average, with no significant difference between males and females. Sympathetic brown eyes as large as soup bowls peered out from benign faces of grey-blue. Hair as white as foam flowed from the back of the head onto a carapace encasing a sinewy body covered in gossamer thin velvety fur. The shell surrounding the torso formed a natural suit of armour, and yet the civilized, peaceful natives of Skyfall Town had no known predators (other than Time and even its immutable will had softened in regards to the Sapphyrro who lived well beyond the years of all the other races of Terra; death took them tenderly, like a gentle wave on the shores of a quiet lake). Stout, muscular legs and long arms ending in large, three fingered hands sprung from openings in the shell.

The Endless

The fisherman was in a vast cavern. The rock had a phosphorescent quality and emanated the most delicate red glow. High, high above the cascading waters of the Worldpool were gently tinged with the supernal glow of night seeping in from the world above, giving a softness to the dreadful surge that crashed into the Endless with deafening ferocity. The ethereal illumination of the stony surrounds revealed a dark, ulterior lake into which the blue waters of Lake Erras were poured and mixed until they became black.

Caliban's End

Thursday, December 25, 2008

A Christmas Tale

5 comments:

Buy 'What Lies Beneath' on Amazon.com

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The World of Caliban's End

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Birren Brand

Central Tower, Sarras

Adzoba Aethelflaed

Abaddon

Peg'ii

The Crouching Mountain

Bith Brand

Arrowfish

The Worldpool

Flummox

Arinna Brine

Adzoba Aethelflaed

Morgai: Gabriel

The Endless

Jehenna Canna

Palia

The Morrigu

The Marid

Sulis

Claudia Kallady

Nilfheim, Sessymir

The Sedomo

SUMI KIMURA

Mag Mel

Discovery

Pylos Castalia

Scoriath

JONAS KALLADY

Marroks

Lilith Cortese

Grisandole

The Sapphyrro

Cate Audrey

Sessymir

Caliban's End: The Film

Wade Grayson

The Cabal

Maeldune Canna

Lara Brand

The Skyfall

Caliban Grayson

Trypp Elan

Susano

Bannick Landen

Khepera

The Endless

Rama Ta

The Fortitude

Lokasenna Hagen

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