In the lead-up to the April 3rd release of WHAT LIES BENEATH: Odyssium Collection Volume 2, let's familiarize ourselves with what's actually beneath that beautiful cover by the magnificent Mr. Willman. Without further ado, let's launch into this five-part series of Od-Blogs with the novella that...well, launches into the entire lineup of stories contained within.
Beam me up, Lando.
ORPHAN SEA
As you'll read in WHAT LIES BETWEEN's Behind the Scenes section, ORPHAN SEA was originally designed as a taster for newcomers to the series, a taster that's flavored with all the integral ingredients that makes the Odyssium universe such a delectable dish. In it's 100 or so pages, you'll get samplings of the modern(ish) technological setting, the supernatural, the underraces, the magic, the mystery, the comedy and the tragedy...and so much more.
ORPHAN SEA follows Dainone'i Boe (or Dain for short), a young Majdi of the Order who's struggling to find his place in said Order. Though he's currently walking the path of a seeker, the adrenaline-charged dangers he encounters on this particular mission might just test that decision.
Spearheading the mission are two veterans of the Order: the former archsentinel Arjay (last seen in FROM ASHES OF EMPIRES) and the one-armed "Jane of all Trades," Marachette Matsusaga (last seen in ISLE OF THE SLEEPING GODS). A village has been torn to pieces by an unknown supernatural force, and Aijin Zehta, an eleven-year-old girl, was one of the few survivors. In the weeks since, Aijin Zehta fled to two more cities...and each was similarly ravaged. Now Arjay has only days left to find her, and in his desperation recruits a novice seeker named Dainone'i Boe.
That bare-bones description is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to ORPHAN SEA. Of course, for Dain, Arjay, and Marachette, little is as it seems, and their simple mission to locate and protect the girl becomes a nail-biting thrill ride just to survive. AND, since ORPHAN SEA is a prequel to THE 13th PARAGON duology, its epilogue acts as an explosive (literally) lead-in to THE 13th PARAGON Part I: SCRAPPER.
By Grabthar's Hammer...what a sales pitch.
So, as I hope you can see, ORPHAN SEA isn't one of those "cute" little short stories that you might have come across in the past. I know I have, and have DNFed them despite their abbreviated lengths. The novellas and shorts I use in these collections are stories that I want to tell, but stories I feel don't need to be bloated up to the length of a novel. So, I keep them trim and in proper fighting shape for maximum enjoyment...and I hope you enjoy ORPHAN SEA.
Till next time--when we talk about the second novella in the collection, I BEGIN--take care.
-C