First chapter of book: Coming Soon!

So, we are planning on self-publishing The Corruption by the end of March. To help celebrate, we will post the entire first chapter in serial form on this blog throughout the month of April. Be looking for it!

Shemihazah

As a Seraph, Shemihazah is the leader of those that chose to abandon their posts in the heavenly realm and come to earth to enjoy the physical pleasures that it offered. Unlike most of the common angels, he has six wings, instead of two, and the head of a silver and white eagle.

After it is decided that he and his companions will go to earth, he teaches mankind the magical arts (i.e. how to call upon the services of fallen angels withing the spiritual realm). He still maintains his authority as the lead angel after they settle into Eden, but his sway weakens as time progresses.

After their encounter with man, Shemihazah morphed his eagle head into that similar to his human looking brothers. He also exchanged his angelic clothing for elaborate robes. However, he still keeps his staff from the heavenly realms, since it helps him to maintain and magnify his angelic powers.

Shemihazah is a nice bad guy. He takes his role as leader seriously. He does not have quite the open animosity toward humans that some of the other angels do. Nor does he openly consort with Halel. He is also a wise and calculating angel. Although he does not posses a quick temper, when he is angered, his wrath can  be quite painful.

Brief Book Summary

“Even now sin is knocking at our door.” Little did the people of Siriad know how literal Seth was in his deathbed prophecy. Several Iyr were already united with Satan in a massive effort to abandon their posts in Heaven and claim the earth as their own. When they arrived in their physical forms on earth and peacefully offered Heaven’s knowledge in exchange for men’s daughters, how could the inhabitants of Eden refuse?

Siriad’s leaders alone stand firm in their backmountain belief in an Almighty who will save them from the economic sanctions of the Iyr-united Eden. However, when Siriad’s gate is attacked by raiders from the plains, Jared, heir to the throne of Siriad, is sent on a mission with his new wife and some friends to discover if the Iyr have decided to become more aggressive in their intentions.

As they travel throughout Eden, trying to hide their backmountain ways and blend in with the scantily clad and technologically advanced Iyr cultures, they stumble across secret alliances with the savage raiders, genetically altered monsters, the banished mate of the dragon who deceived Eve, a huge ‘hospital’ where women are sacrificed to breed some of the Iyr’s creations, and inadvertently uncover a plot to destroy mankind.

Author's notes on Alliyz (Kelimma)

Alliyz is the daughter of a merchant from Shahar named Rauel. She is a fiery woman who has seen the worst of the angelic rule in Eden. At a young age (think the equivalent of late teens), she was taken from her father because of her beauty and installed as a priestess. Although this act was akin to blackmailed kidnapping, these acts were never publicized in the Iyr media. From Shahar, she was transferred to the city of Metsed where she entered the order of Ozael. She has been taught every form of combat known by the Iyr, and how to forge weapons and armor. Like every priestess, she is available for whatever the Iyr desire.

She waited for years to be rescued, but that never occurred. She tried to escape and was sent to work in Kaseja's murderous hospital on the cleaning crew. This horror kept her from any further acts of disobedience. Although her spirit has not been broken, she has resorted to deception and frequently steals desserts.

Her life has hardened her and made her lose faith in a loving God. In fact, she doubts if anything truly good exists in Eden. She occasionally works favors for those who attract her attention, but each favor is performed always with the thought that she will receive something in return. Although she is one of the main characters, she does not join the group until half-way through the story. She brings her knowledge of Razmadda and the ways of the Iyr to the group.

Author's note on Jared

       Jared is the main character of the first installment of the Age of the Watchers Trilogy. He is a recently married young man that has a strong sense of nationalism for his people. He also has a strong sense of loyalty to his father Mahalalel and Enosh (his great-grandfather). He is a member of a national militia that keeps the land of Siriad safe from the Saggisra and the corrupt and blood thirsty okale. He is courageous, self-sacrificing, and devoted to his cause. Those who live near the western borders of Siriad view him as a hero. 

      Jared, however, is not perfect. He is a typical young man trying to find his own faith after listening to the words and teachings of his elders. He has a strong sense of morality, but struggles with the difficult concept of 'why things are the way they are.' I did not want Jared to be someone that had it all together. Instead, he is someone with a good foundation, which he must build upon to find his role in this world. Like Christians, he makes mistakes, lets his own sense of justice lead him, and trusts in his own abilities overmuch. The first book leads him down a path to finding his faith. Once it is found, the second book in the series will do much to test it.