Seventeen year old Sparrow Dhelana arrives on the distant world of Chrysomachina aboard the Mind-Ship Herculean, having left behind a tragic life on Earth.
She has come to live with her aunt in the Stratospheric Towers of Eaglenest, one of the world's living elemental city-states. She hopes to fulfill her dream of becoming an Eaglenest Pilot, one of an elite caste of psychic navigators who venture into the unconscious mind of the city and annex zones for human colonisation.
She quickly discovers however that her arrival has attracted the interest of the strange and powerful rulers of the other three city-states, and a strange young man named Eyen Eo, who is determined to lead her away from her new life and into the most dangerous, unexplored parts of the Labyrinth.
As an ongoing series, the Labyrinth City novels will depict the history, culture and conflicts of the people who have colonised the four alchemical city-states of the distant world of Chrysomachina.
Book One |
Redtower Genesis |
Book Two |
Eaglenest Numbers |
Book Three |
Chalicewell Testament |
Book Four |
Dragongate Exodus |
Extract from Redtower Genesis,
Chapter One, Phoenixthys:
Far beneath the burning deserts of Redtower he stands at the centre of a stone bridge that spans a vast, subterranean cavern.
It is his ninth birthday.
Heat and corrosive gasses rise up from the lake of fire and pure rubedo lava that boil and churn far below. His father stands behind him, towering over his small body.
Vast, bird-like shadows flicker, form and reform upon the white lime walls. He watches them intently even though his eyes are burning in their sockets, anything is better than looking down at the fire.
"Dive Eyen," his father says.
Extract from Redtower Genesis
Chapter 12, Simulacrum in Ice & Wind :
At first she thought her aunt looked statuesque, regal and tall, but as she drew closer Theah's posture remained fixed in place and Sparrow became puzzled.
She squinted, searching for some acknowledgement of her prescence.
There, a small movement, a smile that crept slowly upwards, as if it were an insect that had a life of its own, independant of the unmoving body.
"Sparrow," the mouth said, the voice a whisper in a long cave, hollow and distant. "Welcome to Eaglenest. We are so glad to see you."
Sparrow moved closer, this woman was her mother's sister, her touchstone to this new world.
"Stop. Don't touch her," Vhali cried out.
She didn't need to be told. A localised field of intense temperature stopped her before she could even raise her hands.
"You...you're cold."
Her aunt moved now, had perhaps been moving all along but Sparrow could only see it now that she was within arm's reach. Tiny, gradual trickles running over her muscles, insectile, clockwork movements that reminded her of a preying mantis.
"My skin contains a layer of corundum carbonardo that is bonded to an epidermal refrigiment. I had asked Sormandh to explain my condition to you," she said, gradually turning to look at her son.
"I thought she would enjoy the surprise mother," he said with a grin. "She did come here seeking new experiences, she told me herself."
"I'm sorry Sparrow. I didn't mean to shock you. I move in splintered time in order to extend my life. I am over one hundred and forty years old. I move only when I need to, live only when necessary, the rest of my time is spent in micro-suspension.
"She's minus two hundred and seventy three degrees," the small girl said, stepping forwards and throwing her arms around her mother's waist. "That's absolute zero."
Theah's movements slowly became more animated, looking down at Vhali and then up at Sparrow.
"Vhali, that's not nice. You know that Sparrow can't touch me, its not polite to show off."
"Sorry mummy."
Her eyes said something different though. They said, "This is my mummy and if you try and take her from me I will kill you."
"Vhali has been treated to withstand cold. I can isolate my field for you though. Here Sparrow."
Theah reached out towards Sparrow, fluidly, suddenly and Sparrow instinctively pulled away.
That cold hand was the anithesis of all her hopes in coming to a new world, a new life. Her aunt was her touchstone, her link between worlds. She should have been warm, a welcoming sun, but instead her hand was cold, as cold as her dead mother's hand had been.
