Guardians of the Gift

"A politically conflicted nation faces internal dissent and the threat of invasion in Longfellow’s fast-paced allegorical novel of dystopian fantasy.”
-Kirkus Reviews

BOOK SUMMARY:

Completely controlling Federal City, the Enlightened heralded their ‘Save and Create Jobs’ program as a wild success. They celebrated after taxing the rich out of existence. They cheered the outlawing of horses and livestock due to their damaging effects on the climate. One of their proudest achievements was passing the ‘Right to a Healer’ ten years earlier. And now the Enlightened—led by their charismatic Presiding Chief—are on the brink of permanently reforming the country with their most controversial legislation yet—the ‘Right to Eat’.

Little did they know that the rapacious Kingdom of Anic to the south had mobilized their legions and deployed their amphibious landing fleet.

That is where this story begins.

MAIN CHARACTERS:

This is a story of five individuals whose destinies are unknowingly intertwined. Jake is a medic on the frontlines of battle fighting an invading horde in the south. Jenny is his sister who recently finished medical school. Fletcher is their older brother who pioneered a new settlement in the northern frontier. Willard, their father, is the chief of police (known as the Head Protector) of their home village. And Thomas, unrelated to Willard’s family, is about to finish his silversmith apprenticeship. Little did all five of them know that their nation faced extinction and they each would be key to its survival.

Please check out the sample excerpts below!

The author welcomes your thoughts and feedback.

guardiansofthegift@gmail.com

EXCERPT #1:

Thomas returned to the tool shed holding a candle. He stepped inside. The candle light illuminated the cluttered wood shack. He looked down at the dead legionnaire.

His eyes focused on the flag—a patch sewn onto the uniform. A familiar warmth raced through his body.

His thoughts rebounded back to the day he took the oath—the day he received his flag. Recruits weren’t authorized to wear the symbolic patch. They had to earn the title of “legionnaire” and swear to protect the Document first.

Thomas thought of the frigid mountain summit. He recalled the oath. He remembered shivering, holding his right hand up, and peering down on the Continent. The ray of light that broke through the clouds wasn’t from the sun.

The sun can’t warm one’s soul.

The dormant legionnaire inside of him awoke.

EXCERPT#2:

“Elder Bertha, your incompetence makes me nauseous. There are undiscovered tribes in the southern continent—untouched by civilization—that can squeeze votes out of people better than you!”

Shock gripped her wrinkled face. The leader of the Lower Half of Elder Hill was speechless. Drool glistened on the corner of her lips. Silence echoed through the room.

He said, “That was a joke. Laugh.”

The nine remaining elders, in the closed door meeting, forced laughs fearing for their professional lives.

The Presiding Chief pointedly said, “You know, all I see around me are people I want to fire. But I can’t. That’s the problem with elections—it’s difficult to control the results. Now, Bertha, what are you going to do?”

“What sir?”

“If stupidity was a disease. You’re the plague. And I'm the cure. What is the first ‘no’ vote’s reason for not supporting the Right to Eat?”

“Ah—”

“Offer him something. Every elder has a skeleton in their closet…or a minnow that is blocking irrigation water and enraging their constituents.”

Website: www.guardiansofthegift.com

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