«When The Stone Shepherds Awaken» by Mark Barkley

Two (2) Books on offer for you! “When The Stone Shepherds Awaken” and “Stories From The Distant Planet”!“When The Stone Shepherds Awaken, Book One: The Sabienn Feel Adventures” (Download here)On a distant planet far off into the future, there is a human colony twice removed from Earth with a country preparing for war. Sabienn Feel is a military cadet being fast-tracked for promotion as their enigmatic head of state, The Great Leader, readies his armies for battle.Sabienn’s world comes crashing down when one day he grows wings. And now people are trying to kill him. He also finds out that not only him but thousands of men his age have grown wings around the world in keeping with a ten thousand year old prophecy. With his wings comes an intuitive ability to pick up an object and see a history of someone who held it. This ability has not gone unnoticed by higher powers within the realm.But what is it that The Great Leader wants of him? Will The Great Leader save him?“When The Stone Shepherds Awaken” is the first of twelve books in “The Sabienn Feel Adventures”.“Stories From The Distant Planet: Companion Piece: Maps, History and Stories: The Sabienn Feel Adventures”(Turn to inner sleeve after titles of “When The Stone Shepherds Awaken” and use download links)31 Fact Sheets.The concise companion piece to read with “The Sabienn Feel Adventures”.Includes: The map of the planet Whee showing where the events of each of the twelve books will take place. Also within: The map of Hayddland, showing places you will go to when reading “When The Stone Shepherds Awaken. Book One: The Sabienn Feel Adventures”. You will also have the following answered:•What happened to The Great Leader, Orr Benn Kee, Hayddland’s supreme dictator, when he was ten years old that would change the course of the world?•What happened during the Purge when all recorded history was erased from the planet?•What is the insult in the title of Rotnadge-Minora that had the native inhabitants seething?Stories From The Distant Planet is the must-have precis of ten thousand years of history within the planet of Whee which lives through and has come to compel Sabienn Feel to his quest.Interview with the AuthorQ — What inspired you to write The Sabienn Feel Adventures?A — I’ve always loved the idea of the epic journey. I’m acquainted with the book Journey to the West but was more familiar with the TV series in the 80’s based on the book called Monkey. The idea of four souls travelling across a wide expanse of geography to complete a quest appealed to me. So I planned a series of twelve books to go from one place in the south of this space colony that they live on twice removed from Earth, to end up in the north, meeting danger at every turn. Q — Why does your main character Sabienn Feel grow wings?A — Good question. I wanted something drastic to occur to these people physically. Something that would be difficult to hide and offer an immediate prejudice. The idea of growing wings constantly came up for me. There’s a Pearl Jam song I found inspiring that says, “And sometimes is seen a strange spot in the sky. A human being that was given to fly”. And in my mind’s eye, I could see this figure. Almost like the Led Zeppelin Icarus logo but with bat wings. But they couldn’t fly otherwise they’d hit the sky and the journey would be over in no time. I made them only able to swim because being submerged in water has elements of dealing with the subconscious. To me it satisfies all elements of those prophecy, fantasy, epic adventure type of stories that involve friendship and brotherhood. Q — So, why should readers give these books a try?A — Well I would say they were humour-filled, page-turning, epic, fantasy adventure novels which involve a quest. But I'll just say, just check them out.