The third chapter of « 2206 : Window Onto A New World, » revolves around Aeira, a high profile soothsayer, often derided as a celebrity astrologer by her detractors.

As the narrative begins, the prophetess is enjoying post dinner conversations with three of her closest friends.

« The wise elder had understood a long time ago that, for the sake of being at peace with herself and her universe, to retain her sanity and preserve her integrity, it was essential for her to admit and own her supernatural gifts, as others were calling her prescience. Despite the ensuing ostracization, and the hurtful insinuations, accusations, and insults it frequently attracted her, she had gradually foregone all attempts at pretence, and decided instead to fully bloom into the spiritual adviser that she had always felt was latent within her. »

The influence the uncannily beautiful lady yields over her acolytes becomes obvious as the story progresses, hinting at her pivotal role in the Ovelian saga.

Hope you enjoy « Togetherness, » the third episode of the Threshold Bookcast ! Wishing you a pleasurable reading !

In « Going For The One, » we meet Jake Harvey, one of the key political players of the era, and members of his entourage.

At the beginning of the chapter, the former businessman is settling in his executive suite for a determining weekend in Triton Aeolus.

« The star candidate mused that if the political crusade was very demanding, his motivations were very strong. Possibly for the first time in over forty years, there was a real chance of removing the almighty Conservative Party from office and actually changing the Global Government. The last time any other formation had been in charge of the Federation, the Liberals in that specific instance, he had yet to be born, thus he had never known any other regime. Nonetheless, this time around he was standing right in the eye of the storm, as the New Light Party, of which he had recently become the chief, was in position to write a new chapter in the history of Ovelian politics as instigator of the first coalition to ever be entrusted with the reins of power. And as if the situation wasn’t sufficiently stimulating already, his atypical and charismatic style was yielding impressive numbers in the polls, keeping him in the limelight as probable leader of the gathering. He could recognize the feeling, and he knew what it meant. He could legitimately aspire to be the next Chancellor. »

As he consults attendants, associates, and advisers of various horizons, we discover how, over the course of the sojourn, the communications will have a tremendous impact on the fate of the Ovelian dominion.

The second chapter of the Threshold Series follows below. Have a pleasant reading !

I was more than surprised this morning when I googled the terms “bookcast” and “bookcasting.” I had imagined that what I was expecting to see in the results would have been common practice in this day and age, and yet I actually saw very little of what I had in mind. Moreover, I couldn’t find entries for the words in Wikipedia, nor in the Wiktionary. In fact, this is the best definition I stumbled upon :

« The goal of a bookcast is to cast as in “to set forth or let loose” a response to the book that shares not the story of the book but something that the book brought out in you, perhaps what you felt or learned through the reading and reflecting. » – BookHenge

I had supposed that bookcasting was closer in intent to other forms of webcasting, like podcasting for instance. That is to say, I had assumed that a bookcast was a means of broadcasting the story itself, and not merely impressions evoked by the story, just like music podcasts generally include the music itself, and not only comments about the music.

That being said, I haven’t altered my plans one iota in light of the finding. Via this bookcast, I will thus release the first book of The Threshold series. Each episode will consist in a complete chapter that will be available for online reading.

This is obviously an experiment for me. Let’s see where this leads to.

The Threshold relates the saga of the Ovelian civilization, a society very similar to our own, as it heads towards one of the most dramatic chain of events of its history.

The first book, « 2206 : Window Onto A New World, » focuses on the end of the year 2206, which culminates on an important federal election that will be impacted by the discovery of an anomaly in the nearby outer space.

Here’s the synopsis of the first book, which also outlines some of the majors arcs of the entire series :

At the turn of the century, Ovel must face the consequences of its accelerated growth. One hundred and twenty seven federated countries and eleven sovereign nations, spread across the homeland and in colonies settled onboard orbiting stations and on a nearby planet. Fourteen billion inhabitants struggling to thrive under the rule of a corrupted Global Government, in power for over forty years.

Fuelled by a recent scientific finding, the once in a lifetime discovery of a discontinuity in the cosmic fabric of the neighbouring space, a coalition of politicians is willing to stand up for the people and radically change things.

Now relegated to the ranks of an obscure sect, the once dominant Community and its disciples must effectively handle the requirements of the Celestials to ensure that the most favourable of all possible destinies comes to pass.

Meanwhile, halfway across the world, a young monk must learn to collaborate with the Enlightened Ones in order to successfully discharge the essential task he has accepted to fulfil in behalf of his monastery.

Will the crucial 2206 electoral campaign climax on the emergence of a charismatic Progressive leader, or will the decried Chancellor prevail despite the many forces scheming for his downfall ?

On a background of environmental and financial crises, and religious influences intertwining with political manoeuvres to determine the fate of the overpopulated orb, The Threshold chronicles the evolution of the Ovelian civilization as it heads towards unprecedented upheaval.

For more details about the series and the bookcast, please see the introduction.

The first chapter, « Homeworld, » introduces one of the main protagonists of the story, Bernard Sturn. The famous physicist is currently working for the Research and Development Administration on Veshtar, the sole inhabited planet in the neighbourhood of Ovel. At the beginning of the narrative, the scientist arrives on the motherland.

As it is the first of the bookcast, the chapter is exceptionally preceded by a prologue.

Without further ado, here’s « Homeworld. » I wish you an enjoyable reading !

(« Goldfish Pulling a Snail Cart » by James Pollock)

« Perseverance » is the fourth of the series of segues composed to join the tracks of an album together into one continuous piece of music.

Each of the junctions highlights a specific quality or knowledge that turned out to be crucial to the completion of a project that demanded many years of sustained striving. As the title indicates, « Perseverance » evokes the capacity to keep going at those times when efforts seem insufficient, and success appears unlikely.

Those of you familiar with the repertoire of Poligraf will possibly recognize some of the themes that are revisited in each of the transitions, and will thus perhaps be able to guess the whole, along with the respective roles of each of the segues. Assuming most things unfold according to plan, the title of the overall resulting piece will only be revealed at the time of its unveiling.

Like its predecessors in the series, the demo is instrumental. Here’s the associated poetry :

it’s curious how it creeps into reality
insidious it just seeps through my leniency
i transgress by neglect not so deliberately
then comes the redirect that dispels apathy

others in selflessness offer their perspective
their seeming carelessness has me introspective
reflections of the part of me that’s defective
upset my applecart corrective collective

chaos augurs the chart moon is square to neptune
the stones also disheart thurisaz baleful rune
no point in blaming them for all the misfortune
their gifts do not condemn they are meant to attune

the needle in the red i’m running on empty
the voices in my head they sing of tragedy
i just can’t go forward father don’t preach to me
my prize is far onward oh good lord have mercy

an absence of reward is no reason to brake
they’ll only have you floored do misgivings forsake
know that lack of success does not a failure make
perfection is progress so do the next step take

focus on the process don’t let the doubts beset
tasks at hand do address do not repine nor fret
you carry no shackle you are under no threat
you face no obstacle you just are not there yet

have no more attachment to scenarios of gloom
make no more investment in destinies of doom
leave dismay to its night rest despair in its tomb
fulfillment is in sight prospects are in the womb

advance and be fruitful on you go thoroughbred
of your heart be heedful by thought don’t be misled
achieve and be peaceful apprehensions do shed
always remain hopeful the stars await ahead

(« Detail of a poster for the International Hygiene Exhibition 1911 in Dresden » by Franz von Stuck)

« Understanding » is the third segue in the series that I have written as a means of combining earlier compositions into a conceptual piece of nearly one hour in duration.

Each of the miniature musical junctions emphasizes a particular lesson that was learned over the course of a demanding quest, proving essential to the success of the endeavour. In the case of « Understanding, » the acquired knowledge concerns what I refer to as the redirection principle, which is also explored in more depth in « Juggernaut, » and « On the Meaning of Sin, » an upcoming essay.

The title of the sections and of the entire assemblage will be revealed once the whole work is finished. Those of you familiar with the repertoire of Poligraf will possibly recognize some of the themes that are revisited in each of the transitions, and will thus perhaps be able to guess the whole, along with the respective roles of each of the segues.

Again this is an all instrumental demo. The complementary verses follow :

and here i go again
a man on a mission
to achieve by mere pen
identification
of all errors and then
their elimination
so all can hear the wren
sing of liberation

in hindsight i recall
throughout my history
icons and figurines
of the virgin mary
gradually fading
out of reality
and how my bad habits
down to sleep had laid me

remove those obstacles
o eastern deity
the knight of pentacles
i vow to embody
persistent truth seeker
devoted to study
the implicate order
and synchronicity

up the tree of knowledge
hybrid trajectory
immeasurable mileage
towards my destiny
occasional slippage
reckless apostasy
reformative passage
humbling recovery

punished by my anger
selfish hamartia
cruel doppelganger
acts in absentia
inveterate scorner
chronic paranoia
in the naughty corner
constant metanoia

then the meaning of sin
prompted the deduction
hinted the principle
revealed course-correction
traditional wisdom
incomplete depiction
the alternative you
asserts redirection

setback or deterrent
helpful mechanism
experience abhorrent
same automatism
progress in merriment
transcends dogmatism
your own experiment
doesn’t need an ism

error is the killer
suppressing the corrupt
thanks to this redeemer
sin will no more irrupt
don’t let consequences
inspiration disrupt
resume your advancement
while evil goes bankrupt

of the deadly seven
the root is obvious
whether proud or lustful
glutton avaricious
indolent or wrathful
or merely envious
the all-important self
disregards the gracious

everything comes from mind
for it is in the lead
none can escape the bind
that follows every deed
leave the poisons behind
ire folly and greed
know the ones who are kind
in happiness succeed

to elude the dust cloud
simply uphold the five
intoxications shroud
decoherences prive
resist the disallowed
towards your goal do strive
stay true to what you’ve vowed
and you will find you thrive

predestined for freewill
construct your adventure
swarms intuit the truth
living architecture
galactic overmind
superconscious structure
error-free dynamic
creating the future

(« Holzfigur Engelchen auf Halbmond » by 4028mdk09)