The Bleikovat Event - The Cairns of
Sainctuarie
by Hawk
MacKinney
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
Among
the close-kin clans of western rural Malfesian Murians, farming and gelf
ranches are long held traditions. Times
are good…full barns, fat gelf calves and large families thrive among the
sprawling grain fields and hamlets and the river from which they derive their
name—the Feldon. Word comes with the
trade caravans that times are not so good in the regions far to the east of the
Feldon River: tumultuous changes stir
among the remote province of Bleikovia.
Old timer Feldovats shrug it off as one more squabble between clans over
boundaries or water rights…too distant to affect the Feldovats.
The western clans
learn too late, however, it is no local squabble. Outnumbered and unprepared, Feldovats resist a
hoard bent on plunder and conquest. Days
of battle along the Feldon River stain the riverbanks in green Murian blood. In the finals days of exhausted fighting,
Judikar Klarvko Celo, leader of the Clan Klarvkon and the Feldovats, is fatally
stabbed with the slow-acting sevon poison.
The Judikar’s consort, Etikaa Klarvkaa, becomes Regentkaa, and with
Celovat Field Commander Korvo Celo serving as her advisor, she leads the
demoralized Feldovat survivors on a gruesome ill-prepared winter trek through
high mountain passes of ice and blizzard snow in an attempt to elude the Green
Dragon forces of the Bleikovats.
Etkaa’s only son,
Klarvko Celo II, helps spirit Feldovat young across a remote mountain exodus to
the west toward Eedov Province. The battered, starving Feldovats reach the
Malfesian coast at Eedov City only to be confronted with their implacable enemy
determined to destroy the remaining Klarvkon rabble. Taking passage on crowded lumbering
Maalonovion freighters, Feldovats and Malfesian refugees set sail. On arrival in Maalon City they are welcomed
among their Maalon hosts, and settle into a new life.
But famine and a
pandemic pestilence stir old hates and nurse former ambitions. The enraged Overseers of Bleikovia move
against the Klarvkons, this time bringing bloodshed to Maalonovia. The exiles from the Feldon must fight once
again, but starvation and plague across the Planete Myr make it a different war
from the battles along the Feldon…a na’รค blikovat…the Bleikovvat Phenomenon…an
event with unexpected consequences and outcomes none could have foreseen.
Before the vendetta
killing is exhausted, the Regentkaa Klarvkaa and her son are swept onto the
Maalon throne, setting the Klarvkon Dynasty and the Murians toward an
intergalactic golden age, and a star-flung destiny the once-agrarian Feldovats
could never have envisaged.
EXCERPT:
There had been warnings; far from the Feldon River, across
the flat prairies and far-flung farming settlements, in the grain fields and
remote gelf ranches of the far-west reaches of Feldon provinces. Most dismissed
them, “…idle gossip from those with too little to do.”
The onslaught struck late and faraway during the last
harvesting moons of the growing season, and once again unsettled whispers
passed. Among the markets and along trade routes far from the fields and farms
of the Feldovat fiefdoms the word spread.
That was before dispatch riders and message runners on
ponderous muscled claks brought more disturbing news: Heavy raids and ambushes
all along the hinterlands this side of the Bleikov-Bormeikovat frontiers.
One grizzled Murian farmer’s slit-pupils narrowed to thin
slivers. Gently tightened the reins, hooked to the plough. The lumbering gelf
plodded to a stop. He laid the planed-wood handles of the plough sidewise onto
the fresh furrow. Without moving from the trenched rows the gelf reached its
thick neck to nibble the green tufts around its feet. The weathered work-aged
farmer carefully slipped the reins off his shoulder. Fingered the split
creeping along one sweat-stained handle, muttered, “…get this to the woodworker
before spring ploughing times. Get it braced before I have to barter for a new
plough handle.” Pulled off his wide-brim woven hat; wiped his forehead.
Uncorked his gelf-leather water pouch; took long slow swallows. Spit a
bitter-chewed slurry of brown chakklu; scowled,"…ill-tempered uplander
Bleikovats." After another long swallow he re-plugged the pouch. Bit off
another twist of dried chakklu.
Coming up the next furrow behind him, his nephew pulled the
harrow to a stop across from his uncle. Kicked loose a couple of big weeded
clods wedged under the harrow frame and brushed dirt off the mottled green scab
on the back of his hand he had cut yestermorn while sharpening the plough.
Reached for his water bag. "Bleikovats are sure stirring a big fuss.” Put
down his water bag to help stack the shocks; hefted another bound sheaf.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
With
postgraduate degrees and faculty appointments in several medical universities,
Hawk MacKinney has taught graduate courses in both the United States and
Jerusalem. In addition to professional articles and texts on chordate
neuroembryology, Hawk has authored several works of fiction.
Hawk began
writing mysteries for his school newspaper. His works of fiction, historical
love stories, science fiction and mystery-thrillers are not genre-centered, but
plot-character driven, and reflect his southwest upbringing in Arkansas, Texas
and Oklahoma. Moccasin Trace, a historical novel nominated for the prestigious
Michael Shaara Award for Excellence in Civil War Fiction and the Writers Notes
Book Award, details the family bloodlines of his serial protagonist in the
Craige Ingram Mystery Series. Vault of Secrets, the first book in the Ingram
series, was followed by Nymrod Resurrection, Blood and Gold, and The Lady of
Corpsewood Manor. All have received national attention. Walking the Pet is Hawk’s latest release in
the Ingram series. The first book in another mystery-thriller series is
scheduled for release in 2015. The Bleikovat Event, the first volume in The
Cairns of Sainctuarie science fiction series, was released in 2012. Its sequel,
The Missing Planets, has just been released.
Hawk MacKinney will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN
GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Use the rafflecopter link below to enter. You can find his schedule at http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2015/03/blurb-blitz-bleikovat-event-cairns-of.html
Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteFascinating and unique sounding story. Enjoyed the excerpt.
ReplyDeleteElaine CANTRELL -Thank U for hosting The Bleikovat Event International Book Tour, Vol-I in The Cairns of Saintuaries series with its mix of genre(s) and characters. It is much appreciated. For readers following my Sci-Fi titles, Vol-II, has been released. Vol-III is in the edit stage with Vol-IV in the Saintuarie series to follow.
ReplyDeleteHawk MacKinney
www.hawkmackinney.net
MomJANE - I enjoyed spinning the yard in Bleikovat & Vol-II, The Missing Planets...its tour starts the 25th of this month. Tale took me into all sort of niches I hadn't thought of. Glad U liked the excerpt...enjoy the read -
ReplyDeleteHawk MacK
I like the blurb, sounds like a great read.
ReplyDeleteRITA - hope U enjoy the read. Thanx for stopping by, commenting -
ReplyDeleteHmK