The Riddle of the Seal — Michael Francis Gibson

Chronicles of the Greater Dream A Full Account of Recent Events in Gondwana Cast in the familiar form of a fantasy novel, this sweeping trilogy by Miguel Errazu (alter ego of the art writer Michael Francis Gibson) is a work of tremendous scope, imagination and sensibility. Combining imaginative playfulness, colorful imagery, and seriousness of purpose, this wise and witty book is about our being in the world and about the status of the imagination in modern society. The thrilling narrative conjures up a parallel world of such dazzling beauty that it should prompt readers to stand up, like the protagonist of this tale, and reclaim this half-forgotten dimension of their own lives First Episode: The Riddle of the Seal In The Riddle of the Seal, the first episode of this story, we happen upon an amnesic youth detained in a secret prison at the heart of a nameless desert �" he thinks his name is Teddy. He shortly makes his escape and, with some newfound friends, he undertakes a journey that will reveal his long forgotten identity and invite him to reclaim his royal heritage: Gondwana, “the famed Third Hemisphere of Antiquity” over which his grandfather had once ruled. These Chronicles relate Teddy's epic journey through the land, in the course of which he is challenged to solve a seemingly insoluble riddle,�" the riddle of the seal �" which, turns out to be relevant to every human life. This is fantasy without the usual trappings of magic, for what need does one have for spells and spirits when one has the inexhaustible magic of the Third Hemisphere? Izhar Cohen's witty and poetic illustrations weave a delightful counterpoint into the three episodes of this great tale of adventure. “This is absolutely a book for our time. Part fantasy, part adventure, part mystery it is also a metaphor for a world in need of healing of itself. Extraordinarily, sometimes eerily, imaginative, the story will appeal not only to those who enjoyed the fun of The Lord of the Rings sagas but to those looking for modern political and ecological parallels.” Harvey Bamberg.