2. Lyric’s Epic Story
Having dispensed with the why, let’s tackle the what.
The Locutor Series begins in the land of the Nine Communities, which is a large island populated by nine distinct population centers, each created in the aftermath of a terrible war. The land is governed by a strict legal agreement – the Covenant – which defines a pacifistic and highly regimented political structure. The first book in the series, The Featherweight Augur, opens during an Exchange Festival between the communities of Heathland and Fen, about a century after the conclusion of warfare. It is a beautiful day, full of good friends and good food, that is suddenly shattered by a violent attack from a man no one has ever met before.
The stranger is captured and questioned by Lyric, who is Heathland’s locutor. Each of the communities has a locutor, as well as a praeceptor and a consiliator. These three roles – comprising the leadership triad – are special positions occupied by individuals who have trained for years. In Lyric’s case, she is Heathland’s youngest and perhaps most talented locutor in its hundred-year existence. Each locutor is trained in the use of a special material called mind-stones, which allows them to peer into the thoughts and memories of their fellow citizens. The mind-stones are not magic; rather, they are the result of years of experimentation and refinement by the citizens of the Nine Communities. They are instrumental in ensuring peace and order throughout the land, and for this reason the locutors serve an especially important role in this world.
But in the early pages of the first book of the series, Lyric’s investigation comes up against ideas and concepts that she cannot comprehend. The stranger speaks of unfamiliar things: a sorcerer, a god, and a mysterious implement called the featherweight augur. When Lyric contacts the locutor of a neighboring community, Coppice, she discovers that they, too, have been beset by acts of violence from strangers. Something is afoot, some conspiracy is at play. It will cost Lyric a great deal of effort and sacrifice to finally understand the reasons behind this violence. In so doing, she will learn hard lessons about those things in which she previously put her faith: the Covenant’s laws, her fellow citizens, and the ideals that have supposedly guided them since the war.
The Locutor Series bends genre conventions and – quite often – is written to straddle traditional dividing lines between, say, fantasy, science fiction, and hard-boiled detective novels. The first three books in the series problematize the usual story beats of “the quest” as well as the standard “hero” narrative. Don’t get me wrong: Lyric is surely a hero, and she doggedly pursues a quest. But nothing comes easy in the Nine Communities, and for every moment Lyric seizes, she inadvertently sets in motion events well beyond her control.
The first three books in the series – The Featherweight Augur, The Silent Mountain, and The Shattered City – hang together as a large “first act” in the story. Thematically, the books wrestle with the role that Lyric plays in the Nine Communities: what does she owe tradition? When do old practices wear thin and require updating? What responsibility does she bear for her fellow citizens, and how can she weigh this responsibility against being true to herself? How much can one person push against big problems, how much can any of us reasonably hope to shape the course of the times we live in? Lyric feels her responsibilities deeply, she is endlessly curious about the world, and she is quick-witted to boot. All this to say: Lyric answers these questions in her own unique way, set against the backdrop of a world that is rapidly evolving alongside her.
The Featherweight Augur is set entirely in Heathland, past and present. We learn about Lyric, witness her keen skills, and gain some insight into what makes her tick. Portions of the book’s timeline are presented out of order, which allows the reader to experience some carefully constructed backstory at the same time as explosive action and tense dialogue. The Silent Mountain moves well outside of Heathland – both geographically and temporally. Readers get to see what life is like in at least one other community (no spoilers!) and learn about the rich history of the mind-stones. And The Shattered City opens with a chaotic fever dream of narrative before delving into a battle, a genre-shifting revelation, and a grand deception.
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