Fancies Archive

The Golden Transcendence 07: The Duel

Posted February 12, 2025 By John C Wright

From THE GOLDEN TRANSCENDENCE, vol. III of my debut trilogy.

In the far future, the Golden Oecumene has elevated the immortals of the solar system to untrammeled triumphs of abundance, liberty, and splendor. But, hidden by masquerade, a sinister threat arises from the dark star Cygnus X1, man’s sole exosolar colony, the long-lost Silent Oecumene.

Phaethon of Rhadamanth, bedeviled and beguiled by agents of the Lords of the Silent Oecumene, returns from exile to confront them. He must battle them in the core of the Sun, the core of his mind and memory, and at the apex of all abstraction, when the Golden Transcendence gathers all minds in the solar system into one communion, and all truths are laid bare.

The Golden Transcendence Ep. 07: The Duel

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Queen Zixi visits Oz

Posted February 11, 2025 By John C Wright

Apropos of a discussion in an earlier column, here is an illustration by John R. Neill of the visit by Queen Zixi of Ix to Oz on the occasion of Ozma’s birthday, as described by the royal historian, L Frank Baum, in ROAD TO OZ.

Her appearance is somewhat changed from the depiction by Frederick Richardson, but since, canonically, her appearance is an illusion that fools all eyes but her own, she could have as many heads and hair colors as Princess Langwidere of Ev.

For those of you who are interested, here are some of the other Guests of Oz, and their native storybooks.

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The Envy of Queen Zixi of Ix

Posted February 7, 2025 By John C Wright

This is a story by L Frank Baum, author of the Oz books, one of his lesser known works, called QUEEN ZIXI of IX it was written in 1905.

The tale is now 120 years old, but this point is more poignant and potent in our day than when it was written.  Allow me to quote the whole passage at length, so that my dear readers might see and savor the simple wisdom here, and also the delicate beauty of the illustrations by Frederick Richardson.

The conceit of the tale is that the fairies have bestowed on mortals a cloak to grant its wearer his spoken wish.  The cloak is given to two innocent children, King Bud and Princess Fluff of Noland, but when the Witch Queen of the neighboring kingdom of Ix hears rumor of it, she vows a mighty vow to obtain possession of it.

This vow, and her many efforts and deceptions, she expends to achieve it, unbeknownst to her, are in vain from  the outset. For the fairies who wove the magic cloak wove in the blessing that the cloak grants no wish to anyone who steals it.

The author insists Queen Zixi is not a bad person, despite being a witch, but is carried off by her envy.

What I find fascinating about this 1905 children’s book is the resolution of the Queen’s fascination with envy is brought about by the chance encounter with three weeping figures: an alligator, an owl, and a ferryman’s daughter.

Note in particular what it is the third weeping figure pines to have, and how it was used in the tale as an epitome of foolishness.

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The Art and Craft of Writing Romance

Posted February 5, 2025 By John C Wright

My lovely and talented wife is kickstarting her first Kickstarter campaign.

Beauty and the Beast, Scarlett and Rhett, Lizzie Bennett and Mr. Darcy… we love to read and re-read our favorite couples falling in love.

Do you yearn to know how the authors wove these timeless tales and how you can do the same?  

Then this course, The Art and Craft of Writing Romance, is for you!

kickstarter.com/projects/artcr

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The Golden Transcendence 06: Tale of the Silence

Posted February 5, 2025 By John C Wright

From THE GOLDEN TRANSCENDENCE, vol. III of my debut trilogy.

In the far future, the Golden Oecumene has elevated the immortals of the solar system to untrammeled triumphs of abundance, liberty, and splendor. But, hidden by masquerade, a sinister threat arises from the dark star Cygnus X1, man’s sole exosolar colony, the long-lost Silent Oecumene.

Phaethon of Rhadamanth, bedeviled and beguiled by agents of the Lords of the Silent Oecumene, returns from exile to confront them. He must battle them in the core of the Sun, the core of his mind and memory, and at the apex of all abstraction, when the Golden Transcendence gathers all minds in the solar system into one communion, and all truths are laid bare.

The Golden Transcendence Ep. 06: Tale of the Silence

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The Golden Transcendence 05: The Silent Oecumene

Posted January 29, 2025 By John C Wright

From THE GOLDEN TRANSCENDENCE, vol. III of my debut trilogy.

In the far future, the Golden Oecumene has elevated the immortals of the solar system to untrammeled triumphs of abundance, liberty, and splendor. But, hidden by masquerade, a sinister threat arises from the dark star Cygnus X1, man’s sole exosolar colony, the long-lost Silent Oecumene.

Phaethon of Rhadamanth, bedeviled and beguiled by agents of the Lords of the Silent Oecumene, returns from exile to confront them. He must battle them in the core of the Sun, the core of his mind and memory, and at the apex of all abstraction, when the Golden Transcendence gathers all minds in the solar system into one communion, and all truths are laid bare.

The Golden Transcendence Ep. 05: The Silent Oecumene

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The Golden Transcendence 04: Diomedes

Posted January 22, 2025 By John C Wright

From THE GOLDEN TRANSCENDENCE, vol. III of my debut trilogy.

In the far future, the Golden Oecumene has elevated the immortals of the solar system to untrammeled triumphs of abundance, liberty, and splendor. But, hidden by masquerade, a sinister threat arises from the dark star Cygnus X1, man’s sole exosolar colony, the long-lost Silent Oecumene.

Phaethon of Rhadamanth, bedeviled and beguiled by agents of the Lords of the Silent Oecumene, returns from exile to confront them. He must battle them in the core of the Sun, the core of his mind and memory, and at the apex of all abstraction, when the Golden Transcendence gathers all minds in the solar system into one communion, and all truths are laid bare.

The Golden Transcendence Ep. 04: Diomedes

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The Golden Transcendence 03: Thought Contamination

Posted January 15, 2025 By John C Wright

From THE GOLDEN TRANSCENDENCE, vol. III of my debut trilogy.

In the far future, the Golden Oecumene has elevated the immortals of the solar system to untrammeled triumphs of abundance, liberty, and splendor. But hidden by masquerade, a sinister threat arises from the dark star Cygnus X1, man’s sole exosolar colony, the long-lost Silent Oecumene.

Phaethon of Rhadamanth, bedeviled and beguiled by agents of the Lords of the Silent Oecumene, returns from exile to confront them. He must battle them in the core of the Sun, the core of his mind and memory, and at the apex of all abstraction, when the Golden Transcendence gathers all minds in the solar system into one communion, and all truths are laid bare.

The Golden Transcendence Ep. 03: Thought Contamination

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The Golden Transcendence 02: The Memory Casket

Posted January 9, 2025 By John C Wright

From THE GOLDEN TRANSCENDENCE, vol. III of my debut trilogy.

In the far future, the Golden Oecumene has elevated the immortals of the solar system to untrammeled triumphs of abundance, liberty, and splendor. But hidden by masquerade, a sinister threat arises from the dark star Cygnus X1, man’s sole exosolar colony, the long-lost Silent Oecumene.

Phaethon of Rhadamanth, bedeviled and beguiled by agents of the Lords of the Silent Oecumene, returns from exile to confront them. He must battle them in the core of the Sun, the core of his mind and memory, and at the apex of all abstraction, when the Golden Transcendence gathers all minds in the solar system into one communion, and all truths are laid bare.

The Golden Transcendence Ep. 02: The Memory Casket

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The Golden Transcendence 01: The Ship

Posted January 2, 2025 By John C Wright

From THE GOLDEN TRANSCENDENCE, vol. III of my debut trilogy.

In the far future, the Golden Oecumene has elevated the immortals of the solar system to untrammeled triumph of abundance, liberty, and splendor.

But hidden by the protocols of masquerade, a sinister threat arises from the dead star Cygnus X1, site of mankind’s sole extrasolar colony, which, falling silent in aeons past, long thought dead, is called the Silent Oecumene.

Phaethon of Rhadamanth, bedeviled and beguiled by agents of the Lords of the Silent Oecumene, returns from exile to confront them, as the last of the masquerade comes to an end. He must battle them in the core of the Sun, the core of his mind and memory, and at the apex of all abstraction ere the end.

The Golden Transcendence gathers all minds in the solar system, natural and artificial, into one communion, and all truths are laid bare.

The Golden Transcendence Ep. 01: The Ship

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The Phoenix Exultant Ep. 39: The Warship Exultant

Posted December 26, 2024 By John C Wright

From THE PHOENIX EXULTANT, vol. II of my debut trilogy.

In the far future, where men are as gods, living lives of perfect peace and prosperity, Phaethon of Rhadamanthus discovers all memory of his lifework has been hidden from him. For he is the engineer of the sole starship his civilization has ever produced: the mighty, majestic, and immense Phoenix Exultant. She is a ship to conquer the stars.

But such ambition is outlawed in utopia. Phaethon is a pariah, exiled mentally and physically, denuded of possessions, and cast down among outcasts. His life is sought by sinister agents of the Silent Oecumene: an apocalyptic menace none but he dares see. For in a world where mind or memory can be edited at will, what is truth?

The Phoenix Exultant Ep. 39: The Warship Exultant

This is the final episode of Vol II: THE PHOENIX EXULTANT
Next week, we serialize Vol III: THE GOLDEN TRANSCENDENCE.

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The Phoenix Exultant Ep. 38: Godspeed

Posted December 18, 2024 By John C Wright

From THE PHOENIX EXULTANT, vol. II of my debut trilogy.

In the far future, where men are as gods, living lives of perfect peace and prosperity, Phaethon of Rhadamanthus discovers all memory of his lifework has been hidden from him. For he is the engineer of the sole starship his civilization has ever produced: the mighty, majestic, and immense Phoenix Exultant. She is a ship to conquer the stars.

But such ambition is outlawed in utopia. Phaethon is a pariah, exiled mentally and physically, denuded of possessions, and cast down among outcasts. His life is sought by sinister agents of the Silent Oecumene: an apocalyptic menace none but he dares see. For in a world where mind or memory can be edited at will, what is truth?

The Phoenix Exultant Ep. 38: Godspeed

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The Phoenix Exultant Ep. 37: Twelfth’s Night Eve

Posted December 11, 2024 By John C Wright

From THE PHOENIX EXULTANT, vol. II of my debut trilogy.

In the far future, where men are as gods, living lives of perfect peace and prosperity, Phaethon of Rhadamanthus discovers all memory of his lifework has been hidden from him. For he is the engineer of the sole starship his civilization has ever produced: the mighty, majestic, and immense Phoenix Exultant. She is a ship to conquer the stars.

But such ambition is outlawed in utopia. Phaethon is a pariah, exiled mentally and physically, denuded of possessions, and cast down among outcasts. His life is sought by sinister agents of the Silent Oecumene: an apocalyptic menace none but he dares see. For in a world where mind or memory can be edited at will, what is truth?

The Phoenix Exultant Ep. 37: Twelfth’s Night Eve

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Murphy’s War by Stephen G Johnson

Posted December 11, 2024 By John C Wright

These are books by a personal friend of mine, Steven G. Johnson, which I am willing to recommend just on the strength of his role playing games he moderated back when we were in school together. He knows how to cobble together a fun, fast-moving action-adventure plot.

Operation Vampirehttps://www.amazon.com/Operation-Vampire-Murphys-War-Book-ebook/dp/B0BNYC9QGF

Operation Reaperhttps://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BNY9JWY8
Operation Zombiehttps://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BNYB6VJZ
Operation Werewolfhttps://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BNYC6GQN

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The Phoenix Exultant Ep. 36: Transit to Mercury

Posted December 4, 2024 By John C Wright

From THE PHOENIX EXULTANT, vol. II of my debut trilogy.

In the far future, where men are as gods, living lives of perfect peace and prosperity, Phaethon of Rhadamanthus discovers all memory of his lifework has been hidden from him. For he is the engineer of the sole starship his civilization has ever produced: the mighty, majestic, and immense Phoenix Exultant. She is a ship to conquer the stars.

But such ambition is outlawed in utopia. Phaethon is a pariah, exiled mentally and physically, denuded of possessions, and cast down among outcasts. His life is sought by sinister agents of the Silent Oecumene: an apocalyptic menace none but he dares see. For in a world where mind or memory can be edited at will, what is truth?

The Phoenix Exultant Ep. 36: Transit to Mercury

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