Publisher's Synopsis
Henry Mighty and Strange Moran are concerned with keeping the pub on the isolated island of Mora running, observing proper customs at all times, and of course, saving Henry's young and magical nephew Wayward from the Kildareen Empire. It didn't seem too much to ask from a pair of hearty and well-mannered wood elves. But as they drink and ponder their options, a pair of raft men are being drawn their way, the high elves are about to make their first appearance since their defeat by the Kildareens more than a century earlier, and a powerful and ambitious wizard is about to leave his plotting in the dwarven mines of Elonia and turn his attention to their little island. In the midst of it all, a strange and powerful creature known as the Ballyman is also being drawn, on his little coracle, to Mora. But will the appearance of the Ballyman save them, or bring down the wrath of the Kildareen Empire? For a human, Mr. McKenzie has done an admirable job of telling the story of how the elvish folk of Mora stood up to the might of the Kildareen Empire. Indeed, the songs of our victory would be sung until the last ringing, except that we can never speak of the matter, lest the Kildareens find out what actually happened. - Henry Mighty, proprietor of Bell's Last Hotel. This account of events on the island of Mora is wildly inaccurate. In particular, I would protest that the Kildareen Empire is portrayed unfairly. Our rule is for the benefit of all subjects, whether human, dwarf or elf. - Doctor Jonas Bearing, Emissary of the Kildareen Empire. When we get our hands on this writer calling himself S.J. McKenzie, we will extract from him what he knows, and the identity of his sources. I swear we will put an end to these slanderous lies concerning magic more powerful than our own. - High Lord James Faraday of Kildare. S. J. McKenzie is an Adelaide-based fantasy writer. He holds a PhD in English Literature from the University of Adelaide with a thesis on medieval travel writing and cartography. He is the author of the on-line collection of Celtic stories in the Blue Men, Green Women series. He has also written widely on ideas of sustainability in different cultures. Two stints living in the Pacific islands (Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea) gave him a chance to engage other cultures first hand. Since returning to Australia he has been working on the Mirror of Seasons quartet, of which The Ballyman Waits is the first instalment. You can find out more about S.J. McKenzie at sjmckenzie.com.
