The Gifting
Hidden among the sands of the Kalcool desert, the village of Sharacan is all that remains of a once vibrant trading city. Jarrak, an archaeologist who arrives from across the vast and desolate lands, encounters Hestean, an inquisitive teen who finds employment with him on the archaeology trail.
The Black Robes of the College, who now rule Sharacan, are a sinister sect who seek to thwart the pair. With their vendetta against women who gain knowledge, they attempt to suppress the intellect of Hestean, but not before she finds the truth about herself and how her lineage brought her to this very place in time.
Fleeing to another region on Meglian, after being banished by the Robes for finding an ancient relic, she is gifted her true heritage. In doing so, she will change the world.
In a heady tale of Gods, deserts, and covert adventure, what will Hestean, and the relic, unravel?
5 STAR Readers Favourite Award – Reviewed by K.C. Finn
J D Cosh has crafted a gorgeous flight of fancy that will transport you to a cinematic and atmospherically rich land and make you want to stay there. Cosh’s worldbuilding sets us up for something unique, delivering not only multi-faceted details about this dystopian world of sects and secrets but also a rich social history that shapes each character’s attitude and approach to how they live their life. Hestean’s character development is also a stellar central feature of the novel, as the narrative and dialogue presentation keeps her voyage of discovery fresh and filled with natural exposition, and the plot challenges her to grow both emotionally and psychologically. I cannot recommend The Gifting
highly enough for sci-fi and fantasy fans everywhere and I cannot wait to see more tales in this fantastic world from this imaginative and accomplished author.
Author Bio
John D Cosh
Until recently I have always been a grain farmer, but all my life I’ve been a storyteller too.
After finishing my schooling in Sydney, I returned to the family farms in northern New South Wales – north of Moree – and eventually ran properties of my own. I am now retired and live in the Clarence Valley.
Alongside this farming life, as a youngster and then in my teens, I wrote songs and poetry. Then till my thirties I told stories with photography. I have also always been a drawer, and the next phase of my storytelling took me to painting. But although I was good at photography and painting, I’ve been told I paint my best images with words. And so, for the last twenty years, that’s been where I’ve devoted my efforts.
I’m in my sixth decade now and have always written for myself. I think if you don’t, then the stories you tell will never be real. I write mostly in the genres of fantasy and historical fiction with the occasional deviation into no-fiction about the historical aspects of my family.
Although dyslexic, this has never hindered my writing, it just means I’m slow at reading, and no-one should think of it as a disability. I haven’t, as there are ways around everything. You just need to look for them.
I think the English language is a bounty that you have to both see and taste to appreciate. Yes, language has a flavour and so do writers; and they all deserve to be enjoyed by their readers. So, having said that, I hope you might be one of those who’ll like this vision that has sprung from my mind.
