Concealed Kingdoms: The Serial

I think of the Concealed Kingdoms as The Many Colored Land meets The World of Tiers, the former by Julian May and the latter by Philip Jose Farmer.

Like the world of Tiers, there are many pocket worlds where mythological creatures and peoples live. The fey are not magical beings, but have psychic powers; each individual fey is uniquely stronger or weaker in one or another of these powers, which they can combine to manifest various effects. Some can create physical objects, and the most powerful of these can create miniature worlds in offset dimensions linked to our world by hidden gates, visible only to the fey or those of fey blood.

Fey are born with no active powers. These develop in their teen years, and can only be brought to full fruition by the touch of an adult fey. This is known as breakthrough. Those who do not trigger their abilities in this way begin to develop powers anyway, and will eventually breakthrough alone... but critically, their powers will likely burn out, leaving them as fail - not human, but with only one ability over which they have no conscious control; a talent for healing, perhaps unusual strength, vastly enhanced empathy or some other ability which they take for granted.

Fey are the witches, the mythical heroes and the gods of our myths and legends. Also the witches and sorcerers, the telepaths and telekinetics of whom rumours still persist.

As children, their only defense mechanism is a power they have no control over. Humans do not see them, unless the young fey make a determined effort, and they are soon forgotten as soon as they are still and silent for even a moment. This defense mechanism protects them from humans who might take them for witches, humans who turn against anyone different.

Each young fey is left a clue, which can lead them to one of the pocket universes where the population of fey is most dense and where they are most likely to have a successful breakthrough and become full fledged fey in their turn - fey with their own set of powers and abilities.

Of course, many fey live in our world.

The Concealed Kingdoms novels are already available, and read and loved by some. The Concealed Kingdoms serial is intended to introduce more readers to this fun set of world and characters. The serial is ongoing and will include the third novel before long.

Chris Northern's YA fantasy novel The King's Ward is a delight to the mind. 5/5-unique! - Kelly Smith Reviews