Tasman's Travail
The Journey Down Under
by
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ENTITY SAGA SUMMARY His parents are Cain and Lilith. His birthright is as a savage and mindless killer of all in his path. No one is spared. Yet this is just his first incarnation. He is an intangible force that brings the undead to the world. His bloodlust populates the world with night creatures, fanged demons that need only blood to sustain them. As the first and the primary undead being, he is actually more than vampire. Unlike his brethren, he is capable of moving from one human body to another, always immortal. And when he is out of body, his being is amorphous, dark and what is visible is shaped as if he were a floating, ugly black spider. And that thing is the entity. And, in spite of his power, he has an Overlord who rules him completely. This master of his dictates the skins which the entity must inhabit. So what is the nature of this all powerful One? The first skin is Mezopx, night tyrant who dwells in the bosom of Akkadia along the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. He scours this desert land for opposing forces and annihilates them. Mercy is not an option. Then, he is startled when made to exit Mezopx and discovers his true form as no more than a mighty shadow; yet without power supreme. He is sentient for centuries while he awaits the command of his Overlord to permeate another skin. And this skin is that of Septimius Severus. This is a Roman Emperor, petty and brutal, whose bureaucratic iron hand brings most of Europe under Rome’s dominion. Then miraculously, as the entity inhabits others (those others are always significant in history’s unfurling), a gradual evolution in his core develops. The dark is never struck down but the light continues its advance in order to perpetually encroach upon the evil. The skins, Cinaed Mac Alpin, Kakeobuk, Abel Tasman and finally Marius Petipa, show the entity alternatives of love, compassion and even empathy. Though, as vampire king, this softening always goes nearly unnoticed by those surrounding him; this is much to his frustration finally. And he is always misunderstood except as an icon of evil. So ultimately, with this always upon him, he retreats. Before his capitulation though, his massive years and habitations take him to many lands. From Mesopotamia, he traverses Europe, becomes intimately embroiled in the formation of Scotland and then leaves that continent. He becomes a mighty and magnificent Mississippian Indian chieftain named Kakeobuk, wise leader of the city of Cahokia. He is flung to the other side of the world thereafter to find embodiment in Abel Tasman, European discoverer of Tasmania and New Zealand. Finally, he falls into his last embodiment as a maestro, an artiste, Marius Petipa. His Overlord is obviously pleased as the entity is permitted the skin of a noble person, at long last. And this saga involves other than just the emotional and spiritual evolution of the entity. The clash of cultures (the history presented is always factual to the best levels of our research) sprang eternal throughout his epochal journey. These cultures most especially include the Gaels, the Picts, and the Vikings, then onward to be enmeshed in North American Indian culture. The cultures of the Moriori and the Maori of New Zealand and Chatham Island impact one another spectacularly. German and Russian culture is seen side by side. Ultimately, the Marius that the entity becomes and remains as visits present day Seattle too. Some of the characters that are encountered in the saga are luminous but never perfect. Some are harsh and cruel but with a bite of remorse. Some are evil and demonic but never entirely so. None are simply understood. The ironies and paradoxes revealed demonstrate the contest of good and bad within us all, reflected individually and collectively as a society and species. The saga attempts to make a subtle case for letting go of stereotypes and for the evolution of all beings to ultimately move toward the light. And yes, the books all contain what we euphemistically call “spice”. We try to use explanations that ease the prospective reader into the erotic realms of these books. We think an unvarnished announcement and celebration of sex as one of the most vital aspects of human interaction, species survival and longevity is critical. To be human is to be sexual. We also use vampires as a template of what might even decently transpire with the worst creatures that the human imagination can conjure up. Vampires certainly fill the bill. The notion of good vampires breaks all stereotypes regarding the conjoined twins of good and evil. Fairy tales linger in one of the books. Fantasy as fact; fact as fantasy. What is real and what is not? Open mindedness to a full spectrum of possibilities is a positive. Before more is given away by us, the books within the Entity’s Saga are: 1. Treason’s Truth; Mac Alpin’s Scotland. This is where Scotland finally comes together in unity in the ninth century A. D. 2. Eagle’s Eclipse; America Before Columbus. And this is where North American Indian society in the fifteenth century A.D. walks. 3. Tasman’s Travail; The Journey Down Under. Sadly for the indigenous population, Europeans discover New Zealand in the seventeenth century A. D. 4. Forbidden Tome; Hansel and Gretel’s True Tale. Germany and Russia in the nineteenth century A. D. reveal their hands. 5. Lethal Assumed; Lost Tome Found. Who knew that vampires existed in present day Seattle and that fairy tales can become corporeal? Now, for your further reading pleasure, here is the brief backstory to this accomplishment of ours: Jeffrey Underwood already had writing blood coursing through him. He first put pen to paper in the form of a few short stories. A friend read the stories and thought them to be good enough to encourage him to write more. At the same time, Jeff had finished reading Wicked by Greg McGuire, as well as Anne Rice's Beauty series. It was this combination of reading, writing and encouragement that found Jeff collecting his thoughts, ideas and writing his first book, Forbidden Tome; Hansel and Gretel's True Tale, a topsy turvy book that turned a fairy tale on its head. Shortly after publishing Forbidden Tome, Jeff met Kate Taylor online and asked her to help research and give him her feminine perspective in his next book, Lethal Assumed; Lost Tome Found. The collaboration of their writing together fell easily into place. Through his early writing career, Jeff was introduced to Mac Alpin's treason and a tattooed clan known as the Picts. He had a desire in the back of his mind to write about Mac Alpin as well as the Picts. As Jeff and Kate worked together, they cultivated that desire and decided to carry his initial tomes through in what has become the full saga of the Entity with history, plot twists and spice as the backbone of it all. And oh yes, there is a subtly evident thread of evolving spirituality too. We love doing this. Completing the Entity Saga made us sad because it was hard to leave our characters. They are part of what makes writing such a joy. Thank you for reading this and for reading us. Be well. Jeff Underwood and Kate Taylor
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About the Book
The Dutch East India Company is in the throes of expansion. They are seeking gold, treasure, land to conquer and an easy passage to South America. Still in thrall to the invisible Hand of his Overlord, the long lived vampire entity is compelled to find new skin. And he does exactly that.
This is another chapter in the entity’s evolution toward the light. And he finds himself suddenly in the guise of Abel Tasman, Master Commander and brave explorer, who becomes the first European to espy the sites of Van Diemen’s Land, eventually Tasmania, and of New Zealand. It is sixteen hundred and forty two and white man’s expansion is in full throttle.
Much of this book, as with the others of the Entity Saga, rides true facts and historical details of the early European discovery in the South Seas. In this book, uncover the oft en calamitous influence of white colonialism on the indigenous peoples. Be also exposed to the early myths and cultures of the Maori and the Moriori. And why the Moriori went into near absolute decline. And discover the nature of cannibalism as it was practiced then.
The story that merges with the fact of history is vast. The characters encounter pirates, sharks, native resistance and a demon who challenges the ultimate power of the entity. The whirlwind story is compelling and captivating.
The romance of the virgin territory, the vital history and the erotic permutations of the characters will put a spell on you. Once that spell has you almost within its grasp…
It is at that moment to let this tale sink its fangs into your most vulnerable parts.
About the Author
Jeffrey Underwood graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in psychology. Though he has practiced as a Registered Nurse for many years, he comes from a family of published authors. His first published work was The Forbidden Tome; Hansel and Gretel’s True Tale. His second was entitled Lethal Assumed; Lost Tome Found. This is his fifth book in the Entity Saga and his third that encompasses true historical fiction. He currently resides in Mountlake Terrace, Washington, a suburb of Seattle and again hopes that those who read this fifth offering enjoy the time spent. Kate Taylor collaborated with Jeffrey Underwood on two prior novels, entitled Treason’s Truth; Mac Alpin’s Scotland and Eagle’s Eclipse; America Before Columbus. This present collaboration is her third with Jeffrey. This book is entitled Tasman’s Travail; The Journey Down Under and it completes the trek of the Entity.
Kate is nationally certified as an Activities Director. While she has worked in healthcare for many years and won awards for her service there, she is also talented in the world of watercolor and enjoys playing the piano. This work is her fourth serious effort at writing as her first work is entitled The Pink Eraser. She has contributed to books in the Activities profession. They say that no one lives in New Hampshire, but Kate does, and she has much in the way of writing to share. She hopes that all who read this tale of fiction and much fact will want for more.
On a playful level, Kate and Jeff have also combined in writing Rule of Thumb & Fingers, a texter’s bible with lots of laughs and Sock Monkey Life which is full of sheer creativity. Jeff and Kate met online and found that their collaborative interests meshed splendidly and this novel is an example of that blending of gusto for writing that they certainly both have.