The Observer is a Security Corps officer posted to the port city of Lemaigne in a fictional, dark romantic, Age of Sail world — with a touch of pulp fiction grit.
When I first submitted the original short story version of The Ligan of the Disomus to a writers’ group at West Virginia State, one of the other writers described it as “Melville meets film noir meets the X-Files.”
That was a jackpot critique as far as I was concerned, and it cemented the Observer’s world in my mind as a place I wanted to write more about.
Book 1: The Lemaigne Casebook or The Crow And The Kinnebeck [draft] – An Observer is assigned to the port city of Lemaigne, and must protect the niece of his commanding officer through a series of bizarre incidents, and prevent a backwoodsman from taking revenge on the man who murdered his wife. Excerpts from Casebook, rendered as short stories, are:
“The Dun Cat Of Mill Bridge” – Diana convinces the Observer to investigate a series of disappearances north of Lemaigne, and both of them end up facing a creature of dark legend.
“The Empty House” – An ancient house in the heights of Lemaigne was once home to a prominent townsman and his children, until it began to collapse, along with his reputation among the city’s elite.
“The Chameleon Missive” – A disguise artist steals three crates of gold coins, fleeing to Lemaigne; can the Observer catch him before he escapes to sea?
Book 2: The Ligan of the Disomus [finished, under revision] – The Lemaigne Observer grudgingly investigates a series of murders committed by strange brothers from across the sea, and realizes that his world and his Commonwealth are far more mysterious than he wanted to admit. Excerpts from Ligan, rendered as short stories, are:
“The Two Brothers Contract” – Having apprehended accused murderer Marcus Reider, the Security Corps Observer assigned to the port city of Lemaigne decides to take him inland for sentencing.
Book 3: The Chief of Creatures – [working title, outline] In the aftermath of the events in Ligan, the Observer and Diana Ashcraft have to commandeer a ship and flee the agents of the Security Corps and deal with mounting news about the widespread clampdown. Is the Commonwealth under a coup?
Book 4: The Blade and the Purse – [working title, outline] The Blood Tasters have returned, hunting for their mongrel Mashika, while the Observer and Ochsard try to recruit the Purser Corps in their struggle against Commander Lea Thomas.
Observer’s Gloss – A general appendix to The Observer Tales, in the Observer’s own hand.
