Wesley R Rosche

Somewhere, there is a world in which all animals have the power of speech. Most accept peaceful roles in which their unique skills help build and preserve their ’One True Realm.’ But a powerful few are determined, through bloodshed and chaos, to tear their civilization apart. After ten generations of relative peace, disaster looms.

At times such as this, great burdens are by unlikely heroes borne. And few heroes are more ’unlikely’ than the arrogant young Donkey treading in the hoofprints of his illustrious Grandsire, the great Donkie Otie. Yet the fates have decreed that the naïve young Jack is destined to save the One True Realm from sliding into a devastating and ruinous war . . . or die trying! Can he do it on his own? Obviously not!

The Guardian (a magical entity who resembles an enormous panda and is possessed of two distinct personalities) is resentfully charged with keeping the young fool in one piece long enough to be thrown into the final fray. Along the way, they assemble a small cast of supporting characters: A three-legged Chihuahua on a mission of their own; a cynical Japanese Macaque; an orphaned young ’bald ape’ with strong survival skills, and a powerful female gorilla with a mysterious past.

The story moves through a world that is very different from and yet bears uncomfortable similarities to our own. The narrative can be funny, touching, ironic, heartbreaking and, occasionally, a little bit romantic as it races to a dramatic and exciting conclusion.