matt yocum

Disciplined. Gifted. Unique. Prized. These are the monks of the Shingai Order. Dedicating their lives to creating harmony from chaos, the Shingai have a never-ending job in a broken Empire. Their knowledge is so rare, their talents so vast, that every ruler desires even a single monk as advisor, making the Shingai very selective in who they choose to serve.

Ending his years-long training, Junior Initiate Hsulor will embark on a journey to discover which of the three Shingai paths he is to follow. Trained in the Ways of the Owl, Swan, and Tiger – disciplines of science, art, and fighting – Hsulor will be tested through the Calling, a series of trials to determine his future. Once complete, he will be sent into the Empire to serve as his ancestors have before him, guiding the galaxy’s future.

But the young initiate will encounter new beliefs apart from the teachings of his people. As the consequences of each test grow, so do the consequences of new ideas. Hsulor will confront the millennia-old teachings of his Masters, held as long as there have been monks to pass them.

The Calling takes you around the galaxy and into the heart of belief as one young Shingai searches for meaning and purpose in his life and the lives of his people.