Liberty Epic of Shadows: Revised Edition

The prologue of this story starts with the Spanish Conquistador, Hernadez Cotez, entering into an ancient temple of gods and possessed by the glittering riches harbored within crypt of the pyramid structure. After more than a century of conquest and acquisition of the New World wealth, this epic properly begins in the year 1640 with the Spanish treasure Galleon, Libertad, captained by a Basque naval officer named Jacob Belasko. The passenger list on this fated voyage is a San Franciscan Friar, a demon-possessed South American Shaman, and fifteen North American Indians of unusual ancestry. Two maritime disasters conspire to bring these diverse individuals together after a shipwreck on the South Carolina coast. Man from the southern continent receives coronation title of the Xeantee Aconee and becomes transcendental legend of tribal leader. Only he and the band of fifteen Indian ultimately survive to create foundation of new beginning on a swamp island isolated from rest of humanity.

A hundred and forty years later, British army deserter, Adam Pixley, wanders onto the swamp island and accepted as an honorary tribe member by the local tribe calling themselves Aconee. He learns their ways, marries, and sires a child. But because of grief and a latent lust for the material, Adam Pixley becomes the harbinger of destruction. After murdering his friend and Indian brother, he becomes possessed by a discovered stash of gold doubloons. Finding his way back to civilization and learning the war with Britian over, he establishes a wealthy dynasty that will last into the 20th century.

The reader transported to 1960's Vietnam War era America; a small poor mill village town named Liberty. Homer's Bar and Liquor Store is the hub of activity, providing alcohol escape from the prison of industrial bedlam. Here we meet many unsavory characters, some on predictable tragic course, others elevated to enlightenment by influence of profound revelation. This story peels away the veneer of historical society and asks the questions of source: From where does xenophobic hatred, prejudice, and acts of murder stem from? Within construct of this story, many conflictual quandaries seep to the surface, shining metaphoric light on many more unsolved mysteries.

Who is really Nela Smith, last surviving heir to the Pixley estate? Is Candy Morgal an angel, or sweet devil in disguise? Who is father Abraham and Homer, owner of Homer’s Bar and Liquor Store? What is the monster that roams the Liberty Swamp, known only to all, as Weistbaily? Is it a fiend of imagination, an avenging angel, or something even more supernatural? What connection is there between Bubba Baily, a Jew from the tough side of New York, the Liberty monster, and another character named Dave Tracey? But the greatest mystery of all is what happened to the original inhabitants, known only as the Aconee Indians? Most perplexing is the meaning and origin of the word "Shelecheyanu", which Linguistic and Archeological expert, Jeremiah Wake will devote a lifetime to solve, as well as discovering other mysteries in the process?

To the locals, Liberty Swamp is a place laced with unknown dangers, manifesting imagined terrors of life’s inevitable meaning. A place avoided through slumbered existence. Liberty Epic of Shadows is a snapshot of global history only glimpsed in shadow within shadows, woven through a tapestry of lies made of many deceptions, fear of the unknown being greatest of all.