Xarrok: Birth of an Empire Part 1

Please welcome my guest today, Catrina Taylor.  I had the pleasure of meeting Catrina on Twitter and the honour of beta-reading for her debut novel,  Xarrox: Birth of an Empire -  Book One.

Today I have the honour of participating in Catrina's Release Day Scavenger Hunt! 

So let's begin with an introduction to the book:
Title – Xarrok: Birth of an Empire Part 1
Author – Catrina Taylor
Genre – Primary: Science Fiction; Secondary: Romance

Kala,  a young Xonerian slave with the ability to communicate mind-to-mind.  Kala is a young girl when we begin reading the novel, hiding her psionic abilities from her masters and terrified of discovery.  I loved watching Kala grow and evolve in this book. From a frightened slave-girl to a confident, well-honed weapon of war, she still manages to retain her sense of naiveté and compassion.

Yatrell, the hardened warrior who learns that duty and honour are not everything, and letting someone into your mind can expose your hearts. (Yes, that was intentionally plural.)

These two main characters live at opposite ends of a war, but they will discover a common history, a common enemy and a common goal.

I found the premise of this novel intriguing, the details well thought out and the writing engaging. I'm eagerly waiting for Book Two.

Scavenger Hunt

Here's how to play:
Read the questions and the samples then go to The Writing Network and answer the 5 questions OR the 2 bonus questions accurately and win a free copy of Xarrok's  first novel, Birth of an Empire Book 1.  

At the end of the sample on each site will be a link to the next post and then to the home of the Scavenger  Hunt. The top 3 to answer correctly win a free copy of this incredible book. 
 
How many characters do we meet in this book?
Dozens, but you follow primarily a cast of 17. Most of them are psionic in nature and used to dealing with extensive bigotry because of it. 

Many of the characters are psionic. Can you define psionic for your readers?
Psionic is the ability to manipulate an outside force with your mind. This can only be generated by people who develop an additional lobe, known as the psionic lobe, by birth. It develops and matures over time. Some find it active early, others later but it's always active by adulthood. With the correct genetic manipulation a psionic lobe can be activated at or before birth. 

Which psionic types are represented in this universe? And can you explain what each of them do? 
Sure thing - Telepathy is the ability to manipulate a mind, either through simple projection of thought or the more trained and honed telepath can enter a mind and reorganize, erase or alter thoughts.

Telekinesis is the ability to manipulate physical matter. Most can lift things, themselves for short periods. The more trained and focused can break even the strongest metals. 

Pyrokinesis is the ability to generate fire with the biological body, or manipulate it outside of the body. Each pyrokinetic is able to do one or the other with very few being able to do  both. Those who can generate their own fire can manipulate what they generate, but can't stop a fire generated by other means around them. 
 
Electrokinesis is the ability to alter, manipulate and amplify electrical current from within the body. Highly trained electrokinetics can manipulate body functions, but most lean toward manipulating various computer and mechanical interfaces. 

Astroprojectors can alter a person's perception of the world around them. They can make objects appear to the mind's eye. The items are not solid, but they look real to the person watching it. Touching an image projected by one from this psionic discipline would be the same as interacting with a hologram, without the equipment.

Healers are the most unresearched ability. At this point the only explanation available is that the healer can manipulate the electrical impulses in a biological entity. Their intention is always to heal, improve or take away pain. The issue with this group, one that makes the difficult to study, is that the limitations of what they are able to do varies by individual. Some take away pain by duplicating it in their own bodies, and eliminating it in others. Some are able to heal even major wounds, while others can help alleviate minor afflictions like headaches. 
 
Seers - This discipline can see images from the future based on a given course of action. They are not forecasters, they are not charlatans and are aware that if choices change, their vision does as well. 

Psionic Sensors are people who can identify a specific psionic marker in an individual. While they have no other significant psionic ability by birth, they can train to develop another. Typically the few who seek to select the simplest to develop, telepathy. 
 
There are few other  abilities in this universe, but not others seen in book one.

Here is an excerpt
introduction of the Xenonian cast: (Chapter 10 of Birth of an Empire)

Acting Captain Palrion gestured to field Commander Maddux, "For the duration of this mission you will be introduced and treated as your field commissions, not the ones we left behind on our ships of the first Xenonian fleet. This is Commander Rouen Maddux. He's likely the best pilot in all of the Xenonian fleets combined and can teach hand to hand and close quarters combat. He will be flying the Enpassant as well as managing duties as my Second. Commander please stand up a moment so there is no question who you are." Maddux stood in his Commander's uniform proudly. He looked from face to face and back to Captain Palrion and nodded before he sat back down. Palrion continued, " Commander Maddux is a Tactile Telepath. On to my Psionic Chief Medical Officer, Commander Kala. She came to us as a former slave and therefore no house name. You will show her the same respect regardless of previous stature in life. Kala please stand up." Kala stood, her deep red hair falling to her shoulders and beyond and her warm green eyes greeting all she made contact with. She was among those not in uniform for this meeting. Once she was standing in full view, Palrion continued, "The Commander has studied more on psionic illnesses, injuries and related conditions than anyone else in this fleet. In the last six months she has forced herself to become the foremost psionic lobe expert. There are none who have focused and studied more than she has, however due to her otherwise lack of applicable experience she has a non psionic equal in the medical facility. Thus, for the duration of this mission, there are two Chief Medical Officers. For the chain of command concerns, Kala is my Third. She is a multifaceted psionic." Palrion nodded at Kala and she sat down.

"From there the rest of you are equal in the chain of command. Chief of Security is Commander Henessa Sar. She is a projective combat telepath and she's the most qualified weapons expert I've ever worked with. If she indicates a specific tool for the job, trust her, she knows exactly what she's talking about. She will oversee both Security and assist at tactical as needed. " Henessa stood up, her blond hair pulled back tight and her piercing blue eyes staring straight ahead. 

When she sat back down, Palrion turned his attention to now Commander Phelian Crex, "My primary communications and operations officer is Commander Crex. He is a projective combat telepath capable of forcing many to succumb in a matter of seconds. He is also the best qualified to work with and run the fleet and ship communications systems. He knows the new systems on the Enpassant better than most people know their own hands." Phelian stood and his soft brown eyes made eye contact with everyone, before sitting again. 

"We move onto Commander Merx Tol. He is the most interesting humanoid empathic manipulator I know, but not surprising he's best with machines. He's been provided information on the unique systems of the Enpassant for study, almost a month ago. He knows the traditional systems better than I believe he knows himself, as such he is the logical choice for Chief of Engineering. Keydra Tan please stand up." Merx, who stood while the captain was talking, sat down as a small framed woman stood. Her nearly midnight dark features were enhanced by her shimmering blue eyes and soft brown hair. "This is Lieutenant Commander Keydra Tan. She is our ship's nutritionist. You'll find her assignment is in the mess hall. When we begin strike team training tomorrow you will find her as our astro-projector. She may prefer our crew healthy, but do not doubt she can carry her weight in battle. Small frame or not, she's a formidable team member." 

As she sat down the dark and very tall man beside her stood, his broad shoulders squared and his gaze remained forward as Palrion continued, "This is Commander Zaren Rixx. As most of you know, he is our telekinetic addition. What most of you are unaware of is that he is also a botanist and will be managing much of our food supplies on the botany levels below." Next to him stood a petite frame of a woman, her salt and pepper hair and features betrayed her as older than most in the room, but her
soft brown eyes danced full of life. Zaren took his seat again, as she looked around the room she made eye contact with each person, before the Captain properly introduced her, "This is Commander Kei Salin. She is also an astro-projector and shuttle expert. She was part of the discussions around a psionic influenced custom designed shuttle. It is on board this vessel now and she will be training all of us in flying, fighting and utilizing it for our purposes." The room acknowledged her with genuine respect. 
 
Next Palrion's attention turned to a taller woman next to Commander Salin. Her soft brown hair and light features were only more accentuated by her nearly purple eyes, "This is Lieutenant Commander Cyrin Lan.  She is quite the problem solver and will be working directly for Commander Crex. She's got quite the shocking personality." The Lieutenant Commander looked at Captain Palrion and arched an eyebrow unimpressed by his reference to her electrokinetic ability. As she sat down another woman, nearly as tall as Cyrin, stood. She had her black hair with deep blue highlights pulled tightly behind her head, her hazel eyes pierced through the wall in front of her and she remained at attention while Palrion introduced her, "This is Sira Fal. She is our pryokinetic and the Lieutenant Commander that will report to Commander Tol in engineering. Selecting between the two was a very difficult decision. Trust her instincts with these systems, she knows what she's talking about." After the Lieutenant Commander sat again, "We are all acquainted, now onto the mission."

You can find the book through major retailers including the ones listed below.
Amazon USA
Amazon UK
Barnes and Noble  
Smashwords

Learn more about the universe around Xarrok at http://Xarrok.com  (visit the intelligence page for the  questions)

Your next stop for the scavenger hunt is right here:   http://libbyhellmann.com/wp

Feel free to visit with Catrina on twitter as
@TheLadyWrites