The stories of the Ai-Naidar have been my most controversial to date. These are dense, immersive fantasies of manners that speak directly to the reader in a conversational style. Originally offered online as serials, the first two books inspired some of the most fascinating reader discussion I’ve ever seen about the role of the individual in society and the value of multiculturalism versus fitting in. The Aphorisms is a compilation of 25 pieces of flash fiction on the virtues of the empire of Kherishdar; The Admonishments, the companion volume, follows a similar format treating with its sins. These books together spawned Black Blossom, and Kherishdar’s Exception, both full-length novels.
Reading Order
All e-books (at all vendors) are DRM-free. Professionally-narrated audiobooks are also available for the Kherishdar books (and are whispersync-ready for kindle readers). I highly recommend the audio editions; they are gorgeous, and the narrator was spot-on pronouncing all the conlang words.
1. The Aphorisms of Kherishdar
2. The Admonishments of Kherishdar
3. Black Blossom
4. Kherishdar’s Exception
The Ai-Naidar have the most fully developed constructed language of all my alien races as these stories are the ones most fully engaged with the role of language in society.