Although most of you will know Alex CF from his latest beautiful and brilliant book, ‘Punks In The Willows’, the colourful guide to the punk rock community told through the lives of animals. This ever creative artist, musician, sculptor and author has other great books available too and we have them for you in store now.
His main body of writing and artwork revolves around the world of the Orata, fictional tales of animal mythology, upon which his books, 'Seek The Throat From Which We Sing' and 'Wretched is the Husk’ are both based, as well as an illustrated compendium, ‘The Orata' which expands upon this world of earthen magic, animal cultures and alternative symbolism. These three books are all available from Earth Island Books now and there's more detail on each one below.
Alex's personal and political aspirations are explored further in, 'The Book of Venym; An Egalitarian Demonology' An illustrated anti-fascist occult grimoire, a call to arms in the defence of nature and against humanities proclivities for violence, told through striking illustrations of benevolent demons and deities. This is limited edition but still available with a gorgeous scarlet red cover at his bigcartel page.
Although we're still keen for everyone to see the gorgeous and important 'Punks in the Willows' book, launched back in April for World Book Day and containing forty pages of illustrations depicting the creativity, music, social justice and above all, friendship that is found in punk - Alex CF is a perpetually creative author and the feedback to his books characters have inspired him to start work on a follow up already. It will be called 'Raccoon starts a band', in which a young Raccoon is introduced to punk via their older sibling, and decides they can start a band too. It will deal with learning, getting over anxieties and self esteem issues, and working with others.
We're not sure when this will be finished, but we know it'll be great.
'Seek The Throat From Which We Sing' is the first book in a series of novels by Alex CF known as the Books of Orata.
The Thousand headed king is dethroned. The prophet Grom has left his son Rune under the tutelage of his kin, whilst he searches for answers amongst his unquenchable grief. Rune knows only of the Startle and their glorious murmurations above the Pinnacle, and of his hatred for the murderous Gull king Esperer; a hatred that will lead him to exile.
He is cast into a land once ruled by the Wroth, whose machinations have stained the world black. But the Wroth are dying, and in the wake of their demise, many species vie for their crown. The Orata, the spoken scripture of the Vulpus speaks of a time when the sovereignty will fall upon them. Yet for this to come to pass, they will need an Umbra; the rarest of clairvoyants, and they have placed their hope upon Rune.
There are others who seek him too; the Corva Anx and their dark incantations and the vicious and determined Morwih. Yet Rune believes his father is still alive, beyond the lithe forests and effulgent oceans, at the cusp of reality, the ancient and enigmatic source of the Umbra.
Seek The Throat From Which We Sing is a visceral tale of animal mythology, of dark and foreboding rite and ritual and the desperate rasp of life.'
This is the original hardback version of the novel. A 387 page, hardback, cloth bound book, with a dust jacket with scarlet end pages.
A dark animal mythology / environmental fantasy book in the tradition of Rats of NIMH, Duncton Wood, and Watership Down.
'Wretched is the Husk' is the second book in a series of novels by Alex CF known as the Books of Orata.
Immune to a virus that decimated humanity, twelve-year-old Ivy is alone, living out an existence in the ruins of a fallen city. But her presence has not gone unnoticed. Vorsa Corpse Speaker, a stern but compassionate fox, can sense this child’s importance in a coming war.
For an enemy whose malice is forged in the same fires that stoked the end of humankind has risen, and his desire might swallow the world for good.
Ivy begins a journey, to understand and protect that which has grown in place of her people, one of burgeoning animal nations, of living cities, and ancient feathered gods.
Wretched is the Husk is the long awaited sequel to Seek The Throat From Which We Sing. From the earthen dens of the Throa and Vulpus, to the kingdoms of the once caged, a vital, timely tale of animal mythology, and the final cry of fallen kings.
This is the original hardback version of the novel. A 334 page, hardback, cloth bound book, with a dust jacket.
'The Orata' is a fully illustrated, 148 page hardback coffee table book, an encyclopedia of the animal cultures presented in the dark animal fantasy novels of Alex CF.
The result of over four years work, The Orata is a visual guide and encyclopaedia to the animal mythology of the cultures and creeds of Naa.
Both a companion piece to the original novel, 'Seek The Throat From Which We Sing', and also a bridge into the next book in the series, 'Wretched Is The Husk'.
The Orata depicts a plethora of beautiful full page and double page illustrations of the animals, religions, gods, cultural practices, skills and mythology, expanding upon them.
This hardback cloth-bound book, measuring 22x30 cm, is packed with beautiful lithographic printed pages of artwork, with a foil stamped spine and a protective dust jacket.
Supporting and promoting independent and alternative artists and authors is what we do. These books, and all our books, are awesome, inspiring, and well worth your time to read. Please buy a copy, for yourself or a friend, either direct from us - for extra goodies and our internal thanks - from a book store or online retailer, or direct from the author where they have their own bigcartel. Support the independent and the underground.