The Vestigial Tales are stories and novellas set in the world of the Micah Grey series. All can be read as standalone stories in any order.
The full series can be bought as a bundle on Amazon UK for £6.99. They are marginally cheaper on Smashwords/iBooks/non-Amazon sources.
Cover artwork is by Dianna Walla / Paper Tiger.
Untold centuries ago, the Archipelago was ruled by the Alder—mysterious beings who vanished, leaving behind only scattered artefacts of unknown power, called Vestige. Sometimes, a person will be lucky or unlucky enough to discover that each piece of Vestige has its own tale to tell…
The Snake Charm
“To most, Drystan was just another buffoon in the collective of clowns. But behind the inane grin, he saw everything, keeping the secrets he discovered close, like precious gems to barter.”
Mutiny is brewing in R.H. Ragona’s Circus of Magic. When Linden, the leader of the clowns steals one of the ringmaster’s most prized possessions, Drystan, the white clown, finds himself caught in the middle. Tasked with retrieving the Lethe, he’s forced to betray Linden or risk his troubled past coming to light. But the Vestige artifact has its own history and its own power. Drystan will learn what it can really do, and who it can hurt.
Vestigial Tales are stories set in the world of the award-winning Micah Grey series. Step behind the circus ring from Pantomime, the theatre of Shadowplay, and more…
Purchase:
Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon Canada / and all other territories
Add on: Goodreads
Praise:
“‘The Snake Charm: A Vestigial Tale’ by Laura Lam is the prequel to the brilliant ‘Pantomime’ series – excellent insight into the beloved character, Drystan.”
– VADA Magazine
“Can you imagine a dwarf knocking out a mammoth? That’s what The Snake Charm is; small but packs a punch.”
– David on Goodreads
“‘The Snake Charm’ can easily stand alone as a story, but it’s such a tempting morsel I hope readers will want to go on and read the books if they haven’t already done so.”
– Nico at about.com
“Everything I love about the Pantomime books, with the exception of their protagonist – this is a prequel story – is here.”
– Lisa of Over the Effing Rainbow
“You all know how much I loved Pantomime and Shadowplay, and the universe of these books. This was an interesting look at a powerful and potentially terrifying Vestige artefact (I think it’s pretty cool that these tales are all going to be centred around different Vestige artefacts, because they’re fascinating and I can’t wait to learn about other artefacts!), and I liked getting to know Drystan a bit more.”
– Cynthia at Jellyfish Reviews
ISBN (ebook): 978-0-9929428-0-9
Untold centuries ago, the Archipelago was ruled by the Alder—mysterious beings who vanished, leaving behind only scattered artefacts of unknown power, called Vestige. Sometimes, a person will be lucky or unlucky enough to discover that each piece of Vestige has its own tale to tell…
The Fisherman’s Net
A humble fisherman in a village of the coast of the island of Linde buys a trinket at the market, which he discovers is Vestige. The poor man soon becomes the best fisherman in the village and marvels at his newfound wealth. One day, he ensnares a most unusual catch: a Chimaera sea maiden that isn’t meant to exist. And he’s not sure if he can let her go.
Vestigial Tales are stories set in the world of the award-winning Micah Grey series. Step behind the circus ring from Pantomime, the theatre of Shadowplay, and more…
Purchase:
Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon Canada / and all other territories
Add on: Goodreads
Praise:
“Short, but packs a bitter, sharp punch.”
– Katharine on Goodreads
“It’s written very much like a classic fable, which alone makes it stand apart from its predecessor. It’s a nice touch that doesn’t attempt to milk too much out of a story that’s better left as short and punchy as it is.”
– Lisa on Over the Effing Rainbow
“I think The Fisherman’s Net completely succeeds when it comes to expanding the Pantomime universe by giving us a glimpse into its folklore. There’s just something really nice about getting to read a story that little Micah or Drystan probably heard as children. Also, unlike many real-life popular fairy tales, there is nothing weak or foolish about the female characters presented here.”
– Nancy on Goodreads
ISBN: 978-0-9929428-2-3 (ebook)
Untold centuries ago, the Archipelago was ruled by the Alder—mysterious beings who vanished, leaving behind only scattered artefacts of unknown power, called Vestige. Sometimes, a person will be lucky or unlucky enough to discover that each piece of Vestige has its own tale to tell…
The Tarot Reader
“Cyan didn’t want to read fortunes.”
Cyan Zhu is the best tarot reader Riley & Batheo’s Circus of Curiosities has ever seen. Too good, some say. She reads the cards, but she can also tell more about her customers than they could ever suspect. Two people walk into Cyan’s cart to have their fortunes told and change her life forever: Oliver, a sailor with a pretty grin, and a mysterious man with a blurred face, who sends her terrible visions that might come true.
Vestigial Tales are stories set in the world of the award-winning Micah Grey series. Step behind the circus ring from Pantomime, the theatre of Shadowplay, and more…
Purchase:
Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon Canada / and all other territories
Add on: Goodreads
Praise:
“This is a gripping story, the longest at 78 pages. Cyan is such a strong and mysterious, excellent character. Getting to know her more and what she’s been to makes me want to re-read the series and reassess her entirely!”
– Katharine on Goodreads
“I absolutely adored this story. Fans of Pantomime and Shadowplay will love it. Those that haven’t read Pantomime or Shadowplay will WANT to read them after reading this. The Tarot Reader provides the backstory for Cyan from Shadowplay, filling in a nice little ‘mystery spot’ The novel left. This story is beautifully written, poignant and touching. I love Cyan. I did the moment she appeared in Shadowplay. And now I love her more. Buy this. Seriously. Don’t even think about it. Just buy it – it’s worth every penny. Oh yeah. And buy the other Vesitigial Tales too. And Pantomime and Shadowplay if you haven’t already.”
– J.B. Rockwell on Goodreads
ISBN: 978-0-9929428-3-0
Untold centuries ago, the Archipelago was ruled by the Alder—mysterious beings who vanished, leaving behind only scattered artefacts of unknown power, called Vestige. Sometimes, a person will be lucky or unlucky enough to discover that each piece of Vestige has its own tale to tell…
The Card Sharp
“He always mourned that moment, when the high began to fade. It was like he moved from who he wanted to be to having to face the reality of who he was. He’d rather feel supernatural. More than Drystan Hornbeam, a seventeen-year-old-boy who had made a lot of foolish mistakes and didn’t seem to be changing his habits anytime soon.”
Before Drystan became the White Clown of R.H. Ragona’s Circus of Magic, he was a Lerium addict struggling on the streets of Imachara. When a mysterious woman gives him a chance at a new life, he takes it, even if it means falling even deeper into the dark underbelly of the capital of Ellada. Drystan knows that selling Lerium to the powerful men and women who bet at the high stakes card tables is perilous, especially when he still battles his own addictions. Yet when he meets a man who can help him learn to cheat at cards and swindle them out of enough money to start a new life, he dives headfirst into more danger.
Vestigial Tales are stories set in the world of the award-winning Micah Grey series. Step behind the circus ring from Pantomime, the theatre of Shadowplay, and more…
Purchase:
Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon Canada / and all other territories
Add on: Goodreads
Praise:
“I’ve absolutely loved reading these Vestigial Takes and immersing myself again in the amazing world of Laura Lam’s. The Card Sharp has definitely been a favourite as it features more back story for one if my favourite characters, Drystan Hornbeam. In this we see him living as a Lerium addict/Lerium dealer and how meeting another card player changed his life for the better. Absolutely beautiful writing as always and I lapped up every little detail.”
– Michelle on Goodreads
ISBN: 978-0-9929428-4-7
*Note: this is best read after Masquerade as a cap to the series.*
Untold centuries ago, the Archipelago was ruled by the Alder—mysterious beings who vanished, leaving behind only scattered artefacts of unknown power, called Vestige. Sometimes, a person will be lucky or unlucky enough to discover that each piece of Vestige has its own tale to tell . . .
The Mechanical Minotaur
Evander’s father locks him in the cellar on his twelfth birthday. Their house in the Emerald Bowl is cold and empty, far from the warm home in Imachara where he lived with his parents back when his mother was alive. Yet down in the dim, dark cellar is a trunk with Evander’s name on it, and within is an automaton that says it can lead the boy back to his mother . . .
Vestigial Tales are stories set in the world of the award-winning Micah Grey series. Step behind the circus ring from Pantomime, the theatre of Shadowplay, and the court magic of Masquerade.
Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon Canada / and all other territories
Add on: Goodreads
