Secrets of the CitySpire: A Familiar Love Song

"All is as if the world did cease to exist. The city's monuments go unseen, its past unheard, and its culture slowly fading in the dismal sea."

The CitySpire, a city with monolithic skyscrapers, flawless streets and endless boulevards rests in the middle of the sea. It is an island that waits both quiet and vacant. Its single inhabitant wakes unfamiliar to his surroundings, his memory as thick as the fog that occasionally rises from the city sewers, with only a single card to greet him, "You are Samuel Bell."

Samuel is beset by a phantom woman, a spectre he believes to be his lost love. Rachel calls to him, yet she speaks in riddles, and no matter how hard he tries he cannot shake free the cobwebs in his head. One thing is for certain, she holds the key to unlocking his past.

On one of his trips to the island's pier, he encounters a battered figure along the shoal. After nursing her back to health, Samuel learns that the self-named Emily Waters suffers as he and knows far less about the island or how they may have arrived. Together they embark on a powerful journey to learn the island's secrets. In their travels, they meet the Lockes, a couple who exude the presence of high-class, but what hides behind Michael's gentry smile and Natalie's flirtatious charm?

When Emily professes her love for Samuel, he must make a decision of whether to abandon his pursuit for Rachel and return her affections or turn Emily aside completely.

"We are all subject to a tyrant, a sorcerer, that by his cunning hath cheated you of this island."

A monstrous creature crawls from out of the darkest recess of the CitySpire and stalks the newly-acquainted friends. He calls himself Count Champ de Croix, the true owner of the city and imparts his gruesome laws. Those who find themselves in violation are issued a death sentence.

But an even greater danger threatens the CitySpire, one crueler and more frightening than the Count himself. Samuel takes on the role of defender, and with the aid of his friends must fight against the evil. It is the same threat that leads him to unveil one of the CitySpire's greatest secrets. Will Samuel persevere or will its discovery consume him?

Find out in, "Secrets of the CitySpire: A Familiar Love Song".

"Secrets of the CitySpire" is a Gothic sci-fi novel that is influenced by the poems of Emily Dickinson and inspired by science fiction writer, Phillip K. Dick. It is a modernization of Shakespeare's infamous play, "The Tempest" and complimented by 18th and 19th century style of writing from classical writers such as Jane Austen, Horace Walpole, Clara Reeve and Mary Shelly.

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Secrets of the CitySpire: A Familiar Love Song

"All is as if the world did cease to exist. The city's monuments go unseen, its past unheard, and its culture slowly fading in the dismal sea."

The CitySpire, a city with monolithic skyscrapers, flawless streets and endless boulevards rests in the middle of the sea. It is an island that waits both quiet and vacant. Its single inhabitant wakes unfamiliar to his surroundings, his memory as thick as the fog that occasionally rises from the city sewers, with only a single card to greet him, "You are Samuel Bell."

Samuel is beset by a phantom woman, a spectre he believes to be his lost love. Rachel calls to him, yet she speaks in riddles, and no matter how hard he tries he cannot shake free the cobwebs in his head. One thing is for certain, she holds the key to unlocking his past.

On one of his trips to the island's pier, he encounters a battered figure along the shoal. After nursing her back to health, Samuel learns that the self-named Emily Waters suffers as he and knows far less about the island or how they may have arrived. Together they embark on a powerful journey to learn the island's secrets. In their travels, they meet the Lockes, a couple who exude the presence of high-class, but what hides behind Michael's gentry smile and Natalie's flirtatious charm?

When Emily professes her love for Samuel, he must make a decision of whether to abandon his pursuit for Rachel and return her affections or turn Emily aside completely.

"We are all subject to a tyrant, a sorcerer, that by his cunning hath cheated you of this island."

A monstrous creature crawls from out of the darkest recess of the CitySpire and stalks the newly-acquainted friends. He calls himself Count Champ de Croix, the true owner of the city and imparts his gruesome laws. Those who find themselves in violation are issued a death sentence.

But an even greater danger threatens the CitySpire, one crueler and more frightening than the Count himself. Samuel takes on the role of defender, and with the aid of his friends must fight against the evil. It is the same threat that leads him to unveil one of the CitySpire's greatest secrets. Will Samuel persevere or will its discovery consume him?

Find out in, "Secrets of the CitySpire: A Familiar Love Song".

"Secrets of the CitySpire" is a Gothic sci-fi novel that is influenced by the poems of Emily Dickinson and inspired by science fiction writer, Phillip K. Dick. It is a modernization of Shakespeare's infamous play, "The Tempest" and complimented by 18th and 19th century style of writing from classical writers such as Jane Austen, Horace Walpole, Clara Reeve and Mary Shelly.

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Secrets of the CitySpire: A Familiar Love Song

Secrets of the CitySpire: A Familiar Love Song

by Nathan Reese Maher
Secrets of the CitySpire: A Familiar Love Song

Secrets of the CitySpire: A Familiar Love Song

by Nathan Reese Maher

Paperback

$24.99 
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Overview

"All is as if the world did cease to exist. The city's monuments go unseen, its past unheard, and its culture slowly fading in the dismal sea."

The CitySpire, a city with monolithic skyscrapers, flawless streets and endless boulevards rests in the middle of the sea. It is an island that waits both quiet and vacant. Its single inhabitant wakes unfamiliar to his surroundings, his memory as thick as the fog that occasionally rises from the city sewers, with only a single card to greet him, "You are Samuel Bell."

Samuel is beset by a phantom woman, a spectre he believes to be his lost love. Rachel calls to him, yet she speaks in riddles, and no matter how hard he tries he cannot shake free the cobwebs in his head. One thing is for certain, she holds the key to unlocking his past.

On one of his trips to the island's pier, he encounters a battered figure along the shoal. After nursing her back to health, Samuel learns that the self-named Emily Waters suffers as he and knows far less about the island or how they may have arrived. Together they embark on a powerful journey to learn the island's secrets. In their travels, they meet the Lockes, a couple who exude the presence of high-class, but what hides behind Michael's gentry smile and Natalie's flirtatious charm?

When Emily professes her love for Samuel, he must make a decision of whether to abandon his pursuit for Rachel and return her affections or turn Emily aside completely.

"We are all subject to a tyrant, a sorcerer, that by his cunning hath cheated you of this island."

A monstrous creature crawls from out of the darkest recess of the CitySpire and stalks the newly-acquainted friends. He calls himself Count Champ de Croix, the true owner of the city and imparts his gruesome laws. Those who find themselves in violation are issued a death sentence.

But an even greater danger threatens the CitySpire, one crueler and more frightening than the Count himself. Samuel takes on the role of defender, and with the aid of his friends must fight against the evil. It is the same threat that leads him to unveil one of the CitySpire's greatest secrets. Will Samuel persevere or will its discovery consume him?

Find out in, "Secrets of the CitySpire: A Familiar Love Song".

"Secrets of the CitySpire" is a Gothic sci-fi novel that is influenced by the poems of Emily Dickinson and inspired by science fiction writer, Phillip K. Dick. It is a modernization of Shakespeare's infamous play, "The Tempest" and complimented by 18th and 19th century style of writing from classical writers such as Jane Austen, Horace Walpole, Clara Reeve and Mary Shelly.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781965179314
Publisher: Nrm Books
Publication date: 01/10/2025
Series: Secrets of the Cityspire , #1
Pages: 546
Product dimensions: 6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Having written since they were able to pick up a pen, Nathan Reese Maher has had a profound interest in writing throughout childhood which included attending several young writers conferences and even reaching out to TSR (Publishers of Advanced Dungeons and Dragons) about a manuscript at the age of 14 and receiving some very heartwarming advice from the editors there. Nathan attended the University of Iowa in pursuit of a Dance degree in Classical Ballet, which shifted back to their original love of writing after an injury prevented further advancement. In 2005, Nathan graduated with a BA in English Literature with an emphasis in Classics and Creative Writing. Their first book, "Secrets of the CitySpire - A Familiar Love Song" was published in 2010, and is well known for the following quote: "All is as if the world did cease to exist. The city's monuments go unseen, its past unheard, and its culture slowly fading in the dismal sea." Which has been cited in several independent works including art, poetry, video, photography and papers. The quote was even featured by Buzz Feed and hailed multiple times on World Goth Day. In November 2017, Nathan was awarded the Royal Dragonfly Book Award for 1st place in Middle Grade fiction for their book, "Lights Out - Book 1", a book which continues to be their highest selling book. In March of 2020, Nathan opened NRM Books and remains the purveyor of those haunting tomes. Nathan continues to write to this day, with several projects completed and waiting on representation or self-publication. They live in Tacoma, Washington with their amazing and highly supportive spouse and child.
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