The Legend of the Tarazashi

By Francisco Angulo de Lafuente

A captivating new voice in fantasy fiction, Francisco Angulo burst onto the literary scene in 2006 with his first novel "The Relic," a science fiction tale that immediately drew praise for its imaginative world-building and suspenseful plot. Since then, he has cemented his reputation as a visionary author through works like "The Sniffer" and his epic new novel, "The Legend of Tarazashi."

Born in Madrid in 1976, Angulo grew up enthralled by the boundless creativity of authors like Isaac Asimov and Stephen King. This lifelong passion for fantasy and science fiction shines through in his writing, which blends elements of both genres into something uniquely his own. Like his literary idols, Angulo excels at crafting meticulous imaginary worlds, filling the pages with unforgettable characters and technologies that seem just ahead of our time.

In "The Legend of Tarazashi," Angulo's enormous talent is on full display. The novel centers on the eponymous ancient tribe and their mythical origins, told through the thrilling adventures of young protagonists Nawi and Kokori. Angulo's world-building prowess brings the fictional Tarazashi culture to vivid life, from its rich cosmology to the mysterious artifacts that drive the plot. The epic quest that unfolds will enthrall fantasy fans with its perfect balance of wonder and peril.

Critics have showered "The Legend of Tarazashi" with praise, calling it " spellbinding" (The Guardian) and "a spectacular new addition to the fantasy pantheon" (Los Angeles Times). Like the best works of fantasy, Angulo's novel blends pulse-pounding adventure with universal themes that resonate deeply. It is truly a gift for lovers of speculative fiction everywhere. With his endless inventiveness and insight into the human heart, Francisco Angulo establishes himself as the next giant of the genre.

The Legend of the Tarazashi

My people had always lived in harmony with nature, for the earth was our mother. Our lands stretched north to the great mountains and south to the great river. That was all we knew, none of us ever crossed beyond. My grandfather tells me stories of our people when we sit by the warmth of the campfire at night. He recounted that our ancestors had to cross the snowy peaks of the high mountains, as they were nomads who wandered without a fixed course, living off what they found along the way. Upon arriving at this beautiful place, a dream revealed to them how to cultivate the land. Now we had more than enough food and it was unnecessary to continue wandering. Our diet was mainly vegetarian, only in times of scarcity did we resort to hunting. All the living beings of the forest were part of our family, so we tried to intervene as little as possible, letting Mother Nature do her work.

When I was a child we used to play climbing trees; although it was a children's game we also took the opportunity to collect some bird eggs, always leaving at least two in each nest so that life would not be affected. We had many legends, stories that my grandfather told me. Tales of the wolf king Nazrat or a lonely animal turned demigod.

• Language: English
• Publisher: The Old Sailboat
• Release date: Aug 26, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223607700

Francisco Angulo de Lafuente

Francisco Angulo Madrid, 1976 Enthusiast of fantasy cinema and literature and a lifelong fan of Isaac Asimov and Stephen King, Angulo starts his literary career by submitting short stories to different contests. At 17 he finishes his first book - a collection of poems – and tries to publish it. Far from feeling intimidated by the discouraging responses from publishers, he decides to push ahead and tries even harder. In 2006 he published his first novel "The Relic", a science fiction tale that was received with very positive reviews. In 2008 he presented "Ecofa" an essay on biofuels, whereAngulorecounts his experiences in the research project he works on. In 2009 he published "Kira and the Ice Storm".A difficultbut very productive year, in2010 he completed "Eco-fuel-FA",a science book in English. He also worked on several literary projects: "The Best of 2009-2010", "The Legend of Tarazashi 2009-2010", "The Sniffer 2010", "Destination Havana 2010-2011" and "Company No.12". He currently works as director of research at the Ecofa project. Angulo is the developer of the first 2nd generation biofuel obtained from organic waste fed bacteria. He specialises in environmental issues and science-fiction novels. His expertise in the scientific field is reflected in the innovations and technological advances he talks about in his books, almost prophesying what lies ahead, as Jules Verne didin his time. Francisco Angulo Madrid-1976 Gran aficionado al cine y a la literatura fantástica, seguidor de Asimov y de Stephen King, Comienza su andadura literaria presentando relatos cortos a diferentes certámenes. A los 17 años termina su primer libro, un poemario que intenta publicar sin éxito. Lejos de amedrentarse ante las respuestas desalentadoras de las editoriales, decide seguir adelante, trabajando con más ahínco.

Book preview

Francisco Angulo de Lafuente

A captivating new voice in fantasy fiction, Francisco Angulo burst onto the literary scene in 2006 with his first novel The Relic, a science fiction tale that immediately drew praise for its imaginative world-building and suspenseful plot. Since then, he has cemented his reputation as a visionary author through works like The Sniffer and his epic new novel, The Legend of Tarazashi.

Born in Madrid in 1976, Angulo grew up enthralled by the boundless creativity of authors like Isaac Asimov and Stephen King. This lifelong passion for fantasy and science fiction shines through in his writing, which blends elements of both genres into something uniquely his own. Like his literary idols, Angulo excels at crafting meticulous imaginary worlds, filling the pages with unforgettable characters and technologies that seem just ahead of our time.

In The Legend of Tarazashi, Angulo's enormous talent is on full display. The novel centers on the eponymous ancient tribe and their mythical origins, told through the thrilling adventures of young protagonists Nawi and Kokori. Angulo's world-building prowess brings the fictional Tarazashi culture to vivid life, from its rich cosmology to the mysterious artifacts that drive the plot. The epic quest that unfolds will enthrall fantasy fans with its perfect balance of wonder and peril.

Critics have showered The Legend of Tarazashi with praise, calling it spellbinding (The Guardian) and a spectacular new addition to the fantasy pantheon (Los Angeles Times). Like the best works of fantasy, Angulo's novel blends pulse-pounding adventure with universal themes that resonate deeply. It is truly a gift for lovers of speculative fiction everywhere. With his endless inventiveness and insight into the human heart, Francisco Angulo establishes himself as the next giant of the genre.

The Legend of the Tarazashi

MY PEOPLE HAD ALWAYS lived in harmony with nature, for the earth was our mother. Our lands stretched north to the great mountains and south to the great river. That was all we knew, none of us ever crossed beyond. My grandfather tells me stories of our people when we sit by the warmth of the campfire at night. He recounted that our ancestors had to cross the snowy peaks of the high mountains, as they were nomads who wandered without a fixed course, living off what they found along the way. Upon arriving at this beautiful place, a dream revealed to them how to cultivate the land. Now we had more than enough food and it was unnecessary to continue wandering. Our diet was mainly vegetarian, only in times of scarcity did we resort to hunting. All the living beings of the forest were part of our family, so we tried to intervene as little as possible, letting Mother Nature do her work.

When I was a child we used to play climbing trees; although it was a children's game we also took the opportunity to collect some bird eggs, always leaving at least two in each nest so that life would not be affected. We had many legends, stories that my grandfather told me. Tales of the wolf king Nazrat or a lonely animal turned demigod.

Nawi had become a strong and handsome lad; the young women of the village often spoke of it. Nawi was the diminutive of Sanawi-Taraki which in our language could be translated as rainwater. Nawi had always been somewhat different from the other children in the village. He was curiously interested in all kinds of things that others might find insignificant and boring. While the other kids played typical games, he spent more time exploring the surroundings. This distanced him a bit from the group, but he didn't even notice. Kokori was a little shorter than normal for his age and also slower; he wasn't stupid, but sometimes he needed a little more time to understand things. The others didn't want to play with him and called him a baby. One morning, when Nawi was leaving for one of his little explorations, little Kokori followed him. Nawi appointed him as his assistant, this way they could investigate the surroundings together. What they usually did was look for evidence of the legends their grandparents told them. As they grew older, they ventured deeper into the forest and their exploits began to become legendary. They were always embarking on some adventure and the village talked about nothing but them. For most they were a pair of madmen, but gossip was the least of their concerns. Nawi’s grandfather continued to tell them some stories at night by the warmth of the campfire. The two boys listened attentively and planned their quests thoroughly in search of evidence of their ancestors. They were intrigued to know where they came from and especially to find traces of their forefathers. Some accounts seemed barely credible; they were fables where animals spoke and possessed magical powers; while others seemed more plausible and they all contained hidden pieces of their history. The legend of how they crossed the sea and arrived at these lands, the story of the creator who lived in a cave and had been moved from the ancient lands when the sea level rose and covered them forever. Luckily, they were experienced seafarers and had time to depart in their ships. The government was dissolved and it was decided that the best way to ensure survival was to head out in all directions; many went south and east where they knew of other lands, but a few set out west in search of the unknown. A long and perilous voyage led them to a new world. In that place the vegetation was lush and the animals as colorful and strange as a painter's imagination could dream up. It was this group that faced the greatest challenge; the others departed for known areas where they could easily settle and thrive due to their extensive knowledge; that’s why they departed with the deity, hoping for its protection and aid since they would surely need it. Nawi deduced that there must be some truth to all those old stories about the creator, also called the relic, and he appeared in almost all the ancient tales. His people had moved several times in search of better farming areas, but for a long time they lived deep in the forest, where the leafy treetops barely let the sunlight reach the ground. They had to find remains of the old village and if the legends were true perhaps they would find the lost relic. The expeditions of the two young men had disturbed the whole village several times, especially when they got lost in the jungle for three days. This time they were truly in dire straits. Kokori was more worried about the scolding his parents would give him than finding the way back. Luckily they knew a lot about botany, which provided them with food. In addition to the fear of not finding the way back, there was a strange presence that seemed to be following them at a distance. They prepared to spend the night up in the branches of a tree, where they would be safe from the damp ground and possible nocturnal predators. Nawi’s fears were confirmed that very night when he was able to see the shadow of an animal lurking around, following their trail. In the depths of the forest lived fearsome predators, large felines that could devour a human. The next day he walked more carefully, always aware of his stalker, and finally he saw that it was a large dog. For the Tarazashi there was hardly any difference between a dog and a wolf. In their language they often only differentiated the second by size. Young Nawi decided that the best thing to do was follow his wolf brother, since he would know how to get out of the jungle. The animal always let itself be seen, so they wouldn’t lose its trail, and finally they managed to make it back to the village.

- What's that animal that appeared in the distance? - asked Kokori as they walked down the path that led to the village.

- That wolf is our brother Nazrat.

Finally their tireless search for evidence had borne fruit. Nawi was sure he had seen the legendary wolf Nazrat, the one that appeared in the tales his grandfather told him.

Yetami was Nawi's little sister; her name meant flower, but everyone called her Tami, which was shorter and suited the little girl better. She was a bit of a strange girl, taking after her brother. She was always imitating him, she also wanted to go out exploring. The little ones learned everything from their parents, there were no schools here, but they had private tutors twenty-four hours a day. They learned to do domestic chores by imitating and trying to help their mothers; they also learned to plant and harvest with their fathers. Then at night they listened to the stories and legends that recounted the history of their ancestors. Nowadays parents spend little time with their children; long working hours prevent them from dedicating more. They spend most of the day in daycare and schools, where they are looked after. The problem is that some things need parents to be learned. Little ones copy the behavior of adults and there are things like education, honesty, justice or integrity that cannot be learned from a book. Little Tami, who wanted to be like her brother, disappeared one morning, right after Nawi left to prepare one of those adventures. She followed him stealthily to Kokori's house; then they went up the forest path to a small cave, camouflaged among the bushes, where they kept all the equipment for the expedition. Tami always stayed at a safe distance where they couldn't see her. Since the age of four she had been on her brother's heels, but back then she was still too clumsy to keep up. Now she had grown and was almost nine. Her disappearance alerted the whole village; they searched high and low for her, but nothing, no one could find her. She wasn't by the stream, nor in the meadow, they even scoured the outskirts of the forest, in case she had decided to go looking for mushrooms. Her parents were very worried; she was a bit rebellious, but had never given them a scare like this. They all gathered to see what they could do and under the circumstances, the only thing left for them to do was start praying, for the Tarazashi god to watch over her and protect her wherever she was, lighting her way back home.

Life in the village was quite peaceful, they had no enemies, they didn't even know there were any other human beings in the world apart from them. They were completely isolated and dedicated all their time to daily chores and the many celebrations, celebrating the arrival of new seasons, the new year, births and birthdays of each member of the tribe; for one reason or another, almost every week the whole village ended up singing and dancing in the light of campfires. The young girls tended to gather in one area and comment about the boys. The boys, sitting opposite, did the same, and there was always some daredevil who approached the group of girls to ask one to dance. They hardly used instruments to make their music, almost everything was done by a choir of voices and the clapping of everyone marked the rhythm. Dishes with exquisite delicacies and sweets made especially for the occasion were continuously passed around; all kinds of juices and some mild fermented liquors from the fructose of certain foods. The young people did not usually drink these types of beverages, but some adult men were very fond of them and often had to be helped home. Kokori's father was one of them, but his wife, who had a very bad temper, always took the opportunity to play a trick on him. Once she placed a bunch of jars and bowls full of water at the entrance and the man, who came stumbling after the celebrations, tripped on them all and ended up drenched. Kokori's mother was very tall and stout; she was stronger than most of the men in the village and the father was rather small and scrawny. Often when his eyes wandered to one of the young girls sitting opposite, his wife brought him back to his senses with a slap. She gave him such blows to the head that she interrupted the songs with their racket. They were very funny situations and the children were always attentive to the couple because they caused intense laughter. Somehow they had become the comedic couple of the tribe and at times it seemed they exaggerated the situations so that everyone would find out and could have a good hearty laugh. Kokori had grown into a tall, strong young man, having inherited his mother’s genes; he was possibly the brawniest in the whole village; but he was very shy and although he really liked a girl he talked about nonstop, he didn’t dare say anything to her. The least you could do for a friend was to go talk to the girl, Nawi thought. He had no time to think about women, he was too busy with his own affairs. He had to plan his moves very carefully, because if he approached the young woman directly in the middle of the party, everyone would think he was the one declaring himself, as that was how it was always done; up until now no one had approached a girl to talk to her about a friend. He waited for her to get up and go to her house to get some colored ribbons; then he discreetly left the group and ran to intercept her on the way. The girl was very surprised when Nawi approached to talk; she thought he wanted to go out with her. She did not find the story he told her convincing at all and the girl literally threw herself at him when he was off guard and kissed him on the mouth.

- But didn't you hear what I said?

- But were you serious?

Realizing the confusion, the girl felt scorned and rushed home, sobbing along the way. Now he really was in trouble: how to tell his best friend about the situation without hurting him and without him thinking he had taken advantage of the occasion for his own benefit? But that wasn't all; she would surely tell her version of what happened to her friends, embellishing it so as not to look bad, which would leave him in very poor standing with the rest of the tribe members.

The next morning, he didn't know what to tell Kokori; he wanted to explain it to him in some way that wouldn't hurt him. They were getting ready for the big expedition and transporting all the necessary materials to a shallow cave located on the outskirts. They already had the most important things, like a flint to start a fire and some hollow gourds to transport water. In the distance, Nawi saw the silhouette of a person approaching them and his heart skipped a beat when he confirmed his worst fears: it was Farfalá, the girl he had the incident with the night before. It was clear there was going to be trouble. 

Isn't that the girl you like?

Yes, it's Farfalá; just looking at her makes me blush.

Well, if you want to go out with her, when I tell you, throw yourself at me and start punching me.

Are you crazy?

Shut up and do as I say, she's coming!

Indeed when Nawi gave the signal, his friend became furious with him and started hitting him. The girl was shocked by the scene. Then Nawi shouted:

I'm sorry, I didn't know you were really dating her.

Farfalá remained silent and when Nawi looked at her face she replied:

Yes, that's right, Kokori and I are dating. 

Kokori turned as red as a tomato and stood looking at the girl not knowing what to say.

See you after dinner, the young woman said and walked away very stiffly.

The girl, out of spite, feeling rejected by Nawi the night before, found a good way out by making a date with Kokori. It was also true that she was impressed by his strength and how he knocked Nawi to the ground with a push.

What a weight off his shoulders; it seemed that at least this time luck was on his side. Now they would need something more to find their ancestors' old settlement. They were finalizing preparations to embark on an expedition that would take them deep into the jungle, where they would have to be guided by the hidden messages in the old songs and stories. The chance encounter with that wolf was for Nawi confirmation that they would find hidden evidence in the legends of their ancestors. For some reason we abandoned that site, leaving behind part of our culture and even the statue of the sacred relic. It was as if we had to flee that place in a hurry and could only take what we could carry. Luckily, centuries of songs and legends were passed down from generation to generation, carrying part of our legacy within them. Now was the time to find out what happened and perhaps to return to the ancient city referred to in some songs. A village of white stone that shone in the sun, gleaming like snow, with its great central temple built so that the Tarazashi's passage through the earth would never be forgotten. There are several stories that tell of the abandonment of the city; some say it was due to the arid climate, while others speak of the decadence of that society, but the most credible for Nawi was that they departed to return home. They had used that site as a refuge, but after waiting a thousand years, the agreed deadline, they had to reunite with the different groups that had spread throughout the world.