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A Wild Seed Novel
Root of the Spark
Dell doesn't want to hide anymore. As the first hermaphrodite on the human colony planet of Ameliaura, Dell has spent the last year trying to blend into the crowd. Dell used to snub the public eye with flamboyance and scandal, but lately the attention just feels like loneliness. After surviving a vicious attack, Dell falls into the arms of Zavvy, a man who has made it his mission to help abandoned hermaphrodite children.
Zavvy has been alone for years. No one can understand why he's given up everything to take in street children and any hope of romance is out the window. Until Dell. Found naked and bleeding by the kids, Dell fulfills Zavvy's every youthful fantasy of the City's unashamed exotic night life.
The needs of an impromptu orphanage leave little room for a relationship, but harder still, Dell’s past has come back with a vengeance. Dell will have to step into the light again to fight for a home before the age-old tide of violence rises again.
Zavvy has been alone for years. No one can understand why he's given up everything to take in street children and any hope of romance is out the window. Until Dell. Found naked and bleeding by the kids, Dell fulfills Zavvy's every youthful fantasy of the City's unashamed exotic night life.
The needs of an impromptu orphanage leave little room for a relationship, but harder still, Dell’s past has come back with a vengeance. Dell will have to step into the light again to fight for a home before the age-old tide of violence rises again.
210 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 22, 2016
6 people are currently reading
197 people want to read
About the author
Michele Fogal
3 books59 followersI am a Love Story Novelist, in both SF & LGBT Romance, a mother, a story addict, an endless student and a drooling xenophile.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 11, 2016
Root of the Spark might be set on an alien planet in an undetermined time, but it explores questions of gender and sexuality that will ring very familiar for those who don't fit comfortably into the gender binary. I've never read a story quite like this one before -- Michele Fogel's defiant imagery and evocative prose bring Dell's world -- and problems -- to life. It is a complex and violent picture she paints, though not one entirely without hope. Perhaps not so very different from our own, after all.
January 7, 2017
A Joyfully Jay review.
4 stars
So…one big thing to keep in mind as you read this book is that these are basically two separate stories that happen at the same time. It took me a good third of the book to get into this kind of presentation and just as long to figure out that, as dissimilar as these two arcs are, they actually are taking place in a common world. That said, there is precious little that connects Dell’s and Ledder’s story arcs. Acorn is the common factor between them, but Acorn plays doesn’t even get mentioned until about halfway through Dell’s story. Ledder, Dell, and Zavvy were all strangers during the climatic final scenes in the book. It was during these final scenes that a few more connections are strung between the two stories, but at such a late stage in the game, they felt a bit forced to me.
The story has a ton of romance in the form of Dell and Zavvy…and Fogel works damn hard to ensure Dell is presented as an amalgamation of male and female (the foreword explains Dell has a fully function set of both genders’ sex organs) and I can see how per’s personality and mannerism work to paint a picture of someone who is not binary. I loved the scenes where these two characters act on their blindingly hot physical attraction and we see Zavvy unreservedly loving all of Dell. I really enjoyed the angst caused by miscommunications that left Dell and Zavvy both thinking the other was trying to say walk away, when in fact they were each being too self-deprecating. You know, laying on the “I’m no good for you because reasons” a bit too thick so it sounds less like you’re fishing for reassurance and more like you’re trying to “gently” let the other person down. Except they were totally just looking for reassurance. While this gets resolved quickly between these two after they’ve misinterpreted the cues, the story is told from Dell’s POV so we spend many a scene listening to per question whether or not Zavvy really wants Dell, so that totally scratched my angst-queen itch.
Read Camille’s review in its entirety here.
4 stars
So…one big thing to keep in mind as you read this book is that these are basically two separate stories that happen at the same time. It took me a good third of the book to get into this kind of presentation and just as long to figure out that, as dissimilar as these two arcs are, they actually are taking place in a common world. That said, there is precious little that connects Dell’s and Ledder’s story arcs. Acorn is the common factor between them, but Acorn plays doesn’t even get mentioned until about halfway through Dell’s story. Ledder, Dell, and Zavvy were all strangers during the climatic final scenes in the book. It was during these final scenes that a few more connections are strung between the two stories, but at such a late stage in the game, they felt a bit forced to me.
The story has a ton of romance in the form of Dell and Zavvy…and Fogel works damn hard to ensure Dell is presented as an amalgamation of male and female (the foreword explains Dell has a fully function set of both genders’ sex organs) and I can see how per’s personality and mannerism work to paint a picture of someone who is not binary. I loved the scenes where these two characters act on their blindingly hot physical attraction and we see Zavvy unreservedly loving all of Dell. I really enjoyed the angst caused by miscommunications that left Dell and Zavvy both thinking the other was trying to say walk away, when in fact they were each being too self-deprecating. You know, laying on the “I’m no good for you because reasons” a bit too thick so it sounds less like you’re fishing for reassurance and more like you’re trying to “gently” let the other person down. Except they were totally just looking for reassurance. While this gets resolved quickly between these two after they’ve misinterpreted the cues, the story is told from Dell’s POV so we spend many a scene listening to per question whether or not Zavvy really wants Dell, so that totally scratched my angst-queen itch.
Read Camille’s review in its entirety here.
November 23, 2016
Bewitching! Honest and Raw Storytelling by a Master.
This story is so unique, I can’t even say if it is Fantasy or Science Fiction. More like Speculative Fiction of the Mind and Spirit.
Fogal explores core themes of humanity, gender identity and belonging in this alternate world where humanity is split between two vastly different cultures, the Motherland and the Fatherland, and though the outward war between the two has ostensibly ended, the inner war rages on. It is up to the (nearly but not quite) omniscient and omnipotent Acorn and pers (maybe) fledgling army of hermaphroditic misfits, mentored by their emergent leader Dell to bridge this cultural gap. But Dell too is seeking belonging, both in pers fractured world and in pers own identity.
Fogal’s writing sings with her unique vernacular voice, complex, engaging, fully developed characters, snappy believable dialogue and emotional tension. The author takes the abstract concepts of consciousness, memory and emotion and makes them manifest through world-building so fluid, seamless and immersive (pun intended) as to be completely believable. While she teaches her gritty cast of characters a few lessons about themselves, each other and their world, she gently expands our minds and hearts as well.
Fogal’s other special talent is creating erotic sex scenes that feel natural and intrinsic to the story, and grab at you with raw emotion and intimacy that, regardless of your sexual orientation or gender identity, or even your thoughts about these things, more than make you feel as though you are there, but that you wish you were.
A must read.
This story is so unique, I can’t even say if it is Fantasy or Science Fiction. More like Speculative Fiction of the Mind and Spirit.
Fogal explores core themes of humanity, gender identity and belonging in this alternate world where humanity is split between two vastly different cultures, the Motherland and the Fatherland, and though the outward war between the two has ostensibly ended, the inner war rages on. It is up to the (nearly but not quite) omniscient and omnipotent Acorn and pers (maybe) fledgling army of hermaphroditic misfits, mentored by their emergent leader Dell to bridge this cultural gap. But Dell too is seeking belonging, both in pers fractured world and in pers own identity.
Fogal’s writing sings with her unique vernacular voice, complex, engaging, fully developed characters, snappy believable dialogue and emotional tension. The author takes the abstract concepts of consciousness, memory and emotion and makes them manifest through world-building so fluid, seamless and immersive (pun intended) as to be completely believable. While she teaches her gritty cast of characters a few lessons about themselves, each other and their world, she gently expands our minds and hearts as well.
Fogal’s other special talent is creating erotic sex scenes that feel natural and intrinsic to the story, and grab at you with raw emotion and intimacy that, regardless of your sexual orientation or gender identity, or even your thoughts about these things, more than make you feel as though you are there, but that you wish you were.
A must read.
April 15, 2017
Gorgeous. Highly recommended for an uplifting LGBTQ+ read. Fogal beautifully explores the lives of Dell and Ledder with a rich narrative.
June 17, 2017
If someone were to ask me what the themes of Root of the Spark was, I'd have to go with duality and second chances. Root of the Spark explores the concepts of gender, emotion, and trauma. There are two plots in this book: That of Dell, the first hermaphrodite born on the earth colony, and that of Ledder, a man who's alcoholism and past demons wreaks havoc on his wife and two children.
Dell's conflicts lie in pers (the pronoun used to describe hermaphrodite people in this book) hermaphrodite nature. Since per is the first of per kind, no one quite knows how to view Dell. Most people react with ignorance and fear. When per is rescued by another hermaphrodite child and per's guardian, Dell finally realizes per's purpose.
Ledder first finds himself in the Loam, a living organism that can adapt its form for any purpose. The identity of the Loam is Acorn, who represents perself as a young boy to Ledder. Acorn's form strikes fear into the Fatherlander's, who view it to be a torture prison for criminals. Acorn's purpose, however, is much more nuanced than that. It appears to be a creator or guardian of life, and views each human tragedy as its own mistake. The loam actually serves as a rehabilitation center for criminals, addicts, and those in need of psychiatric care. Acorn helps Ledder come to grips with the events that led to his alcoholism, and the breakdown of his family.
My thoughts on the book:
- While I enjoyed the exploration of what it means to be a hermaphrodite, I felt like the author could have delved more into the topic. She explored the challenge to a romantic life Dell's having a full set of both genitalia caused, but I felt the exploration of the psyches of Dell's dual genders were lacking. . The book focused on the social stigma hermaphrodite children faced in the world, and how the Fatherlander's religious views complicated matters greatly. And while the Motherlander's were more open to hermaphrodite children, they still held a social stigma against them.
- The author's exploration into what made abusive partners abusive was an interesting foray. It is one thing to know that your actions are wrong, but quite another to actually feel what your victims are going through as you harm them. Acorn's powers lie in being able to grant Ledder the ability to feel the emotions of the people he holds near and dear. By showing Ledder the memories of his loved ones, he is able to see how his actions directly impact them, giving him a greater understanding of his situation. You also see Ledder become more open minded as he learns more about the dual nature of Acorn. I feel the message the author is trying to give is not necessarily to forgive your abuser, but that the abuser needs to work on his/her/pers personal demons before forgiveness can be granted.
All in all, I really liked this book. I liked how the world building directly lead itself to the exploration of this story's concepts. I liked that this book explored the concepts of gender, though I wished it had delved a bit more. But this book is definitely worth a read!
Dell's conflicts lie in pers (the pronoun used to describe hermaphrodite people in this book) hermaphrodite nature. Since per is the first of per kind, no one quite knows how to view Dell. Most people react with ignorance and fear. When per is rescued by another hermaphrodite child and per's guardian, Dell finally realizes per's purpose.
Ledder first finds himself in the Loam, a living organism that can adapt its form for any purpose. The identity of the Loam is Acorn, who represents perself as a young boy to Ledder. Acorn's form strikes fear into the Fatherlander's, who view it to be a torture prison for criminals. Acorn's purpose, however, is much more nuanced than that. It appears to be a creator or guardian of life, and views each human tragedy as its own mistake. The loam actually serves as a rehabilitation center for criminals, addicts, and those in need of psychiatric care. Acorn helps Ledder come to grips with the events that led to his alcoholism, and the breakdown of his family.
My thoughts on the book:
- While I enjoyed the exploration of what it means to be a hermaphrodite, I felt like the author could have delved more into the topic. She explored the challenge to a romantic life Dell's having a full set of both genitalia caused, but I felt the exploration of the psyches of Dell's dual genders were lacking. . The book focused on the social stigma hermaphrodite children faced in the world, and how the Fatherlander's religious views complicated matters greatly. And while the Motherlander's were more open to hermaphrodite children, they still held a social stigma against them.
- The author's exploration into what made abusive partners abusive was an interesting foray. It is one thing to know that your actions are wrong, but quite another to actually feel what your victims are going through as you harm them. Acorn's powers lie in being able to grant Ledder the ability to feel the emotions of the people he holds near and dear. By showing Ledder the memories of his loved ones, he is able to see how his actions directly impact them, giving him a greater understanding of his situation. You also see Ledder become more open minded as he learns more about the dual nature of Acorn. I feel the message the author is trying to give is not necessarily to forgive your abuser, but that the abuser needs to work on his/her/pers personal demons before forgiveness can be granted.
All in all, I really liked this book. I liked how the world building directly lead itself to the exploration of this story's concepts. I liked that this book explored the concepts of gender, though I wished it had delved a bit more. But this book is definitely worth a read!
July 5, 2017
One of my favorite books of the year: A delicious science fiction read for those who love alien worlds, and it’s a beautifully worded character novel for those who love unique literary fiction!
At first glance, Root of the Spark is two separate stories set in the same world, where it’s not clear if the stories take place at the same time. In one story, we have Dell, a hermaphrodite who is originally from another part of the world where per (preferred pronoun) currently lives. In per society, per gender is unique but respected. Per has two sets of functioning gonads and a primal magical power associated with per birthright. Currently, per works as an actress or performer of sorts, and has a small measure of fame and fortune.
But that doesn’t keep a group of thugs from assaulting per on the outskirts of an impoverished neighborhood. Zavvy, a man who fosters dozens of hermaphrodite children, finds Dell and brings per to his house, where he nurses per back to health. After his rescue attempt, Dell realizes per duty to him and the children, and they work to make their world a better place.
Our second story seems as far removed from the previous story as you could possibly get. Ledder is a criminal and an alcoholic and is solely responsible for destroying the safety and trust of his family. He is sent to the Loam, a sentient subterranean fungal lifeform, where he will carry out his sentence. The only staff member in this entire facility, besides some of the more recovered inmates, or patients, is Acorn, the sentient life of the Loam. Per is also nonbinary (being fungus), and can shape per body to the needs of pers inhabitants. Per feeds them, creates rooms in the Loam for them, etc. Acorn also uses cognitive therapy and memories from pers patients to help rehabilitate the criminals. In some cases, there are people with too great of a disease to overcome, so per will keep them happy and sedated in whatever dream reality they choose until their expiration. We aren’t certain why Acorn chooses this work, but we know per’s tied to the earth and its creatures in some significant way, probably as old as the world itself.
Ledder isn’t much of a guy. He doesn’t want to be in the Loam, he doesn’t want to be rehabilitated, and he doesn’t think he did anything wrong. Through careful therapy, Acorn leads him to the truth about himself, and that violence begets violence.
Eventually the stories merge into a beautiful message about acceptance and peace. Not only was I incredibly awed with the various life forms and characters in the story, but I simply loved the science fiction elements. I loved the Loam, I loved this unique take on regressive dream therapy, and I loved the hermaphroditic gender and culture around it.
I don’t believe I’ve read anything quite like this before. Five stars! Enjoy!
At first glance, Root of the Spark is two separate stories set in the same world, where it’s not clear if the stories take place at the same time. In one story, we have Dell, a hermaphrodite who is originally from another part of the world where per (preferred pronoun) currently lives. In per society, per gender is unique but respected. Per has two sets of functioning gonads and a primal magical power associated with per birthright. Currently, per works as an actress or performer of sorts, and has a small measure of fame and fortune.
But that doesn’t keep a group of thugs from assaulting per on the outskirts of an impoverished neighborhood. Zavvy, a man who fosters dozens of hermaphrodite children, finds Dell and brings per to his house, where he nurses per back to health. After his rescue attempt, Dell realizes per duty to him and the children, and they work to make their world a better place.
Our second story seems as far removed from the previous story as you could possibly get. Ledder is a criminal and an alcoholic and is solely responsible for destroying the safety and trust of his family. He is sent to the Loam, a sentient subterranean fungal lifeform, where he will carry out his sentence. The only staff member in this entire facility, besides some of the more recovered inmates, or patients, is Acorn, the sentient life of the Loam. Per is also nonbinary (being fungus), and can shape per body to the needs of pers inhabitants. Per feeds them, creates rooms in the Loam for them, etc. Acorn also uses cognitive therapy and memories from pers patients to help rehabilitate the criminals. In some cases, there are people with too great of a disease to overcome, so per will keep them happy and sedated in whatever dream reality they choose until their expiration. We aren’t certain why Acorn chooses this work, but we know per’s tied to the earth and its creatures in some significant way, probably as old as the world itself.
Ledder isn’t much of a guy. He doesn’t want to be in the Loam, he doesn’t want to be rehabilitated, and he doesn’t think he did anything wrong. Through careful therapy, Acorn leads him to the truth about himself, and that violence begets violence.
Eventually the stories merge into a beautiful message about acceptance and peace. Not only was I incredibly awed with the various life forms and characters in the story, but I simply loved the science fiction elements. I loved the Loam, I loved this unique take on regressive dream therapy, and I loved the hermaphroditic gender and culture around it.
I don’t believe I’ve read anything quite like this before. Five stars! Enjoy!
May 22, 2017
It's almost impossible to review this book without spoiling the experience for the reader--I don't want to tell you anything about the story, because it unfolds in such a unique way, and the layers of each character are revealed/stripped away... I love gender-play in my books, and the author's take on gender, its fluidity and experience of discrimination, placed in a fantasy-world context, is fantastic-al. One of my favourite things about the fantasy genre is that it allows authors to be undidactic social critics: they can create any world, with any rules... and some of them might mirror the ones we experience in reality... and some of them might not... and some of them, we might find appalling, because it's humans discriminating against, say, dragons... and then suddenly, through the story, we might find our minds and hearts changed and affected...
Anyway--I don't want you to expect a didactic read. It's not. It's multi-layered, satisfying romance (the sex scenes are beautiful) and a complex fantasy... quest? I think it's a quest story. But a unique one, in pretty much every way.
Anyway--I don't want you to expect a didactic read. It's not. It's multi-layered, satisfying romance (the sex scenes are beautiful) and a complex fantasy... quest? I think it's a quest story. But a unique one, in pretty much every way.
June 25, 2017
Root of the Spark is a perfect blend of the sci-fi and romance genres. I loved the sensuality of the writing - it pulls you so vividly into the world of the characters.
There are many deep truths embedded in this novel, and it made me reflect on my own life's journey. A fantastic book! Highly recommend it!
There are many deep truths embedded in this novel, and it made me reflect on my own life's journey. A fantastic book! Highly recommend it!
May 12, 2017
4.25
Excellent world building, and excellently paced.
I enjoyed the exploration of gender in a society with many similarities (and many dissimilarities) to our own.
My next task will be to glom this author!
Excellent world building, and excellently paced.
I enjoyed the exploration of gender in a society with many similarities (and many dissimilarities) to our own.
My next task will be to glom this author!
dnf-and-dnw
June 9, 2017I don't have much faith in a story that uses an outdated and now-offensive term like hermaphrodite when it would have taken less than a second to learn that intersex is the correct term now.
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