About the Book: "Reading Books can get you killed." In the land of Oration, magic is cast by reading aloud words of power from Spoken Books. Only a select few, the Speakers, are born with the ability to do so. But after a disaster nearly destroyed Oration, society grew to fear the Speakers' power and they were hunted and enslaved, never taught to read. Now they live in oppression, unable to use their magic unless a spell is first read aloud to them.

Each year, young men and women from Oration's ruling Libraries compete in the Acktus Trials, a journey that takes them through the wilds of Oration to the ruined city of Tome. Once Oration's capital, it is now abandoned, though the Great Library at its center still holds a wealth of Spoken Books. As Speakers are no longer taught to read, they also cannot write, so new Spoken Books have not been created in hundreds of years. The discovery of a new Book is a coveted prize for any young noble.

Baztian is a slave to one of Oration's poorer Libraries. When he is selected to accompany his master on the Actkus Trials, he thinks his life is over. The wilds are treacherous, his master incompetent, and their fellow competitors set on winning, whatever the means. But Baz also has a secret—one that could get him killed, but one that also makes him the most valuable of assets during the Trials. Baz can read, and after he saves his master from certain death, he strikes a deal—his secret kept safe in exchange for aiding his master in completing the Trials. But can Baz really help a young man who thinks of him as property? And even if he can, there is much he doesn't know, like the evil that lies in wait beneath the ruins of Tome.

About the Beverage: D.T. recommends pairing his novel with Tome Hazy Pale Ale by Half Acre Beer Company because: “Tome: A city in my novel, The Acktus Trials, and also a great beer! Just as my novel can be enjoyed both for a magic-filled plot and deeper themes like trust and friendship, a good pale ale can be as laid back or complex as you want, equally good for casual fun or a connoisseur.”

About the Author: Daniel (D. T.) Kane grew up with a dad who read to him about wizards and dragons, and a mom who spent countless hours reviewing his book reports on novels about talking animals. He reads to himself now, but his taste in books hasn’t strayed far from his childhood days. Dan works in the legal field by day and spends nights and weekends working on his next novel. When he isn’t writing or podcasting, he’s spending time with his wife, Linda, and dog, Buddy. They enjoy traveling, movies, and craft beer (Buddy sticks to water).

THE ACKTUS TRIALS is only 99 cents at Amazon and most other online retailers: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09QZ8MQ38/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0 https://books2read.com/theacktustrials Part 2 also out now! https://books2read.com/declaimersdiscovery

FOLLOW D.T. KANE
Website: https://dtkane.com
Facebook: @dtkaneauthor
Twitter: @dtkaneauthor
D. T. also hosts a podcast, D. T. Kane's Epic Fantasy Book Club, where each week he reads from his fiction and discusses it with his audience. Find it on your favorite podcast player and YouTube: https://link.chtbl.com/dtkane