Barbara Lee Hoss

The City in the Sky Barbara Lee Hoss

This book is a fable based on a fictional land where animals rule and humans are intruders. The principal character finds this land while searching for a vision she has seen in the far off horizon. The vision resembles a mystical city she remembers from childhood. She sets off for the journey on a horse and is dressed in armor. After days of traveling she encounters many obstacles and winds up being guided by a disembodied voice. She comes to a long and impenetrable wall but with help from the voice and emboldened by faith, she is able to surmount the wall and enter the animal land. There she encounters animals that have left the human land after being persecuted. She is surprised at their ability to talk and show emotions that are similar to those expressed by humans. The animals she meets are many. First she encounters serpent like creatures that are called Drolls because they have such dry wit. They provide her with food, drink, and clothing. They do this at the direction of a mysterious Salinda. When queried about this strange new land, the Drolls disappear. Next she meets a charming and multi-talented bear named Bruno. He is a gourmet cook, doctor, and philosopher extraordinaire. He welcomes our heroine and tells her his sad life story. Finally she meets David who lives with the wolf clan. But is he really a wolf? Finally, she journeys to the City in the Sky, accompanied by her new friends and threatened by her new enemies. What she finds there is not what she expected.