Interview with an Omnist: Zen

Of course the first interview had to be with Zen, the dark-skinned, blue eyed main character from the first novel, Orisha. It is precisely because of his fresh, wayward perception of this world that makes him the best first interview for such a blog. When Owners of the Chi (OotC) settled on interviewing him, it was beyond difficult for us to get in touch due to the current circumstance that surrounds him. However, thanks to the fourth wall break, Zen himself came, dressed in an assymetrical, blue jacket, a pair of dark, skinny jeans, and nothing more.

OotC: So, Zen... such an unusual name for a supposedly African character. Is it short for something?

Zen: It is unusual, isn't it? (snickers) It's short for Zenobias Faraj Sharukani.

OotC: (Chuckles) And it is also a mouthful...

Zen: (Laughs) That is why everyone calls me Zen.

OotC: Does it carry any meaning?

Zen: Each word carries a different meaning, but for now, I can only tell you that the first means 'of Zeus'.

OotC: Of Zeus?

Zen: Yes. A derivative of the name of the king of the gods from Greek mythology.

OotC: Speaking of mythology, is that what the book is about, and being that you are a character from the book, from what point of it are you?

Zen: (Whines) Spoilers! Answering you completely would reveal one too many. What I can tell you now is that Orisha is not just about mythology. It is about family, love, hatred, adventure, strife, betrayal, and so much more. As to which part of the book I am from, I believe I am allowed to say that I am from the very last part. Perhaps even the last line.

OotC: What myth or myths is the book based on?

Zen: Again, entirely exhausting the answers to that would reveal spoilers, but take myself for example. There is a reason why my name is a derivative of Zeus' name. It may mean that I might be Zeus himself, it may mean that I am not Zeus at all. You see, the thing that gives life to the mythology is that I was Zeus in a past life, but then I was Shango, I was Raijin, I was Thor, I was the Thunderbird... Do you get what I am saying?

OotC: You were - or are - all the gods of thunder and lighting the world knows of?

Zen: That and so much more. But I was not different people, different gods of thunder. I was the same one, only reincarnated throughout time in different forms and cultures.

OotC: Whoa... (Takes a deep breath) And what about the other characters, were they all like this too?

Zen: My brother is a god of flame, and my sister a goddess of earth. Most of the characters have similar traits, but there are some who are plain human. There are, however, a handful who are complete mysteries, since they have never been in any myth before. They add a certain... spice to it all.

OotC: What does this to you? What makes you these... these reincarnated gods? Is it a gift? Do you just wake up one day and say "today I will be a Mayan god of... I dunno, sex"?

Zen: (Doubles over in laughter) I wish it was that easy. We were all cursed. Yes (nods) all the pagan gods you have ever heard of are beings that were cursed and banished from their home, a heavenly realm so close yet so far away.

OotC: Wait-wait-wait... There is a heaven?

Zen: My people call it Hemel.

Ootc: And why have you not been able to return to it yet?

Zen: (Chuckles) I have already revealed too much. Given the stage from which I am in the entire story-line, I don't even know half of what my reality is about.

OotC: If you find it overwhelming, what would I say about myself? (Both men laugh heartily) Okay. Let us tone it down and discuss Orisha, the first of eleven - or twelve - books from which you have been plucked. Tell us what happens to you from the start that leads to you in the now.

Zen: (Sighs in relief) That is much easier to answer. Basically, I wake up with amnesia in the aftermath of a terrifying storm. I learn some horrible secrets about my family and later find out that my sister died in the storm. However, as my memories slowly return, I realize that she was killed. The story is therefore about my attempts at finding the cause of her death, while discovering this new, magical world she had hidden from me long before my amnesia. Of course, what is a story without obstacles and a villain, characters and situations to constantly challenge me and force me to grow? And these obstacles are very formidable...

OotC: And this is only the first book, yes? ...Out of twelve?

Zen: (Bursts into laughter) Of course, an entire universe cannot fit into just one book. (Both laugh, again) Orisha is barely the tip of the iceberg. The saga is a story that begins from the epicenter of a tragedy, takes a few turns here, branches into other subplots there, travels back in time and finally, culminates into a cataclysmic event in the seventh and final tale. After these seven books are five more that follow a prequel story explaining the cause of the problem faced by our current heroes.

OotC: Now, away from the content itself: at what audience do you think the author was aiming?

Zen: From the way my own story is told, I'd say that he was aiming for a young adult audience, but slightly more mature. There are places where the words dance to a whimsical tune, and others where you can feel and touch the author's utter agony. And sometimes it sounds like a horny, moody teenager was trying to write a romantic love letter. All in all, I believe the author was writing for one person - himself - and hoped that his own words would be strong enough to reach out to, at least, one other person out there.

OotC: So would you call this a self-help book too since, as I understand, the novel has some touchy themes such as politics, religion and sacrifice?

Zen: Yes and no. Yes, because it contains a story that teaches the basic values of responsibility and integrity amidst chaos. No, because it's an opportunity for anyone to dive into yet another fantastic world and escape.

A glimmering light appears around Zen, concentrated on his head like a halo.

OotC: It seems that our time is up. One last thing: as a character from the novel series, what would you say to any avid or prospective readers of The Orisha Saga?

Zen: (Smiles slyly) Death is just the beginning. (Disappears in a flash of blinding, golden light)