I’m back with another Behind the Scene post here on Track of Words, where I hope you’ll join me in welcoming author Salinee Goldenberg, whose debut novel The Last Phi Hunter is coming out via Angry Robot on the 9th of April 2024! As always with these BTS posts, Salinee has kindly picked out an excerpt from her novel, and written an accompanying commentary, which this time focuses on the cinematic nature of The Last Phi Hunter. Salinee has chosen an excerpt from a couple of chapters into the book, so read on to find out more about this “mythic dark fantasy”, and in particular its central character pairing!
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Salinee: When I started writing The Last Phi Hunter, I imagined it cinematically – the opening shot of Chapter One speeds through a dark forest, then centers on Ex as he lays in wait, a moment before he ambushes a Hungry Ghost who had been terrorizing a local village. In the next few scenes, he harvests his prey, gets drunk at the pub, and meets Arinya, who saves him from getting his ass kicked by some local villagers. But Chapter Three is where the studio really brings the budget for the special FX: our two lead characters meet the Guardian of the Emerald Forest, a god spirit and divine being of the natural world. I wanted to share this chapter because it’s the reader’s first big glimpse into the magical, mythical setting of Suyoram Kingdom.
The set-up: Ex has agreed to escort a very pregnant Arinya to see the Witch of the Bent Lake, and they’re riding through a dangerous patch of woods. They’re still strangers at this point, and through some light-hearted banter, we learn a little more about the characters and the world. I wanted to show their personalities – how Ex wants to be taken seriously, but is awkward because of his solitary lifestyle. How Arinya is friendly and playful, yet hiding something. She lists common stereotypes and misconceptions about phi hunters, and Ex tries to set the record straight. I had to sneak in a nod to Geralt there, my favorite scarred and grizzled Witcher, of course.
We’ve already seen Ex enter the Everpresent during his fight in the opening scene, which is a heightened state of awareness that Phi Hunters use to bolster their senses and access magic. We haven’t yet seen him use this power in a non-hostile setting, so it was important to highlight the spiritual element of Ex’s trade – their respect for divine beings and reverence for the natural world. They are monk-adjacent with their rules and traditions, one of which is a vow of nonviolence towards other humans. Through this chapter, we’re joining Arinya as she sees past some of the misinformation that she’s grown up with.
The Guardian was inspired by the singha, a mythical lion, and a symbol of power and protection. You’ll find these very stylized statues at the cornerstones of Buddhist temples, on royal heraldry, and even on the label of their popular Thai lager. The intricate swirling patterns of traditional Thai art combined perfectly with the dense corded trunk of a bodhi tree, another iconic Buddhist symbol. It’s one of my favorite scenes in the novel, and it’s where I leaned in on the Studio Ghibli vibes.
But it’s not all roses and butterflies. The thing hippies might have you forget about nature is that it’s dangerous. It’s dog eat dog. It’s metal AF. Hurricanes and earthquakes have no morals, hungry predators don’t care about your feelings. To a higher being like the Guardian, a human’s life is worth just as much as the sprout next to their foot. Ex knows he must tread carefully.
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Excerpt from Chapter 3
The tiny roots of the Guardian tree grew larger and larger, eventually rising to snake above ground. It burrowed straight through rocks, fearlessly claiming the land for itself. Out of pure respect, other trees grew sparser around it, leaving only emerald moss and small white flowers as company.
Glowflies circled above, and after they walked through a trench split apart by the tree, Arinya straightened up and gasped.
From all directions, thick pale roots wove across the forest floor and rose to connect to a great web – the sinewy trunk of an immense bodhi tree. Massive in presence, it was the idol in the center of its own temple. Its branches reached far into the canopy, beyond sight, which begged the question – was it part of the forest, or was the forest part of it?
Amongst the twisted cords where the trunk touched the ground, laid small bones, wilted flowers, fruit seeds, and shiny rocks. The creatures of the forests knew to pay their tributes.
Small pools of water collected in roots that had curled around into reservoirs. They reflected the light of the stars, and brightened the clearing, even though the sky wasn’t visible through the heavy canopy.
“I’ve never seen anything like this before,” Arinya whispered, as if speaking too loudly would disturb the slumber of the trees. “It’s beautiful.”
“You should see it in the Everpresent.” Ex slid off of Ramble. “Wait here a minute.”
As he walked forward and steadied his breath, he eased his awareness into the Everpresent. A layer of splendid texture rushed over all his senses, every scent and sound swelled, magnified. The sweet aroma of a freshly peeled banana, the bubbling rustle of water as a young nightcrow bathed, the rapid patter of ants crawling across the rubber tree nearby as they carried rotting leaves to their queen.
The Blinds were so drab and grey compared to the brilliance seen in this state. Each shade reached deep beyond his eyes, and if he let his gaze soften, the colors vibrated at an audible frequency, all senses bloomed and a harmony resonated in an indescribable comfort – this was reality at its purest form, a reality severed when one walked away from nature.
It wasn’t usually so serene. When a hunter entered this state, they were most often casting a quick spell, tracking a phi, or communing with spirits. There was no time to admire the soft hues of the flowers when rotting teeth gnashed in their faces, or when they needed a few moments to piece together a shredded liver before bleeding out.
The Everpresent was always beautiful, but the Guardian’s sanctuary was even more special. Every wild place had a living heart. And like a heart, they required attention and care.
Kneeling in front of the tree, Ex removed a vial from his pack filled with his own blood and poured it next to the other offerings. He drew a symbol of homage. For disturbing your slumber. He pressed his palms together in a wai, then lifted his hands to his forehead.
The symbol lit up with a soft glow and sunk into the moss, which quickly grew over. It was silent, the Guardian judging the small offering. Then a deep rumble coursed from the tree, vibrating the entire clearing. Water rippled in the small reservoirs between the roots. The swirling glowflies stood still, hovering in place as they watched their god approach.
The knots and gnarls on the bodhi tree shifted, its bark flexing into cords of muscle. A jawline formed and pushed forward, swirling to create the fierce, curling mouth of a lion. Immense, unblinking eyes grew above his snout, which sprouted fangs. Tiny pinprick pupils blinked to life and focused on the very essence of the insignificant human before him.
The Guardian of the Emerald Forest.
Hunter. You return with a gift.
When he spoke, all went silent.
A small tribute, ancient one. Ex kept his hands in a wai, but lowered them to heart-level and peered up at the forest god. I have come for passage through your lands.
To where?
To the Witch on the Bent Lake.
As the Guardian drew breath, the entire sanctuary pulled inward, and as he exhaled, expanded. The smell of his immense powers completely overwhelmed all other senses, and his presence overwhelmed all other beings. All others were but helpless, soft creatures laying mercifully in his jaws.
Why should I grant you this?
Because I’ve slain the kongkoi plaguing your lands, ancient one.
The tree strained as the Guardian stretched towards Ex, his wide nostrils flaring. A breeze ruffled through his hair as he sniffed him.
The stench of demon blood. His pupils dilated, and his jaws widened in a terrifying grin. So you have, hunter.
Ex bowed his head.
I accept your tribute. With a groan, the Guardian’s roots shifted and the ground quavered as they rearranged beneath the earth. Sprouting at the edge of the clearing, long tendrils of roots rose and pushed aside trees as if they were curtains, creating a path. Ex smiled, impressed at himself with how smoothly it went.
Then the Guardian’s pupils focused beyond the hunter.
Your gift still breathes.
Behind Ex, Arinya clutched Brownie’s reins with white-knuckled fists. She stared at him in shock. Beyond the tiny dips for spells here and there, when hunters submerged fully into the Everpresent, they appeared very different to those in the Blinds. His skin appeared pale grey, as did his hair, eyes glowing red, bright enough to scare someone who’d never seen it before.
And from the Everpresent, she appeared equally grey to him, with just a spot of red light where her heart beat. And another lower, in her abdomen, much smaller but brighter.
You mistake my intention. Ex’s own heart pounded as several of the Guardian’s roots rose, reaching towards her from behind, just out of her sight. She’s my passenger, and that’s her passenger. She is not the tribute.
Why else would you bring a blinded human here? Her kind cut down my children and tear away my skin. If the phi did not poison my lands, I would welcome its violent acts towards their scourge.
Ex stood then and took a step forward. With as much menace as he could, without being blatantly disrespectful, he met the Guardian’s giant eyes.
No other hunters walk this path. If you want me to continue my service, oh great one, then do not harm them.
The Guardian’s frown deepened, his eyebrows lowered as he cast his eyes back onto the hunter. A low growl emanated from his being as he decided whether or not to wring the human’s puny neck for his belligerence. This was a pure spirit, practically divine, and they were on no common law other than the perception of the Everpresent.
Then the great being sighed in obvious disappointment, and the forest floor deflated. With a swirl of bark, his face melted back into the bodhi tree.
Beware, hunter. That one is marked.
Before Ex could ask what that meant, the Guardian snapped him out of the Everpresent without ceremony – a root popped out of the ground and flung him across the moss as if flicking a booger. Ex bounced and thudded flat on his face at the edge of the sanctuary, right at Arinya’s feet.
She jumped, hands clasped over her mouth. From the nearby trees, Ex caught the whining pant of the Hound’s laughter.
“Ex! What was that… that… that face?”
He sat up, glaring at the Guardian for the unnecessary indignity. The tree was probably laughing at him too.
“Kind of an asshole,” he muttered, and brushed the dirt off. He climbed back onto Ramble, who was also snorting in amusement. Brownie was the only one who cast him a sympathetic eye. “Let’s go.”
They rode through the passage the Guardian had gifted, following the lane of red roots. The path was wide enough to ride side by side.
“I never knew such magic existed,” Arinya said, staring back over her shoulder as the trees maneuvered back to close off the sanctuary. “What was that thing?”
“The Guardian of the Emerald Forest. That one always gives me a hard time.”
“Was that place always there?”
“There? Not in the literal sense. The heart of the forest lives everywhere, if you know where to look.” The truth was, if he wasn’t so late, and if she weren’t so pregnant, he would never ask the Guardian for passage. Those favors were precious. And with the god spirits, you never knew what they might want in return.
“Incredible,” she said, and then grunted. Ex glanced over in alarm, where she clutched her stomach, concern lacing her features.
“Are you okay?”
She nodded with a grimace, and wiped her brow. He started to sweat too and then peered at her belly. “Is it… are you, uhh…”
“Is it much further?”
“Not much,” he said, and urged Ramble faster. As Arinya made more suppressed groans, the Guardian’s cryptic words returned. She was marked, or was it the child? Ex doubted Arinya would know, or would tell him if she did.
It was then that he realized these were no ordinary passengers.
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And there you go – that all sounds very interesting, doesn’t it? I’m sure, like me, you’re keen to know more about what happens in The Last Phi Hunter! Here’s the publisher’s synopsis for an overview, and check out the links below to order your copy.
Ambitious Phi Hunter and perpetual lone wolf, Ex, finds his road to glory interrupted when a heavily pregnant runaway enlists his help to escape through the ghost-infested forest…
Ex, the youngest member of the Phi Hunters Order, has spent his life slaying the ghosts and demons of Suyoram Kingdom. While he takes great pride in his mystical trade, collecting dwindling bounties and peddling butchered spirit organs lacks the glory he craves. He’s determined to hunt down Shar-Ala, a demon of nightmares, of madness – who has eluded even Ex’s masters.
In a provincial village along the way, Arinya, a charming muay-boran champion, manages to save Ex him from a brutal ass-kicking, despite being nine months pregnant. In return, she asks him to escort her through the dangerous, spirit-filled forest, where ghosts salivate over the scent of the unborn.
Feeling responsible for Arinya’s safety, Ex vows to help her return home. But as more of Arinya’s secrets emerge, and the elusive demon nears, Ex must face dangers from both men and monsters, or lose not only the respect and sanctuary of his guild, but also the woman he’s trying not to fall in love with.
The Last Phi Hunter is a mythic dark fantasy, equal parts smart, exhilarating, and delightfully fun.
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Salinee Goldenberg is a speculative fiction writer and multimedia artist who lives in Washington DC, and is drawn to outsider perspectives. A biracial, bisexual, diaspora writer, Sal often explores themes of identity, obsession and alienation in her work. A gaming industry veteran, Sal has created narrative trailers for titles such as Skyrim, Fallout 4, Dishonored, and Minecraft. When not writing, she likes to paint, listen to records, and play in punk bands.
Find out more at Salinee’s website, or follow her on Twitter.
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Huge thanks to Salinee and Caroline at Angry Robot for putting this together. I really enjoyed reading both the commentary and excerpt, and I hope you had as much fun as I did!
The Last Phi Hunter is out on the 9th April from Angry Robot – check out the links below to order* your copy:
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