Learn the Lingo of UNTAMED!
So, this is actually a post that first appeared on my LiveJournal account on UNTAMED’s release date… seeing as I’m primarily using this site for my blog now, I thought I’d repost this glossary (of sorts!) here.
So, with the very exciting news that my debut novel, UNTAMED, releases today (20 May), I thought I’d share with you a glossary of sorts. UNTAMED is a YA dystopia set in an alternate reality. It was only during the editing rounds that I realised just how many ‘unfamiliar’ terms are used in the book, and how helpful a glossary could be.
So here is that glossary:
AUGMENTERS – these are the chemical drugs that the Enhanced Ones take to give them artificial emotions, supernatural strengths, and alter their physical appearances. Augmenters were designed as a way to eradicate crime and violence from society, as they were created to make people better. When taken (either orally or injected), these augmenters cause the person’s eyes to become the mirrors that are characteristic of the Enhanced Ones. [For more info on their eyes, see ‘EYE-MIRRORS’]. The eye-mirros from a single augmenter can last from several hours to a few days, whilst the results of the augmenters (such as specific emotions or abilities) can last for up to three days, depending on the individual and how many augmenters were taken. But taking augmenters comes at a price: the individual can’t think properly, and has little control over his or her actions. Augmenters are also highly addictive, and practically impossible to come off of. Common augmenters referred to in this novel include Kindness, Benevolence, and Compassion. Augmenters play a key role in the conversion process, when an Untamed individual becomes an Enhanced or Chosen One.
CHIVRAS – one of the supernatural spirits present in the world. They are usually extremely dangerous, but can be helpful to the Untamed, if under the guidance of a powerful (and usually Untamed) Seer. [See ‘SEER’ for more info]. Like all spirits, they are nearly always on the side of the Untamed.
THE CHOSEN/THE CHOSEN ONES – this is what the Enhanced Ones call themselves. They believe that they have chosen to lead better, more satisfying lives–through sacrificing negative emotions to the augmenters—and that it is their duty to convert all the Untamed Ones into Chosen Ones. [For more info, see ‘The ENHANCED’].
CONVERSION – the process of transforming an Untamed person into an Enhanced or Chosen One. The nature of the conversion depends on how willing the Untamed person is to become Enhanced. It can range from taking a couple of augmenters (and developing the lifelong addiction), to employing methods of torture to get an Untamed person’s will to submit to the Enhanced/Chosen Ones’ lifestyle.
DEATH (the figure) – an entity who people never talk about, perhaps because they don’t believe he exists, or because of their fear of him. Very few people see Death.
THE DREAM LAND – an altered state of reality, only accessible to Untamed Seers. The spirits and Gods and Goddesses have the power to bring Untamed Seers here, and show them short visions of the future—most often, of times when the Enhanced Ones will attack the Untamed Ones and attempt to convert them—as a way to enable the Untamed to escape before they are attacked. If an Untamed Seer is converted into an Enhanced One, they lose their access to the Dream Land.
ENHANCED (adjective) – refers to someone’s physical state. If they have the eye-mirrors, they are said to be Enhanced, and therefore belong to the Enhanced Ones’ side in the War of Humanity.
THE ENHANCED/THE ENHANCED ONES/THE CHOSEN/THE CHOSEN ONES (noun) – the group of people who embrace the Enhanced Ones’ lifestyle, choosing to take augmenters as a way to eradicate crime and violence from the world. They believe that violence needs to be eradicated, and claim they are not murders, like the Untamed are; any Untamed who are killed during conversion attacks are because of ‘accidents’–murder isn’t their intention, conversion is. The Enhanced see the Untamed Ones as a massive threat, due to their violent natures, and their goal is to convert as many of the Untamed as possible. These people believe that they are the supreme race. They call themselves ‘the Chosen/Chosen Ones’, whilst the Untamed call them ‘the Enhanced/Enhanced Ones’. The Enhanced Ones make up around ninety-five per cent of the world’s population, and they have control of all the towns and cities, food and resources. Due to the highly addictive nature of the augmenters, and the security of the Enhanced lifestyle, once a person is Enhanced it is almost impossible to convert them back to being Untamed again. Enhanced Ones are frequently referred to as being ‘robotic’ and like ‘machines’.
ENHANCED SEER – this is a person who is now an Enhanced One, but who was given the gift of being a Seer when they were Untamed. [For more info on Seers, see ‘SEER’]. Upon conversion to the Enhanced life, a Seer loses their ability to see the future (as the spirits and Gods and Goddesses no longer summon them to the Dream Land to warn them of attacks, as they have switched sides in the war), but Enhanced Seers retain the other Seer powers, such as mind control.
EYE-MIRRORS – All the Enhanced Ones are said to have ‘eye-mirrors’ due to the effects of the augmenters. An ingredient was added to the recipe for all augmenters that makes their eyes metallic in surface, acting as a one-way mirror. This is seen as the perfect solution for protecting the Enhanced Ones’ souls from the Untamed, as the eyes are the gateway to the soul. When one looks at an Enhanced being, all they can see in the Enhanced One’s eyes is their own reflection, whilst the Enhanced One can see perfectly.
GODS AND GODDESSES – the invisible entities who the Untamed actively worshipped long ago. They are still referred to in times of need, and are prayed to (as a collective group) regularly by the Untamed, but no one has seen a God or Goddess. Gods and Goddesses are acknowledged as having great power, and when an Untamed person has his or her first Seeing dream and becomes a Seer, it is accepted that the Gods and Goddesses and Spirits have made that person a Seer.
NEW WORLD – an Untamed concept. The New World is the place where people’s souls/spirits are sent to after death. The journey to the New World can be difficult, and therefore the Spirit Releasing Words should be said over the body, as soon as possible. Some Untamed believe that setting a body off down a river gives a better chance of the soul/spirit reaching the New World quickly.
RUNNING LEAN –an Enhanced/Chosen One is said to be ‘running lean’ if he or she needs to top up their augmenter levels.
SEEING DREAM – the type of dream that Untamed Seers have when they are brought to the Dream Land by the spirits, Gods or Goddesses. Seeing dreams give Untamed Seers warnings of future attacks, and these dreams are often mistaken for reality by the Seer at the time of the vision, as they start seamlessly from the last point of consciousness for the Seer, and are highly vivid and realistic in nature. All Seeing dreams feature the image of a bison in the sky, and as such, can be used as a way to distinguish them from reality or dreams, but it’s not always easy to see the sky. The first Seeing dream an Untamed Seer has (upon being made a Seer by the Gods and Goddesses and spirits) also usually warns the individual of a coming Turning—see ‘THE TURNING’.
SEER – an individual who possesses extra ‘powers’. The Gods and Goddesses and spirits have the ability to make any Untamed person a Seer, and will pull their Seer into the Dream Land to give them warnings about future conversion attacks. If an Untamed Seer becomes converted (whether willingly, or forcefully), the Seer loses the ability to enter the Dream Land (as the Gods, Goddesses and spirits never invite an Enhanced Seer there, as they are on the enemy side). But an Enhanced Seer doesn’t lose their other powers. Other Seer powers include mind control, psychological torture and psychic abilities. These powers take a long time to master, and are used strongly by Enhanced Seers who are trying to convert Untamed Seers, as one of the reasons the Untamed still exist is because of their Seers being able to give them warnings about future conversion attacks.
SEER PENDANT – The Dream Land is a dangerous place and an Untamed Seer can get lost there if he or she is not anchored to the real world by a special pendant. Usually made of crystal.
SPIRIT RELEASING WORDS – These are the words said over a dead body to aid the spirit/soul’s journey to the New World. Often accompanied by specific gestures.
SPIRITS – the entities that inhabit the world. They are usually considered as dangerous, or potentially dangerous, and should be avoided at all costs. However, they are usually all always on the Untamed side in the war, and therefore will aid Untamed Seers in battle if absolutely necessary. But they can’t be controlled by a Seer for a long time.
THE TURNING – indicates a change in the season, and the time when the spirits are the most dangerous and active. During a Turning, the sky changes colour and dark holes appear, letting more spirits into the world. If any individual sees a spirit during the Turning, it is believed that he or she will die, as the spirits’ powers are too strong during that period, and spirits don’t like being seen on normal occasions. Turnings can occur at any time, and are not limited to a minimum number per year.
UNTAMED (adjective) – the physical state of being Untamed: having normal eyes, and being able to think clearly.
THE UNTAMED/THE UNTAMED ONES (noun) – the group of humans left in the world who do not rely on augmenters for their emotions. These people are the only people who are fully in control of their feelings, as they can feel negative emotions as well, but they are hunted down by the Enhanced Ones who want to convert them. The Enhanced see the Untamed as a threat as the negativity of the world still exists within them, and the Untamed kill as many Enhanced Ones as possible—though this can be difficult, depending on which augmenters the Enhanced Ones currently have in their systems. Due to the small number of Untamed humans left in the world, their lifestyle consists of being on the run, constantly looking out for Enhanced Ones, and raiding Enhanced towns and cities for food and supplies.
UNTAMED SEER – a Seer who is on the side of the Untamed, and who receives visions through the Dream Land of upcoming conversion attacks, and other events that could threaten the existence of the Untamed.
THE WAR OF HUMANITY – the on-going war between the Untamed and the Enhanced. If the Enhanced win, humanity will be destroyed, due to the replacement of genuine emotions with artificial ones, because the Enhanced Ones can choose what they want to feel at any given time.
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There you have it–some of the ‘unfamiliar’ terms used in my novel, along with their definitions!
But where can you buy UNAMED?
Luckily, there are a lot of places you can buy UNTAMED from, whether it be in ebook or paperback, online or in store:
Prizm Books (US only)
Torquere Press (international)
and other good bookshops!
