The Wilderhom Trilogy

The Wilderhom Trilogy is a three-book web fiction series written by Philip James Eggerding, who has also produced illustrations of some of the characters from the story. The stories may be obtained from the author's website (see link below) or from The Raccoon's Bookshelf, where hardcopy editions of the books may be purchased. Rating would be PG-13 due to adult situations, implied sex, and graphic violence. The final chapter of the series was posted on 23 May 2006, although the author has stated that additional works are a possibility.

The stories all take place on the planet of Wilderhom, which is populated by twelve different Phur species that had been genetically engineered by humans several generations earlier, largely through the work of Kaustav Ekram. Phurs are hated by many humans, but have managed to carve out a semi-independent existence for themselves on Wilderhom, whose human contingent is for the most part limited to a base of operations for communication, transportation, and diplomacy. Phurs can't talk but rely instead on their ability to telse, which is to communicate telepathically. For most, the ability is limited to line-of-sight, but some have more advanced capabilities, such as the ability to telse long-distance, or more. One such Phur is Kemsa KelReyn, a female felocanid (the only hybrid species of the twelve). Due to her unusual abilities and her white fur, Kemsa finds it a struggle to fit in with her own clan.

Most humans do not have the ability to telse. Those few who can are sought after to become TOOB riders. TOOB stands for Telepathic Out Of Body, and with the aid of a machine, a TOOB rider can communicate instantaneously with another TOOB rider, even over distances spanning light years, and can perform other useful activities, such as surveillance. Jayson Solamane is one such TOOB rider. While he doesn't dislike Phurs, he views Wilderhom as a backwater assignment he hopes to move on from as soon as possible.

Jayson has never met Kemsa, but while performing a routine surveillance assignment on the TOOB machine, he finds her in a desperate situation. A most unexpected and extraordinary interaction between them occurs that will leave their minds and their lives inextricably linked.

Other major characters in the series include:
 * Poel TamPuir, felocanid male, teacher and mentor to Kemsa;
 * Riena Lefenor, human female, friend of Jayson;
 * Griffith Tange, human male, Official Liaison Officer to the Embassy Secretary and second in command at the Wilderhom embassy and friendly toward Phurs;
 * Stevvan Kohlaf, human male, the Embassy Secretary in the first book, and a hater of Phurs;
 * Tellman Long, human male, Kohlaf's replacement, much more enigmatic than his predecessor;
 * Korrak DanTaq, canid male, leader of Clan Taq;
 * Mika, procyonid female, healer with strong empathic and maternal instinct;
 * Sona, canid female, a bootsie (a companion/prostitute) and a good friend of Griffith;
 * Lenti, felocanid female, a bootsie, one of several who were maimed by anti-Phur human clients who hired them under false pretenses;
 * Harlan Meeker, human male, corporate executive and inventor who becomes a close assistant to Lenti;
 * Kivan, felocanid male, an outcast from his clan trying to find his place.

Book One: Riders of the Mind
Cover synopsis:
 * Jayson's mind was capable of spanning the universe, but would he and Riena ever get off Wilderhom? The planet of the despised Phurs was not a place to advance his career as a Telepathic Out Of Body (T.O.O.B.) Rider - especially since his director in the Intelligence Gathering Service no longer trusted him.


 * But now, Mr. Kohlaf is giving Jayson a final chance. He will send the Rider on one more TOOB mission - one that will take him to the dark abode of Korrak, an Elder of Wilderhom's most powerful Phur Clan: The Canids. If Jayson does well on this assignment, perhaps things will change.


 * But the mission doesn't go as planned. No. It doesn't go well at all....

Book Two: Wilderhom
Cover synopsis:
 * Now that Jayson and Kemsa have joined forces, what sort of powers are arrayed against them? Will their newfound skills be enough to cope with the dangers that lie in wait? Or will unforeseen problems tear the two apart? And what about those 'plans' to eradicate the Phurs?


 * The Riders of the Mind will need allies - ones they may need to look for in the strangest places.

Book Three: Beyond That Which Divides
Cover synopsis:
 * Kemsa, the new High Elder of Clan Taq is about to give birth to her first kit, but trouble is about to be born elsewhere in humankind's universe that will have repercussions far beyond Wilderhom. Will the Link-Mates be able to handle it? And who is Tellman Long - really? The Riders of the Mind are put to their greatest test in this final book of the Wilderhom Trilogy.