..".About the Lord Shitake, and the Contest of Folded Paper..." Held captive to an enduring patience that comes from the overwhelming, obsessive desire to excel. Skillfully matched opponents who ignite the meaning they've found within their lives, within their souls, until thought becomes no longer possible. Poisoned by a less than blissful union, the intricacy of the contest is exceeded by the depth of the characters who attend it. ...and everything must end with the completion of the illusive Golden Lotus. You have been welcomed.

Frank knows who he is, even if that means being somebody else. But on the day he's fired from his job as an Elvis impersonator, he begins to realize that his only good side was the one that came with being the King. If he ever wants to start over, he'll have to come to grips with the monster lurking inside. Or he may just be kidding himself.

Rebellions come in a variety of ways. When the unity of ideas leads to stagnation, some are more desperate than others to find their own way in life. A Policeman struggles to solve a crime with motives he cannot conceive. A Bureaucrat tries to shed himself of life's responsibilities, while an architect is caught up in red tape trying to adopt a dog. A criminal cartel trades in contraband birthing licenses. And a deadly terrorist racks up a body count. Meanwhile, the riff-raff of the world race toward the stars as Extra Solar Pioneers, hoping to discover what doors hardships can open. And it...