Lexicon

Most magic systems focus on fireballs or telekinesis, but Lexicon is far more inventive. Instead of spells, select people can control the world with words. Emily Ruff, a street conwoman, knows how to influence people well, and that makes her a perfect selection. Unfortunately, ‘poets’ also have the same weakness. It’s necessary to hide their true identity for life if they want to be safe from manipulation. As a result, Lexicon has thriller elements as well as school, fantasy, and sci-fi. It’s an element that leads to surprising parallels. Barry uses his novel as a tool to highlight the subliminal influence of advertising, privacy violations, and control. He plays it out in a non-linear fashion, unfolding different parts of the story into a cohesive whole and augmenting it with dry wit.