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Orishas Among Mortals #2
When the Wind Speaks
What happens when a deity needs to reconnect with humanity?
They go to New York City, of course.
Oya, the deity of storms, must convey a message. But how can she do it when no Orisha has communicated with a mortal in centuries? To succeed, she must break the ancient rules that have shackled her for ages.
The world’s hope rests on the shoulders of her holy child, young Manny Martinez, but she’s proving fiendishly hard to reach with a crowded mind full of family reunions, social media, and a city rife with distractions. If time runs out, an all-out war could break out between mortals and immortals alike.
Find out if Oya can succeed in this short story epilogue to The Gatekeeper’s Staff, a young adult fantasy based on the mythology of the West African gods, where Oya will battle against Mother Internet, Father Technology, and even her own allies.
An Old Gods Story
They go to New York City, of course.
Oya, the deity of storms, must convey a message. But how can she do it when no Orisha has communicated with a mortal in centuries? To succeed, she must break the ancient rules that have shackled her for ages.
The world’s hope rests on the shoulders of her holy child, young Manny Martinez, but she’s proving fiendishly hard to reach with a crowded mind full of family reunions, social media, and a city rife with distractions. If time runs out, an all-out war could break out between mortals and immortals alike.
Find out if Oya can succeed in this short story epilogue to The Gatekeeper’s Staff, a young adult fantasy based on the mythology of the West African gods, where Oya will battle against Mother Internet, Father Technology, and even her own allies.
An Old Gods Story
- GenresFantasyYoung Adult
36 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 24, 2021
4 people are currently reading
108 people want to read
About the author
Antoine Bandele
24 books450 followersHOW I RATE
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Very Profound and/or Entertaining.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ I enjoyed it.
⭐⭐⭐ It was okay.
⭐⭐ I didn't enjoy it.
⭐ I hated it.
ABOUT ME
ANTOINE BANDELE IS AN AMAZON BESTSELLING AUTHOR IN AFRICAN LITERATURE.
He lives in Los Angeles, CA with his girlfriend, where he produces work on YouTube for his own channel and others, such as JustKiddingFilms, Fanalysis, and more. During the summer he is a camp counselor. Whenever he has the time he’s writing his debut series: Tales from Esowon.
SINCE 1990 ...
I've been a creative kid, whether writing stories, drawing comics, or directing home movies. I remember the first time I thought I was a "published" author. My father took my brother and I to an office supply store, where we got our books (which were made out of wide-ruled notebook paper) laminated and copied.
It felt so legit.
In elementary school, I kept filling out more notebooks with my stories. I was even brave enough to share those stories with friends during recess. The underside of the playground slide became my own library, but the only inventory was my books. They were stories about kung fu fighting teenagers who were stuck in their own dreams (still might develop that one day), or fan fiction covering my favorite franchises.
Growing up in Los Angeles, only a few miles from Hollywood, I started flirting with the film industry. This became my focus throughout my young adult years. I majored in Multimedia at California State University Northridge (though my diploma is still incomplete). That eventually got me on YouTube which (for most filmmakers in those early days) was the best place to archive and share your work. YouTube has turned into a different beast today, but I still seek out that sense of community it had among like-minded individuals.
If there is one thing that encompasses my life so far, one theme, it would be the pursuit of art. Whether I'm writing, drawing, editing or otherwise (though I really wish I had a talent for music), I've always been drawn to crafting art. That's all I'm really about when it comes right down to the bare bones, everything stripped away. I'm fueled by creating make-believe, letting my imagination take me to wonderful worlds filled with characters who speak to my inner muse.
So join me here on my small corner of the internet (a bit of an upgrade to the underside of a playground). I want to share my creativity with you.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Very Profound and/or Entertaining.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ I enjoyed it.
⭐⭐⭐ It was okay.
⭐⭐ I didn't enjoy it.
⭐ I hated it.
ABOUT ME
ANTOINE BANDELE IS AN AMAZON BESTSELLING AUTHOR IN AFRICAN LITERATURE.
He lives in Los Angeles, CA with his girlfriend, where he produces work on YouTube for his own channel and others, such as JustKiddingFilms, Fanalysis, and more. During the summer he is a camp counselor. Whenever he has the time he’s writing his debut series: Tales from Esowon.
SINCE 1990 ...
I've been a creative kid, whether writing stories, drawing comics, or directing home movies. I remember the first time I thought I was a "published" author. My father took my brother and I to an office supply store, where we got our books (which were made out of wide-ruled notebook paper) laminated and copied.
It felt so legit.
In elementary school, I kept filling out more notebooks with my stories. I was even brave enough to share those stories with friends during recess. The underside of the playground slide became my own library, but the only inventory was my books. They were stories about kung fu fighting teenagers who were stuck in their own dreams (still might develop that one day), or fan fiction covering my favorite franchises.
Growing up in Los Angeles, only a few miles from Hollywood, I started flirting with the film industry. This became my focus throughout my young adult years. I majored in Multimedia at California State University Northridge (though my diploma is still incomplete). That eventually got me on YouTube which (for most filmmakers in those early days) was the best place to archive and share your work. YouTube has turned into a different beast today, but I still seek out that sense of community it had among like-minded individuals.
If there is one thing that encompasses my life so far, one theme, it would be the pursuit of art. Whether I'm writing, drawing, editing or otherwise (though I really wish I had a talent for music), I've always been drawn to crafting art. That's all I'm really about when it comes right down to the bare bones, everything stripped away. I'm fueled by creating make-believe, letting my imagination take me to wonderful worlds filled with characters who speak to my inner muse.
So join me here on my small corner of the internet (a bit of an upgrade to the underside of a playground). I want to share my creativity with you.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
August 15, 2022
Loved this but I love Oya🤷🏾♀️
July 30, 2021
Returning from Camp Olosa is hard enough for Manny Martinez without the added stress of seven cousins invading her family’s small Brooklyn home. Distracted by texts from her friend T.J. Young and a whirlwind of activity around her, she fails to notice the concerted efforts of the Orisha named Oya. Desperate to communicate an important message to Manny, one of her claimed children, Oya breaks several Orisha rules in order to bring the Orisha and the mortal planes together. But when her plans are repeatedly thwarted, Oya must resort to drastic measures to ensure Manny is listening.
This short story bridges the gap between the first and second novels in the T.J. Young and the Orishas series. Like the introductory short story, readers are connected more with the realm of the Orishas than the mortal realm in this tale. Focusing on Oya and her attempts at communicating with Manny, important levels of backstory are established to prepare readers for the action to come in the second full-length novel.
Written in Antoine Bandele’s recognizable style, this story incorporates Portuguese language, the folklore of the Orishas, and recognizable Brooklyn attributes. These layers give this tale a rich and accessible dynamic, further embedding readers into this version of reality. Though the book is not separated into individual chapters, it flows quickly thanks to the expert pacing and clear story arc. Engaging writing keeps the pages turning and leaves readers eagerly anticipating the next installment.
Fans of T.J. Young and the Orishas will love learning more about the realm of the Orishas through this short story. Helpful tools are found in the text, including a pronunciation guide at the beginning and a glossary at the end. Together, this is a well-rounded and accessible addition to the series, and it is a fun and engaging story for middle grade readers.
I received a copy of this book from the author and I chose to leave this review.
This short story bridges the gap between the first and second novels in the T.J. Young and the Orishas series. Like the introductory short story, readers are connected more with the realm of the Orishas than the mortal realm in this tale. Focusing on Oya and her attempts at communicating with Manny, important levels of backstory are established to prepare readers for the action to come in the second full-length novel.
Written in Antoine Bandele’s recognizable style, this story incorporates Portuguese language, the folklore of the Orishas, and recognizable Brooklyn attributes. These layers give this tale a rich and accessible dynamic, further embedding readers into this version of reality. Though the book is not separated into individual chapters, it flows quickly thanks to the expert pacing and clear story arc. Engaging writing keeps the pages turning and leaves readers eagerly anticipating the next installment.
Fans of T.J. Young and the Orishas will love learning more about the realm of the Orishas through this short story. Helpful tools are found in the text, including a pronunciation guide at the beginning and a glossary at the end. Together, this is a well-rounded and accessible addition to the series, and it is a fun and engaging story for middle grade readers.
I received a copy of this book from the author and I chose to leave this review.
June 18, 2022
Short story in-between TJ Young books, following Manuela and Oya, it's nice setup for book 2 in main series.
May 30, 2022
i loved this super short story about the remainder of manny’s summer before (hopefully) she and tj take off to ifa academy for the school year. i always love getting to see the orishas interact and hopefully we can get more of manny’s pov in the future books 👀
July 11, 2021
When The Wind Speaks
By: Antoine Bandele
Oya is normally someone who would be completely untroubled by anything going on in the mortal realm. Unless of course, a promise that could potentially destroy an entire coast of Nigerian infrastructure is made between an ancient god who was chained for thousands of years, and a young boy named TJ Young. So Oya does what any god would do in a time of crisis... Tries to form a way to communicate between herself and her most receptive child under her protection who just so happens to know the boy her message is for, Manuela Martinez.
Oya rarely goes to the mortal realm unless it’s to claim a child of her’s, or to warn mortals of impending troubles. But ever since her favorite child Manuela Martinez was sent to the Orisas’ Realm along with The boy TJ Young, the connection between them is stronger than ever before. Just in time to warn Manny of the troubles that are to come. Unfortunately that might be harder than it seems, especially with a certain someone trying to get in the way of all the signs Oya sends. But seeing as Oya is the Orisha of wind and change, if there is some way to contact Manny, She’ll definitely find it, otherwise the mortal realm is doomed. Thankfully Manny lives in New York so finding ways to contact her should be the easiest thing ever, Not!
I really enjoyed this short story mostly because of Oya’s personality which really fits what you would think the Orisha of wind and storms would be like. The actual plot is really nice too, it doesn’t tell you too much about the next book but it also helps you to understand what the book is going to be about. How the Orishas interact is always really interesting, because they aren’t human and the ways that they think are intriguing because, if a human would think or say those things you would immediately say to their face that they are arrogant, conceited, and really full of themselves. But since the Orishas aren’t human you can understand why they think that way, especially when they show off their powers. I really enjoyed this short story, and can’t wait for the other books by Antoine Bandele.
By: Antoine Bandele
Oya is normally someone who would be completely untroubled by anything going on in the mortal realm. Unless of course, a promise that could potentially destroy an entire coast of Nigerian infrastructure is made between an ancient god who was chained for thousands of years, and a young boy named TJ Young. So Oya does what any god would do in a time of crisis... Tries to form a way to communicate between herself and her most receptive child under her protection who just so happens to know the boy her message is for, Manuela Martinez.
Oya rarely goes to the mortal realm unless it’s to claim a child of her’s, or to warn mortals of impending troubles. But ever since her favorite child Manuela Martinez was sent to the Orisas’ Realm along with The boy TJ Young, the connection between them is stronger than ever before. Just in time to warn Manny of the troubles that are to come. Unfortunately that might be harder than it seems, especially with a certain someone trying to get in the way of all the signs Oya sends. But seeing as Oya is the Orisha of wind and change, if there is some way to contact Manny, She’ll definitely find it, otherwise the mortal realm is doomed. Thankfully Manny lives in New York so finding ways to contact her should be the easiest thing ever, Not!
I really enjoyed this short story mostly because of Oya’s personality which really fits what you would think the Orisha of wind and storms would be like. The actual plot is really nice too, it doesn’t tell you too much about the next book but it also helps you to understand what the book is going to be about. How the Orishas interact is always really interesting, because they aren’t human and the ways that they think are intriguing because, if a human would think or say those things you would immediately say to their face that they are arrogant, conceited, and really full of themselves. But since the Orishas aren’t human you can understand why they think that way, especially when they show off their powers. I really enjoyed this short story, and can’t wait for the other books by Antoine Bandele.
October 25, 2021
The Yoruban Orisha that this story centers on is Oya. One of her aspects is Goddess of the wind. So this is how Antoine Bandele told me the focus of this story with his title "When the Wind Speaks".
In this story, Oya considers "Father Technology and Mother Internet" her enemies. I gave this some thought. Could Bandele have been pitting tech and magic against each other in his tale? I decided that this wasn't what the author intended to say at all.
The video store, representing technology in the narrative, is part of the life of the human protagonist, Manuela. There is no clash of opposites implied. In fact, Oya and her Orisha husband Chango might be said to be dancing together in storms.
In this story, Oya considers "Father Technology and Mother Internet" her enemies. I gave this some thought. Could Bandele have been pitting tech and magic against each other in his tale? I decided that this wasn't what the author intended to say at all.
The video store, representing technology in the narrative, is part of the life of the human protagonist, Manuela. There is no clash of opposites implied. In fact, Oya and her Orisha husband Chango might be said to be dancing together in storms.
December 27, 2021
So this book I’m not gonna lie a piggyback off of the Gatekeeper’s Staff. And I feel like when I was reading the first book; I wanted more details. And I can see why it wasn’t giving much details because he was using his book as a follow-up to break it down you know? and I’m not even gonna story I wasn’t disappointed… I really enjoy how vivid he made the characters in how he use the word used to describe their antics or their personality. I don’t wanna buy the book for anyone I would definitely say it’s a mystery like every book I read that he wrote has been captivating and he’s worthy like he really brings the characters in what they going through a life.
May 31, 2022
When the Wind Speaks is a short story about Manny and her Orisha Oya. The author takes you throughout New York, as Oya tries to communicate with Manny without bringing attention to herself. Since Manny is my favorite character so far in this series, I knew this was going to be a good story. I like that the author gave you a glimpse into Manny’s life outside of camp. I really could feel Oya frustration and urgency with trying to get Manny’s attention to delivery an important message. This appear of a mischievous Orisha was a nice surprise. Can’t wait until the second book Windweaver’s Storm is released.
August 18, 2021
This was a sort of epilogue to the main story - The Gatekeeper's Staff. This is a VERY short story about the Orisha Oya and her attempt to get Manny's attention to give her some information that she felt Manny needed to have. I wasn't real thrilled with this story. It seemed like a lot of effort for very little payoff.
I listened to this on audio and it utilized the same female narrator from the main story. Again, very short story - around 45 minutes or so.
I listened to this on audio and it utilized the same female narrator from the main story. Again, very short story - around 45 minutes or so.
October 2, 2021
Wonderful Short Story... Stage Setter
What can I say but it's great and really short. It definitely is setting the stage for the next book, which I'm really looking forward to. I honestly just wish there was more to this one.
The narrator does a fantastic job and I loved that the added sound effects weren't over done, they fit the story and were not a distraction.
—I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
What can I say but it's great and really short. It definitely is setting the stage for the next book, which I'm really looking forward to. I honestly just wish there was more to this one.
The narrator does a fantastic job and I loved that the added sound effects weren't over done, they fit the story and were not a distraction.
—I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
July 4, 2021
This book was a great prologue to The Windweaver's Storm because I like how the author used another mortal character, Manuela, and orisha, Oya, as the main characters to tell more about Manuela's home life and family. I like how Oya tries to communicate to Manuela in a lot of differnt ways. I will be reading The Windweaver's Storm for sure.
January 22, 2025
Mannnnn… I could feel Oya’s frustration in this one. I wanted to yell “MANNYYYYYYYYY!!!!” So many times. Urghhhh…. Read this one right after Will of the Mischief Maker, and right before Book 2 of the TJ Young series. I don’t want to give any spoilers, but I can say I will pay more attention to things going on around me!
July 22, 2021
Super short story, but it makes me want to read book 2 NOW, and I have almost a whole year to wait 😭
I really enjoyed learning about another Orisha and more about Manny, since the first was focused on TJ and Eshu
I really enjoyed learning about another Orisha and more about Manny, since the first was focused on TJ and Eshu
February 8, 2024
thrilling extended epilogue/2nd novella for tj Young's adventure. I really like Manny's character, so it's fun to see more about her. very curious to hear what Manny and TJ can do for Oya in the second novel.
April 3, 2024
A contemporary short story, WHEN THE WIND SPEAKS brilliantly explores the complex dynamics between mortals and immortals, precisely the Orisha Oya and her divine child Manny. This well captured contrast staged at the bustling Brooklyn is what made the story gripping for me.
June 22, 2021
Man. I cannot wait to read this book. The pictures painted in this short story just leaves me wanting more. Thanks Antoine!
July 13, 2021
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT???? MUST READ the next TJ book!!!!
July 17, 2021
A great start back into the world of the Orishas, focusing more on Manny. Definitely makes me ready for book 2!
January 19, 2022
loved it. need to be longer.
September 1, 2023
Now I really enjoyed the perspective that this short was written from. I won’t give any spoilers but I will say, it was nice to get a perspective from another of the trio.
March 27, 2024
Beautiful short story that will give you a different view on the saga
November 13, 2024
This book is a hug from Mother
January 16, 2025
Nice short story that leads up to book 2. Don't skip.
June 28, 2025
3.5 rounded up
January 16, 2023
Actually more interesting than the whole novels.
January 31, 2022
The first thing I loved so much about this audiobook was the Incorporated sounds of busy streets, moving trains. It kind of transports the reader into the scenes because these are familiar everyday sounds we're used too.
The story was beautiful and short like the Will of the mischief maker. A prequel to the next book in the TJ Young and the Orishas series, The wind weaver's storm. I'm so excited to read this.
One thing I didn't like was the pronunciation of the native names. But with time I ignored it because I liked how she made the characters sound.
This is a quick listen if you're on the go and need to keep your mind preoccupied. Make sure to check out other works by Antoine Bandele.
The story was beautiful and short like the Will of the mischief maker. A prequel to the next book in the TJ Young and the Orishas series, The wind weaver's storm. I'm so excited to read this.
One thing I didn't like was the pronunciation of the native names. But with time I ignored it because I liked how she made the characters sound.
This is a quick listen if you're on the go and need to keep your mind preoccupied. Make sure to check out other works by Antoine Bandele.
January 7, 2022
I received a copy of this book from the author and I have chose to review this.
This was an amazing epilogue to T.J. Young and The Orishas. I loved the story and the production of this audiobook. When The Wind Speaks features Manny and her Orisha, Oya. Oya tried to communicate with Manny and has challenges doing so. What an ending! I can’t wait to read the second book.
This was an amazing epilogue to T.J. Young and The Orishas. I loved the story and the production of this audiobook. When The Wind Speaks features Manny and her Orisha, Oya. Oya tried to communicate with Manny and has challenges doing so. What an ending! I can’t wait to read the second book.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews