The Practician: A Gray Empire Novel

by B. James Wilson

There is an empire among men that exists only in the mists of illusion, a Gray Empire where what is true cannot be distinguished from what is not. This is the story of a great treasure hidden in that gray mist, and of the lust that drives men to want to possess it.
"Watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you. Because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it."
- Roald Dahl -
Do you believe in magic? Neither does Monica Scott. After all, she's a scientist, an archaeologist, a skeptic. She has no time for fairytales of magic, or boogiemen, or religious mumbo-jumbo.
On the other hand, Rick Townsend has some experience with both. He's been up close and personal with some of those fairytales, and with a particular boogieman whom he would just as soon leave behind. Even so, he has a passion for restoring the past, for seeking out lost treasures and bringing them to light. His passion leaves him little time for other interests.
King Arthur Jones, (Arthur to his friends), is a master chef who has traded his kitchen for a life of adventure. In a superstitious way he believes in the power of magic, but he prefers the power of gold.
When these three individuals come together, all of their lives will be changed by the mystery of a centuries old curse and the bootleg-power of a lost treasure that men have fought and died over for more than two thousand years.

638 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 22, 2022

About the author

B James Wilson is a novelist whose work bridges history, faith, and mythic imagination. His Bible Book Club series reimagines the characters of the Bible with unique expositions of the truth and message from their stories. His Gray Empire saga spans two millennia in a global search for the greatest treasure of them all, the True Grail. The series spins a tale in which archaeology collides with occult power in the shadowy realm that lies between darkness and light.
Beyond these two series, Wilson writes historical and crime fiction, drawing on his experiences, research and the many characters he has met along the way. He says of his craft: "I want to write about life, death, God, intellect, the supernatural, the meaning of life, the truth, and the lies we tell ourselves and others. I want to write about the things that keep us up at night, our insecurities, our fears, our hopes and dreams, and our shining moments."
B James Wilson is an author, artist, teacher—and lifelong student of the Bible. A husband, father, and great-grandfather, he makes his home on Florida’s Space Coast where he works and worships with family and friends.