Fantasy often becomes most memorable when its extraordinary worlds are connected to emotions readers immediately understand. In Silicat: Where the Spirit Goes, Magic Follows, Daniel A. J. Barker builds his magical realm around family, grief, courage, and the enduring connection between a brother and sister.
Released on September 19, 2025, the first installment of the Silicat Saga follows eleven-year-old Wesley as a cherished imaginary world suddenly becomes far more real than he ever expected.
When a Childhood Story Becomes Something More
Wesley shares a particularly close relationship with his older sister, Katie. Among their treasured routines is a nightly ritual centered on Silicat, a fantasy realm created and illustrated through Katie’s imagination. These adventures give the siblings something uniquely theirs, filled with characters, possibilities, and the freedom that storytelling can provide.
Everything changes when Katie becomes terminally ill. As her condition worsens and she falls into a coma, Wesley faces circumstances that are overwhelming for an eleven-year-old.
Then Silicat returns.
Wesley begins dreaming about the magical realm he knows from Katie’s stories, except he’s now experiencing it from within. The places and possibilities once confined to imagination have become vivid surroundings. Wesley soon believes that what happens inside Silicat could somehow be connected to Katie’s fate.
That belief gives his journey an urgent purpose. Saving the magical realm becomes intertwined with his desire to reach the sister he loves.
Fortunately, Wesley has company. Sir Muffins, a knightly version of the family’s pet cat, joins him on the adventure. Equipped with a memorable personality, sharp tongue, and equally capable claws, Muffins brings humor and companionship into a journey filled with uncertainty.
Dragons, Shadows, and the Courage to Keep Going
Silicat provides plenty of recognizable fantasy excitement. Wesley encounters dragons, a powerful wizard, threatening shadows, and dangers capable of affecting more than one world. Each challenge pushes him further into a place where imagination and reality increasingly overlap.
The emotional stakes give these encounters additional weight. Wesley isn’t simply exploring an enchanting kingdom. His decisions are influenced by Katie, their shared memories, and his determination to hold onto hope.
Daniel uses fantasy as a space for exploring difficult feelings through adventure. Loss, fear, resilience, responsibility, memory, and love become part of Wesley’s development. Courage emerges through his willingness to continue even when he has little certainty about where his path will lead.
That creative direction was important during the novel’s journey toward publication. Daniel had written from an early age and participated in competitive writing through local newspapers and online communities including Writing.com and Booksie. In 2024, he decided to pursue professional publishing.
Silicat subsequently attracted five publishing offers across traditional and hybrid arrangements. Daniel ultimately followed another path and founded Depths of Dreams Publishing. Maintaining the emotional foundation of Wesley’s story played a significant role in that choice.
A Growing World Beyond the First Adventure
What began as a standalone novel eventually developed into something considerably larger.
Silicat: Where the Spirit Goes, Magic Follows became the foundation for the Silicat Saga. Its sequel, Thorns of the Rose, was released in March 2026, and Beyond the Veil is scheduled for October. The universe is expanding further through Tales of Silicat, a companion series beginning with Robyn’s Eyes.
Collaboration has also helped establish the identity of this growing world. Indonesian illustrator Magi Purnomo provides the visual direction and artwork associated with Silicat. Voice actress Ro Lynam has developed an ongoing relationship with Depths of Dreams Publishing for the audiobook series.
The first novel is available in Kindle, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook formats, alongside availability through major mainstream book retailers.
For Daniel, Silicat remains the mainline series of Depths of Dreams Publishing. His preference is to give the characters, storytelling, and accompanying artwork room to command attention.
About the Author
Daniel A. J. Barker is a UK-based writer and founder of Depths of Dreams Publishing. His catalogue crosses fantasy, science fiction, contemporary fiction, and reflective nonfiction while frequently exploring how people respond to change, uncertainty, grief, love, and responsibility.
Daniel’s other projects include the science-fiction Conscious Minds series, Battle-Mech Omega, and the contemporary novel Another Grain of Salt. His nonfiction works include The Book of Dan and A Journey of Heart and Mind.
Through Depths of Dreams Publishing, Daniel also works alongside illustrators, narrators, and creative collaborators while developing a growing collection of books and audiobooks.
A Story Carried by Hope
At its heart, Silicat: Where the Spirit Goes, Magic Follows begins with something wonderfully simple: two siblings sharing stories before bedtime. From that intimate tradition grows a fantasy filled with danger, discovery, unusual companions, and meaningful choices.
Wesley’s journey gives Silicat its emotional pulse, creating an adventure where imagination carries memories forward and courage can appear in the most unexpected places.
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