Hi, I'm Lovar Burton, and this is Lovar Burton Reads.

In every episode, I hand-pick a different piece of short fiction than read it to you.

The only thing these stories have in common is that I love them, and I hope you will too.

Short stories? Well, for me, they're just magic, y'all.

In the space of a few thousand words, a writer can weave a character's past, present, and future.

And in today's story, Toby Ogandeeran really expertly unfolds the past,

present and future for our protagonist, whom we know only in the story as the clockmaker.

Our clockmaker is an artisan who dreams of a place where his hard work and skill gets recognized.

He's an elder who remembers his society before it was invaded and torn apart,

who grieves for the life that they all once had. He's a father who's desperate for a magical cure

for his daughter's illness. The clockmaker and his daughter is from Toby's new collection,

entitled Jackal Jackal. That book includes his story, The Lady of the Yellow Painted Library,

which I read last season on the pod, if you remember. You might also remember that Toby Ogandeeran

is a Nigerian writer based in Oxford, Mississippi. His dark and fantastical tales have appeared

in light speed, the magazine of fantasy and science fiction, beneath ceaseless skies and in

several years' best anthologies. His work has been shortlisted for the NOMO's British Science

Fiction Association, Shirley Jackson, and Ignite Awards. I hope you'll enjoy this story about

misplaced hope that may yet find another place to rest. If you are so inclined, you can find

a written content advisory in the episode description. And now, if you're ready, let's take a deep breath.

The clockmaker and his daughter, by Toby Ogandeeran.

Gaza looked down at the city of Nice, serving his creation. He thought it was perfect. Well,

almost. In the city center stood several griosks, spending a tail to a captive audience.

...