A North American, post apocalyptic epic fantasy...
It is 1,692 years after the "Great Death" nearly wiped humanity from the face of the Earth, and a new civilization has risen from the ashes. A tenuous union of four semi-autonomous kingdoms has rea...
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The Four Kingdoms of Rocklands as they stand currently
You have reached the end of Part 1 of four of Book One of the Razed Ruins epic fantasy series. I hope you have enjoyed it so far.
The first part of Ill Tides was tricky to write since it had to function as not just an introduction to a single main character and a single book, but several important characters and an entire series of books. Thus it was difficult to strike a functioning equilibrium between pace, tension, and exposition to move the story forward yet establish a foundation for the plot and tension to build for this novel and hopefully several others to come.
In the first part of this novel we learn that just more than a millennia and a half ago, a devastating event of unknown nature destroyed a widespread and technologically advancedculture of humans and pushed humankind to the brink of extinction. Gradually, population bounced back, eventually reforming into kingdoms, nations, and territories.
At the story's outset, a somewhat tenuous union of the four major kingdoms of the North America (Pent, Seldor, Rocklands, and Dehn) has developed and is reaching the 300th year since its inception. The peace is threatened by the vacuum of power created by the approaching term limit of the highly respected Supreme Chancellor Sandra Gonsales (Rocklands) and fears of instability in the transition from her administration to whoever's follows.
The realm coalesces at the Five Years Fair, a two-week festival that takes place every five years when nobles of the Union gather to vote for the next Supreme Chancellor of Union. During the festival, the news is dominated by scandal of candidate Castrol Thomas being caught with an underage prostitute and the Formal Courtship Ceremony for King Greggon Rose IV's youngest daughter, Princess Allison.
Prior to the scandal that shattered his reputation, Castrol Thomas of Rocklands was considered a sure-in to replace the departing Chancellor Gonsales. After news of the story broke, however, the polls and opinions became volatile, with no clear and obvious favorite emerging. However, as the festival proceeds, Alec Bromberg takes a confident lead with Zopha Calazar in second.
The Formal Courtship of Princess Allison Rose provided less-serious but still juicy Union gossip when she offered her favor not to Enrick Bromborne as had been expected but to Jeffrey Greenborne, the acting Steward of the Throne of Pent but whose commoner lineage would normally forbid such a class-shattering mismatch. Jeffrey insulted the Princess and the Rose family with a public refusal.
At the conclusion of Part One, the vote to replace the Supreme Chancellor seat is won by Marshall Lemmon of Seldor, a revelation that shocks everyone in the audience.
As you can guess, Part Two commences with the realm's nobles heading back to their homes and castles. Questions of the realm's future are close on everyone's minds. Should they bolster friendships and strengthen ties? Should they mobilize their arms and swell their ranks for the potential of war? Perhaps both?
Find out soon...
(Coming up next: The Razed Ruins: Ill Tides Part Two)
