Author’s name: Annie Douglass Lima

Title of series: Annals of Alasia

Titles of books: The main trilogy consists of Prince of Alasia, In the Enemy’s Service, and Prince of Malorn.  There is a short companion book entitled Annals of Alasia: The Collected Interviews.

Each book in the trilogy deals with events surrounding the same major political incident: the invasion of the kingdom of Alasia by the neighboring kingdom of Malorn.  Prince of Alasia begins on the night of the Invasion and describes what happens to twelve-year-old Prince Jaymin after he is forced to flee for his life.  In the Enemy’s Service tells the story of those who were not able to escape from the Alasian palace when the enemy invaded.  Prince of Malorn begins several months earlier and focuses on the Malornian perspective of the events leading up to the Invasion.  In each of the books, main characters from the others make brief appearances and interact with each other at the point where the timeframes and settings overlap.  Though each of the three can stand on its own, they each fill in gaps left by the others and together provide a much more complete picture of what was going on in Alasia and Malorn.

Annals of Alasia: The Collected Interviews is a collection of twenty-four “interviews” I conducted with major and minor characters in the other three books.  Though not a novel in and of itself, it would be interesting to read alongside the trilogy.  In the interviews, characters reveal more about their personalities, motivations, and backgrounds, talking about themselves in their own “voice” and giving extra insights into the events of the series.  You can download it for free here.

I’ll focus mainly on the kingdom of Alasia in this post.  It has four medium to large cities (Almar, Tainabi, Wistra, and Mosra), along with hundreds of smaller towns and villages.  Alasia is on a peninsula just north of Malorn, which is its only bordering nation.  Its culture, level of technology, etc. are much like that of medieval Europe.  The climate is warm in the summer and uncomfortably cold in the winter, though you won’t often find snow except up in the hills.  The people who live there are human, and there are no other sentient races.

If you enjoy swimming or sunbathing, Alasia has miles and miles of beautiful beaches, and you might see dolphins playing in the surf or sea lions sunning themselves there.  A large factory in the city of Wistra produces glass for the kingdom for both practical and decorative purposes; they give free tours, and there is a gift shop where you can purchase glass tableware and other souvenirs.  You should definitely make sure you stop by the capital city of Almar to see the magnificent palace on its hill overlooking the sea, although you probably won’t be allowed inside unless you have royal connections.

As in most cities anywhere, I would recommend staying away from low-income areas at night, especially if you’re alone.  Overall, though, Alasia has been primarily a safe and peaceful kingdom until recently.  Now, you’ll want to avoid the Malornian soldiers (easily identifiable in their red and black uniforms) who patrol the streets of every major city along with many of the smaller towns.  Though officially looking for the missing prince who slipped through their fingers on the night of the Invasion, they also tend to be looking for trouble.  Avoid antagonizing them or even catching their attention if you can help it, and if you’re lucky they will leave you alone.

If you’re fortunate enough to be invited to a royal banquet, you will be served delicacies such as roast venison in a honey glaze, smoked salmon with lime sauce, and/or apricot stuffed quail.  At an average inn, you might eat roast pork or beef with gravy, mixed vegetables, and bread or potatoes.  In the coastal towns, little stands selling fresh grilled seafood are common.

The military uses broadswords and shields, along with bows and arrows. Twelve-year-old Prince Jaymin is skilled with both the bow and sword, though neither does him much good when he is forced to live in disguise.  Erik, Jaymin’s young bodyguard, is an expert in using unarmed combat against sword- and dagger-wielding opponents, which is a more useful and much less common skill.

Those who can afford one usually ride a horse, and many people in the middle or upper class also own a carriage, wagon, cart, or small buggy, depending on their occupation.  Boat travel between coastal cities is common as well.

Bow hunting is common throughout the kingdom, and garden archery is a popular hobby among the upper class.  It’s also common for wealthy families to have their sons trained in fencing (using unsharpened weapons only).  Many families entertain themselves indoors (especially on winter evenings) by telling stories, singing, or playing card games.  Outside, children often jump rope or play a sport similar to soccer.  Those who can’t afford a real ball will fashion a makeshift one from a bundle of rags tied up tightly with twine.

Alasia is a monarchy.  King Jaymin III was the ruler until he was assassinated by invaders from neighboring Malorn.  Now the kingdom is under the control of Malorn’s Prince Korram, with Regent Rampus holding the reins of power until young Korram comes of age.  The Malornian conquerors have been gripping Alasia with an iron fist, levying new taxes and carefully controlling who is allowed to travel where.  They have also seized control of important products such as glass and have begun sending them back to Malorn.

Jaymin III was a benevolent ruler but not really in touch with the lives of citizens in the middle and lower classes.  His newly orphaned son, Prince Jaymin IV, has his eyes opened as he is forced to live in disguise in an especially poor part of a poor town.  Coming face to face with poverty and need in the lives of ordinary citizens, young Jaymin is determined to improve his people’s lives someday if he is ever able to claim his rightful throne. 

Author autobiography:

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