Prologues

I decided that the first book, Apprentice in the Wild, needs a prologue.

You see, chapter one begins with Abanoub looking out the window and thinking, Something has happened. That's because he is a seer, and so he knows things before other people do. The something that happened was the assassination of King Peada of Mercia, but as written, it will be about nine chapters before that's established.

So, prologue. Tell the story of the assassination in the prologue, then segue to chapter one, where Abanoub looks out the window and thinks, Something has happened.

It makes sense to me. I was hoping to surprise the reader with the story of the assassination, but I think there's something to be said for letting the reader know up front what happened, and then watch Abanoub discover the truth for himself.

I think the book works either way. If an editor tells me to drop the prologue, I could agree to that with no more than the usual amount of temper tantrum. I've tried doing some online reading and it seems the internet has a lot of hate for prologues. Go figure. They're not essential; not every novel needs a prologue. But as a reader, I often find they're an interesting way to get into the story.

I'm going to think about this some more. I may write at greater length on the subject of prologues later at my other place.

Second Book, More Characters

I haven't done much on The Sorcerer's Apprentice in the past week, because I was busy with another project. But I'm getting going on the second book, The Return of the King, and I'm already seeing that it's going to be quite different from the first. The first book focuses on the story of how Abanoub and Wulfhere meet, and their developing relationship. Most romances have the characters get to know each other, then fall in love, then have sex. In Apprentice in the Wild, the order is...different.

In The Return of the King, the cast of characters expands considerably, as Wulfhere prepares to take back his kingdom. He collects twelve Angle warriors to be his housecarls, a bodyguard and retinue who will aid him in his fight, in return for the honors they will receive after he is King. I'm trying to introduce the housecarls one at a time (or at least no more than 2-3 at a time) to give the reader a chance to get to know them one by one. And it's on me to make them different enough that the reader won't confuse them and they will remain distinct people even when they travel around in a group.

I'm using the term "housecarl," even though it's an anachronism, as the word doesn't come into use in England for a few centuries yet. But "retinue" is too French. I think in this period they were called gesiths, but I'm reluctant to use the term, as it is likely to be too unfamiliar to the reader. Not to mention it creates inappropriate Star Wars associations.

As Wulfhere assembles his housecarls, it may cause some trouble for Abanoub. Good Angle warriors are likely to see no need for their King to rely on a foreigner when they're around. Wulfhere may pick up some Pict allies during his sojourn in Pictland, too. We'll have to see.