J.M Robison,
Fantasy where heroes don't follow the rules
The War Queen
Publisher declined to renew contract as of 14 Sep 2023. Novel is currently unpublished.
Your people don't want a princess.
They want a War Queen.
Altarn is used to tolerating the biases of men. It comes with being the first female to secure the political State Head of Blindvar. But Kaelin, the State Head of Ruidenthall, crosses the line when he propositions a merger of their two states. Altarn has reason to believe this is Kaelin’s attempt to make himself king of both. Believing it’s her responsibility to “dethrone” him, she rides to her last ally to ask for aid. While on the road, she’s kidnapped and taken to Ruidenthall. She wakes from a drug-induced sleep to hear about a foreign army marching upon Blindvar and Kaelin capitalizing on her kidnap to make himself king. He threatens her life if she tells anyone, but she will suffer tyranny under a king if she does not. When the final battle forces her hand, she has but one choice: to save Kaelin’s life or let him die. She never expected to dethrone his heart instead.
THE WAR QUEEN centers on the minority class of females in positions of great responsibility. I compare Altarn’s position to our current day President where Americans are facing the reality that females can and are running for President. Female heroes are also rising in comic books and Disney has recently revamped some old favorites with independent females. Being a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Army, I have personal experience knowing how it feels to be in positions of responsibility and lacking support from my male counterparts, treated with bias, even. But in all things you never give up, and you trust your heart, and when doubters say, “You can’t,” you draw your sword, say, “I will”, and charge forward anyway.
Character Cast:
(Click on character photos to read their interviews)
Altarn Lilleith Shadheing,
Lady of Blindvar
Kaelin-drath Morrendrake,
Lord of Ruidenthall
