Mariava/Novel Concepts

The County of Rising Shadow - 2011

One part fairytale and one part love story, loved by most but sometimes denounced by critics as being too allegorical and too dark for its target audience. Perspective alternates between the heroine, a young queen with little leadership experience, and an even younger... something. In the beginning they seem to be entirely different stories, connected only tangentially by setting. The faerie attempts to navigate the waters of court life and politics, particularly in a sticky negotiation with a neighboring kingdom whose ambassador is a decorated war hero. The other conscience develops over time, learning about the nature of the world through exposure to strong emotion - hate, greed, jealousy - and the nightmares of the common people. As the Shadow, as it comes to be called, develops it grows, building strength: it overwhelms a young pregnant woman and mingles its essence with her own, claiming the child. Upon birth, the boy grows to adulthood in less than a year, becoming the voice of the Shadow. Its influence spreads; things of nightmare rise to wage open war against the bright kingdom. The queen, meantime, falls in love with the ambassador, who becomes her champion in the third act. He, tragically, falls to the Shadow, which is eventually fought back but not killed. The ending is bittersweet, and many speculate that she left it open-ended in order to make room for a sequel.