The Princelings of the North

The Princelings of the North is the eighth in The Princelings of the East series. Princelings Dylan and Dougall, who live in the far northwest of an island off the northwest coast of the Realms, rescue an exiled prince, and battle against the odds to restore him to his birthright.

Irrepressible Dylan and steady Dougall are inseparable denizens of the tiny castle of Haunn, so far away from the rest of civilisation that it’s almost off the map. And maps are one of the key elements of this intricate adventure. Dylan finds a treasure map inside a bottle washed up on the shore – and he reckons he knows where X is. Instead of treasure, he finds the exiled Prince Kevin of Castle Deeping, antagonist in the Talent Seekers, bit-player in Bravo Victor, and mystery prince in Willoughby the Narrator. Kevin has had time to realise what a fool he’s been, and now wants vengeance and his castle back, which is just the sort of adventurous challenge that Dylan craves.

Dylan and Dougall have both appeared in print already; they star in tales in the two BookElves Anthologies. The novella Dylan’s Yuletide Journey, which appeared first, is also available as a free ebook. These two lovable characters finally get their own full-length adventure, something they’ve always threatened, and they travel virtually the full length of the Realms to achieve it. Check the series website for maps of the Realms to download.

Prince Kevin has an equal part in this adventure; he’s been hoodwinked by his evil uncle for so many years it takes a summer of isolation for him to come to his senses, although whether his plans are entirely sensible are for the reader to judge.

Lovers of the series will devour this latest adventure, but newcomers may find it best to start with the box set of books 1-3 or book 5; book 7 links to Kevin's disappearance. This is a mystery adventure in a world not quite like ours, suitable for age 10 and upwards. The series is set to conclude with book 10.