I am seeking representation for my YA novel, Gather Against Fate: Twin Suns, complete at 193,682 words. Twin Suns is a tale that tells of a brother who became the devil himself. An apocalyptic prophecy told of the end of the age, where the wicked King Garrick Kas, ruler of the north, would lead the world to ruin. Before the prophecy could come to pass, one Xanthas Perilon, an elite member of the Knights of the Kingdom of Aerys and a hero to his people, journeyed north to defeat him. King Garrick was slain, but Xanthas did not return – instead, he himself become possessed by a wicked power, and he destroyed the neighboring nation of Rhodea within a single night. The Desolation of Rhodea shook the very foundations of the world, and Xanthas declared himself The Sun King, the ruler of the north. For ten years after, he remained silent, biding his time at the frozen roof of the world. A decade later, his younger brother, Kalan, the Sun Blessed prince of Aerys, sets off on a seemingly routine knightly mission – only to find himself haunted by dark specters of the north in his dreams, along with visions of the brother he thought he had lost. As the Sun King bids him to come north, hinting that there is a reason for his actions, Kalan encounters a woman from a strange land – a white haired warrior that seems intrinsically linked to The Sun King and what machinations he may be planning.
The world that Kalan inhabits is equal parts familiar and alien, fantasy and sci-fi, real and surreal. The prince’s story is one full of knights and nobles who live in a world not unlike our own – young people attend universities, professional sports are popular, and technology rules the world, while wyverns prowl the swamps of the continent, mysterious, highly advanced ruins dot the land, and a select few retain the power to naturally channel a power known as magic. Kalan, heir to the throne of Aerys and a natural magic user, feels no particular love for his fate, and as he journeys across the continent, he slowly comes to learn that there is much more to his world than meets the eye. A history spanning thousands of years and a being that controls time lurk behind the shadows, and prophecies that came true with pinpoint accuracy for millennia suddenly cease to pass. At the center of it all is the prince’s brother, Xanthas, a man who seems to transcend the boundaries of fate itself. With his flaming sword in hand, the former hero reappears and sends the world spiraling down a path that very may well lead to the end of the world, and it is up to Kalan to unravel the mystery behind his drastic transformation.
Twin Suns is the first in a line of chapters that tell a larger story transcending the boundaries of time itself. The questions of free will, fate, finding one’s place in a world that rejects them, and the meaning of birth are examined through generations of characters who find that the same problems repeat throughout history, time and again. Even the long and bloody wars of righteous liberation and the pockets of hope that good men achieve eventually fade from the minds of the people, and history repeats itself once again. Those who have oppress those who do not, and the elite rule over the common man. As Kalan discovers the hidden truths of the past, he must find an answer – does he succumb to the relentless realization that humans will always be terribly flawed, or does he embrace the concept of love, accepting humanity for what it is despite their flaws? Does he forgive his brother and seek his redemption, or does he instead seek justice for the dark crimes that he has committed?
This story was written with older teenagers in mind, who are likewise trying to find their place in the world. The blend between the real and the fantastical is meant to allow the reader to relate more strongly to the characters, while still being drawn in by a fantastical setting – as well as to help make their own lives feel a bit more exciting by proxy.
Thank you for your time!
Sincerely,
