Although I won’t be writing book #4 of the Elves of Lessa Series until next year, I thought I’d talk about where the series is going so I can clear up some expectations.
Book #4 is titled Accidental Enchantment, and it will finish off this current timeline/arc as it follows the adventures of Blaise and Seer Ringali’s currently-unnamed son. (Yay! You’re finally getting a human heroine and elf hero couple!)
I’ll be blunt, the High Elves do not come back in Blaise’s book.
I’m aware a bunch of you Champions were hoping that they’d come back. You might even think it makes more sense. But as the author of the story, there’s some things about the High Elves return–and what they bring back with them–that I know, which made me decide from the moment I started writing Tari’s book that if I kept writing in this world, the High Elves would have to return a long time after the age of Tari, Arion, Fyn, Ben, Myth, and Arvel.
Why? Because if the High Elves came back now…Lessa and Calnor would fall.
The Elves of Lessa series (By which I mean this current arc.) is all about Calnor and Lessa coming together. It’s about the relationship between the two countries, and essentially follows how they moved from two very separate, isolated countries, to such close allies that their people intermingle. And because the countries are only just now–with this generation–really coming together, that’s why it would be a disaster if the High Elves returned.
I’m big on trying to include realism in my fantasy books–it’s why I make such a big deal out of budgets, include a variety of governmental departments, and even why I was excessively careful with the language barrier between Lessa and Calnor. As it stands, less than 1% of the population of both countries can speak both Calnoric and Elvish. There is only one elf capable of using High Elf magic, and the Evening Stars are very limited in number. Calnor just started accepting female guards in the past few years, and Lessa has barely begun to take strides to move its government to Haven.
Only the royal families are truly capable of interacting and speaking together, and the Translator’s Guild is already stretched past its limits. Heck–the human wizards and the elf enchanters can’t even communicate!
If the High Elves came back now, they’d slaughter them. Lack of communication is a huge deal–or the governments won’t be able to work together, much less the general populace.
So what— you may be thinking Then have everyone learn the language–it’s fixed! But my love of realism means it can’t work that way. The best way I can describe it is to say it’s like cars.
These new, open lines of communication, Fyn discovering she can use High Elf magic, Myth opening up new lines of trade, all of that is like the original Ford Model T car produced in the early 1900s. The model T was a huge leap forward for humanity as it was the first car built with the intention of being more widely available, but it had immense limitations and is excessively rudimentary if you compare it to something like one of the newest Tesla models from today.
Just like it took over a century of innovations to get from the Model T to the newest Tesla model, it’s going to take Lessa and Calnor a lot of time to be at a point where they can face the High Elves, and the trouble they bring with them. To begin with, Lessa and Calnor both need to be better versed with magic, with fighting together, and most importantly, they need the average citizens to be able to talk to each other. And none of that can change in a mere decade. As it is with my car example, it’s the kind of thing that takes generations to fix.
Looping this back to book 4, Accidental Enchantment will be the final nail in bringing humans and elves together, and it will loop back to the events of the first book as Blaise struggles to uncover the secrets of Nodusigm. It’s the culmination of bringing Lessa and Calnor together, and the hero and the heroine’s actions will have a lasting impact on both countries, and change the course of their future.
But fear not! The return of the high elves will get it’s own series arc with several books–because with everything that shakes down…it will be needed. 😉
However, I won’t be starting this second arc/second series for a long while. I need to finish Fairy Tale Enchantress and Second Age of Retha, and tie up a couple of other lose ends. So we’re looking at years down the line.
Whew! I hit you with some pretty heavy discussion topics there, Champion. Thanks for hanging in there with me! 😀 I still have one more Elves of Lessa themed post you can expect to see next week! Until then, thanks for reading!
Blaise and Seer Rignali? I thought he was married? Maybe a son of his?
It’s Blaise and Seer Ringali’s currently unamed son, not Seer Ringali himself. I had the same impression the first time I read it, though.
Yay!
I totally love that your books are fantasy but have boundaries in reality. That grounding aspect just really works for me! Thank you for not letting the High Elves come back yet. I was SO hoping they weren’t going to crash all of the great baby-step progress between these two nations when things are still so tenuous.
I’m really looking forward to more fairy tale and Retha books, too. Can you direct me to a current list of all of your works to date? I think it’s been a while since I browsed one of those and would like to see if I’ve missed anything of yours—you’re so prolific!
On a more personal note, please be sure to factor in time for rest and inspiration. We are addicted to your writing, but we absolutely don’t want you to burn out. Best wishes!💕
Lauren, at the top of Kitty’s webpages are links to “Home,” “Books,” “For Champions,” etc. Under “Books” you will find all of the book series Kitty has written and under each series name is a list of all the books in each series. And under “For Champions” you will find a reading order for each series. Kitty and her assistants do a pretty good job keeping those lists up-to-date. Also, at the end of each new book is a list of all the books she’s written by series. All these lists include a section for the stand-alone books too so you don’t have to worry about missing those books. Happy reading!
One more note regarding the webpage. The Retha books are listed under A. M. Sohma, but they are also included at the end of end the books. So if you are looking for one place where all the books are listed, then I would look at the end of the most recent book published (The Prince’s Bargain) for the most up-to-date list of all Kitty has written.
Thanks a million, Arletta! I was just too exhausted last night to figure it out myself! 🌟
You’re very welcome. Happy to help! Happy reading! 🙂
I never thought The Elves of Lessa series would be continued by a series set in a different timeline.That soooo cool. But it still gives me a funny feeling to think of Fyn,Ben,Tari ,Arion,Myth and Arvel as looooong dead,Legends :< (…………..But this is something new to look forward to.Thank you kitty:we hope you have a blast writing it 🙂
Oh, and do we get to see more of Yvrea ,somehow ?
After my last post wherein I speculated about another book in this series, I was talking with my sisters and we talked about the possibility of a sequal series that dealt with the High-Elves return. So glad, you are going to do that, and not just because I can’t seem to get enough books from you, but because I also love your dedication to realism and consistency and plot twists in the story-lines you develop. I’m so glad this next book will have a human female (Blaise) as the heroine and an Elf (don’t know his name yet) hero. That should make for some really fun scenes. Especially since we’ve been give a peek at Blaises personality. Knowing Seer Ringali I can only imagine what kind of a sarcastic, but totally strong character he’ll make. I’m soooo looking forward it. Good luck and have fun with Leila’s trilogy, wrapping up FTE and the Retha series. I’m looking forward to all of them. 🙂
I appreciate the thought you put into all your stories and I’m glad you take the time to share with us (because you totally don’t need to and that just shows how awesome you are to your Champions). I can’t wait to see how ALL your worlds conclude over the next couple of years and am more than happy to wait in suspense until then.
Wow ! so excited for entirely new series about Lessa and Calnor. So kitty, will Gwendafyn become a legend in other series like Rakel becomes in FTE ?? And I really love the realism you put in your books, It makes it all the more interesting to read. Super eagerly waiting for Leila s’ series and Trial of Magic. But please don’t exhaust yourself by overworking
Because the books end with a description from a historian, I wonder if the high elves return in during the age of that historian?
I was wondering that too! It would be wonderful to meet him. But wouldn’t it be better for the continuity to have his words at the end of every book.
I enjoy that realism you put in your books, Kitty! It definitely gives your worlds a much fuller feel and makes it easier to get lost in the story. While I am excited to see the High Elves’ return, I actually was wondering this week how it would work if they came back so soon. I reread Royal Magic after getting Prince’s Bargain and was thinking if Fyn has THAT much power, how much more damage can a whole army do? And if she is the only one who can fight like that, how will they stand a chance? I’m glad to know there will be a lot more world development first! Plus, this means another series in this world to look forward to! I am interested to see what happens to Calnor and Lessa in the future. I love reading (and writing) stories that take place in the same location, but different times. It’s so fun to explore how cultures and memories shift!