About Backstories -- For Newsletter Subscribers

About

Captain Martin Makeig, called a pirate by some, an outlaw by others, a leader, a Loyalist, and a caring godfather. He had a rough time before winding up at Hill Town, and in this backstory you'll learn about some of his struggles. You'll learn how he found out about Hill Town, and the farmer who took pity on Makeig and his remaining crew after the sinking of the Golden Swallow. You'll also meet Winterford, and Sally Bodwin's father.

About

One of the most intriguing and inscrutable characters within The Year of the Red Door, this backstory goes a long way in explaining how his character was shaped. You'll discover how he came to possess the Ring of Valor (mentioned in A Distant Light), and why he was so esteemed by the fighting men of Tallinvale and others. You'll also get some clues as to why he was disenchanted (to say the least) with the Sixth Unknown King.

About

When Robby met Gaiyelneth on the shores of Lake Halgaeth (in The Bellringer), he hadn't the foggiest idea that he was dancing with one of the most formidable sword-wielders in all of Vanara. But that fact isn't mentioned at all within The Year of the Red Door. You'll also learn a little bit about another character, one who actually beat Gaiyelneth when they crossed blades. And you'll learn why the Queen's elite Gray Guard wanted Gaiyelneth to accompany the Queen wherever she went.

About

Esildre was not always cursed by Secundur. She is one of the few Elifaen in the story who was around during the Time Before Time, so her history is long. In this brief backstory, you'll learn why she stayed behind when the other Faerekind left with Aperion. You'll learn about her fighting prowess and which battle she was instrumental in winning. And readers of The Nature of a Curse will understand better why she was so sad and depressed when she first encountered the people of Nowhere, possibly creating a vulnerability that her father exploited.

About

You probably remember Tyrin from The Bellringer. He might be called a ne'er-do-well by some, and it is true that he had a certain lack of ambition. But he was a good fighter and became a goodhearted mercenary. In this backstory, you'll learn about an incident in Duinnor City that demonstrated his fighting skill to Raynor, how he came to meet Esildre (in The Bellringer), and you'll learn why he knew so much about lace-making (as described in A Distant Light).
Tyrin appears in The Bellringer, A Distant Light, The Dreamwalker, and To Touch a Dream.

About

After reading The Nature of a Curse, you know a little bit more about the old schoolmaster of County Barley, from what he told Sheila. As schoolmaster, he not only taught youngsters, but grown-ups, too, as you'll learn in this backstory. You'll also learn how he was indirectly responsible for the success of the Passbarley Bridge.
(Gustan Broadweed appears in The Bellringer, The Nature of a Curse, and The Dreamwalker.)

About

Long before he commanded the Kingsman Fourth Army, Teracue was a member of a different Kingsman army. You'll learn about what happened that led to his joining the ranks of the famed "Four of the Fourth," and how he eventually became its commanding general. You'll also discover a connection between him and Mirabella Tallin.

About

Robby Ribbon and the younger folks in and around Passdale probably didn't give old Ned Arbuckle, the bridge tender, enough credit. He was, indeed, an old man by the time The Bellringer opens, but Ned was an interesting fellow, and he had had an interesting career, playing a key role in history.

Ned Arbuckle, it turns out, was an important figure in the building of defensive structures in the Hinderlands that protected Altoria from the Dragonkind, but Ned had also been an important designer of the sail rigging for a new class of Glarethian warships. One of those small and swift but powerful ships, the Golden Swallow, was later transferred to the Royal Tracian Navy, and it was placed into the capable hands of Captain Martin Makeig. Indeed, the Golden Swallow was fast and maneuverable. And in the hands of Makeig and his crew, the Swallow was a deadly threat to any enemy ship it faced, regardless of size.

So, had it not been for Ned Arbuckle's work, it is doubtful that Makeig would have been able to save Prince Lantos at the Battle of Grisland Strait. I hope you enjoy reading a bit about the old bridge tender of Passdale.

About

After reading The Bellringer, did you wonder how blacksmith Clingdon always managed to have iron for his shop? Nowhere in the story is mentioned how he came by his raw materials. In this backstory, you'll learn where his metal came from. And you'll also catch a glimpse of a mystery that only readers of The Dreamwalker and To Touch a Dream will understand.
(Blacksmith Clingdon appears in The Bellringer, The Dreamwalker, and To Touch a Dream)

About

How Lady Lyrium obtained the Ring of Hearing that she offered to Robby in The Nature of a Curse (Volume 2 of The Year of the Red Door).

This backstory not only tells how Lyrium obtained the Ring of Hearing, but it also explains a few other things about The Year of the Red Door. For instance, Lyrium mentions to Robby that his "coming" was foretold to her. It also somewhat explains (for those of you who read The Fall of the Faere and Other Stories), why Lyrium did not have the Ring of Hearing at Tulith Attis.

About

This is a handy quick-reference glossary for reader's of The Year of the Red Door.

This glossary is a "quick- reference" to the people, places, and things mentioned within the five volumes of The Year of the Red Door. It includes a little over 500 entries, plus over a dozen maps. It is chiefly intended as a quick reminder of "who, what, and where." The definitions are generally abridged from the more detailed definitions within The Reader's Companion (forthcoming).

About

An unofficial biographical sketch of Saltani Gurasa, the legendary Dragonkind general known by his own people as the "White Dragon" or "Desert Ghost."

Although he only makes a few brief appearances within the pages of The Year of the Red Door, Gurasa's life and actions play a pivotal role in the outcome of Robby's quest.

About

This is a "deleted scene" from one of the early draft versions of A Distant Light. In this version, we see the battle from a different perspective than the one that I eventually decided to go with.

This version describes the events leading up to the confrontation, some of which are not mentioned in A Distant Light. It also describes more fully the battle formation used by the Kingsman Fourth Army.

About

A delightful survey of some of the magical objects from the world of The Year of the Red Door. The author says:

"Readers of The Year of the Red Door will be familiar with a few of the things that are described herein. But others, such as the Unerring Arrow of Kalsabahyoud, the Flying Rug of Zan, and the Red Feather of Callowain, are not mentioned at all. Some of the items described, such as the Storm Bag and the Glowing Stone of Bazradur, are alluded to or hinted at in only a tangential way, but are not identified within The Year of the Red Door. Astute readers will no doubt understand a few things about The Year of the Red Door that would not otherwise be mentioned therein. Certain "mysteries" within this work are explained, if not, resolved, within the pages of The Year of the Red Door. Just as answers to one or two mysteries within The Year of the Red Door might be explained."