A Skin of a Dragon
YOUNG ADULT FANTASY HISTORICAL FICTION DRAMA EPIC CRIME ACTION ADVENTURE
17th Century or Earlier
Frances Jones
Logline
1648. The English Civil War rages. What Tom Wild finds in a smugglers' cave catapults him into a secret world of magic and intrigue where the King's fate is bound up with that of a powerful relic. Tom's life, and the course of history, are about to be changed forever.
Genre
Young Adult, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Drama, Epic,,Crime,Action,Adventure
Short Summary
After a chance find in a cave, Tom is kidnapped by a stranger, Emerson, and forced to join a secret guild of magicians where he discovers a plot by their leader, Devere, to help Oliver Cromwell overthrow the King then usurp Cromwell once he seizes control. Tom embarks on a quest to save the King.
After his quest, Tom is captured and returned to the Guild. Tom learns Emerson killed his family on Devere's orders. Emerson discovers Devere's treachery regarding the supposed death of his brother and kills Devere before fleeing into exile. Tom returns to Dorset to mourn his family.
Setting
Dorset, London, England
Based on a True Story
No
Plot - Premise
Overcoming Monster/Villain
Plot - Other Elements
Coming of Age, Twist,,Twist
Mature Audience Themes
Information not completed
Main Character Details
Name: Tom Wild
Age: 15
Gender: Male
Role: Protagonist
Key Traits: Perseverance, Strong Moral Code, Decisive, Naive, Faithful, Patriotic, Selfless, Skillful, Underdog, Uneducated, Adventurous, Aspiring,Faithful,Heroic,Honorable,Modest,Uneducated,Selfless,Skillful
Additional Character Details
Name: Eliza Ellery
Age: 15
Gender: Female
Role: Sidekick
Key Traits: Perseverance, Educated, Decisive, Faithful, Honorable, Naive,Faithful,Empathetic,Complex,Educated,Selfless,Skillful
Additional Character Details
Name: Emerson Prye
Age: 40
Gender: Other
Role: antagonist
Key Traits: Extraordinary Powers and Abilities, Faithful, Honorable, Adventurous, Complex, Decisive, Educated,Secretive,Educated,Honorable,Faithful,Skillful
Additional Character Details
Name: William Devere
Age: 60
Gender: Male
Role: antagonist
Key Traits: Confident, Educated, Extraordinary Powers and Abilities, Leader, Unapologetic, Villainous, Engaging, Greedy, Manipulative, Narcissistic, Secretive,Decisive,Educated,Leader,Manipulative,Sophisticated,Skillful,Narcisstic,Villainous,Power Hungry
Development Pitch
1648, England One rainy mid-September day Tom Wild, the 15-year-old son of a fisherman and smuggler, discovers a small wooden box near his home off the southern coast of England. Drawn to the box, Tom hides it with no awareness of the terrible shift his life is about to take. Soon after, Tom is kidnapped by a mysterious stranger and forced to answer for his crimes in London. Threatened with execution and bound to his captors, Tom joins the Guild of Gatekeepers, a secret group of magical weavers, hunters, illusionists, and traders to protect the world of magic from destruction. As Tom begins his new life as an apprentice, he stumbles upon a plot against the Crown that will enable Oliver Cromwell to finally win the English Civil War. With the help of the Guild weaver’s apprentice, Eliza, and a few renegade magicians, Tom sets out on a quest to thwart an evil magician, save the king, and recover the family he lost. Perfect for fans of Philip Pullman’s The Book of Dust, Frances Hardinge’s A Skinful of Shadows, and V.E. Schwab’s Shades of Magic series. This book is a fast-paced Young Adult historical fantasy that showcases 17th Century English history juxtaposed against the magic of Dragons, a Shadow Horse and the real purpose of the ravens at the Tower of London.