Megge of Bury Down: The Bury Down Chronicles, Book One
GENRE
FANTASY
Core Theme
DUTY, LEGACY
TIME PERIOD
17th Century or Earlier
COMPARABLE TITLES
N/A
CHARACTER LIST
• MARGARET “MEGGE” (F/6-TEENS) — LEAD. THE PRECOCIOUS, WELL-MEANING, AND CONSCIENTIOUS GIRL WHO IS RELUCTANT TO ACCEPT HER PREORDAINED DESTINY TO TAKE OVER FOR HER MOTHER AS THE HEALER OF BURY DOWN.
• “MOTHER” (F/30S-40S) — SUPPORTING. UNNAMED MOTHER TO MEGGE AND SISTER TO CLARIS WHO IS A MASTER HEALER AND THE KEEPER OF THE LEGENDARY AND COVETED BOOK OF SEASONS.
• CLARIS (F/30S-40S) — SUPPORTING. AUNT TO MEGGE, SISTER TO MOTHER, AND MOTHER OF BRIGHIDA WHO IS THE “SEER” OF BURY DOWN AND THE KEEPER OF THE EQUALLY LEGENDARY BOOK OF TIME.
• BRIGHIDA (F/CHILD-TEENS) — SUPPORTING. DAUGHTER TO CLARIS AND YOUNGER COUSIN TO MEGGE. A STEADFAST, DUTIFUL, AND UNWEIGHTED COUNTERPART TO MEGGE.
• MARTYN (M/TEENS) — SMALL SUPPORTING. LOCAL, DOWN-TO-EARTH WEAVER, ALLY, AND POSSIBLE LOVE INTEREST TO MEGGE.
• MURGA (F/30S-40S) — SMALL SUPPORTING. THE FIRST SEER OF BURY DOWN WHO IS EXECUTED IN BRUTAL FASHION AND WHOSE LEGACY IS REMEMBERED DAILY.
Logline
In the shadows of Bury Down grove, a healer, a seer, a huntress, and a bard must persuade the healer's young daughter, Megge, to accept the ancient Book of Seasons and vow to protect its life-sustaining power; but upon touching the book, Megge realizes that swearing this vow will make her a murderer.
Target Audiences
Age: 18-34
Target Gender: Female leaning
Setting
Medieval Cornwall, England: Bury Down hillfort and Restormel Castle, Lostwithiel
Based on a True Story
No
Publishing Details
Status: Yes: with a Publisher
Publisher: Rowan Moon LLC
Year Published: 2020
Starting Description
The Healer of Bury Down has vowed to face flames if she fails to pass the ancient Book of Seasons to her daughter, Megge, and obtain Megge’s oath to protect its life-sustaining power. Fearing the book, Megge balks; and that rash vow may cost the healer her life.
Ending Description
The author has not yet written this
Group Specific
Information not completed
Hard Copy Available
No
ISBN
9781734316803
Mature Audience Themes
Information not completed
Plot - Other Elements
Coming of Age, Twist, Philosophical Questions
Plot - Premise
Internal Journey/Rebirth
Main Character Details
Name: Megge
Age: 10
Gender: Female
Role: Protagonist
Key Traits: Charming, Clumsy, Complex, Engaging, Naive
Additional Character Details
Name: Mother
Age: 30
Gender: 30
Role: Antagonist
Key Traits: Complex, Charming, Confident, Decisive, Educated, Extraordinary Powers and Abilities, Engaging, Empathetic, Faithful, Honorable, Outspoken, Perseverance, Selfless, Strong Moral Code
Additional Character Details
Name: Claris
Age: 30
Gender: Female
Role: Mentor
Key Traits: Beautiful, Educated, Extraordinary Powers and Abilities, Engaging, Empathetic, Faithful, Gracious, Modest, Selfless, Skillful, Visionary
Additional Character Details
Name: Morwen
Age: 70
Gender: Female
Role: Mentor
Key Traits: Complex, Charming, Confident, Decisive, Educated, Extraordinary Powers and Abilities, Engaging, Empathetic, Faithful, Honorable, Outspoken, Perseverance, Selfless, Strong Moral Code
Genre
DRAMA, FANTASY, SUSPENSE
Brief
Megge is a precocious youth in the town of Bury Down, a magical realistic view of old Britain, where she lives among a cohort of skilled, wise, independent women, including her mother, her aunt Claris, and her cousin Brighida. Megge’s mother is a master healer, deriving her wisdom from an ancient book called “The Book of Seasons,” which Megge is fated to inherit, lest her mother perish by flames. However, when Megge touches the book, she sears her fingertips and hears the word murderer. This makes her afraid to take up the book and unwilling to fulfill her destiny. However, when nefarious and violent zealot figures infiltrate Bury Down, seeking to take the power of the book and its counterpart for themselves, Megge must confront her past and her destiny and decide once and for all if she will take hold of the book and become the next healer of Bury Down.
Overall Rating
GOOD
Narrative Elements
Authors Writing Style: GOOD
Characterization: GOOD
Commerciality: GOOD
Franchise Potential: GOOD
Pace: FAIR
Premise: GOOD
Structure: FAIR
Theme: EXCELLENT
Accuracy of Book Profile
I thought it was a strong book profile— Economic, to-the-point. No notes.
Draw of Story
What drew me into the story immediately was how it starts off with a bang— The author wastes no time before throwing the audience right into the middle of a conflict. Not only does this set the aesthetic for the story as far as light, texture, and locations go, but it also sets the tone— Immediately, the audience understands what is at stake, and it is quite a sobering moment when we cut from the events of the opening teaser to meeting the 6-year-old girl who will become our central hero. It creates a beautiful and reasoned and much-needed facet of suspense to underpin the rest of the work.
Possible Drawbacks
I would not go so far as to say I wanted to put the book down, but one can’t help but to have a little bit more of a hunger for action and excitement as we approach the half-way mark. The story seems to get a little bit repetitive with Megge’s central concern, especially in that she is deciding NOT to do something as opposed to deciding to do something. I actually give the author a lot of credit as this is a very interesting experiment on just how reluctant our hero can be throughout, but I have to acknowledge it may not be everyone’s cup of tea with how rebellious it is to conventional hero’s journey schemas.
Use of Special Effects
THE STORY RELIES A LITTLE BIT ON SPECIAL EFFECTS
Primary Hook of Story
The hook is that the author affords her audience a transportive experience into a far gone world tinged with magic. The invitation is to step back in time and to live in a perilous, dogmatic, and occasionally corrupt world with a troupe of highly skilled, independent, and vulnerable women. You are expected to participate, and the hook is that you are right there beside the characters as they go about their lives and duties. It’s abundantly clear that the author’s niche skill sets and curiosities are the lifeblood of this work, and it gives way to an original and thought-provoking experience as a result.
Fanbase Potential
What constitutes a large fanbase is a little bit vaporous these days, with the advent of Marvel and the resurgence of Star Wars. While this work certainly would fall short of Harry Potter or Hunger Games levels of fandom, purely as a result of its smaller target, it would seem like this work would have considerable appeal for the two female quadrants, thanks to its profound, timeless themes and to its thoughtful, relatable, intelligent lead.
Awards Potential
No, it does not seem like this work would have awards potential for the simple reason that magical realism fiction does not seem to do extraordinarily well come awards season. While this work has value and meaning in its themes and characters, the genre elements would seem to “lower” this work’s profile, at least in the eyes of the voting bodies below the straight, drier, and perhaps more on-the-nose dramas that typically vie for awards love.
Envisioned Budget
MEDIUM BUDGET
Similar Films/TV Series
IT IS HARD TO DRAW ANY ONE-TO-ONE COMPARISONS GIVEN THE AUTHOR’S NICHE EXPERTISE AND CURIOSITIES THAT FUEL THIS WORK AS WELL AS FOR THE SOFTER-FANTASY ELEMENTS THAT DIFFERENTIATE IT FROM OTHER YA WORKS AND FRANCHISES. ALTHOUGH, WOMEN TALKING CAME TO MIND, FOR OBVIOUS REASONS.
What’s New About the Story
There are a number of original elements about this story— For one, the author presents a kind of experiment or endurance test for the classical reluctant hero. Usually the decision to commit to one’s destiny is made in the opening act, but in this case, it is the central crux of the story, which strikes as particularly original. Moreover, the world of the story is quite unique and fresh as well. Credit is owed to the author for how well she bakes in the magical elements into the world— It is done in a way that feels organic and understated, which shows restraint and maturity. Finally, the author is quite merciless with her characters— She really puts them through the ringer, via fire, gore, death, and more.
Lead Characters
As touched on a few times before, Megge is a very interesting character, first and foremost for her conscientiousness and intelligence, and also for her sustained reluctance. Also as touched on, this work kind of constitutes an experiment— What if the typical hero’s journey decision of act one is stretched out over an entire book? While this effort may ruffle some feathers and frustrate a sect of the audience, the author is well motivated—consciously or not—to provide her readers with a novel approach to a YA/fantasy protagonist. It renders Megge a character as thought-provoking as she is likable.
Uniqueness of Story
It is hard to say what is a rare gem and what isn’t. However, what is more appropriate and less hyperbolic would be to say that this work carves out a space for itself for its plethora of idiosyncrasies and for the spirit and credibility of its author. What we have here is a unique world, with unique characters, with a number of under-explored themes and ideas. If not a rare gem, this is a work that is decisive in its intentions and sure to compel its target audience as intended.
Possible Formats
Film: Studio, Streaming TV Series: Network, Cable, Limited Run / Mini-Series, Streaming
Analyst Recommendation
CONSIDER
Justification
Largely without reservations, this work should be considered for feature (or series) adaptation. To kind of echo on some of the points and virtues above, this work stands out for its commitment to character, for its unique themes, and of course for the layering of magic into its realistic, medieval style world. The author is bold and unafraid to take risks in telling her story— She challenges the audience with her unexpectedly reluctant hero, she punishes her darlings with nothing held back, and she imbues this work with a kind of unmitigated curiosity and niche expertise that only someone with her life experience and career path could muster. All in all, these ingredients add up to a work that is as meaningful and thought-provoking as it is entertaining.
Brief
In a medieval world tinged with magical realism, young Megge is fated to succeed her mother as the Healer of Bury Down. However, when she first lays her hands on the legendary “Book of Seasons,” the burns on her fingertips, paired with a dark omen, lead Megge to reject her calling and to pursue a different, less complicated path in life. However, when secrets of the past come to light and when her quiet hamlet—not to mention her family—finds itself under siege of a series of ruthless zealots, Megge has no choice but to reassess her fateful decision.
What We Liked
There is a lot to like in this world and in this story. For one thing, the author takes your kind of run-of-the-mill hero’s journey and effectively flips it on its head— Instead of our protagonist making her fateful decision to begin a life’s journey in the opening chapter, the author instead stretches out this inflection point across the entire novel, enabling her to dive deeper into the themes of one’s calling, one’s legacy, and one’s duty. What further empowers this work is the texture, detail, and the aesthetic afforded to the world of Bury Down, thanks to the author’s eye and vision— Bury Down is a very real place in the mind of the reader, and reading this work is not a lecture but an experience— The author puts you right there in medieval Britain alongside the characters, and something about the way the magic and supernatural elements are baked into the world and logic make it feel entirely plausible. All in all, this is a work that is informed by nothing but passion and expertise. The author is a master of her world and of her themes.
Film: One thing we look for in candidates for adaptation to the big screen is the opportunity for an escape, an experience unlike our everyday lives. Suffice to say, Megge of Bury Down will afford its audience just that— Not only does the author go the extra mile to introduce and immerse us in a far gone, medieval style world, but she further individuates this world with the existence of a unique brand of magic. All in all, audience will be keen to transport themselves to a difference time and place, but the appeal to the big screen does not end there— What else this work brings to the table is some good old fashion drama, action, and high stakes. While the author understandable takes her time to set up her chess pieces, this work really breaks open in its second half, when the quiet world of Bury Down is effectively besieged by a series of blood-thirsty, authoritarian forces who hold nothing back in their assault/shakedown of Bury Down and its people. All in all, this work has fireworks galore to enthrall its audience— Excitement sure to draw a crowd.
TV: This would make a solid candidate for adaptation to the small screen in that it contains a healthy cast of interesting and complex characters, as well as a backstory that contains much fertile ground for expansion. This is a rare work does not overstay its welcome— It feeds you just enough and asks you to complete the frame. This bodes especially well for adaptation to the small screen in that you inevitably need to expand and further cultivate supporting characters. From Martyn to Tinker to Morwen and more, many characters in this work feel especially ripe for expansion, and none of this is to consider the massive, cinematic, and high stakes backstory that opens the book. Lastly, it is abundantly clear that this book is meant to be the first in a proper saga, and the book-per-season format would likely be a great fit. Across several seasons of TV, Megge’s story could be properly developed and explored.
Key points:
1. The Structure — What strikes as a huge swing, for better or worse, is the author’s arguably defiant subversion of the classic, Campbellian hero’s journey.
2. The World — The world of Bury Down, as noted, is immersive and distinct thanks to its decisive and restrained use of fantastical elements.
3. The Themes — The author’s background and credibility position her to tread new ground in the exploration of her suite of under-addressed themes.
4. The Supporting Characters — Many of the supporting players in this work contain complexities and distinct personalities that enable them to stand on their own two feet.
5. The Action — While it takes a bit of time before this work breaks open, it is rather shocking and explosive when it does. Most importantly, though— It’s consequential.
Synopsis
We open on a flashback to an era past, where the seer Murga is chased down and executed by the vicious blacksmith Colluen...
Years later, we meet Megge, 6, the precocious daughter of the healer of Bury Down, who lives in a cave outside of town with the rest of her community— Her cousin Brighida, her mentor-figure Morwen, and her aunt Claris, who is the seer of Bury Down, opposite Megge’s mother. Megge is fated to succeed her mother as the healer of Bury Down and to take up a legendary book called
“The Book of Seasons,” however the book sears her fingertips upon her first touch. Megge is also perturbed by a dark omen— The word murderer washing over her as she touches it. As a result, Megge defaults to an ordinary life, rejecting her fate. However, she does spend much time assisting her mother on her various healing efforts, including when a local woman is gored by a boar. Soon, though, Megge starts to notice peculiar strangers in town, and a creeping feeling of dread...
Megge soon catches wind of rumors of a curse tied to her family and their two mystical books.
Finally, her cohort sheds light on the story behind them, telling of Megge’s grandmother and her great burden as a custodian of the books and the power that they hold within. Megge learns of the conundrum that her mother will perish by flames if the book is not passed down to Megge.
Megge is 13 years old when her beloved elder Morwen passes away. Despite all that rides on her decision, Megge commits to being a weaver by trade, learning her craft alongside her male peer Martyn, who she grows to have eyes for. To Megge and her clan’s dismay, a series of zealot friars led by a pernicious “Abbot” besiege Bury Down, seeking to apprehend any “heretics,” as healing is said t be the devil’s work. Mother urges Megge to take care of the Book of Seasons as the siege ensues. Soon, Mother and Claris are imprisoned, while Brighida and Megge escape.
Martyn proves himself a valuable ally in the chaos, while word spreads that the Abbot is not who he says he is, evidently a corrupt actor out for selfish means. Soon, the Abbot and friars turn their sights to several locals, who were initial, false accusers. Thankfully, Mother and Claris escape their execution, reuniting with their daughters. Martyn agrees to move in with the women, acting as a kind of look out and protector.
All is quiet for a short while, that is, until a sneak attack led by the pernicious Tinker Penneck creates a fire that kill Megge’s beloved mother. Megge, naturally, is devastated, especially after finding out that her mother was buried in haste and without her present. Megge recoils further from her destiny as the new healer as a result, and she continues her weaving apprenticeship under Martyn. Time passes, and the stories of the past soon boil up from below— Claris soon confesses of a love triangle from her past— Her husband, Brighida’s father, also has a child with Jenifer Penneck, which spurned a open secret-style generational feud that crescendoed with the death of Megge’s mother. Megge is disheartened until none other than Morwen appears to her, guiding her she sees a horribly realistic vision of the fate of the first healer of Bury Down— Murga, who we met in the opening teaser. In the vision, Murga is captured and executed by a vengeful blacksmith named Colluen. With Morwen’s wisdom, Megge realizes that she is, in
essence, a kind of kindred of Murga’s, a solitary custodian of her spirit and legacy. Similarly, a man named Michael Gough is the kindred of Colluen the blacksmith and also a relative of the vindictive Jenifer. He is a figure who wants Megge and her people dead and to take control of the powerful books. Finally, Megge accepts her fate and takes up the Book of Seasons once and for all, putting herself on a collision course with Michael/Colluen, all in the name of protecting her surviving family...