Pierre Pevel (born 1968) is a French

science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...

and fantasy writer. He received the

Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire The (GPI, 'grand prize of the Imaginary'), until 1992 the , is a French literary award for speculative fiction, established in 1972 by the writer Jean-Pierre Fontana as part of the science fiction convention of Clermont-Ferrand. Initially pur ...

for his novel '' Les Ombres de Wielstadt'' in 2002.

Biography

Pierre Pevel was born in 1968. He was a scriptwriter and author of

role-playing game A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, or abbreviated as RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of player character, characters in a fictional Setting (narrative), setting. Players take responsibility for acting out ...

s, before he began writing. He has written many fantasy novels under the pseudonym "Pierre Jacq", often signing his books under his real name. He is known for his trilogy, the ''Ombres de Wieldstadt'', published en 2001, which in 2002 won him a

. Pierre Pevel lives in

Nancy, France Nancy is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the northeastern Departments of France, French department of Meurthe-et-Moselle. It was the capital of the Duchy of Lorraine, which was Lorraine and Barrois, annexed by France under King Louis X ...

Bibliography

Pierre Pevel's novels are written in a style approaching that of

uchronia ''Uchronia'' is currently an English word-in-formation, a neologism, that is sometimes used in its original meaning as a straightforward synonym for ''alternate history'', a genre of speculative fiction that reimagines historical events going in ...

(or,

alternative history Alternate history (also referred to as alternative history, allohistory, althist, or simply A.H.) is a subgenre of speculative fiction in which one or more historical events have occurred but are resolved differently than in actual history. As ...

), and in particular of fantasy uchronia. The setting is nearly always in a universe strongly inspired by a precise historical period, well documented, but that is different from real world events by the presence of wondrous elements (

magic Magic or magick most commonly refers to: * Magic (supernatural), beliefs and actions employed to influence supernatural beings and forces ** ''Magick'' (with ''-ck'') can specifically refer to ceremonial magic * Magic (illusion), also known as sta ...

, supernatural creatures). These elements influence the portrayal of the chosen period as people in this world are keenly aware that they coexist with the supernatural and Pevel sometimes provides small changes to actual historical events. However, most of the history present in Pevel's novels is accurate, minus supernatural elements and a few deliberate changes. Pevel's novels are noticeable for always including dragons.

''Cycle de Wieldstadt''

* ''Les Ombres de Wieldstadt'', 2001 (

2002, Novel category) * ''Les Masques de Wieldstadt'', 2002 * ''Le Chevalier de Wieldstadt'', 2004 In the early 17th century, as the

Thirty Years' War The Thirty Years' War, fought primarily in Central Europe between 1618 and 1648, was one of the most destructive conflicts in History of Europe, European history. An estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians died from battle, famine ...

is beginning to tear the

Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire, also known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after 1512, was a polity in Central and Western Europe, usually headed by the Holy Roman Emperor. It developed in the Early Middle Ages, and lasted for a millennium ...

apart, the town of Wieldstadt is protected from assault by the

dragon A dragon is a Magic (supernatural), magical legendary creature that appears in the folklore of multiple cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but European dragon, dragons in Western cultures since the Hi ...

that lives on the mountain overlooking the town. The series revolves around a mysterious knight named Kantz who uses his supernatural abilities to hunt down demonic threats in his city. After returning to the city after a mission accomplished for the

Order of the Temple The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, mainly known as the Knights Templar, was a Military order (religious society), military order of the Catholic Church, Catholic faith, and one of the most important military ord ...

, Kantz must deal with a horde of

ghouls In folklore, a ghoul (from , ') is a demon-like being or Monster, monstrous humanoid, often associated with graveyards and the consumption of human flesh. In the legends or tales in which they appear, a ghoul is far more ill-mannered and foul t ...

who are tracking and killing several people in the town. However, Kantz must also contend with conspiracies in his town by powerful demonic forces and officials working for the shadowy

Vehmic court The Vehmic courts, ''Vehmgericht'', holy vehme, or simply Vehm, also spelt ''Feme'', ''Vehmegericht'', ''Fehmgericht'', are names given to a tribunal system of Westphalia in Germany active during the Late Middle Ages, based on a fraternal organis ...

. A work of alternate history, Pevel introduces small divergences from actual history into the books such as the resurgence of the Templars who were disbanded in the 14th century and never reappeared, as well as making the Vehmic court more powerful than it actually was.

''Le Paris des Merveilles''

* ''Les Enchantements d'Ambremer'', 2003 * ''L'Elixir d'oubli'', 2004 ( Prix Imaginales 2005, French novel category) * ''Le Royaume Immobile'' The 'Paris des Merveilles' happens in an alternate

Belle Époque The Belle Époque () or La Belle Époque () was a period of French and European history that began after the end of the Franco-Prussian War in 1871 and continued until the outbreak of World War I in 1914. Occurring during the era of the Fr ...

France. Three Worlds have coexisted for centuries while partially or completely aware of one another: Earth, the ''OutreMonde'' and ''Onirie'', the world of dreams. After the end of the

Napoleonic Wars {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Napoleonic Wars , partof = the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars , image = Napoleonic Wars (revision).jpg , caption = Left to right, top to bottom:Battl ...

in 1815, the faerie kingdom of Ambremer, which dominates the ''OutreMonde'', revealed itself to humanity and, with its various wonders, the existence of magic. Since, Paris has become a meltingpot of human and wonderful cohabitation: the

Eiffel Tower The Eiffel Tower ( ; ) is a wrought-iron lattice tower on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France. It is named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower from 1887 to 1889. Locally nicknamed "''La dame de fe ...

, although still designed by

Gustave Eiffel Alexandre Gustave Eiffel ( , ; Bonickhausen dit Eiffel; 15 December 1832 – 27 December 1923) was a French civil engineer. A graduate of École Centrale des Arts et Manufactures, he made his name with various bridges for the French railway net ...

for the

Exposition Universelle (1889) The of 1889 (), better known in English as the 1889 Paris Exposition, was a world's fair held in Paris, France, from 6 May to 31 October 1889. It was the fifth of ten major expositions held in the city between 1855 and 1937. It attracted more t ...

, was built in glowing white wood gifted to the French government by Méliane, the Queen of the Fairies.

Sirens Siren or sirens may refer to: Common meanings * Siren (alarm), a loud acoustic alarm used to alert people to emergencies * Siren (mythology), an enchanting but dangerous monster in Greek mythology that lured sailors to their deaths. Places * Si ...

live in the

Seine The Seine ( , ) is a river in northern France. Its drainage basin is in the Paris Basin (a geological relative lowland) covering most of northern France. It rises at Source-Seine, northwest of Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plat ...

winged cat The winged cat – a Felidae, feline with wings like a bird, bat or other flying creature – is a theme in artwork and legend going back to prehistory, especially Mythology, mythological depictions of big cats with eagle wings in Eurasia and Nor ...

s fly in the skies and alleys, and sleep on written texts to live their words in dreams, trees from the ''OutreMonde'' give light to the Champs-Elysées when night comes, and all sorts of creatures, from

gnomes A gnome () is a mythological creature and diminutive spirit in Renaissance magic and alchemy, introduced by Paracelsus in the 16th century and widely adopted by authors, including those of modern fantasy literature. They are typically depict ...

ogres An ogre (feminine: ogress) is a legendary monster depicted as a large, hideous, man-like being that eats ordinary human beings, especially infants and children. Ogres frequently feature in mythology, folklore, and fiction throughout the world. ...

live in the French capital. And human mages now live openly, able to practice their arts free from the dangers of persecution. The story follows Louis Denizart Hippolyte Griffont, a mage from the Cyan Circle (one of the three circles of magic) who assist Parisians with magical related problems, and his estranged wife, Baroness Isabel de Saint-Gil, a fairie formerly belonging to Queen Méliane's ladies-in-waiting and now a professional thief, as they deal in the world of intrigues that lurk beneath the wonders of Paris. The ''OutreMonde'' is still recovering from a war for domination between the fairies and the

dragons A dragon is a magical legendary creature that appears in the folklore of multiple cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in Western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depict ...

, a war the fairies won but leaving wounds that could still be reopened. Several dragons, unwilling to submit to Ambremer's rule, chose exile on Earth rather than stay in the 'OutreMonde'. And Méliane's hold on the throne is constantly tested by the presence of the Dark Queen, a renegade fae who desires to overthrow her.

''Les Lames du Cardinal'' (The Cardinal's Blades)

* ''Les Lames du Cardinal'', 2007 * ''L'Alchimiste des ombres'', 2009 * ''Le Dragon des Arcanes'', 2010 The "Lames du Cardinal" are a group of mousquetares and agents working for

Cardinal de Richelieu Armand Jean du Plessis, 1st Duke of Richelieu (9 September 1585 – 4 December 1642), commonly known as Cardinal Richelieu, was a French Catholic prelate and statesman who had an outsized influence in civil and religious affairs. He became kno ...

, the

prime minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...

of French king

Louis XIII Louis XIII (; sometimes called the Just; 27 September 1601 – 14 May 1643) was King of France from 1610 until his death in 1643 and King of Navarre (as Louis II) from 1610 to 1620, when the crown of Navarre was merged with the French crown. ...

. Disbanded after the disastrous failure of the

Siege of La Rochelle The siege of La Rochelle (, or sometimes ) was a result of a war between the French royal forces of Louis XIII of France and the Huguenots of La Rochelle in 1627–1628. The siege marked the height of Huguenot rebellions, the struggle between ...

(a divergence from history in which the siege was successful), the Blades are reassembled by the Cardinal to track down the missing son of a Spanish noble just as the French and Spanish are conducting secret peace negotiations as the

in the

is growing to include foreign powers. Meanwhile, a secret organisation of dragon-sorcerers are planning to expand their ever-growing power into France and will soon come across the path of their old enemies, the Cardinal's Blades. Pevel's historical accuracy is joined to an existing supernatural threat with the presence of dragons. They once ruled the world under the leadership of powerful entities called the Ancestral Dragons, who the current dragons are descended from and whom they worship as deities. The souls of these ancient dragons are contained in Soul Stones which the dragons use to bind their humans followers to them, which insures their complete alliegance and a new power source for the Ancestral Dragon. An ancient organization called the Dark Claw (Griffe Noire) is attempting to reestablish draconic hegemony over the world by using magic to make dragons assume human form. Each power in the world have a draconic lodge of humans led by a dragon and bound to the spirit of an Ancestral Dragon. France is one of the only countries that has not been invaded by dragons due to the protection of a Church order, the Sisters of Saint-George.

''Haut-Royaume'' (A Tale from the High Kingdom)

* ''Le Chevalier'', 2013 * ''L'Héritier'', 2014 * ''Le Roi'', 2018 * ''L'Adversaire'', 2020 * ''L'Emissaire'', 2021 As the High Kingdom is facing both external and internal strife, the dying High King Erklant II orders the release of Lorn Askariàn from the haunted prison of Dalroth, where he has been imprisoned for three years on charges of treason. Lorn has been declared innocent of his crimes and the King appoints him as First Knight of the Kingdom, a disused title that gives him the authority to speak with the King's voice. He is instructed to rebuild the ancient Onyx Guard which used to protect the monarchs of the High Kingdom until it was dissolved by Erklant I. However, Lorn must contend with old enemies who have much to fear from his release from prison as well as the ambitious Queen Celyane, who has seized power as regent during her husband's illness and will not let Lorn's newfound power destroy her attempts to sign a controversial peace treaty with the High Kingdom's greatest enemy, Yrgäard. However, Lorn must also deal with the malignant Obscure that he has brought back with him from Dalroth and which, if he doesn't learn how to control it, will destroy him. The first world created entirely by Pevel, the High Kingdom is situated in the world of Imeloria where a constant war between the High Kingdom and Yrgäard has shaped the entire network of inter-kingdom alliances. Yrgäard is the last kingdom of Imeloria still ruled by a dragon, who once ruled the world before the rise of men. Their power was broken when the first High King, Erklant I, defeated Serk'Arn, the Dragon of Destruction, five hundred years before the story begins. However, the once mighty High Kingdom is now on the verge of civil war as a growing faction of noble men led by the Duke of Feln oppose the Queen's regency. The approaching death of the High King also brings about its problems as the matter of succession is likely to be disputed: the Queen would like to see her son Prince Alderan (Alan for short and Lorn's best friend), the High King's younger son, crowned as the new High King, instead of his brother, Prince Yrdel, who is the High King's oldest son and from a previous marriage.

English Translations

;The Cardinal's Blades (''Les Lames du Cardinal'' in French) * ''The Cardinal's Blades'', 2009 Pierre Pevel's page at Gollancz/Orion Books UK
/ref> * ''The Alchemist in the Shadows'', 2010 * ''The Dragon Arcana'', 2011 ;A Tale of the High Kingdom (''Haut-Royaume'' in French) * ''Knight: A Tale of the High Kingdom'', 2013

Notes and references

External links

Pierre Pevel's page at the Bragelonne Web site

Pierre Pevel's page at Scifi Universe

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Pevel, Pierre 1968 births Living people 21st-century French novelists French fantasy writers French male novelists 21st-century French male writers