The Age of Misrule (series)
Encyclopedia
Mark Chadbourn
Mark Chadbourn is an English fantasy, science fiction and horror author with fifteen novels published around the world.Born in the English Midlands from a long line of coal miners...
. It is set in Britain and the faery Otherworld
Tír na nÓg
Tír na nÓg is the most popular of the Otherworlds in Irish mythology. It is perhaps best known from the story of Oisín, one of the few mortals who lived there, who was said to have been brought there by Niamh of the Golden Hair. It was where the Tuatha Dé Danann settled when they left Ireland's...
around the beginning of the third millennium.
The Age of Misrule consists of three novels: World's End
World's End (Chadbourn)
World's End is a novel written by British author Mark Chadbourn and is the first in the Age of Misrule trilogy. It was first published in Great Britain by Millennium on 14 September 2000...
, Darkest Hour, and Always Forever.
This series is followed by The Dark Age
The Dark Age (series)
The Dark Age is a trilogy by Mark Chadbourn set around the beginning of the third millennium. While the previous series was a clear fantasy story, this has strings of gothic horror and existentialism woven into it.The three books are:...
series.
Plot summary
The story starts in January. We are not told what year it is: sometime after December 31, 1999, but not very long. It follows a man and a woman, both of whom have had loved ones taken from them in unpleasant circumstances. They see a man being killed by a giant. When they investigate, they discover that the man had been contacting UFOlogists.The two protagonists decide to go on a trip to find out more. They meet an old hippie
Hippie
The hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that arose in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to other countries around the world. The etymology of the term 'hippie' is from hipster, and was initially used to describe beatniks who had moved into San Francisco's...
named Thomas, who saves them from a Fabulous Beast (a dragon
Dragon
A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...
). He informs them that they are being followed, and they hide out in Stonehenge
Stonehenge
Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument located in the English county of Wiltshire, about west of Amesbury and north of Salisbury. One of the most famous sites in the world, Stonehenge is composed of a circular setting of large standing stones set within earthworks...
, protected by the ley energy of the monument. Thomas then informs them that the world has changed, most forms of modern technology
Technology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
have ceased to function while magic
Magic (fantasy)
Magic in fiction is the endowing of fictional characters or objects with magical powers.Such magic often serves as a plot device, the source of magical artifacts and their quests...
now works according to its traditional lore, and that mythic creatures - Fabulous Beasts, elementals, and most importantly, the Fomorians
Fomorians
In Irish mythology, the Fomoire are a semi-divine race said to have inhabited Ireland in ancient times. They may have once been believed to be the beings who preceded the gods, similar to the Greek Titans. It has been suggested that they represent the gods of chaos and wild nature, as opposed to...
and the Tuatha De Danann
Tuatha Dé Danann
The Tuatha Dé Danann are a race of people in Irish mythology. In the invasions tradition which begins with the Lebor Gabála Érenn, they are the fifth group to settle Ireland, conquering the island from the Fir Bolg....
- are coming back to the world. The Fomorians have arrived first, however, and the Tuatha de Danann can only be summoned by a group called the Brothers and Sisters of Dragons. Apparently roped into this, they agree to help.
By the end of the first book of the three-book series, the initial idea - that the evil Fomorians would be dragged back to the Otherworld by the good fairies - has been shattered. It seems that Celtic
Celtic mythology
Celtic mythology is the mythology of Celtic polytheism, apparently the religion of the Iron Age Celts. Like other Iron Age Europeans, the early Celts maintained a polytheistic mythology and religious structure...
cosmology is much closer to Lovecraftian
Cthulhu Mythos
The Cthulhu Mythos is a shared fictional universe, based on the work of American horror writer H. P. Lovecraft.The term was first coined by August Derleth, a contemporary correspondent of Lovecraft, who used the name of the creature Cthulhu - a central figure in Lovecraft literature and the focus...
ideals (Evil vs. Indifferent) than to Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
ones (Evil vs. Good), despite the fact, it is hinted, that the spirit beings are the basis of all religions anyway. The Tuatha are as keen as the Fomorians to stay, and the heroes are left knowing that the world will never be the same again.
The heroes then realise that they were chosen by the mysterious 'earth energy', and that they can use this energy to inspire others and fight the Fomorians themselves. They fight back and, in a final battle in London, apparently win. However, the Brothers and Sisters of Dragons are shattered, one dead, one lost in the Otherworld, and the last three to pass the story on.
An interesting twist on the classic 'otherworldly conspiracy' story is that, rather than fairy myths being ancient misinterpretations of UFO abductions, the UFO stories are presented as modern misinterpretations of fairy myths.
Brothers and Sisters of Dragons
- Jack ChurchillJack Churchill (fictional)Jack 'Church' Churchill is a fictional character, appearing in Mark Chadbourn's trilogies The Age of Misrule, The Dark Age and The Kingdom of the Serpent.-Prior to the books:...
, or Church, was training as an archaeologist, but upon the suicide of his girlfriend Marianne, he lost his faith in himself and was reduced to writing manuals. His knowledge of ancient religion and holy sites, from his time at university, is very helpful. He is the symbolic 'King', holding the Quincunx together. - Ruth Gallagher was chosen by the Goddess to find Cernunnos. As a result of this task, she developed into an accomplished witch. Her life was changed when her uncle was killed in a bank robbery, causing her father to have a heart attack. Her lack of belief in the afterlifeAfterlifeThe afterlife is the belief that a part of, or essence of, or soul of an individual, which carries with it and confers personal identity, survives the death of the body of this world and this lifetime, by natural or supernatural means, in contrast to the belief in eternal...
hit her cruelly. - Laura DuSantiagos fundamentalist mother abused her as a child, but she escaped to university. When she returned home, her mother carved 'Jesus loves you' on her back. In the ensuing struggle, the mother was killed. She is a kind woman, hiding behind a callous facade.
- Ryan Veitch had nightmares about monsters during his childhood, but these stopped when he got the dream-monsters tattooed on himself. During a bank robbery, he was compelled to shoot Mr. Gallagher, but his brothers allowed him to flee, escaping gaol. Realizing the depth of their sacrifice has made him want to help those around him. Despite this, he is often derided by his friends.
- Shavi was the member of a Muslim family, but his rejection of their faith led his father to cast him out. He developed an interest in leylines, druidry, and his own sexuality; what may be called ShamanismShamanismShamanism is an anthropological term referencing a range of beliefs and practices regarding communication with the spiritual world. To quote Eliade: "A first definition of this complex phenomenon, and perhaps the least hazardous, will be: shamanism = technique of ecstasy." Shamanism encompasses the...
in the modern world. While leaving a gay bar, he and his boyfriend were attacked by a stranger, resulting in the death of his boyfriend.
Others
- Tom, or Thomas LearmontThomas the RhymerThomas Learmonth , better known as Thomas the Rhymer or True Thomas, was a 13th century Scottish laird and reputed prophet from Earlston . He is also the protagonist of the ballad "Thomas the Rhymer"...
, serves as the group's guide and advisor. In the 13th century he was carried off to the Otherworld, where his singing voice endeared him to the Queen. He was 'taken apart', then put back together. As a result of this, he can partially see the future and cannot lie. Briefly, he became involved in Scottish politics, before being chased back into the Otherworld. As a result of spending half his life in the Otherworld, he has managed to survive into modern times. He thoroughly enjoyed the sixties, during which he was 'spiritual advisor' to the Grateful DeadGrateful DeadThe Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
. - James is a priest at GlastonburyGlastonburyGlastonbury is a small town in Somerset, England, situated at a dry point on the low lying Somerset Levels, south of Bristol. The town, which is in the Mendip district, had a population of 8,784 in the 2001 census...
. He is a member of the Watchmen, a group selected from Anglican priests in and around Glastonbury to safeguard knowledge of a gate to the Otherworld on top of Glastonbury Tor. Later, he was librarian at the cathedral of SalisburySalisburySalisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
. - Callow is a well mannered gent who has fallen on hard times and speaks with The Brother and Sisters of Dragons briefly before they continue on their journey. He is captured by Calatin and is tortured and twisted into something more than human. He is described as having "Lidless staring eyes" and walking in a skittering motion. His ultimate fate following Always ForeverAlways ForeverAlways Forever Is the first album by Greek metal band Bare Infinity.-Track listing:#"Initium" – 1:23#"Lost Again" – 5:24#"Bare Infinity" – 5:30#"Always Forever Part I" – 6:00#"Escape" – 5:12#"The Crying Shore" – 4:01...
is unknown.
Immortals
- The Lady, the spirit of the growing season (spring, summer, autumn) and the sacred feminine. Also known as the Triple GoddessTriple GoddessThe Triple Goddess is the subject of much of the writing of Robert Graves, and has been adopted by some neopagans as one of their primary deities. The term triple goddess is sometimes used outside of Neopaganism to refer to historical goddess triads and single goddesses of three forms or aspects...
, Hecate, Brigid and the Virgin Mary. - The Lord, the spirit of the cold time (winter) and masculinity. Stayed with humans the longest, even when the others left. Also known as CernunnosCernunnosCernunnos is the conventional name given in Celtic studies to depictions of the horned god of Celtic polytheism. The name itself is only attested once, on the 1st-century Pillar of the Boatmen, but depictions of a horned or antlered figure, often seated in a "lotus position" and often associated...
, OdinOdinOdin is a major god in Norse mythology and the ruler of Asgard. Homologous with the Anglo-Saxon "Wōden" and the Old High German "Wotan", the name is descended from Proto-Germanic "*Wodanaz" or "*Wōđanaz"....
and Robin HoodRobin HoodRobin Hood was a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes....
. - Nuada, the leader of the Golden Ones. Officially thanks the Brothers and Sisters of Dragons for returning the Tuatha De Danann to the world. Proud and handsome, but cold and inhuman. Also known as LudLudThe name Lud may refer to:* Lud son of Heli, a legendary British king who in Geoffrey of Monmouth's pseudohistorical Historia Regum Britanniae founded London and was buried at Ludgate...
, Nudd, and Tiwaz. - Ogma, librarian and wisest of the Golden Ones. One of the few good immortals seen in the first book.
- Dian Cecht, the healer of the Golden Ones, who appears in the second book 'Darkest Hour'. He is hard and cruel. According to legends, which Tom repeat to Jack, he once killed his own son out of envy.
Real
- StonehengeStonehengeStonehenge is a prehistoric monument located in the English county of Wiltshire, about west of Amesbury and north of Salisbury. One of the most famous sites in the world, Stonehenge is composed of a circular setting of large standing stones set within earthworks...
, where Church and Ruth first experience the Blue Fire. - Edinburgh CastleEdinburgh CastleEdinburgh Castle is a fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, from its position atop the volcanic Castle Rock. Human habitation of the site is dated back as far as the 9th century BC, although the nature of early settlement is unclear...
Tomnahurich, Inverness
Roslin Castle and Chapel and several minor locations in London are mentioned.