Hello everyone and welcome to my stop on the Escapist Book Tours virtual book tour for Kian N. Ardalan’s grimdark fantasy novel Eleventh Cycle! Today, I am excited to help kickoff the tour by sharing an interview with the main character from the book!
You can find our Q&A below, along with all of the info about the book, the author, and links to purchase a copy of Eleventh Cycle for yourself! Also, be sure to take a look at the schedule here or at the top of the post and follow along to see the stops from our other awesome hosts!
Book Information:
Eleventh Cycle by Kian N. Ardalan
Series: Mistland
Genre: Dark Fantasy/Grimdark
Intended Age Group: Adult
Pages: 802
Published: February 3, 2023
Publisher: Self Published
Blurb
It has been a thousand years since the last Seed abandoned their duty. The mists are closing in. Finally, the Morning Bell tolls. A new Seed is born, but is it too late?
The rot eats away at mortals. The Witnesses pray so that they may not turn into one of the forgotten. And the constricting mists infect the lands with fear.
But there is more to this tale than just the Elders and their Seeds. Four mortals will have a part to play in Minethria’s fate. A farmer girl with only love in her eyes. A warrior born to the life of a refugee. A highborn stuck between the realm of gods and men. And a woman running into front lines and away from home.
Will the cycle finally be completed? Or will the mist swallow all?
“A seed is born and the evil is slain, so doth another cycle commence. Yet the last Seed born hath turned traitor, and the mists which had been pushed back, returneth.”
See Also:
Hello Darkness My Old Friend • Me: I want Dark Souls. Mom: We have Dark Souls at home. • Google: “Hot Topic Knights”
Book Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Eleventh-Cycle-Mistland-Book-1-ebook/dp/B0BD7T5WRL/
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/eleventh-cycle-kian-n-ardalan/1142234086
Silverstones Books: https://silverstonesbooks.com/product/eleventh-cycle/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59425056-eleventh-cycle
Character Q&A
Could you please introduce yourself to our readers?
Chroma: I’m Chroma, a proud akar living in a refugee camp.
Erefiel: I’m Erefiel, son of White-Hawk and Lady Imrie. I’m a nephilim and acting lieutenant general for the defense of Greyhill.
Dalila: I’m just a young girl from the Reed family.
Nora: I’m Nora, a soldier from the Clerian army. And nothing will stop me.
Eleventh Seed: I don’t know who… or what I am.
What music do you listen to?
Nora: Music is pointless unless it comes from the lute of an inspired. Any song which ensures I slay more akar is my song of choice.
What are 3 items you can’t live without?
Eleventh Seed: My heart, my head, and my quest.
If you were stranded on a deserted island, what is one thing you’d like to have with you?
Erefiel: A method of communication to be saved off of the island.
What is your biggest pet peeve?
Dalila: Bullies. Especially when you bully shy boys.
What do you do in your free time?
Nora: Obviously practice the sword!
What makes you want to get out of bed in the morning?
Chroma: Mostly food. Stay too long in bed, and you’ll not have much to eat after the guards serve breakfast.
What is the best advice you’ve ever been given?
Dalila: It doesn’t matter if I believe what Father believes. I need to nod my head when he says something.
What do you carry in your bag?
Erefiel: My seal of nobility and coins. Never know when I need to pay for something.
What’s your favorite animal?
Chroma: An auroch! Although, I’d never seen one before. Mother told me that they are like bulls, but much larger and full of thick fur!
What do you think about [other MC(s)]?
Eleventh Seed: I don’t really think anything about them.
Nora: Chroma is a filthy akar. Don’t trust any of their lot. But Erefiel has all of my respect.
Dalila: Nora is scary, but I admire her! She’s so cold. I’m sometimes jealous of how Perry speaks about her.
Erefiel: Nora is very hardheaded, to her detriment, but I never met anyone else with a drive like hers.
Do you have a favorite saying?
Chroma: A warrior isn’t someone who fights and kills, it is someone who protects.
What is your favorite holiday?
Dalila: Not sure, but I’m certain my father’s favourite day was when the Eleventh Seed was born.
If you could go anywhere in [the book’s world], where would you go and why?
Erefiel: I wish to visit Father atop Mount Morniar where the Elders reign. But I know that in order to do that, I need to prove myself first.
What do you do to relax?
Nora: If killing akar isn’t an option, the bathhouse is a close second. Nothing like a warm bath to loosen tense muscles!
What is your favorite food?
Chroma: Mother once was able to get her hands on chocolate. I don’t know how she managed to do that, or how she even afforded it. But there is no taste like it!
What is your favorite season?
Dalila: I quite like spring. The world looks so sad nowadays. At least in spring, it is slightly more cheerful.
How would you define happiness?
Dalila: It is something earned. I need to help others and make them happy so I can feel happy too.
Eleventh Seed: What is happiness?
What are you passionate about?
Erefiel: I have a station with a lot of privilege. It is my duty to do as much good as I can from up here.
How do you feel about your government?
Chroma: It isn’t my government. The powers that be in Cleria control everything and us akar are nothing more than a nuisance to them. I sometimes wish I could return to my people beyond Thickwood.
If you could change one thing about [the book’s world], what would it be?
Erefiel: ensure that the Eleventh Seed can complete their duty. The sooner the Eleventh Cycle is concluded, the sooner things can change again for the better.
What’s your biggest secret?
Nora: I’m scared. I’m always scared. No matter how brave people think I am, there is a scared little girl inside of me thinking my parents were right about me.
What do you hate?
Nora: The akar.
What’s your biggest fear?
Chroma: That I can never truly be a real akar. As small as I am, I am scared that Niedalya will never love me.
What do you think your best quality is?
Dalila: I will help anyone who needs me.
How would you describe the world you live in?
Erefiel: Decaying.
Nora: Unfair.
Dalila: Cruel.
Chroma: Uncaring.
Eleventh Seed: I don’t know yet.
About the Author
Kian N. Ardalan was born in Germany, Dusseldorf to Persian parents and has since travelled between so many places that he sees himself as a person of the world; well, with one exception.
When he wasn’t playing video games or reading novels (mostly Darren Shan and Anthony Horowitz) or trying to convince his parents to watch that R-rated movie about vampires and werewolves, he delved into fantasy worlds of his own making.
It began with a novella about a young girl, not hoarded by a fierce dragon, but rather protected and raised by one.
On the other hand, The Fantastically Underwhelming Epic wonders why the hero of the story always has to be some all-powerful child of prophecy? Why can’t it just be about a clueless, young bard who is simply trying to make good on a promise with a wise-cracking skull as their companion?
Despite his teacher’s warnings, Kian decided to lean into that realm and now invites others to also explore these vibrant (and perhaps worrying) reflections of his own psyche.
Stay tuned for his upcoming book, inspired by the cryptic world of Dark Souls.
Author Site: www.kiannardalan.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArdalanKian
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ardalan.writes/
Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/KikiWrites/
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