Chronicles of Galadria I - The Other World

David Gay-Perret

Mar 2016 · Babelcube Inc.

About this ebook

What happens when a man’s dream comes true? Will he stop moving forward, content to simply live in that dream? Or on the contrary, will he use that dream as a spring of courage and inspiration, that propels him towards other dreams, perhaps even greater still? These are the questions Glaide, an unobtrusive and pensive adolescent of 17, asks himself. His sole reason to live is the hope of one day experiencing his dream: going to the Other World, a world of mystery, epic battles, and adventure. For that reason, when a ghastly monster materializes before his eye -- lashing out at his friends, Gwenn and Emily -- he doesn’t hesitate for a moment before throwing himself -- carried away with joy and excitement at the idea that his prayers had finally been heard -- into the melee, with his constant companion, Jeremy, at his side. An old man, a stranger, discloses to the group that the time has come for them to travel to Galadria, another world, where magic and monsters rule. The two girls are maggs, altruistic white magicians, vital to Galadria, whose survival is ensured by protectors, roles that fall to the two boys. But as soon as the adolescents discover this new world, their guide loses his life, leaving them alone and distraught.
The four friends quickly discover that, under the names Maggs and Protectors, they are welcomed with anticipation by some, and feared by others. They are welcomed and protected, then tracked and hunted, and finally they come to suspect that the relentlessness of enemies they don’t know trying to kill Glaide hides something else entirely.
The adventure they experience in their quest for answers will lead them to discover this incredible land, its occupants, and its cities, but also the evils oppressing it, and their role in all of it. And while his companions desperately search for a way to return to their home, refusing the too heavy responsibilities being imposed on them, and fleeing a too difficult reality, Gla

About the author

I was born in 1989 in Annecy, France, where I lived the first 20 years of my life. Now, I live and work in Sweden, the land that my heart calls home.
I wrote “The Chronicles of Galadria” (CoG) over the course of 7 years, from the age of 13 to 20. Coincidentally, the end of the story coincided with my departure for Sweden, and the debut of my own “new life”.
During those 7 years, “CoG” took up all of my time: I tasked myself with writing everything that I lived through, saw, discovered, or experienced into the story. To a certain extent, I lived more in the book than in reality. To be truthful, the central idea of a dream world was inspired by reality: I dreamed of living in this “Other World”, and my response to this desire took on the form of a book. And I didn’t realize until the end of the story that life itself is actually a form of dream.
Another interesting point is the disconcerting way that events in “real” life corresponded with the events in the passages I was writing: the difficulties that I encountered or the lessons that I learned naturally found their places in the story, making me advance in life to the same beat as Glaide (or vice-versa?).
I wasn’t alone in my work, though. I did indeed begin the story at thirteen, but it wasn’t until I was seventeen that I really found the courage to write the story down more seriously, with the support of my French professor. My French teacher read the book and encouraged me to continue in my work. The writing process then passed from being a vague, background activity to being central in my life. It was at this period that Arthur Clément, a close friend of mine from childhood, became one of the most important people for me: he was present at each step of the process for discussing every aspect of “CoG”, and is probably the only person who understands the full scope of this saga.
Finally, I want to underline the importance of music t