So… I wrote a novel.

The Trials of Lance Eliot is the story of a college student who is mistaken for Lancelot, the legendary knight of Camelot, and swept off by magic to another world.

As the author of The Trials of Lance Eliot, it’s my solemn duty to make people read it.

In seriousness, I believe it’s an exciting, funny, meaningful novel. Therefore, I am thrilled to present…

TMTF’s Top Ten Reasons to Read The Trials of Lance Eliot!

10. It has dragons.

Need I say more?

9. The characters are believable.

Upon arriving in an unfamiliar world, Lance Eliot experiences culture shock. His adventures take an emotional toll. Neither he nor his companions shrug off traumatic experiences or personal losses. No character is perfect. No character is invincible. In a story bursting with unbelievable events, characters act believably.

8. The book has literary chops.

The Trials of Lance Eliot is loosely based on Dante’s Inferno, from which it borrows structure and story elements. It also has parallels with Greek mythology and the Old Testament. Understanding these literary underpinnings isn’t necessary to enjoy the story, but some readers may appreciate them anyway.

7. The story takes place in a vast, unique world.

Lance Eliot’s adventures give glimpses of a kingdom with its own geography, history, folklore, culture and religion. They may not boast the exhaustive depth of, say, Tolkien’s Middle Earth, but Rovenia and the world beyond its borders are full of fascinating details.

6. A humorous subplot runs throughout the adventure.

At first glance, Lance Eliot’s goal in his adventures seems to be saving the world. A closer look, however, reveals the true purpose of Lance’s quest: working up the courage to face a particularly grouchy professor. Lance is haunted throughout his adventures by fear of his professor, with whom a confrontation is inevitable.

5. Characters face inward conflicts, not just outward ones.

Lance Eliot confronts many dangers, but none are more difficult to overcome than his own faults. Other characters have burdens to carry and sins for which to atone. In the end, these victories are the ones that matter most. Any fool can stand up to an army or a dragon. Only a hero can stand up to himself.

4. The novel is framed by an intriguing story.

You’ve probably noticed, but my name isn’t really M.L. Brown. I chose to publish my novel under that name to lend verisimilitude—the characteristic of seeming real—to its frame story, which states the book is actually the first volume of Lance Eliot’s memoirs. These are published posthumously by his friend Mr. Brown, the book’s “editor,” who discovered an incredible connection between Lance’s stories and a manuscript penned by Lancelot. This frame story gives the novel an element of intrigue.

3. The narrator has a sense of humor.

When I decided to write The Trials of Lance Eliot from Lance’s perspective, I made a resolution: Lance’s voice would give the novel something an impersonal narrator could not. That something turned out to be a wry sense of humor. Lance doesn’t merely tell his story—he comments, jokes, digresses, reflects and reminisces. Lance’s humor is tempered with pathos, and his voice is probably my favorite thing about the novel.

2. The story has meaning.

The Trials of Lance Eliot began as a silly, shallow fantasy about swords and dragons and stuff. Over the years, however, it became something more significant. That’s all I’m going to say about this one—the rest is for the readers of the novel to figure out.

1. Readers like the book!

Responses to The Trials of Lance Eliot have been—to my great relief—overwhelmingly positive: full of phrases like beautiful imagery, sardonic wit, pensive storytelling and gripping narration. Readers of all kinds (high school students, college professors, published authors and more) have praised the novel.

Here’s what readers are saying about the book!

If you’re interested in reading the novel, you can buy it here and support an aspiring writer!

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