The Indigo King
Authors: James A. Owen
THE CHRONICLES OF THE
IMAGINARIUM EOGRAPHICA
THE INDIGO KING
Written and illustrated by
James A. Owen
For Sophie
SIMON & SCHUSTER BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS
An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10020
This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events,
real people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names,
characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s
imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or locales or
persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2008 by James A. Owen
All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or
in part in any form.
SIMON & SCHUSTER BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS is a
trademark of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Book design by Christopher Grassi and James A. Owen
The text for this book is set in Adobe Jenson Pro.
Manufactured in the United States of America
2 4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 1
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Owen, James A.
The indigo king / written and illustrated by James A. Owen.
p. cm.—(The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica ; bk. 3)
Summary: When, in 1931, there is a breach between this world and the Archipelago of Dreams,
John and Jack, two of the Caretakers of the Imaginarium Geographica, must race through history using a time travel device left by Jules Verne, and discover the identity of the Cartographer.
ISBN-13: 978-1-4169-5107-0 (hardcover)
ISBN-10: 1-4169-5107-5 (hardcover)
eISBN-13: 978-1-4169-9918-8
[1. Time travel—Fiction. 2. Fantasy.] I. Title.
PZ7.O97124Ind 2008
[Fic]—dc22
2008004966
Contents
Chapter One: The Booke of Dayes
Chapter Two: The Door in the Wood
Chapter Three: The Royal Animal Rescue Squad
Chapter Six: The Serendipity Box
Chapter Eight: The Infernal Device
Part Three: After the Age of Fable
Chapter Twelve: Imaginary Geographies
Chapter Fourteen: The Sword of Aeneas
Chapter Fifteen: The Stripling Warrior
Chapter Seventeen: Animal Logic
Chapter Eighteen: The Sacrifice
Chapter Nineteen: The Enchantresses
Chapter Twenty: The Good Knight
Chapter Twenty-one: The Fallen
Chapter Twenty-three: Restoration
…he looked down at his watch, checking his progress …
The door was sitting slightly askew within the arch.
…hanging from every available surface were badgers …
The thing that followed them resembled a motorcar …
“Whatever it is you’ve come about, Chaz, I want no part of it…”
On it sat a skull, a scroll, and a small box of a unique design.
“Please, come inside,” said Reynard.
There …sat an unusual if not extraordinary device.
The attention …was focused on the young man in the center …
“The ship ran aground …crashing violently against the rocks …”
“You know about the trials, do you not?”
Every surface was covered with maps …
“Please!” Madoc cried to her, imploring. “I’m sorry! …”…
There …was a black sword in a scabbard, covered in the dust …
“I came from high in the mountains, where it is still winter …”
One by one …six opponents fell before Mordred…
The bird flew off, and …returned with the projector …
In answer, Arthur began to raise the black sword, Caliburn …
Circe held up the golden bowl. “Choose,” she said.
…the knight …stood at the entrance of the temple …
The older dragons …almost looked as if they were grinning …
In the distance …the passenger …could make out the island …
The Indigo King
was the book that I most looked forward to writing, the book I dreaded writing, the book that was the hardest to write, and my favorite book so far. And it would not be the book that it is without the hard work and dedication of my editors.
David Gale is exceptionally patient and knows how to persuade rather than push a writer. He gave me support when I needed it, and room when I needed
that
. Navah Wolfe, whom I got to know as an online friend prior to her employment at Simon & Schuster, is an excellent editorial assistant for David and is as first-class as they come where this author is concerned. She is smart, and caring, and she kept me on my game. Dorothy Gribbin remains an editorial rock in my world. I’ve often rethought certain passages just because I knew she’d question them. And it’s always been for the better. And Valerie Shea is a rock star. I sometimes feel like she’s been more exacting with details than I am, and that fact both impresses and humbles me.
My legal team added a new name, Erik Hyman, who is both deft and witty, and as reliable as his Loeb & Loeb compatriot Craig Emanuel. Both have been invaluable supporters of my work, as have my managers at the Gotham Group: Julie, Ellen, and Lindsay. Ben Smith at ICM remains the agent’s agent, and I am grateful to them all.
My senior apprentice, Mary McCray, stepped to the forefront of the work on this book by turning all of my thumbnail sketches into full-size layouts. Lon Saline, apprentice emeritus, added his skilled touch to several pages, and Jeremy Owen kept all of the trains running on time at the Coppervale Studio while also doing a smashing coloring job on the cover.
Joe Pruett of Desperado Publishing helped me to jump-start a few projects that have languished for far too long and in the process gave us another vehicle for promoting the novels.
Justin Chanda, publisher of Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, opened a door into our mutual future—and I am lucky to have him on my side. Also on that front, my publicists Kate Smyth and Paul Crichton have done a stunningly good job of promoting me and my work, organizing my tours, troubleshooting, and in general just taking good care of this author. And my art directors, Lizzy Bromley, Chlöe Foglia, and Laurent Linn, continue to make the books look better than I’d dreamed.
Joe LeFavi brought me together with Jason Lust, Lisa Henson, and Brian Henson, all of whom have become my friends and among the biggest supporters of my ambitions.
Stephenson Crossley deserved to be acknowledged in the first two books, as none of them would exist if he hadn’t fed, housed, and encouraged me while I was trying to sell the first book—but his girlfriend, Karen, said if I didn’t wait until at least the third book, he’d be impossible to live with.
And not least among my influences, I want to thank Jimmy Swihart, my first business partner, who has recently come back into my life and brought with him some great memories.
The greatest of my influences, however, is my wife, Cindy. Without her, I would not have lived the life I have, had the family we’re raising, and created the work that I love. And I am forever thankful for her love and support.