Once Were Scoundrels by Landen Parke-Laine

Thanks to National Geographic 

Title: Once Were Scoundrels 

Author: Landen Parke-Laine

Publisher: Not known 

Source book: The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde 

Landen Parke-Laine is a successful novelist, and in The Eyre Affair, Once Were Scoundrels is his most recent book. It got rave reviews in The Toad, but we do not know what it’s about.

In Lost in a Good Book Thursday tells Landen’s mother that he received the Armitage Shanks Fiction Award for his novel Bad Sofa. This comes as a surprise as in the alternative time line where this conversation happens, Landen drowned at the age of 2.

He has also written Memoirs of a Crimean Veteran.  Landen and Thursday live in a world where the Crimean War is still dragging on after 130 years. Both of them survived the ill-fated charge of the Light Armoured Brigade, although Landen lost a leg. Thursday’s younger brother Anton, Landen’s best friend, did not come home.

Also mentioned in The Eyre Affair, is the musical comedy play Fancy-free in Ludlow starring Lola Vavoom. And an interactive version of Richard III where the audience is expected to join in is performed once a week at the Ritz Theatre in Swindon. Thursday and Landen used to attend the performances quite often.

Audience: When is the winter of our discontent? 

Richard III: Now is the winter of our discontent made glorious summer by this son of York....

And so on....

Thursday and Landen marry at the end of The Eyre Affair. Unfortunately after two months of marriage, in Lost in a Good Book, Landen is eradicated by the ChronoGuard and no longer exists. Although distraught at this distressing state of affairs, Thursday understands it better than most: her father doesn’t exist either. And at least she’s still expecting Landen’s baby. 

After Thursday gives birth to her son Friday, some time after, Landen is uneradicated. Several times. It’s complicated.

Thanks to Hyena Project 

Why hyenas? Why not? Hyenas are cute.