Elantris
Elantris is a fantasy novel by Brandon Sanderson, published in May 2005 by Tor Books. The book is named after the ruined city, whose "cursed" inhabitants are the focus of the book's plot.
Plot summary
Vorlage:Spoiler The book focuses on three principal characters whose experiences are strongly intertwined with and often direct the course of the plot. Raoden, the prince of Arelon is taken by the Shaod (the transformation through which one becomes Elantrian) at the beginning of the book, and is whisked off to live in the cursed city. Sarene, Raoden's political bride whom he has never personally met, arrives in Arelon shortly thereafter. Hrathen, a Derethi gyorn, also soon arrives in Arelon with a mandate to convert the country to the Shu Dereth religion within three months time.
Much of the book occurs in groupings of three chapters each, one for each of the three main characters. Raoden's story line centers on his efforts to improve the Elantrian way of life beyond the anarchy to which it succumbed when Elantris fell. Hrathen's story line focuses on his efforts at political maneuvering to sway the Arelene aristocracy and place a converted Derethi on the throne. Sarene's story line deals with her attempts to stabilize and improve the monarchy, and to prevent Hrathen's intended revolution. The story threads intertwine with each other (Sarene's and Hrathen's from almost the beginning of the book) and merge in the culmination of the book's climax.