The Waking Land

Pronunciation Guide

Some of the names in The Waking Land are a bit tricky, so by popular demand, here's a rough guide to how I pronounce a few of the major ones. However, I'm also in favor of readers pronouncing things in whatever way sounds best in their heads... so do what works for you!

People/names:

Elanna Valtai: el-AH-na val-tie

Jahan Korakides: jah-HAN kor-ah-KEE-dees (Korakos: KOR-ah-kos)

Ruadan Valtai: roowa-dan val-tie

Teofila: tay-oh-fee-lah

Antoine Eyrlai: an-twon AIR-lay

Loyce Eyrlai: loys AIR-lay

Denis Falconier: den-ee fal-con-ee-ay

Alakaseus Saranon: al-ah-KAH-see-us sar-ah-non

Fionnlach Dromahair: FIN-lach DROM-ah-hair (hard “ch,” like Bach)

Sophy Dunbarron: so-fee dun-BARE-on

Victoire Madoc: veek-twar MAH-doh

Markarades: mar-KAR-ah-dees

Ossian: oshen

Tuah: too-ah

Caveadear: kah-vee-ah-deer

 

Places:

Eren: air-en

Caeris: kare-iss /or/ Caer-Ys: kare-eess

Laon: like “loan”

Barrody: bare-oh-dee

Cerid Aven: kare-id aven

Dalriada: dahl-ree-ah-da

Paladis: pal-ah-dis

Ida: ee-da

Tinan: tin-an

Baedon: bay-don

 

The Memory of Fire

*Spoilers!* if you haven't read The Waking Land....well, you know what you want to do or not!

Character List & Pronunciations

It may be a while since you read The Waking Land (I know it's been a while since I wrote it!) or perhaps you're coming new to The Memory of Fire. (The books can be read independently, though of course I would encourage you to read them in order!) Here is a list of the major characters who appear in Book #2, plus a guide on how I pronounce their names.

****spoilers spoilers spoilers****

Main characters:

Elanna Valtai: the Caveadear of Eren and Caeris

Jahan Korakides: known as “the Korakos” (the Raven), he's a war hero and keeper of a deep secret—that he's been raised as a sorcerer

Ghesar Korakides: Jahan’s father, descended from a line of sorcerers who trace themselves back to Mantius (GUESS-sar)

Madiya: the sorceress who experimented on Jahan and his brothers (mahd-EE-yah)

Rayka: Jahan’s middle brother, attending the military academy, perfecting how to be a pain in the ass (ray-kuh)

Lathiel: Jahan’s youngest brother, who still lives at home (LAY-thee-el)

In Eren/Caeris:

Sophy Dunbarron: the queen of Eren and Caeris, raised by Elanna’s parents as their ward; the bastard daughter of Euan Dromahair

Rhia Knoll: mountain woman; daughter of the warden of the mountains; broadsword-slinger; captain of Sophy’s queen’s guard

Alistar Connell: a rebel, a warrior; the leader of the Hounds of Urseach; Sophy's lover

The Butcher: a.k.a. Gilbert Moriens, the Butcher of Novarre; so named due to his apparent lack of humanity in service of the late king of Eren

In Paladis:

Principal locations: 

Paladis: the nearby empire that controls and dictates much of trade, commerce, culture. Paladis was founded by Paladius I, who stomped out of a northern nation of goatherders and amassed himself a lot of territory. He also started the witch hunts, continued by his successor. (pahl-uh-diss)

Ida: its capital city (importantly, conquered a couple centuries ago by the Paladisans) (ee-dah)

Aexione: the seat of the imperial court, ten miles north of Ida, in the country—think Versailles (EX-ee-OH-nee)

Britemnos Isles: Jahan’s homeland, an island archipelago in the Middle Sea, between Ida and Eren. Once fiercely independent, it was conquered by the Paladisans thanks to betrayal from within. (BRIH-tehm-noss)

Principal Characters:

Leontius Saranon: the crown prince of Paladis, supposedly Jahan’s best friend, whom Jahan saved from certain death thanks to an explosion of sorcery. Nickname: Lees (lee-ON-tee-uhs)

Alakaseus Saranon: the current emperor, Leontius’s father. (al-uh-KAH-see-uhs)

Firmina Triciphes: the empress; a commoner and the emperor’s new, much-younger wife; not loved by his children. (fir-MEE-nah trih-SIF-eez)

Phaedra Saranon: Leontius’s middle sister, a schemer (fay-dra)

Augustus Saranon: their younger brother, equally scheme-y (aww-GUS-tuhs)

Alcibiades Doukas: the grand inquisitor of the witch hunters (al-sih-BYE-ah-deez DOO-kuhs)

Bardas Triciphes: Firmina’s cousin, a would-be rebel (BAR-duhs)

Cyra Potazes: Jahan’s aunt, his mother’s sister, who sheltered and raised him after he ran away from home. (SIGH-ruh poh-TAHZ-eez)

Pantoleon Chrysales: Jahan’s best friend (pre-Leontius), a lecturer at the university (pan-TOH-lee-on kruh-SAHL-eez)

Tullea Domitros: another lecturer (too-lee-ah doh-MEE-trus)

Felix Tzemines: an enthusiast (fee-licks TZEE-min-eez)

Lucius Argyros: a lawyer and lecturer who foments rebellious ideals (loo-see-uhs ar-geer-uhs)

Euan Dromahair: the “true king” of Eren and Caeris, Sophy’s dad (yoo-an DROM-ah-hair)