Sebastian Darke: Prince of Fools

Sebastian Darke - Prince of Fools is a fantasy novel by Philip Caveney. It is the first book in the Sebastian Darke trilogy. The book was released on 4 January 2007.

Plot Summary
Seventeen year old jester Sebastian Darke, travels to the opulent city of Keladon in an attempt to fill his late father, Alexander's, shoes and become a proper jester, and therefore save himself and his mother from poverty. Upon his journey, Sebastian meets the halfling warrior Cornelius Drummel, and by chance rescued the beautiful - and feisty - Princess Kerin, Keladon's future queen from a group of Brigands. However, when Sebastian, Cornelius and Sebastian's ill-tempered buffalope, Max, arrive in Keladon, they become entangled in the dastardly King Septimus's plot to do away with his niece, Princess Kerin, and ensure he remains king forever.

Characters

 * Sebastian Darke...The eponymous hero of the story. He is a "breed", the offspring of a human father and an elvish mother. Sebastian's ambition is to become a master jester like his late father and save his family from becoming penniless. Trouble is, Sebastian can't tell a joke to save himself.
 * Max...Sebastian's grumpy, flatulent buffalope who pulls his cart. Max is grouchy, bossy, sarcastic and often negative. However, his heart is always in the right place.
 * Cornelius Drummel...A midget warrior from the city of Golmira. He is an expert soldier and saves Sebastian's life more than once. He is on his way to Keladon to try and join the "Crimson Cloak", the king's royal bodyguard.
 * Princess Kerin...The temperamental, beautiful heiress to the throne of Keladon. Slightly gullible, she believes her uncle, King Septimus, to be a loving and caring guardian, when really he wants her dead so he can secure the throne for himself. She falls in love with Sebastian, but is unable to marry him as she is already set to marry another of her rank.
 * King Septimus...The antagonist of the story. Similar to Shakespeare's Hamlet, he murdered his brother to take over the throne, and is plotting to do the same to his niece, Princess Kerin, to ensure he remains king of Keladon forever.
 * Magda...King Septimus's ancient, evil assistant.