A hilarious young adult fantasy series by Philip Caveney that follows the adventures of a Ragtag Bunch of Misfits: Sebastian, a half-human half-elf jester who just isn't funny, Max, Sebastian's stubborn buffalope who never stops complaining, and Cornelius, a warrior midget.The books are, in order:
- Sebastian Darke: Prince of Fools
- Sebastian Darke: Prince of Pirates
- Sebastian Darke: Prince of Explorers
- Sebastian Darke: Prince of Spies
- A Buffalope's Tale (spin-off)
Tropes that apply to the series:
- Bald of Evil: It is revealed that King Septimus is actually wearing a wig.
- Big Bad: King Septimus in the first book and Captain Trencherman in the second.
- Call a Rabbit a "Smeerp": This happens a lot. For example, sharks are called "kelfers."
- Cannot Tell a Joke: The reason why Sebastian is terrible at being a jester.
- Death by Materialism: If only Leonora hadn't held on to Sebastian's backpack full of treasure, she might have survived.
- Disney Villain Death: In the first book, King Septimus dies when he falls off the castle trying to grab his wig, which Sebastian took off.
- Leonora from the second book plummets to her death when she grabs onto the backpack where Sebastian was keeping some of the gold. He lets go of it, causing it to fall off the bridge, with Leonora still holding on to it.
- Half-Human Hybrid: Sebastian is half-human (his father's side) and half-elf (his mother's side). As a result, he has Pointed Ears, causing most people to mistake him for an elf, and him having to awkwardly explain that he's only half-elf.
- Happy Harlequin Hat: Sebastian wears one in the first book, which makes an appearance on the front cover. However, he burns it near the beginning of the second book. He gets a new one near the end of the third book.
- Interspecies Romance: Sebastian's father was a human, and his mother was an elf.
- Just Desserts: Captain Trencherman is eaten in one bite by a huge kelfer.
- Our Werewolves Are Different: Near the beginning of the first book, Sebastian fights off a group of werewolf-like creatures called lupers.
- Pirate Girl: Jenna Storm from the second book.
- Pointed Ears: Sebastian has these, due to being half-elf.
- Reptiles Are Abhorrent: Multiple examples:
- At the beginning of the second book, Sebastian and his friends are ambushed by a giant snake.
- Later on, they encounter giant, dinosaur-like creatures called yarkles.
- Savage Wolves: The aforementioned lupers.
- Threatening Shark: The kelfers are this in spades, especially a particular kelfer who is big, white, covered in scars, and seems to be following the heroes...
- Voluntary Shapeshifting: Leonora and Adam have the ability to do this.
