The Isenland Trilogy is a series of YA novels by author Erin Elizabeth Long. The story takes place in an AlternateHistory where Great Britain is known as Isenland (after the historical Iceni tribe,) and is a vassal state to the world-spanning Nipponese empire. In recent years Isenland was rocked by a civil war between Wizards and Sorcerers who had previously shared equally in the nation's government. Grimoire Tobin is a shy, bookish teenager who craves independence from her overprotective uncle Victor. When she learns that her uncle may not be who he pretends to be and that he may be connected to the defeated Sorcerer faction in some way, Grimoire sets out on an adventure that may change the future of Isenland.
The first book in the trilogy, Grey Magic, was released in 2012. A companion short story, The Command Performance, followed shortly thereafter.
The series contains examples of the following tropes:
- And I Must Scream: The Big Bad of Grey Magic is transformed into a stone sundial by Grimoire and left as such.
- Artificial Human: Grimoire.
- Battle Couple: Locke and Oracle.
- Later, Grimoire and Percy.
- Celestial Deadline
- Dark Is Not Evil: The sorcerers. They maintain that their black magic is both a natural and necessary part of life.
- Deadpan Snarker: Sable, Grimoire's Gadling protector:
- Grimoire: Sable, what happens when we die?
Sable: How should I know? I've never done it.
- Everyone Went to School Together: The leaders of the Sorcerer and Wizard factions were all friends prior to the war. Justified in that they worked together as part of the same governmental body.
- Fantasy Kitchen Sink: Has all the druids and witches' familiars you'd expect in an alternate history England where magic is real. But there is also more exotic fare to be found, ranging from ninjas to Steam Punk automobiles.
- Grey-and-Gray Morality: One of the series' central themes.
- Harmless Freezing
- Heel–Face Revolving Door: Sparks.
- Historical Badass Upgrade: Notable ones include Boudica, who in this worlds' history not only defeated the Romans but had such a total victory that the country took on the name of her tribe, and Christopher Marlowe who occupies Shakespeare's place in literature and has in fact authored many of the Bard's plays.
- I Never Got Any Letters
- King Incognito: Archer, although he tends to keep forgetting about his cover story.
- Knight Templar: Alaric Bright, whose quest to purge all black magic from the world has upset the natural balance.
- Life-or-Limb Decision: Victor.
- Raven Hair, Ivory Skin: Grimoire's defining features. Justified, given that she is a "book golem:" an artificial human literally made from
white pages and black ink. - Sexy Pirate Girls: The theme of the titular play in The Command Performance.
- Smug Snake: Alaric Bright.
- Tomato in the Mirror: Thanks to government propaganda Grimoire has grown up terrified of Sorcerers. Later, she learns not only that she is one, but she is in fact the walking repository of all their magical knowledge.
- Tsundere: Lark, where Archer is concerned.
- Unusual Euphemism: "Swiving" appears to be Isenland's swear word of choice.
- Villain with Good Publicity: Alaric Bright, whose victory over the Sorcerers has set him up as the most powerful man in the government and given him the status of a pop idol in the eyes of adoring teenaged girls.
- Would Hurt a Child: Alaric Bright, to the point that he is willing to magically construct a baby solely for this purpose.
- Wrench Wench: The ending of Grey Magic implies that Lark is heading down this career path.
