On Virgin Moors

**On Virgin Moors** is the first book in the Books of Lightness series by Alexandrina Wilson, published originally on 17th September 2021. In its original print format, the book consists of 675 pages, and the text is 296,652 words. The book's events are conveyed through a series of POV characters (six regular characters, plus a one-off Prologue viewpoint); although there is no set order to characters' chapters, there are no instances of POV characters having consecutive chapters, nor of chapters being split into more than one viewpoint.

## Premise

From Amazon:

The Unity holds dominion over the breadth of space. And now, at last, they've set their sights on the final prize. That prize is Essegena - a planet at the farthest edge of the universe, ripe for human habitation and yet completely untouched.

But all is not well on Essegena. Three of the colony's pioneers have vanished without a trace, and in their place a man has appeared who - according to all the records - simply does not exist. Worse still, the infant colony is beset with concerning reports of mysterious lights in the distant trees, shadowy phantoms haunting the edges of their nascent home, strange noises from high up on the cliffs.

The colonists need to stay united if they're to make Essegena a success story - but with ambitious vipers around every corner, they've never been more divided.

Once they dreamed of a fresh start, far away from their former lives. Now that dream is fast becoming a nightmare.

## Synopsis

### Book

On Virgin Moors

The Advanced Party arrives at Essegena. While scouting out the planet, three of their soldiers disappear. Searches fail to turn up the missing soldiers, but instead locate a stranger. When the main colony arrives, the badly-wounded stranger is transferred to the hospital, causing a political sticking point for the chief doctor, Caroline Ballard, who is accused of receiving favourable treatment as the wife of the Governor. As a settlement is established, evidence begins to emerge that suggests the colony is not the first on the planet. David Clifford finds an old carved figurine in woodland near the settlement, and Caroline finds another at the bottom of a lake. Worse follows for her when the colony's third-in-seniority George Prendergast reveals knowledge that she is a Foresleeper. He points her in the direction of another Foresleeper, a young girl called Bessily, and Caroline explains to Bessily what being a Foresleeper entails. After lengthy treatment fails to do anything, the stranger is allowed to die - talking before he does of a town called "Alfred's Port", which he insists is very close.

A farm labourer is found murdered, and the killer confesses, claiming that he'd seen the victim come back from the dead. This is dismissed as fanciful by the Lord Constable, Richie Mannam. Mannam himself dies, falling from a cliff while investigating rumours of strange noises, and is replaced by David Clifford. Clifford's investigation into Mannam's death doesn't yield much insight. Ostensibly neutral, he affirms his personal loyalty to the Governor, including taking care of a vial of black powder for him. Uncertain as to its provenance, he throws the vial deep into the woods. Soldiers under his authority are sent to establish a fortification at Plateau Watch, on the site of the Advanced Party's first camp. Reports begin to surface of strange noises, and some bear witness to a ghost light in the forest by night. Following a prophetic dream, Bessily and Macel Donea discover the body of one of the missing soldiers impaled up a tree, very recently dead. Caroline, meanwhile, happens upon proof that others have been to Essegena - running into a group of Rovers descended from survivors of a previous attempt at a colony.

In an attempt to shore up political strength, the Governor plots to crown Tasha Wrack as a figurehead Queen. While the Wracks dine with the Governor and his wife, Caroline is taken ill. As she is rushed to the hospital, so soldiers from the Constabulary are sent to arrest Tasha Wrack's cook. Caroline's illness appears to spread to others. The effects are more severe for these people, and soon the hospital is put into lockdown as ailment ravages it. Ian Fitzhenry investigates a church that has sprung up outside the Valley, and is surprised to learn that Molly Bradshaw - daughter of the General - has converted. Convinced it's a scheme, Ian sets to investigating Molly to find proof that her religion is only fake. While meeting with the leader, Lightness Skerrett, Ian is told that his "soul is black" - reference to the death of his childhood friend Dani Carrigan, who he drowned twenty years earlier. At Skerrett's request, Ian arranges for the Governor to meet with the church. Elsewhere, Tasha Wrack continues to petition for her cook's release, but is also the target of a murder attempt. In response, her husband forbids her from going anywhere without several guards around her.

Bessily has a vivid dream and insists on leaving Plateau Watch immediately. She and Macel wander unknown territories until they come across strange Obelisks. Being within the Obelisks makes Bessily violently ill, but Macel returns by night in time to witness Eilidh Cailie - one of the missing soldiers - materialising, wounded but alive. Macel returns to Plateau Watch to send for help; by the time he's returned, Bessily has gone on, leaving Eilidh alone and leaving a cryptic message behind. Backed up by his friends, Macel elects to set out in pursuit of Bessily. Powder found in Eilidh's blood turns out to be the breakthrough in the sickness sweeping the hospital. Caroline is among several who die, and most senior leadership falls ill, but Ella Trang insists on entering the hospital despite lockdown and putting herself at risk, before liaising with acting chief doctor Tema Caerlin to work on a cure. Tema has just faced down a mutiny, ostensibly in opposition to her locking the hospital down but revealed to be rooted in anger at her gender identity - Tema being transgender.

Many in the Valley gather at the church for a special event to 'cleanse' it, a ceremony approved by the Governor. Molly Bradshaw is selected as the maid of honour - but Skerrett accuses her of spying for her father, and stabs her repeatedly in front of a huge crowd, so she bleeds onto the floorboards. This sparks a riot which leads to many injuries, and an angered Foundational Council - led by Mark Bradshaw - condemns Skerrett to die. The Governor tasks David Clifford with somehow spiriting Skerrett away. David summons Lieutenant Anna Bennett, commander of the Plateau Watch garrison, and arrests her on fabricated charges; she is disguised as Skerrett and goes to death in his place, while Skerrett is sent away with Katy Onslow.

The last-ditch effort to save lives in the hospital turns out to be a miraculous success. Tema is approached by the Governor, who recruits her for a special project that requires utmost secrecy. He reveals that he has Caroline held in a tevion, and wants Tema to bring her back to life.

## POV Characters

*On Virgin Moors* is composed of 66 chapters, from seven viewpoints. As the first book in the series, every one of these POVs is shown for the first time.

## Writing

Work on *On Virgin Moors* began in early 2013, though the earliest drafts bore little more than surface resemblance to the final book. Only six characters - Chris Ballard as the commander, Ian Fitzhenry and George Prendergast as his deputies, Mark Bradshaw as a general, Tema Caerlin as a doctor and Macel Donea as a soldier - remained as constants throughout the writing process. A first draft, titled *A Sickness of the Flesh*, was completed in summer 2013, though the book underwent substantial rewrites over the next eight years.

## Appearances

* Caroline Ballard
* Chris Ballard
* Robert Bartley
* Anna Bennett
* Mark Bradshaw
* Tema Caerlin
* Eilidh Cailie
* Macel Donea
* Bessily Edwards
* Ian Fitzhenry
* Liz Hamish
* George Prendergast
* Sam Preston
* Adela Rice
* Thomas Warner
* James Wilding
* Oliver Wrack
* Tasha Wrack

## References

1. ↑ https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09FZHLXDK