Draft:The Thousand Names

The Thousand Names is a 2013 high fantasy novel by American author Django Wexler. It is the first book in The Shadow Campaigns, a high fantasy series in a setting inspired by the Napoleonic era.

Part 1
The Kingdom of Vordan occupies the foreign city of Ashe-Kartarion, capital of the nation of Khandar, ruled by a puppet monarch to Vordan. Insurgents of Khandar, comprised of the trained military (Auxiliaries), religious fanatics (Swords of Heaven), and nomadic raiders (Desoltai) rebel against the Vordanai presence in an event known as the Redemption. As a result, the Vordanai soldiers (Colonials), numbering around two thousand, are forced to flee to westward to Fort Valor.

After months of waiting, acting senior commander Marcus d'Ivoire, captain of the Colonials' first battalion, is greeted by the arrival of Vordanai vessels. Expecting the Colonials to abandon Khandar, Marcus is shocked by the boldness of the new commanding officer, Colonel Janus bet Vhalnich Mieran. Janus plans to add the two thousand new arrivals to the Colonials, and to immediately march to reclaim Ashe-Kartarion against enemy forces consisting of six times their number. Adding to Marcus' troubles is the arrival of Jen Alhundt, a persistant scribe assigned to report on the campaign.

Winter Ihernglass is a woman in her early twenties who is disguised as a man and is a ranker in the Colonials. Despite serving under the cruel Senior Sergeant Davis, Winter has successfully concealed her identify from the entire Colonial forces. Upon being promoted to sergeant by Marcus, Winter now finds herself responsible for the lives of the men serving under her.

Part 2
During the march to Ashe-Kartarion, the Vordanai successfully defeat a larger Swords of Heaven force, thanks to decisive strategy of Janus. Winter successfully saves the men of her company from a cavalry ambush by successfully working an infantry square, later earning the promotion to lieutenant directly from Janus. Winter arrives late to the Redeemers' ransacked camp, rescuing a young priestess of the Redemption named Feor. The following day, Janus confronts Marcus, angered at fourth battalion captain Adrecht Roston for his negligence in controlling his men during the sack of the camp. Janus orders Adrecht's arrest, putting Marcus in a difficult position due to his long-standing friendship with him. Marcus refuses and attempts resignation himself- something Janus points out is considered treacherous. Ultimately, Janus allows for Adrecht to remain as captain, but on a zero-tolerance policy.

Winter and her company secure a landing zone for the remainder of the Colonials to successfully mount a river crossing. The forces divide to battle different groups of the Auxiliaries- Marcus and Adrecht move north to hold a position at a canal's ford. Janus, Winter, and the two remaining captains (Valiant Solwen and Morwen Kaanos) move eastward. Both groups successfully rout the Auxiliary forces. In the process of saving Marcus' life, Adrecht is nearly killed and suffers a wound to his lower arm, ultimately requiring amputation. Winter's top sub-commander, Bobby Forester, is mortally wounded, and discovered by Winter to also be a disguised girl. Feor tells Winter that she can help, and uses her magic to revive Bobby, astounding Winter.

Part 3
Jaffa dan-Iln, the Grand Justice of Ashe-Kartarion, surrenders the city to Janus. Upon entry, Janus obsessively searches a temple for what he calls "The Thousand Names", coming to the conclusion that the item was recently moved. Marcus, meanwhile, is worried about Janus' obsessiveness and unpredictability. Elsewhere, Bobby wakes up alive, in the company of Winter and Feor. Bobby reveals that she knew Winter was a woman from the beginning- she came from the same wayward youth home that she did, known to them as The Prison. Bobby claims that she would not have known Winter's identify if not for that, relieving Winter's worry. Marcus visits Adrecht in the makeshift hospital, relived to see him alive. Against the advice of those around him, Janus insists that the Vordanai forces will leave Ashe-Kartarian, moving east into the desert to pursue the Desoltai radiers, who are led under the infamous Steel Ghost. On the first night away from the city, Jen Alhundt meets Marcus in his tent, and the two become lovers. Winter meets up with Bobby again, telling her why she joined the Colonials. When teenage Winter lived at the Prison, she and another girl named Jane became secret lovers. Jane was married off by the staff, against her will, to Ganhide, a brute of a farmer. When Jane suggested to Winter that she attempt to murder Ganhide, Winter backed out and did not stop Jane from being taken. Plagued with guilt, Winter ran away, joining the army in disguise to start a new life.

The Desoltai raiders launch a devastating ambush, taking advantage of Adrecht's mistakes, to sack to the Vordanai camp. Most of the horses are slain and much of the water is depleted. Furthermore, Janus appears to have motives that he is not sharing. Adrecht, panicking at the current situation along with his standing, proceeds to mutiny with Senior Sergeant Davis and others. Marcus, Jen, and Janus are detained, with Janus put in his own tent. Realizing the ongoing mutiny, Winter saves Marcus' lieutenant Fitz, summons her men, and directly rushes off to save Janus. Winter confronts Davis, with the latter finally realizing Winter's true identity. Before Davis can kill Winter, Janus slides Winter a knife, as she then puts an end to Davis, which was what she could not do before to Ganhide. Janus is unbothered by Winter's identity. Marcus and Jen are later saved, with Adrecht and other mutineers banished into the desert.

Janus reveals that he has pivotal information that leads to the Thousand Names, hence why he distanced himself from others regarding his plans. The Vordanai scatter the Desoltai forces and arrive at a town to restock, while Janus and Marcus enter the nearby temple. The Thousand Names are revealed to be magically engraved words onto a large slab. These words, the names, are demon names, capable of transferring high powers to the readers, though on most occasions the transfer is fatal. The current protector of the Thousand Names, known as Mother, offers up the dead bodies of the Steel Ghost and the Auxillaries' general, in exchange for Janus leaving. However, Jen makes her arrival, betraying Janus, and uses enhanced magical abilities from the demon trapped inside her to try to reclaim the Thousand Names from the secretive instruction by Duke Orlanko.

Winter arrives into the temple and finds Jen overpowering her allies. Taking control of the situation, Winter reads off the names of Infernivore, fusing a demon into her. Surviving the process, Winter attacks Jen with her new powers, using Infernivore to feast upon the opposing demon, ultimately rendering Jen to a mindless vegetative state, before collapsing into unconsciousness. Winter wakes up in Janus' tent, where he informs her that he is bringing the Thousand Names back to Vordan. In addition, Winter is to come with him and Marcus in haste to return, as Vordan's king is on his deathbed, with Orlanko lurking in the shadows to seize power.

In the epilogue, Jaffa is bonded with a demon through Mother. Jaffa takes up the title of the Steel Ghost.

Notable Characters

 * Marcus d'Ivoire – Captain of the first battalion of the Colonials, and acting commander until the arrival of Janus. Marcus is in his mid-thirties, and is an honorable man who maintains the strongest relationships with each of the three other captains, while also becoming the closest to a confidant to Janus.
 * Winter Ihernglass – A woman in her early twenties who is in disguise as a man after fleeing the Royal Benevolent Home for Wayward Youth (known as The Prison), the State run home for wayward girls. Winter finds herself thrust into more of a leadership role upon her promotions to sergeant, and then later lieutenant.
 * Janus bet Vhalnich Mieran – The newly arrived colonel sent from mainland Vordan to Khandar, ultimately prompted by the king. Janus surprises the Colonials by announcing his intentions to reclaim the capital of Khandar from the Redeemers. However, Janus' unpredictably and tendencies to keep information to himself alienates Marcus and other commanders of the Colonials.
 * Adrecht Roston – Captain of the fourth battalion of the Colonials, a hawkish looking man frequently seen drinking alcohol and consorting with women of Khandar. Adrecht is considered Marcus' best friend, but is often at odds with Val and especially Mor. In spite of Adrecht's incompetences, Marcus feels the need to vouch for him. As his friend, Adrecht shows to care for Marcus.
 * Valiant "Val" Solwen – Captain of the second battalion of the Colonials, someone who prefers to defer to Marcus rather than take initiative. Val sometimes argues with Mor and Adrecht, but he still considers them his friends.
 * Morwen "Mor" Kaanos – Captain of the third battalion of the Colonials, a large burly man who occassionally argues with Val and Adrecht. Mor's relationship with Adrecht is the most troubled between the four captains.
 * Fitzhugh "Fitz" Warus – Marcus' staff lieutenant who is efficient in duty and calm under duress.
 * Jennifer "Jen" Alhundt – Scribe working under Duke Orlanko, and eventual lover of Marcus.
 * Bobby Forester – One of Winter's corporals, revealed to Winter to be a runaway girl from The Prison.
 * Drake Graff – Another of Winter's corporals, who learns Bobby's secret but vows to stay quiet.
 * James Folsom – Another of Winter's corporals, who is large and imposing.
 * Davis – A Senior Sergeant of the Colonials to Winter's previous squad. Davis is a malicious bully, and an implied rapist from the sack of the Redeemers' camp. He is shrewd enough to be insubordinate enough to not get dishonorably discharged.
 * Jaffa dan-Iln – Justice of Ashe-Kartarion who is described by Marcus as an honorable man.
 * Feor – A young priestess detained by the Swords of Heaven, rescued by Winter during the sack of their camp.
 * Jane Verity – Winter's past lover from The Prison, last seen more the three years ago being forcefully married against her will. Only featured in thoughts and discussions from Winter.

Reception
The novel has had fairly positive reviews. Stefan Raets of Tor.com gave a mixed opinion, praising the personality of Janus and the tense feeling of military campaigning, describing the latter as "a constant sense of danger and fatalism". Raets critiques the heavy exposition of the prologue and also Winter being "completely steered by the narrative" in the early part of the novel.