Evensong
Logline
A group of warrior nuns is influencing an empire. A beggar/thief goes to the province of Santa Isabel where he hopes to profit from its disarray and becomes involved with the nuns' attempt to protect the province. He has many adventures and becomes a lord.
Genre
Fantasy,Adventure
Short Summary
A nun beheads the lord of Santa Isabel Province. This creates a void that attracts barbarians, nearby kingdoms, and criminals. The protagonist thief/beggar goes there hoping to find easy pickings but becomes involved with the warrior nuns to protect the province.
After many adventures involving trolls, gnomes, ogres, witches and demons, the thief/beggar becomes Lord Blue and with his favorite warrior nun raises his many children on his estate in the Enchanted Forest.
Setting
In the fictional Empire of Littoralia on the continent Kaanaa.
Based on a True Story
No
Plot - Premise
Rags to Riches,Other
Plot - Other Elements
Other
Mature Audience Themes
Information not completed
Main Character Details
Name: Wayne Robson although known as thief/beggar
Age: late twenties
Gender: Male
Role: Protagonist
Key Traits: Adventurous,Charming,Confident,Empathetic,Faithful,Gracious,Educated,Honorable,Modest,Sexy,Skillful,Romantic
Additional Character Details
Name: Missy, who wants to become a warrior nun
Age: late teenage
Gender: Female
Role: Sidekick
Key Traits: Adventurous,Aspiring,Aggressive,Charming,Decisive,Empathetic,Flexible,Faithful,Naive,Uneducated,Sexy,Blunt,Outspoken,Manipulative
Additional Character Details
Name: Dinya Rossary
Age: unknown (She is a witch)
Gender: Female
Role: tempter
Key Traits: Adventurous,Badass,Aggressive,Charming,Confident,Complex,Decisive,Flexible,Greedy,Sexy,Blunt,Outspoken,Skillful,Seductive,Sophisticated,Manipulative
Additional Character Details
Name: Sir Saussel
Age: late twenties
Gender: Male
Role: sidekick
Key Traits: Adventurous,Aspiring,Aggressive,Confident,Decisive,Heroic,Honorable,Leader,Patriotic,Skillful,Strong Moral Code
Development Pitch
A nun beheads a local lord and becomes a legend. Wayne Robson, a thief beggar is attracted to the province of Santa Isabel. He survives by stealing or begging but helps the poor and unfortunate. The warrior nuns recruit him as a spy, and he serves them and helps defend the province from invaders. He wants to get into a convent to see how the nuns have become the force that they are. In this quest and disguised as a friar, he meets Missy who wants him to take her with him, but he suggests she become a nun. Although he falls in love with her, she decides she will become a nun. Once Sir Saussel is made governor of the province, Wayne is made forest ranger of the Enchanted Forest and the Blue RIver, which have magical and mysterious inhabitants. Later, because of his service to the nuns and the province, the transgender Emperor Saliente makes him Lord Blue of the Enchanted Forest. Since nuns are not allowed to appear without their habits and veils in public, the witch Dinya Rossary poses as Missy for the trip to the capital to receive his lordship. During the trip, they must fight against a secret society that is against the emperor and the nuns. He ends by welcoming many children and their mothers to live on the Enchanted Forest Estate with him and Missy.
Genre
THRILLER, ROMANCE, MATURE AUDIENCE, DRAMA
Brief
Melissa's father dies when she is a young girl. Unbeknownst to her, he leaves her family with a great debt to another family. The son of that family happens to later by Melissa's professor and he wants his family's money back. Melissa and Professor Angelo play a game of seductive cat and mouse in order to get their way.
Overall Rating
FAIR
Narrative Elements
Authors Writing Style: FAIR
Characterization: FAIR
Commerciality: FAIR
Franchise Potential: GOOD
Pace: GOOD
Premise: FAIR
Structure: FAIR
Theme: FAIR
Accuracy of Book Profile
The logline discusses that Melissa's childhood was rough, but most of the book is about her as adult aside from the opening scenes. As Melissa appears rich and had a mother who was involved with her life, it is unclear why her childhood was so troubled outside losing her father. Ramona is also a supposed reason Melissa's childhood was rough, but there is little evidence as to why aside from that they don't like each other. Either removing this information as it is not the focus of the story or developing the rough childhood further in scenes would help match the logline description of this portion to the book.
Draw of Story
Angelo's mysterious interest in Melissa as a student is intriguing as there is clearly an inappropriate nature to their interactions from the get go. They have ill intent towards one another, but the murkiness as to whether it is to protect their family or self-serving is interesting. To see the evolution as to how their family's plans to use the children to use each other backfired is satisfying.
Possible Drawbacks
There are multiple POV shifts. While Angelo's and Melissa's opposite POVs increase the tension between the two their family members' POV detract from the tension rather than acting as antagonists.
Use of Special Effects
THE STORY RELIES A LITTLE BIT ON SPECIAL EFFECTS
Primary Hook of Story
The hook is that Melissa's professor is blackmailing her about her dead father's debt to his family and she decides to seduce her professor to get out of paying it.
Fanbase Potential
This could have a romantic drama fanbase of women that are quite dedicated to the genre especially if placed around Valentine's Day.
Awards Potential
This is likely too mature in its romantic relationships to be in any mainstream award ceremonies.
Envisioned Budget
LOW BUDGET
Similar Films/TV Series
FIFTY SHADES OF GREY SERIES, THE BOY NEXT DOOR, UNFORGETTABLE, SECRETARY, THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE
What’s New About the Story
The power dynamic between Lorenzo Angelo and Melissa is very salacious. They are playing different games, but are equals. The nuance behind their blatant attraction to one another could be more subtle as it is a wonder Angelo did not get fired for his impropriety. Lacey is also an under utilized and great character with a far stronger dynamic with Melissa than Ramona. Lacey however is not given her own storyline aside from a crush so can still be a bit static as a side character.
Lead Characters
Melissa's sarcasm and Angelo's word games make their speech distinctive both in dialogue and their POV.
Uniqueness of Story
Making the professor male and the one that is more respected and powerful position is normative to most romantic thrillers. While the couple's chemistry is good it follows a predictive pattern. They face very little external conflict in the progression of their relationship until the mother's physical involvement towards the end and threats over the phone.
Possible Formats
Film - Studio, Film - Streaming, Film - Indie
Analyst Recommendation
WORK IN PROGRESS
Justification
While the story has many positive points, it has room for improvement (see possible paths below). If you can't change the story at this point, my suggestion is using your notes as a guide to highlight the best aspects of it when taking the next steps, either putting a pitch page together, a treatment, or a presentation.
Tips for Improvement
Creating more dynamic arcs for the side characters will help create more emotional investment in them. Adjusting the external conflict to match the pacing of the couple's developing relationship increasing tension in their internal conflicts will help create a better balance between the two storylines.