The Language of Worlds Link Up

I’m going to be doing something new and a bit…edgy, this week. Okay, so it isn’t edgy at all, but it does look like fun! Most of you will probably remember Paperfury’s awesome link up Beautiful People (RIP), and this Language of Worlds is sorta the same, but it’s run by the wonderful Liv and it’s tailored for Christian fantasy.

Of course, I love this sort of thing, and it’s been going around for a bit, so I decided to join in 😀

I’ll be using Augustine Quillon from Infinity, because he and Chessy are dual-narrators for the final book in the trilogy, The Author of Infinity. You already know a lot about Chessy, but so far I haven’t really done a spotlight on Quillon. Also, this link up has been running for four months now, and there’s been two editions released. I missed the first link up, so I’ll be doing both sets of questions, just because I’m revolutionary.

Introduce your character and his story

Meet Augustine Quillon, otherwise known as the most cutest of my characters, excepting maybe Kai. Quillon has suffered some horrible heartbreak in his life and lost someone who meant a lot to him and he’s sad, but still sweet and loving.

Okay, there’s mild spoilers for When Infinity is Empty here, so if you’re not okay with that, skip down to the next question. Basically, during WIIE Quillon was conscripted into the service of the revolutionaries who took over town. These revolutionaries are bad at organising things and kicked all the evil, corrupt lawyers (which there were a lot of) out but, of course, needed people to replace them. Despite the fact that he isn’t yet an accredited lawyer, Quillon was one of these people.

However, this is mostly for show and he ends up working in a kangaroo court, which goes against every one of his convictions and which he hates. That’s where we find him at the beginning of The Author of Infinity.

What does he look for in a friend? Subconsciously or consciously?

Quillon’s got a wide variety of friends, which over the course of three novels, range from philosophical and cynical debaters, to spunky, blue haired revolutionaries, passionate and fiery leaders, and, of course, sweet broken girls. Consciously, he only looks for someone who appreciates his company and who he enjoys to being around. Subconsciously, he definitely looks for people who make him feel valuable and loved.

If he could study any foreign language, what would it be?

He can already speak German and French, since his previous job was translating English works into German and French. However, if he could learn a new language it would be Irish Gaelic. And because he’s such a nerd, it would be of some dialect no longer spoken. He’d be interested in learning Gaelic because he’s Irish and it would be a tangible way of getting in touch with his ethnic roots.

Which person from the Bible would he be besties with?

Maybe David or Jeremiah? I think Quillon would identify very deeply with David, since he loves the Psalms so much. I also think he’d like Jeremiah, because Jeremiah is young like him and sort of sorrowful (case in point being the book of Lamentations).

If he were to visit you for a week, what would you do?

Get married. Oh wait, that’s not the answer you wanted? We’d hang out and drink too many mochas and discuss literature and philosophy and other things that normal people wouldn’t do.

What is his ideal future?

His life has got to the point where he can’t imagine an ideal life any more…especially since a certain someone is deceased (sorry, that’s a spoiler). Ideally though, he’d like to not get killed and keep his sister and Chessy and Justice and everyone else he loves from getting killed. And maybe do something awesome with his life.

If he were to spend a weekend alone, what sort of pastimes would he pursue?

Hot drinks, books, languages. He’d teach himself Gaelic and drink tea. He’d probably do a one-man-show of Shakespeare in the lounge room or recite Beowulf in Old English with dramatized background sounds. Basically, anything he would be too embarrassed to do with onlookers.

If you could send him a care package, what would be in it?

I think he’d love a hymnal, tea, chocolate, a new set of clothes, a Gaelic dictionary, a leather bound Dickens book and a nice pen. Probably some handmake socks too.

Is there a song that describes his journey?

I have a whole playlist of songs that describe him, but I’m not sure if any of them completely describe his journey. Maybe “Just Be Held” by Casting Crowns and “Now and For Always” from The Lord of the Rings musical.

What is your character’s place in the story (hero, antihero, villain, sidekick, etc)?

Let’s just pause for a moment and imagine Quillon as the brooding bad boy antihero…

Yeah no.

Quillon has been the sidekick for the past two books, and a loyal sidekick at that. However, now he’s been promoted to…(drumroll)…Hero! Unconventional, language-loving, dorky hero. Good job on the promotion, Augustine.

Where does he live and how does that impact him?

Currently he lives in a rather…shabby house. It doesn’t really affect him, but he does see it as rather ironic, since the revolution was supposed to provide better housing for everyone. And it hasn’t.

If he could book a vacation to anywhere in the world, where would go and why?

What is this word “vacation”? Oh, you mean a holiday. I see. (Sorry, I must poke fun at American words every chance I get). Maybe he’d go back to his home country of Ireland, which he hasn’t seen since he was four. He’d love to go there and search out other members of his family and see the sights. Either that, or anywhere without political strife.

On a scale from 1 to 10 (low to high), how ambitious is he?

Quillon has the ambition levels of a butterfly. Probably a three or four. He isn’t particularly concerned with ambition or goals and he’s happy to go where the wind takes him and do what he can where he lands in life.

What does he want to achieve long term?

Stay alive, reform the government, and become a properly accredited lawyer to help people through fair trials. Okay, so reforming the government isn’t really a goal he wants to achieve, but something that kinda needs to happen in order to stay alive. He’s very concerned with staying alive.

Who inspires him?

Jesus, Jonas, Justice and Jean. All the J names.

How would he handle seclusion?

That depends on whether it’s solitary confinement or more of a living by himself and seeing people only occasionally. Solitary confinement would drive him mad (probably not for a while though), but living in seclusion sounds quite pleasant to him. As long as he had reading material, of course.

Is he a cat or dog person?

He likes parrots. Especially yellow and blue macaws.

(but I guess if he had to choose, it would be a dog).

What’s his favourite type of weather?

Clear, warm spring weather. The sort that makes you want to go outside and play on the grass and then lie awake at night and watch the stars.

When he’s hungry, does it show? How?

Depends on whether that’s a “I feel like a snack” hungry or a “I haven’t eaten all day” sort of hungry. If the first, it probably wouldn’t show. If the second, he’d probably faint from low blood sugar.

What’s one Bible verse your character would identify with?

“Speak up for those who cannot speak up for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly, defend the rights of the poor and needy.” Proverbs 3: 8-9. This verse constitutes Quillon’s mission, which is currently being thwarted by the laws of the New Republic.

There’s a taste of Quillon for you! What do you think? Have you heard of the Language of Worlds link up before? Which character is currently your favourite?