In 1864, Chanchai, a young orphan from a village in Siam, witnesses bright objects falling from the night sky into a sugarcane field. Little does he know his life is about to change forever. After a chaotic impact, strange shimmering tentacles envelop Chanchai before he blacks out. He awakens feeling healthier, having been sickly for many days. Accustomed to a lonely life of scavenging, he ends up on a sampan that leads him to Bangkok. Soon, he is taken in by a family of street children, later by a fruit seller, and by sheer luck, he is accepted into a royal school. When the Siamese monarch grants Chanchai a chance to study in England, he accepts. All along, since he arrived in Bangkok, Chanchai has noticed strange things about himself. He not only heals extraordinarily quickly, but also experiences visions. Find out more in Of Princes and Patriots: Chronicles of the Threlphax by Laura Lee Dooley.

If you are looking for a historical novel blended with science fiction, a touch of drama, mystery, suspense, and plot twists, Of Princes and Patriots by Laura Lee Dooley is an enthralling pick. Dooley draws readers into Chanchai’s world, taking them back to nineteenth- and twentieth-century Southeast Asia and Western Europe. The vivid depictions brought the story’s settings to life on the pages. As I followed Chanchai from his village to the streets of Bangkok, I got a clear picture of the kind of life Siamese children had, especially those on the streets. It must have been a harsh world for young girls, seeing that gangs would freely claim them against their will, and society did nothing about it. I also learned about Siamese culture, including their obligations and relationship with the Buddhist path, royalty, and nature. The story spans two centuries and not only covers important historical events in Siamese history but also global events such as WWI and WWII. The sentiment in the narration, conversations, and introspection helped me to understand Chanchai’s personal struggles.