Alyce: An Alternate Version of the Prince's Ball

The Valley Stories #1

by Sarah Scheele

Alyce has never dreamed of visiting the king. To a member of a minority group that opposes his rule, his brooding, glum palace is associated only with imprisonment and death. Though it's been a long time since any Sherban was arrested, Alyce feels little in common with her ruler and is quite content to stay unnoticed.

Until a mandatory summons to the King's court dance leaves her no choice. An older, alternate version of The Prince's Ball. Shorter and with a different ending.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance

66 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 31, 2014

About the author

Sarah Scheele began writing before she could hold a pen and was telling stories before she could talk. An avid reader, she's always enjoyed classics as well as fantasy and movies. She lives surrounded by cultivated fields that rapidly give way to wild flowers, wild plants, and wild life and can always be found scribbling away at a new project. Or exercising her beloved, blind Pomeranian, although Pom prefers to vegetate indoors.

Check out her books in paperback and ebook on Amazon. Reviews always welcome. https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003E4YMKS

Reviews

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a version of Cinderella, and a very creative one. You probably haven't seen another fairy tale retelling quite like it. I tend to enjoy anything fairy tale themed, but even if you don't, you might like this retelling--it's not your every day Cinderella story.
What I Liked About It: Alyce is like any girl. Pretty much any average girl you know can relate to her. She's smart and hard working and has a sense of humor, but don't get the wrong idea--she isn't smug and perfect. She's ordinary. And I rarely encounter a heroine who's supposed to be " ordinary". Furthermore, I rarely encounter a heroine who really is, " ordinary." Most of them have the " heroine personality" and live in book world. But not Alyce. She's as real as you and me.
The comedy is laugh out loud funny and never mean or offensive. The author knows how to laugh and when to laugh. A valuable quality in anyone and especially an author.
Plus the world building is delightful. It feels like an actual place. It's a legitimate combination of history and fantasy, of continents and cultures and imaginary places. It's a glamorous world but also a flawed one. If you like an imagined place that feels REAL and complicated and colorful, you'll like this one.
So if you like world building, and beautiful costumes, and fairy tales, and comedy, and normal girls just trying to do the right thing in a universe gone crazy...you're ready to read this story.

[Kelsey Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the funniest books I've ever read. But not only did it make me laugh, it transported me to a very interesting and picturesque group of fictional countries that I wish I could visit for real! Alyce is an appealing heroine because she is so wry and down-to-earth; I felt secure and grounded following her as she encounters so many rather amusing people. I loved the twists on Cinderella. The details and customs of this world seem real; it's European, yet unique. Munseldorp and Medvale especially caught my fancy.
Besides the humor and the unique world, you'll also get distinct characters (every character has a personality and purpose all their own -- I'd hate for any one of them to be missing!), rousing suspense (especially that chase through the corridors of a dark and twisted castle!), and a surprising conclusion.

[deborah o'carroll · Rating 5 out of 5]

A rolick of a Cinderella retelling that had me laughing hysterically but was also rather epic and beautiful.

Such fun! So funny, so mysterious, full of witty writing… and the characters were just absolute delights. I loved it so much! <3

Definitely give this brilliant tale of Ms. Scheele a try -- you will not be disappointed!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Age Appropriate For: All Ages
Best for Ages: 12 and up

There are some stories that just never get old, no many how many times and ways they are retold. I think Cinderella is one of those stories. I grabbed this retelling, Alyce, when I could.

I’ll start off by saying there was one thing I didn’t like about this story, I couldn’t tell where in time I was. Sometimes it felt like the Middle Ages, other times the Victorian Era, and still others the speech felt modern. This issue was big enough to knock one star off my rating, but not enough to keep me from enjoying the story.

Alyce was just a fun, normal girl. She is ordered to go to the ball, and has to borrow an ill-fitting dress. That is right, no little fairies to help her here. What happens next is a series of highly entertaining events which I shall not reveal, or I would spoil the story.

There is a bit of romance at the end, but it was very mild, and I think that even those who dislike romance won’t find it bothersome.

I highly recommend this story to those who like fairy tale retellings, entertaining short stories, and non-romantic tales.

[Wolfgang · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an extraordinary version of Cinderella. The heroine Alyce belongs to a minority, surpressed by an evil king. Nevertheless, one day she gets an unexpected invitation to the court ball, where she discovers something unexpectedly. Even more, the king invites her to the first dance, but what follows it anything else than a compliment. Now the story in between develops to an thrilling and exciting melodrama, where this Cinderella gets involved in political intrigues of the royals. Very pleasent are the fantastic and imaginative names like Lomlassa, Blancha or Natalya or for places such as Medvale and Munseldorp, Galeflon or Curblint. After several adventures to get out of dangerous situations, Alyce gets help from a disguised stranger, who will reveal his true identidy. The climatic scene of the following events I will not mention before, but as there is always a romantic happy end, it will certainly also be here, but perhaps different than the reader might have thought. ;-)

[Ianthe Silverfire · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't often dislike stories, but that was utterly stupid. Poorly told, inconsistent characters, and very rushed ending. I wasted my morning and 3 dollars...