The Pixilated Peeress

Infobox Book |
name = The Pixilated Peeress
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption = first edition of "The Pixilated Peeress"
author = L. Sprague de Camp and Catherine Crook de Camp
illustrator =
cover_artist = Romas
country = United States
language = English
series =
genre = Fantasy novel
publisher = Del Rey Books
release_date = 1991
english_release_date =
media_type = Print (Hardback)
pages = 208 pp
isbn = ISBN 0345367324
preceded_by = The Incorporated Knight
followed_by =

"The Pixilated Peeress" is a fantasy novel written by L. Sprague de Camp and Catherine Crook de Camp. It is the second book in a sequence of two, following "The Incorporated Knight". It was first published in hardcover by Del Rey Books in 1991, and in paperback by the same publisher in 1992.

Plot summary

Soldier Thorolf Zigramson of Rhaetia gains a burden rather than gratitude by rescuing the self-important Countess Yvette of Grintz from the forces of the avaricious Duke of Landai, occupier of her fief and aspirant to her hand. To protect the countess from her enemy Thorolf takes her to the enchanter Doctor Bardi, who undertakes to magically disguise her features but instead turns her into an octopus by mistake. To reverse the spell Thorolf resorts to the shady wizard Doctor Orlandus, which only makes things worse; he mesmerizes Yvette as part of his scheme to take secret control of the government of Rhaetia. On top of that, the hapless warrior finds himself under suspicion of murdering Doctor Bardi. He seeks sanctuary with the trolls, whose price for protection is wedding one of their number. Should he refuse, he will be eaten. Now he has the unenviable task of saving not only Yvette and his country, but himself to boot! Can he accomplish all these things and attain the proverbial happy ending as well? The answer is yes, but not with the heroine...

etting

"The Pixilated Peeress" and its predecessor "The Incorporated Knight" are both set in the medieval era of an alternate world sharing the geography of our own, but in which a "Napolitanian" (Neapolitan) empire filled the role of Rome and no universal religion like Christianity ever arose, leaving its nations split among competing pagan sects. The Rhaetia of which Thorolf is a citizen roughly corresponds to our world's Switzerland. In keeping with the character of de Camp's fantasy world as a cognate of our own, its place names tend to echo those of the real world. For instance, there was an actual Rhaetia in the region de Camp places his that was a province of the Roman Empire. His Landai may be intended to represent the actual Landau in southwestern Germany.