James Gentry

James Gentry

Description

James had curling brown bangs that fell into his face and typically wore farming coveralls in his youth. His clothes hung loosely on his body, giving him an air of confidence and impassiveness. He possessed good raw strength, likely developed from years of tilling fields, though he was not initially refined in tactics or precise maneuvers. When he appeared before King Malaky XVI for the first time, he wore an unflattering hunter green poofy outfit. He was older than Zaira von Monocle and was known to stand on his toes to appear taller when he wished to make an impression.

By the time of The Blood of Giants, James had grown fuller around the arms and shoulders from his intensive training. He had dark brown eyes with boyish charm, dimples, and stubble on his face. He moved with grace even in full mail armor and carried both a blade and a pistol. He was described as energetic and making goofy attempts to appear a proper knight.

By the events of The Fight for Rislandia, James's face had grown older, with smile lines, and his eyes seemed more like a man's than before. He wore a leather vest with a sword at his hip and a pendant bearing the crest of Malaky on the right side of his chest. He walked with a slight limp from a leg wound sustained during his earlier campaigns, though by this period he no longer required crutches.

In The Iron Wedding, his dark brown eyes and brown bangs falling into his face were again noted. He was described by Ethan von Lantern as enthusiastic and lacking in tact, a characterization James deflected with the quip: "Who needs tact when you have giant armor?"

Spoiler: The Crystal ConspiracyClick to reveal

Early Life

James grew up on the Gentry farm near Plainsroad Village, close to the von Monocle estate. He bonded with Zaira von Monocle from the moment her parents settled outside the village, and the two became childhood friends, with James treating her like a sister. He called her by the affectionate nickname "Zair-bear" and almost never used her actual name. He was known for minor misadventures in his youth, including once setting a bale of hay aflame in the Gentry barn, nearly burning the whole place down—his father, Mr. Gentry, organized a bucket brigade to stop the fire. He also threw tomatoes at Zaira as a prank on at least one occasion, and had accidentally turned his hunting rifle in the direction of Matthias du Gearsmith several times. He helped Zaira sell crops in the market during the two years her father was missing.

As children, James and Zaira used to play out back of her parents' small home together and worked fields side by side. Their mothers joked about them one day marrying and combining their families' farms, and there had been a childhood expectation that this would come to pass. This expectation was widely shared; many who knew them presumed the two would eventually marry.

James dreamed of becoming a Knight of the Crystal Spire in the capital and was excited at the prospect of seeing the Crystal Spire and meeting the king.

Role in For Steam and Country

The Wyranth Attack and Flight to Rislandia City

In For Steam and Country, James was present when an earthquake struck the area and helped Zaira clean up the damage; his own house was undamaged as he had been inside when the quake hit. He agreed to watch Toby the ferret while Zaira was away, and was fascinated when a horseless carriage arrived at the von Monocle farm. He was ushered outside by Captain von Cravat during a private meeting.

When the Wyranth Empire attacked Plainsroad Village, James saddled the horse Lightning with expert speed and rode west with Zaira toward Rislandia City. His parents, Mr. Gentry and Mrs. Gentry, stayed behind to stall the Wyranth soldiers and give the two time to escape. James tensed but said nothing when musket fire echoed and a man howled in pain. He lost his home, his parents, and his farm to the attack. His father, who had been a soldier, sacrificed himself to provide them a lead. James broke down crying and collapsed to his knees in grief following the attack. He held onto a belief that his parents may have survived, though this was later implied to be a delusion—when he later asked Captain von Cravat whether his parents had been found, he was told the house was completely demolished and no bodies were recovered.

James surrendered to Wyranth soldiers with his hands up at one point and defended Zaira to Captain von Cravat. He climbed the rope ladder to the Liliana faster than Zaira and was given a tour of the airship by a crewman while Zaira spoke privately with the captain. He did not initially believe Zaira's story about the airship.

Arrival at the Capital

James traveled to Rislandia City and was introduced to King Malaky XVI, to whom he introduced himself as James Gentry. He told the king that at least a thousand Wyranth soldiers had attacked and that his father had held them off, and he mentioned that mobile artillery had been used to barrage his home. He expressed a desire to train with the Knights of the Crystal Spire and work on his swordsmanship in the capital.

He was introduced to Princess Reina by Matthias du Gearsmith and stood on his toes to appear taller in her presence. Princess Reina paid him a private visit in his quarters the evening of the royal audience and promised to recommend his name to the high knight. She subsequently vouched for his character to secure his entry into the knights, and King Malaky XVI formally recommended him for training.

Training and Separation from Zaira

James was taken on as an apprentice under Cid, who described him as having "pure unrefined talent like I've never seen." He was described as a quick study and practiced sword training from sunrise to sunset for three days. He ultimately chose to stay with the knights rather than join the Liliana's mission, hugging Zaira goodbye before she departed.

The Rescue Mission

James later bested Cid in combat to prove himself worthy of joining a rescue mission. He traveled to the Wyranth capital by horseless carriage with Cid and Frances, and found the Liliana in the foothills, where he was told Zaira was overdue. He infiltrated the Wyranth Castle dungeon wearing a stolen Wyranth guard uniform, having set a timer on a tinsomatic screecher on the way in to create chaos. He carried a key ring taken from guards and used a sword during the operation. He killed at least one guard, Tyree, during the rescue—the first time he had ever killed anyone. He had orders to retrieve only Zaira and Captain von Cravat, but refused to leave the dungeon without seeing Zaira safe, saying simply, "I wouldn't leave." He led other prisoners toward the main exit while Zaira and Talyen went deeper, and later dragged Zaira back through the tunnel during a firefight. He reacted with horror to body parts discovered in a crate and asked whether vampires existed. He also asked why they did not simply kill Sergeant Wilheim. He arrived with Cid and Frances to rescue Zaira and her father, and traveled onward with Zaira and her father following the escape.

Role in The Steam Knight

In The Steam Knight, James served as the first-person narrator and protagonist. At the opening of the book he had been an apprentice in the Knights of the Crystal Spire for four weeks; by chapter two, more than eight weeks had passed since his return from the Wyranth Empire. He slept in the bottom bunk of the dormitory and wore long-johns to sleep. Other apprentices disliked and mocked him, in part because he had been placed in a faster training program and had already undertaken an unprecedented mission into Wyranth territory as an apprentice. He was not supposed to carry live steel as an apprentice but was permitted to do so given the circumstances of his service.

James trained by running up the two thousand steps of the Crystal Spire with a sack of potatoes on his back, a regimen that later proved useful during extended overland runs. He intended to become the fastest apprentice to achieve journeyman rank. He had good aim and could hit a target from twenty yards, a skill rooted in his farm-boy background.

The Lou and Marcus Investigation

James discovered Lou and Marcus meeting secretly at the top of the spire. He followed Lou to the Dovetail Tavern and spied from the rafters, overhearing Lou passing military intelligence to Marcus. During a subsequent tavern brawl he was knocked unconscious, suffering a dislocated left shoulder and a blow to the head. He spent three days in the infirmary, during which he read history books and the knight code of chivalry. His injuries prevented him from competing in the apprentice competition.

After recovering, James spotted Marcus in the city and pursued him, tackling him to the ground. He was saved from Marcus's knife by Ethan von Lantern and bound Marcus with twine from Ethan's satchel. He was subsequently selected by Cid to work directly with Ethan von Lantern and was praised by King Malaky XVI for providing intelligence on the Wyranth.

The Loveridge Mission

James was assigned to travel with Ethan and two Grand Rislandian Army soldiers to capture Lou. For this mission he and Ethan were issued forged travel papers and Wyranth uniforms to pose as Wyranth scouts; James's papers identified him under the alias Klaus, described as a foreign-sounding Wyranth name, while Ethan's papers used the alias Hans.

During the mission James encountered an unknown assailant outside Lou's house at night and ran back to camp alone after being grabbed. He took the second watch shift at camp and crawled through a ditch toward Lou's house during the daytime assault. Inside the burning building he lifted his tunic over his mouth to breathe through smoke, fired at a large man on the stairs, and was pushed down the stairs by Ethan to save him from Lou's bullets. He crashed into Lou's legs and used a jammed rotary gun as a club to strike Lou in the shoulder before losing consciousness. He was revived with smelling salts and told by the doctor to relax for a couple of days. He healed in Loveridge for four more days, helped bury Lieutenant Fearson and fallen enemies with locals, and rode back to Rislandia City in a conscripted carriage.

Following the mission James was debriefed by Cid alongside Ethan and was assigned to the expedition to the Zicree Continent.

Guard Duty and the Auto-Electrocuter

At some point during this period James was assigned as guard to King Malaky XVI and Princess Reina, standing guard alongside Reggie, Tanner, and Handley. He was selected by King Malaky to demonstrate the aether-fueled auto-electrocuter, firing it at a woodpile and blasting it to splinters. He also tackled a Wyranth spy in the forest during this assignment.

James had not been able to see Princess Reina for three days due to the palace being closed, and his eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep caused by snoring in the dormitory. He had never tasted coffee before this period. He described himself as a commoner, a characterization echoed by King Malaky XVI. He reflected: "I was just a commoner."

Promotion to Journeyman

By the later sections of The Steam Knight, James had been promoted to journeyman rank, faster than nearly anyone on record—a fact he noted with quiet pride: "I was a Knight of the Crystal Spire, promoted to journeyman faster than nearly anyone on record." His promotion involved forging his own blade with a blacksmith. He greeted Zaira von Monocle as "Zair-bear" upon her return and had previously worked out his feelings for her, concluding that they were simply friends. He had romantic feelings for Princess Reina. He reflected: "For the first time in my life, I felt like a real leader."

Role in The Blood of Giants

By the time of The Blood of Giants, James was undergoing intensive combat training with the Knights of the Crystal Spire, compacting years of lessons into months. He was shadowing Ethan von Lantern as a knight apprentice. Since beginning his training, he had become aloof and distant from Zaira and did not come to greet her upon her return from a mission. He was in a romantic relationship with Princess Reina and was seen kissing her at the boarding ramp.

James was one of two knights aboard the Liliana during the expedition depicted in the book. He practiced sword fighting with Ethan on deck and received a bruising blow to the gut from Ethan during sparring. Jealous newer recruits existed because James had been placed in a faster training program. He mentioned Joe Briggs as someone who had helped him with his pistol aim.

During the expedition, James won a dice roll against Ethan to join the scouting party. He suggested that a knight should accompany Zaira and took a defensive position in front of her and Dr. du Clockhand when warriors appeared, drawing his sword against spearmen. He was wrestled away by warriors and had his arms secured, but was released after Seeva determined Zaira had told the truth. He sat beside Zaira during the kava ceremony and stared at the fire grinning after drinking kava, suggesting they bring some back for the knights at home: "This is good stuff, Zair-bear. We should bring some back for the knights back home."

James grabbed Zaira by the wrist and ran when First Sergeant Wright fired a warning shot, and pulled her back toward the forest when she was staring at Nightmen foot soldiers. He also grabbed her arm to pull her from sinking sand and tasted fruit juice before allowing her to drink it, claiming it might be poisoned—though he admitted he simply wanted to try it first. He was uneasy about staying in Juiyan's Castle and expressed reluctance about separating into individual rooms.

During a boarding battle, James wore full mail armor, carried a blade and a pistol in his off-hand, and moved with grace. He fought through a crowd to protect Baron von Monocle, stood guard over Dr. du Clockhand and the Baron, and killed a Nightman by jabbing his blade through the Nightman's side. He put his arm around Zaira's shoulder after a volcano eruption.

James was later taken away with the men after an inspection by Nightmen, led in a different direction from the women. His whereabouts in the Nightmen City subsequently became unknown to the rest of the crew. He was heard cursing during an abduction.

He glowered at Zaira when she walked arm-in-arm with Ethan.

Role in The Fight for Rislandia

In The Fight for Rislandia, James's full name—James Allen Gentry—was stated aloud by Zaira when she caught him kissing Princess Reina in the mess of the Liliana. He had been assigned as Princess Reina's personal guard at her request and lingered close to her throughout the events of the book, at one point having his arm linked with hers during a flight.

Prior to departing for Zenwey, James uncovered a spy within the Knights of the Crystal Spire. He was held in captivity at some point during this period alongside Zaira, Ethan von Lantern, and Dr. Estrella du Clockhand.

James departed the Liliana with the royal retinue at Lake Avily and was not present during the mine operation. Zaira wondered how he was faring with King Malaky XVI and Princess Reina at their retreat, and missed him during the battle, imagining making a competition with him of who could do the most damage to Wyranth soldiers.

By this period, James walked with a slight limp from a leg wound, though he no longer required crutches. He leaned over the side of the ship to look at a warehouse explosion. He visited Zaira in her recovery room, greeting her as "Zair-bear." Whatever awkwardness had existed between them had been resolved by the trials of war. He confirmed his feelings for Zaira directly, telling her: "I love you. You know I do… Like a sister."

Zaira reflected that their friendship had become a casualty of her time away, and that the loss of his parents had left James with no one to cling to, describing him as needier than Ethan. Despite this, the two had made peace by the book's end. He appeared in Zaira's dream of King Malaky's court.

Role in The Iron Wedding

In The Iron Wedding, James was away on a mission with Ethan von Lantern to Nyanzi, described as halfway around the world. Prior to departing, he had found a letter from a machinist to a Wyranth scientist concerning mechanized units, and he described himself as no engineer. He and Ethan had by this point become a noted team within the Rislandian military.

Zaira hoped James would return before she had to depart again. He was one of the few people who knew how close Zaira and Ethan had become, and had caught the two kissing on more than one occasion. He was also listed among the few friends Zaira needed to say goodbye to before departing.

James was present at Carnait Cove for the wedding. He sat with Marina du Willet, Talyen von Cravat, and Queen Reina I in the Rislandian delegation. When events at the wedding turned dangerous, he engaged in a shoving match with Wyranth guards as he attempted to reach Zaira, and jogged back to her after Princess Kristina brushed past him.

James piloted one of the two mecha suits during the battle, alongside Ethan. He used the flamethrower arm of his mecha unit in combat and fired its projectiles simultaneously with Ethan. He suggested using the mecha armor to help fend off the Nightmen and had earlier offered to help Zaira escape in mecha armor before the wedding. He was toppled to the ground when Nightmen overran his mecha unit. He was confused about the crystals during the engagement, having been away when Zaira was briefed on them.

Following the battle, James was present at the inn. He told Zaira they had won and that songs would be written about it. He was sent back to the Rislandian contingent by Zaira at one point so she could speak privately with Ethan. He was also told by Zaira's father to mobilize soldiers to assist the Wyranth.

James knew Zaira's food preferences well enough that Ethan asked him for them—at a cost.

Role in The Crystal Conspiracy

Later Career

Following the events of For Steam and Country, James continued to serve the Knights of the Crystal Spire. He trained under Ethan von Lantern in addition to Cid. In the 19th Year of King Malaky XVI's Reign, James trained as a knight and uncovered a Wyranth plot, and was sent to guard King Malaky XVI and Princess Reina at their retreat. In the 20th Year of King Malaky XVI's Reign, the knights played a prank on him, and he went on a mission into Wyranth-occupied territory with Ethan. Among his other notable deeds:

• Stopped the traitor Knight Handley from assassinating King Malaky XVI at Lake Avily, using an auto-electrocuter
• Fought in the Nightmen Arena, killing the champion Takala with an electrified sword

Spoiler: The Crystal Conspiracy & The Steam Knight 2Click to reveal

• Promoted to journeyman rank faster than nearly anyone on record within the Knights of the Crystal Spire

Relationship with Queen Reina I

Relationships

Cid: James's primary mentor and trainer with the Knights of the Crystal Spire. Cid described James as having "pure unrefined talent like I've never seen." James bested Cid in combat to earn his place on the rescue mission in For Steam and Country, and was later selected by Cid to work directly with Ethan von Lantern following the events of The Steam Knight.

Lou (Knight of the Crystal Spire): A knight James discovered passing military intelligence to a Wyranth spy. James spied on Lou from the rafters of the Dovetail Tavern and was injured in the brawl that followed. He later confronted Lou directly during the Loveridge mission.

Marcus (Wyranth Spy): A Wyranth spy James observed receiving intelligence from Lou. James pursued and tackled Marcus in the city, and was saved from Marcus's knife by Ethan von Lantern.

Joe Briggs: A knight who helped James improve his pistol aim.

Dr. Estrella du Clockhand: A member of the Liliana crew whom James stood guard over during the events of The Blood of Giants, and alongside whom he was held in captivity during The Fight for Rislandia.

Spoiler: The Crystal ConspiracyClick to reveal

Lieutenant Fearson: A soldier who fell during the Loveridge mission in The Steam Knight. James helped bury him alongside locals before returning to Rislandia City.

Personality

In the short stories

In A History of Rislandia

A History of Rislandia treats James Gentry as a notable figure of the contemporary era, situating him within the broader history of the Knights of the Crystal Spire and the Nightmen Invasion. The sourcebook's account largely corroborates the novels and adds several details not covered elsewhere.

Origins and Early Career

According to A History of Rislandia, James Gentry was an orphaned farm boy from Plainsroad Village whose parents were killed when Wyranth forces burned the Gentry farm, an event the sourcebook dates to Year 16–17 of King Malaky XVI's reign. The sourcebook confirms that the Gentry family farm was situated near the von Monocle family farm outside the village, and that James was a childhood friend of Zaira von Monocle.

The sourcebook records that James mounted a counter-rescue operation breaking into the Wyranth Castle dungeon, was part of the crew on the Zenwey Expedition, and progressed through the three ranks of the Knights of the Crystal Spire—Apprentice, Journeyman, and Full Knight—in an unusually short period.

The Oler Pass Mission and the Dragon Rumor

The Were-Gopher Incident

According to A History of Rislandia, James encountered were-creatures during a mission in the countryside. He used a mecha suit to rescue a little girl named Annabel from a pack of were-gophers, employing the mech's flamethrower to drive them off. He subsequently filed a report describing the were-gophers as "small, fast, and vicious" and noting that "they burrowed through the ground and attacked from below." This incident is not mentioned in the novels covered by the novel-based account on this page.

Arena Enslavement and the Killing of Takala

According to A History of Rislandia, while enslaved in the Nightmen City, James trained as an arena fighter alongside Ethan von Lantern and commandos. He fought in an arena battle against the champion Takala as part of an escape plan, killing Takala with an electrified sword. The sourcebook frames this as part of the broader events of the Nightmen captivity depicted in the novels.

Equipment and Technology

The sourcebook also records that Zaira von Monocle told James that her mother had been sick for days before passing and that her father had not been present at the time—a detail about Liliana von Monocle's death shared between the two friends.