Characters

Mr. Gentry

Mr. Gentry was a farmer, veteran of the Grand Rislandian Army, and surrogate guardian to Zaira von Monocle near Plainsroad Village, who stored and sold her crops, and sacrificed his own safety to hold off Wyranth soldiers so that Zaira and his son James could escape. His fate following the attack was not confirmed in the text.

Mr. Gentry

Mr. Gentry

Mr. Gentry was a farmer, neighbor, and surrogate guardian to Zaira von Monocle during the years her father was absent. A veteran of the Grand Rislandian Army, he was known for his practical wisdom, quiet generosity, and willingness to protect those he considered family. He was the father of James Gentry and the husband of Mrs. Gentry.

Overview

Mr. Gentry lived on a farm neighboring Zaira's, near Plainsroad Village. He was a former soldier who had served in the Grand Rislandian Army, and his military experience proved critical during the Wyranth attack on the village. He was known to smoke a tobacco pipe and was regarded by those around him as a steady, dependable figure. Zaira described him as noble, and his son James Gentry credited him with making a deliberate decision to protect them both. Zaira was noted to miss him in the period following the attack.

Role in For Steam and Country

In For Steam and Country, Mr. Gentry was established as one of the people who had cared for Zaira during the two years her father, Baron Theodore von Monocle, was missing. He took time to teach Zaira when she made mistakes and told her that learning was a matter of survival, adding that neighbors were "almost like family." He regularly took Zaira's harvests to market and sold them on her behalf.

When Baron Theodore von Monocle first took Zaira out on his airship, Mr. Gentry was among those who flew aboard. During this outing he spoke admiringly of the Baron, remarking, "Theodore was the only one who did the adventuring. Amazing man, he was."

When Wyranth forces attacked Plainsroad Village, Mr. Gentry's military background became immediately relevant. He recognized the Wyranth infantry and mobile artillery and tackled Zaira to the floor when a cannon fired. He then directed James Gentry to take the horse Lightning and ride west with Zaira. Before they departed, he gave Mrs. Gentry a kiss on the cheek, then grabbed his musket and began shooting from the window to stall the Wyranth soldiers, sacrificing his own safety to give Zaira and James a lead on their pursuers.

His fate following the attack was not confirmed in the text. James believed his father may have escaped, stating, "My father held them off," and attributing the act to a conscious decision to protect them.

Role in The Blood of Giants

In The Blood of Giants, Mr. Gentry was referenced in connection with the two years Zaira's father was missing. Zaira recalled that "Mr. Gentry and James would help me in selling them in the market," confirming that both Mr. Gentry and James Gentry assisted her in bringing crops to market during that period. Mr. Gentry was also noted to have demanded that Zaira leave Plainsroad Village during the Wyranth encroachment. Additionally, his resolve in that moment was referenced as a point of comparison to Seeva's determination to stay and defend her own home, illustrating the different choices individuals faced under similar pressures.

Role in The Fight for Rislandia

In The Fight for Rislandia, Mr. Gentry was referenced by Zaira in connection with the period before the Wyranth attack. Zaira recalled that he had stored all of her crops for sale in the market in his barn, stating, "My neighbor, Mister Gentry, had stored all of my crops for sale in the market in his barn." He was also noted to have helped Zaira sell tomatoes at the Plainsroad Village market. Zaira was recorded as missing him during this period. Additionally, the text noted that Mr. Gentry panicked when Wyranth artillery advanced on his farm, providing further context for the circumstances surrounding the attack on Plainsroad Village.

Relationships

  • Zaira von Monocle: Mr. Gentry served as a neighbor and surrogate guardian to Zaira during her father's absence, teaching her, storing her crops in his barn, selling her harvests alongside James, and ultimately risking his life for her safety. Zaira counted him among the people who took care of her and was noted to miss him following the Wyranth attack.
  • James Gentry: His son. James was noted to do little without his father's approval. Mr. Gentry directed James during the Wyranth attack and entrusted him with Zaira's protection. James also assisted his father in helping Zaira sell crops at market.
  • Mrs. Gentry: His wife, to whom he gave a farewell kiss before taking up his musket against the Wyranth soldiers.
  • Baron Theodore von Monocle: Mr. Gentry spoke of the Baron with admiration, describing him as the adventuring sort and calling him an amazing man.
  • Seeva: Mr. Gentry was not directly acquainted with Seeva, but his decision to demand Zaira leave Plainsroad Village during the Wyranth encroachment was later invoked as a contrast to Seeva's resolve to remain and defend her home.

Personality and Characteristics

Mr. Gentry was practical and principled. He believed in the importance of learning from mistakes and held that neighbors carried obligations to one another akin to those of family. He smoked a tobacco pipe and carried himself with the composure of a former soldier. In the crisis at Plainsroad Village, he acted without hesitation to protect the young people in his care, an act Zaira characterized as noble. The text also noted that he panicked when Wyranth artillery advanced on his farm, suggesting that his composure under fire was not without its limits.