What if a poem could end a thousand-year war?

Outis Everett — a quiet, overlooked poet from the war-obsessed kingdom of Asalandia, is unexpectedly chosen to deliver a poem across the sea to the enemy nation of Kastanaria.

The two lands divided by sea have had over one thousand years of war. One, Asalandia, is a kingdom dominated by strong men, ruled by a long line of strong kings. These strong men have been raised to hate the country of Kastanair, a democratic land, always changing leaders, always resourceful and innovative.

Generation after generation, the two lands have raised their children on stories of hatred and heroism. Their histories glorify war. Their economies profit from conflict. Few question it. Until one boy dares to ask ‘Why?’

Someone, from the most unlikely of places, did the most uncommon thing to start change. It was a poem that changed the course of history. That someone was a young man by the name of Outis Everrett.

Blending fantasy, satire and adventure, Lee J. Mavin’s novel explores inherited prejudice, propaganda, environmental ethics and the narratives nations tell themselves. At its heart lies a simple idea: The King of Asalandia believes Outis’ poem could bring peace.

‘Even our worst enemies were children once. They had mothers who cared for them. They cried tears just like us…’ Outis’ poem

It is a sentiment that finds fertile ground in a king already questioning the stories he has been raised on. He adored the rhyming patterns of the old poets and would sing their lines aloud in bed. But slowly he came to the realization that something was missing. All the poems praised warriors and gave thanks to kings. They depicted Asalandia as heaven on earth — yet when he looked outside his window, all he saw was rain. He craved a poem that spoke the truth. In sending the young poet across enemy lines guarded by knights raised on propaganda and pride, the King offers a radical alternative to violence.

The Wars Between invites young readers to think critically about leadership, history and the power of language. Because sometimes, the most powerful warrior is not the one who lifts a sword, but the one who dares to write.

Outis became the mightiest of word-warriors, swinging his pen-sword with such precision that he became a guardian of truth.

The book features a detailed map in the opening pages and cover illustration by Polish artist Karolina Piotrowska, a long-time collaborator with Lee. In a world that is divided more than ever before, as a writer and a teacher, Lee wants students to think differently about conflict and leadership around the globe. 

Alongside the book, Lee holds creative writing and storytelling workshops which explore:

• The power of poetry and storytelling

• Questioning inherited narratives

• Leadership and responsibility

• Environmental ethics and food systems

• The economics of conflict

• Courage to think differently