Arthur, the Little Prince: Antoine Bordier’s Trilogy Finally Complete

Following Arthur, the Little Prince of Armenia, published by Sigest in September 2022, Antoine Bordier returned in 2024 with his new publisher, Le Lys Bleu, releasing in quick succession the second and third volumes of the series: Arthur, the Little Prince of Lebanon and Arthur, the Little Prince of Egypt. An interview with an unconventional author now writing his twelfth book.

Lucine: Hello Antoine Bordier. How are you? You have just published your third work. Remind us what has happened since the release of Arthur, the Little Prince of Armenia. When was that exactly?

Antoine Bordier: I am very well, thank you. My first book was published on September 9, 2022. Four years ago, my life changed. I became an author, biographer, and essayist. Some people call me a writer. Personally, I simply believe I am on the path of writing. It is true that I have become, once again, a man of letters after having been a man of numbers. And letters attract me far more than numbers, which—as current events demonstrate every day—have become increasingly dehumanized, detached, and disoriented.

To answer your question, Arthur, the Little Prince of Armenia is now in its second edition. I am still looking for translators into English, Armenian, and Arabic.

Since September 2022, I have had extraordinary encounters. I met Dominique Bona, President of the Prix Renaudot, Frédéric Beigbeder, Patrick Besson, Franz-Olivier Giesbert, and Louise Mushikiwabo, Secretary General of La Francophonie. I also met Carlos Ghosn and later his wife. I have been interviewed by numerous media outlets in Armenia, France, Tunisia, Egypt, and Lebanon. However, I am not a bestseller—yet!

Lucine: Not yet! How many books have you sold exactly?

Antoine Bordier: The figures remain confidential, but I surpassed one thousand copies last year.

Lucine: Is that a good start?

Antoine Bordier: Yes and no. Yes, if I compare it with figures I recently received concerning books by public figures such as Marlène Schiappa and Jean-Michel Blanquer. No, if my goal is to sell as many books as Guillaume Musso and Marc Levy combined! I'm joking, of course—but I am counting on you.

Lucine: Is your goal to become a bestseller?

Antoine Bordier: Yes, it remains a dream. I hoped Arthur, the Little Prince of Lebanon would become the book of the summer of 2024, but that was not the case. What matters most is what my readers enjoy and think. One thing is certain: they appreciate my writing style. They love Arthur, the Little Prince of Armenia. They tell me, “Your book is a dream.” The same applies to Arthur, the Little Prince of Lebanon. I would simply like more people to read my books, because today's reality has become so sad, disillusioned, and at times absurdly destructive.

Lucine: Is that why you write?

Antoine Bordier: Yes. I write because people cannot—or do not want to—change the reality of our lives, where suffering is increasingly present. Look at the conflicts within families, societies, and between nations. It is not a game. It is reality, and it is far from wonderful. Violence has returned. In such darkness, it is important to bring a little light. Sometimes a single ray is enough.

Lucine: Let us return to your first book, Arthur, the Little Prince of Armenia. What inspired it?

Antoine Bordier: To answer that, I must go back to my first trip to Armenia. Following a bet with a friend during a dinner in December 2020, he told me he was planning his first trip to Armenia. I replied, “See you there.” In the end, he could not travel because of COVID, but I managed to organize an economic mission—I run a small consulting firm—and became a special correspondent for the economic magazine Challenges.

While in Armenia, as I was preparing to return to France after fourteen days, the late Raymond Yézéguélian told me: “Why don't you write your book, Antoine in Wonderland?” In the end, I wrote Arthur, the Little Prince of Armenia.

Lucine: What is it about?

Antoine Bordier: It follows the adventures of a young French journalist, Arthur de La Madrière, in Armenia. I should clarify that Arthur is not me. Arthur is a twenty-year-old orphan who has just lost his parents in a car accident. He is the eldest of seven siblings. Armenia becomes the setting for his first major report and ultimately the place of his rebirth. He discovers a country of countless stories, faces, and dimensions. He meets remarkable people and develops extraordinary powers of ubiquity. He travels through time and space, meets figures such as Noah and Abraham, and eventually enters a parallel world where he becomes an invisible hero saving lives in Stepanakert during the events of September 27, 2020.

Arthur explores themes such as the Church, youth, women, La Francophonie, economics, politics, entrepreneurship, start-ups, genocide, and war. He also encounters members of the Armenian diaspora and meets Aroso and Anahit, characters from a parallel world that will transform his life.

Lucine: Fascinating! Is Arthur, the Little Prince of Lebanon the same story but set in Lebanon?

Antoine Bordier: Yes and no. Arthur has grown older and become a hero. Professionally, he has progressed significantly. In Lebanon, he is tasked with opening a branch of his newspaper. He encounters the Armenian community, the Maronites, and the unique coexistence of eighteen religious communities. Lebanon, which I call a “mosaic,” is, like Armenia, a coveted country that has suffered greatly through war and continues to face challenges today.

The interview continues with Arthur's adventures in Lebanon and Egypt, where he develops new powers, travels through history, meets historical and biblical figures, and intervenes in major historical events through a blend of journalism, allegory, fantasy, and imagination.

Lucine: Where can readers find the trilogy?

Antoine Bordier: Thank you, Lucine. And thank you to the CCIFA, Armen Mnatzakanian, and all the members of the Chamber. The trilogy is available through my publishers—SIGEST for the first volume and Le Lys Bleu for the second and third—as well as on major online platforms such as Fnac and Amazon.

Interview conducted by Lucine, CCIFA.