When someone approaches me, asking for my contribution to a new magazine, I have no way to know what the end result will be like. Well, in this case, it looks fantastic, so I’m more than happy to share!
The Silverlight Cafe Magazine is a new magazine, put together by author Gary Dorion. It is described as a crossroads for authors and readers, and Pearseus was featured in the March 18 Fantasy Issue.
The magazine introduces us to the thoughts and works of a host of fantasy authors and is well worth checking out. You can read the Silverlight Cafe Magazine here and subscribe here.
My Contribution
Here is my contribution to the magazine:
Even as a child, I loved reading. As an awkward teenager, I spent hours upon hours in our school library and checked out a dozen books each weekend. I was the proverbial bookworm.
At some point, I came across Tolkien and was taken by his mythology and the archetypal images his writing conjured. I read everything I could find of his, from Silmarillion—an unrecognized gem if I’ve ever seen one—to the lighter-in-tone Hobbit.
Middle Earth had fired up my imagination, with its epic good versus evil storyline, complex heroes and distinctive lack of magic: instead of Gandalf simply vanquishing his enemies with fireballs, he bashed their heads with his staff. It was this emphasis on everyday struggle, this down-to-earth approach, that most captivated me.
Plus, hobbits. This least expected of heroes, echoing Britain’s unexpected resistance to Nazi Germany. The ones destined to save a corrupted world failed by both nobles and immortals. Tolkien’s heroes are unassuming, next-door kind of characters, and that appealed to me.
Many, many books later, I had just finished Martin’s Song of Fire and Ice series, and picked up Jim Lacey’s The First Clash and Herodotus’ Cyrus the Great and Rise of Persia, which describe the fatal battle of Marathon between Greece and Persia in the 5th century BC.
Marathon Bay is a 20’ drive from my home, and I’d often visited the tomb where the ancient Athenians buried their dead, so I thought at the time, “wouldn’t it be great if someone did what Martin did for medieval England, only with the story of Greece vs. Persia? And in space? How cool would that be?” Then it occurred to me: so, what’s stopping me from writing it?
Thus, Pearseus was born. It is as far from Tolkien’s Middle Earth as you can imagine, with a storyline set on a terraformed planet, in the near future. It combines ancient Greek city-states with Dune-like politics; so much so, that a reviewer described it as “Game of Thrones meets Dune.” And it lacks any RPG-like magic, even as paranormal happenings do occur.
Still, I’d like to think that we also share many similarities: my heroes stumble from failure to failure just as often as they emerge triumphant. They have to use their wits and whatever ancient weapons lie around, instead of a magic spell. And they come from all walks of life.
To me, all that is important. I’m particularly fond of multi-dimensional characters, whether they’re the hero or the antagonist. I want my heroes flawed, not perfect. And I’m particular about understanding the antiheroes even better than I do my heroes. Ideally, I want people to think, “hell, yeah, if I were in their shoes, I’d probably be a paranoid, bloodthirsty dictator, too.”
You see, in my view, life isn’t perfect. Why should fiction be?
You can read the Silverlight Cafe Magazine here and subscribe here.
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Congrats! Excellent piece, as always 🙂
Aw, thanks 🙂
A lovely piece of writing, Nicholas. Congrats on being included in the Silverlight Cafe Magazine.
Aw, thanks 🙂
Congratulation!
That’s a very nice piece. And a very good, intriguing introduction to your series 🙂
Thank you, Sarah 🙂
Congratulations on having an article in a mag about you and your fantastic series, Pearseus – totally awesome 😀
Aw, thanks! It’s not just me, actually; there’s a total of six fantasy authors featured. It makes for a great read 🙂
Did I know that Tolkien started you off on the fantasy journey?? How could I not know that? Ha ha. Love it. Great article and congrats on the publicity! Yay!
Thanks! He’s open to submissions – you should check it out.
I will, thanks 🙂
Lovely piece, Nick! You all over! Congratulations, and best of luck to the magazine.
Aw, you. Thanks! He’s open to submissions – you should check it out.
Maybe I will. Thanks Nick. ?
Congrats on the magazine feature! Coming from Canada, the great white north where the nearest historic site is days away, it is so cool to me that you live 20 minutes from the site of one of the most famous battles in history. You must gather so much inspiration from your surroundings. Hopefully this good press does amazing things for Pearseus 😀
You should visit 🙂
He’s open to submissions – you should check it out.
I have no doubt that your excellent contribution was well-received by the readers of this new magazine. Great work as always, Nicholas.
Best wishes, Pete.
Aw, you! Thank you 🙂
That’s so cool. Congrats.
Thanks 🙂
He’s open to submissions – you should check it out.
Thanks. I’ll give it a look.
That’s a worthy inclusion of any magazine Nicholas.
Hugs
Thank you so much, you smooth-talker! Hugs 🙂