Monday, July 8, 2013

A new series


So what should I write next?

I know there are plenty of people who want to see a second series involving Martil, Karia and Merren from The Dragon Sword Histories. Their journey had taken them to a certain point but there were still unanswered questions, especially around Barrett, the magician.

If I did write that series, I hope the first book’s title would be The Bitter Mage.

But I am not ready to write that one yet. Maybe next time …

For this new series, I am tossing up a couple of ideas. There’s two ways I can go.

I would really appreciate some feedback on this – after all, you are the ones that I hope will be looking forward to reading them!

Ultimately, of course, I will be guided by what HarperCollins is interested in!

The first series feels like two books, but if I dig deeper into the planning, it may well come out to be a trilogy.

Loosely – very loosely – based on the Japanese tale of The 47 Warriors, it asks the question of just what is a man prepared to do, how far will he take revenge. And is honour, and revenge, more important than family? When the two collide, what will win out?

This series will take you to the land of Nippon, where the Elfarans first landed and thrived, then took ship from to arrive in Vales.

When a man’s friend and lord is betrayed and killed, a lord he swore an oath to protect with his life, he must go to extreme lengths to gain revenge and expose the evil festering in the land of Nippon. But what if it costs him his family. What if he has to give up everything he is, everything he loves to fulfil his oath …

The second series – and one that I have been thinking about for a while – is definitely a trilogy.

You may well be aware that I like to take a fantasy cliché on and twist it around, send it up slightly. The first series was a gentle send-up of the whole magic sword cliché. Empire Of Bones sends up the elves in fantasy cliché.

This series would have a little play with the whole supernatural creatures trope.

People are disappearing. Boats return empty, even whole villages are vanishing. The King and the Church are claiming it must be demons or something equally sinister. But one man believes there is a far more human explanation.

And when his wife is one of the ones taken, he starts a journey that will tear down a kingdom and expose a foulness buried deep in his land that is darker and more revolting than the Church’s claims of a plague of demons.

But a revolution will be merely the beginning of his troubles …

Let me know what you think!

5 comments:

  1. Hmm....I like them both, they both have potential. What if...and this might be too complicated, but something I have toyed with (in my case it blew up spectacularly and become way too complicated), somehow combining the two?

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    1. Afraid they are going to have to stay apart ... have to say, am leaning towards the second option!

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  2. Personally I like the idea of seeing how far someone will go to achieve their desire; even though it's quite dark. It makes me wonder if the main character is even the good one at all. Although, if you do go down that road, I just hope you don't fall into the cliche of the main character realising at the end 'oh, revenge isn't the way to go, I'm saved, the end' or just as over used 'Revenge isn't the way, oh, it's the guy who I wanted to kill trying to kill me. I have killed him, but didn't do it for revenge, the end.'
    Regardless, I do look forward to your next best seller :D

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    1. Thanks very much for taking the time to comment - and for looking forwards to the next one!
      I am leaning towards the second option, however - although ultimately it is up to the publisher!

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  3. Hi Duncan, I lean toward the second one - it sounds ace. I love the 'quest' feel to it, and the mystery in the premise :)
    Ashley

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