|
David Brown | Fantasy with a Smidgen of Reality
August 13, 2011
In 1999 I first came up with the idea for the world of Elenchera and more than a
decade later it comprises twenty-three lands, 500+ maps (I wish I was joking!),
47,000+ years of events spread across twenty-five Shards (or ages) of history. I
wanted a fantasy world that had something unique about it just as Tolkien’s
Middle Earth, Pratchett’s Discworld and Lewis’ Narnia all
have. While I would never preach that Elenchera should be spoken in the same
breath as those worlds I do feel after more than a decade of work that it has
something special about it. I love history, always have and always will. It was my favourite subject at
school and whatever aspect of history I had to study I never struggled to find
something of interest. When I first began building Elenchera I turned to our own
history for inspiration. Reading Cassell’s World History from cover to
cover I not only learned about some interesting events but I gained an
understanding of how many societies have developed, their innovations, reasons
for fighting wars and how every powerful empire eventually falls with the
passing of time. Elenchera is a world that begins with an almost mythical background. A world
built by a god and his servants, the peaceful idyll soon gives way to war when
those same servants rise against their master after his descent into evil. Gods
feature in the early Shards of Elenchera but their subjects eventually learn to
live without them. Like our own world, nothing lasts forever in Elenchera and
while legendary rulers built great kingdoms their descendants didn’t have the
means to hold them together. I’ve tried to use many of the familiar aspects of
fantasy in Elenchera such as dwarves, elves, dragons and magic but each element
has been carefully phased into the history and all of them suffer their rises
and declines. Magic was an intriguing aspect of Elenchera and I was conscious of having rules
in place. A world where people can use magic at will is very unappealing and in
Elenchera there are very few individuals that can wield it safely in the early
Shards. In later centuries magic becomes more prevalent but those that dare to
use it pay a great physical and mental price for harnessing such power. Magic is
very much a gift from the world of Elenchera and to abuse it is sacrilegious. At
the same time magic becomes a component of scientific and technological
innovations that propel Elenchera’s many societies forward. I’m not certain I’ll
write an Elenchera novel as a sci-fi but those later Shards are certainly very
advanced in comparison to the earliest Shards. The release of FEZARIU’S
EPIPHANY is the first taste I am offering of this world. Set in the
Fourteenth Shard at the height of the colonial period where East Elenchera
discovers and brings West Elenchera to its knees, FEZARIU’S EPIPHANY is more
about the story of a small group of characters rather than the historical
context but it’s always there in the background and it undoubtedly affects the
lives of all Elenchera’s inhabitants. All Elenchera novels will be written in
the same vein as FEZARIU’S
EPIPHANY, the story and characters more important than the world itself but
each book will give the reader another opportunity to immerse themselves in the
Elencheran timelines. This is a world very much rooted in fantasy but at the
same time it is a very real world, difficult and uncompromising for many of its
inhabitants yet possessing great beauty amongst the mountains, lakes, trees,
valleys, oceans, forests and rivers. David M. Brown Tell us what you think of David's new world and fantasy and one lucky
commenter will win a $25 Amazon Gift Certificate!
Comments
47 comments posted.
Re: David Brown | Fantasy with a Smidgen of Reality
Who won't want to live in a fantasy world.
(Deb Pelletier 12:21pm August 13, 2011)
I admire an author that can create a world of their own and support it through their craft.
Good luck and happy writing!
(Tracie Travis 12:37pm August 13, 2011)
I like that this is a "real world" that the characters inhabit giving the story
dimension and greater depth.
(Sue Ahn 2:50am August 13, 2011)
This sounds like a colossal epic and an exciting one at that. I too am a lover of history. Your mention of the 500 maps really grabbed my attention. What is more intriguing than a map?
(Karen Gervasi 6:30am August 13, 2011)
I think David's world sound intriguing. I do enjoy getting pulled into a fantasy world that has unique characters and places.
(Maureen Emmons 7:04am August 13, 2011)
Amazing - I envy your ability to create a nw world so thoroughly.
(Barbara Hanson 7:39am August 13, 2011)
I like that the characters are going to be in the forefront of the story. I have read too many stories that focused almost completely on the world itself that the story was lost.
(Tabitha Monroe 9:33am August 13, 2011)
I love it..very imaginative. I love all the thought that you put into this! Thanks for sharing!
(Dawn Staniszeski 10:22am August 13, 2011)
Interesting God descending into evil instead of the Angel's!
(Kathleen Bianchi 12:31pm August 13, 2011)
I love fantasy and history, it sounds like one I won't want to
put down!
(Chelsea Reboulet 1:05pm August 13, 2011)
Tolkien's lifework began with love, a development of a new world,
languages, cultures, the history,.. etc. The lifework and love spills forth
into the creation of the books. I am sure you and him have those shared
pains and love of labor. What you have done is rare and should be
applauded. Sounds great, great job.
(Carla Carlson 1:18pm August 13, 2011)
Sounds like a very interesting world to visit... love how authors can bring new worlds to life for us the readers to visit and enjoy!
(Colleen Conklin 1:45pm August 13, 2011)
It's incredible to think that anyone could come up with such a wide range of years, lands, and creatures out of their imagination!
WoW!
(Joanne Schultz 3:41pm August 13, 2011)
Congrats on the release, David. I'm looking forward to entering the world of Elenchera.
(Jane Cheung 3:42pm August 13, 2011)
Wow - I always admire people who can do what I can't - and I can't imagine being organized enough to create an entire world where everything all fits together! Sounds amazing!
(Barbara Wright 3:57pm August 13, 2011)
The complexity involved in creating an alternate world is amazing. I look forward to reading this!
(Jackie Stieghorst 5:20pm August 13, 2011)
Congrats on your new release! I think we all live in a fantasy to a certain degree. A lot of us live that fantasy through books. So I think I would really enjoy this book. I like to let my imagination wonder into different worlds.
(Gail Hurt 5:25pm August 13, 2011)
The new world sounds interesting. I think I will need to visit it and provide feedback. Congrats on the release David.
(Christine Arcidiacono 6:42pm August 13, 2011)
Congrats on your new book! :) I love Discworld and yours sound exciting.
(May Pau 7:09pm August 13, 2011)
I think that because David has studied History so thoroughly in school and is what would be considered a "geek," his book should be quite interesting. This would be the type of book that would have to be started at the beginning of the series, so that you could not only get familiar with all of the characters involved, but with how Elenchera "really" came to be, and what actually happened that got magic from being practically banned from being used there. It's a very unusual concept for a story, and I know that he used a great deal of thought before he put pen to paper for his story. I would really love to read his book. I love the cover as well. It's not "over the top."
(Peggy Roberson 7:32pm August 13, 2011)
These books are amazing, if you have not read them they are a must read, Elenchera is an amazing place!
(Kris Bowers 10:56pm August 13, 2011)
I like so many others would love this fantasy world. Sometimes it's nice to just sit down with a fantasy book and get lost. To let the outside world just pass you by. My granddaughter also loves to read fantasy. She is in college and doesn't always have a lot of time for what she calls JOY reading, but when she does she'd love also to read this book.
(Constance Biller 11:27pm August 13, 2011)
I find artist with the imagination to create a world all of their own refreshing, yes most of what they write can be found in history or mythology. Ours or someone else's. But its what a artist does with that and what they add to it so they can tell a story and bring someplace new that always amazes me and keeps me truly entertained.
(Elizabeth Rodriguez 12:06pm August 14, 2011)
History has always been a wonderful subject to study. Add the folklore, myths, and legends to it, the mixture brings a wonderful world with magic in it. David Brown's world would be a great addition to Tolkien and even some of today's authors like David Eddings' Belgariad and the Malleraen worlds, Anne McAffrey's Dragon of Pern world.
(Kai Wong 12:41pm August 14, 2011)
They are amazing!
(Robin Daily 1:26am August 14, 2011)
How wonderful to have such an imagination to start from scratch instead of using what we all know. sounds like a very interesting read.
(Barbara Studer 2:25am August 14, 2011)
i can't wait to read the book, it sounds wonderful.
(Tammy Ramey 2:49am August 14, 2011)
I think the world sounds fascinating. I love when writers are so creative.
(Pam Howell 8:37am August 14, 2011)
Hi David,
Congratulations on the release of your latest book. You are a new-to-me author and I like the sound of your work.
(Karen Haas 9:43am August 14, 2011)
I don't usually read these types of books but this one sounds very interesting.
(Pat Lieberman 12:29pm August 14, 2011)
Elenchera sounds like a fascinating world.
(Shirley Nienkark 12:38pm August 14, 2011)
Fantasy was the first genre that got me hooked on reading and now I am a bookworm. Big congrats to your new release.
(Danny Brüggemann 12:45pm August 14, 2011)
Who doesn't love to be taken away from reality for a little while - congrats to your new release!
Thanks for the opportunity to enter your contest as well!
[email protected]
(Katherine Reese 1:31pm August 14, 2011)
I have loved history, mythology, and fantasy as long as I can remember (my dad read me the Greek myths when I was still in my crib), so Elenchera sounds like a world I could lose myself quite happily in!
(Michelle St. James 2:22pm August 14, 2011)
i cant wait to read!!! sounds great!!!!
(Jennifer Beck 5:22pm August 14, 2011)
Looks like a series that I will enjoy.
Continued success!
(Joanne Hicks 6:36pm August 14, 2011)
Had a 6th grade teacher who once told my Mom at parent/teacher conference that I lived in a fantasy world because I always had my nose in a book. I am now 54 and would not change a thing. Congratulations on the new book and Thanks for the contest!
(Teresa Ward 8:02pm August 14, 2011)
Anyone who can world build is just amazing to me. And to include magic and to have a history for your world is something I can't even conceive of being able to do. Good luck with the book(s).
(Lisa Kendall 8:56pm August 14, 2011)
I think everyone who reads novels like to use their imagination to visit other places. Your imaginary kingdom is the next step. It would be fun to visit it.
(Anna Speed 10:28pm August 14, 2011)
I am so looking forward to reading all about the world of Elenchera.
(Mary Preston 3:17am August 15, 2011)
I'm jealous of the creative mind that can create an entire world of imagination. It sounds like a great read!
(Melissa Maringer 6:54am August 15, 2011)
My son is obsessed with history, and actually makes alternate history maps. I understand how both interesting and how much work they are to do. It sounds like you have put such a tremendous amount of effort to make the world believeable. I would love to read your book.
(Debbie Penny 8:12am August 15, 2011)
How fascinating - and complex! Sounds like fun!
(Nancy Bird 9:19am August 15, 2011)
This looks great, history with imagination!
(Debra Simning-Chapman 11:37pm August 15, 2011)
I've just started reading fantasy/romance and it sounds like you have quite a world going on. I'd love to try it out!
(Jeanne Sheats 12:25pm August 16, 2011)
I can never resist anything with a shred of history in it, even when it's alternate, imagined or future.
I wish you all success.
(Sigrun Schulz 1:01am August 16, 2011)
A lot of hard work, creativity, and imagination combining history with fantasy and magic into a captivating and unique story of intrigue in the world of Elenchera. A very interesting combination and perhaps future movie material! Sounds like a great book anyone would love to read! Much success with it a future writings of a similar nature!
(Linda Luinstra 8:07pm August 16, 2011)
Registered users may leave comments.
Log in or register now!
| 
© 2003-2024 off-the-edge.net
all rights reserved Privacy Policy