The Time Before The Moon
I remember reading a blog post from a literary agent, saying something along the lines of “we need to break away from medievalism.” I thought to myself, No. I love medievalism.
All of the fantasy I’d ever read, written, or watched was in some way inspired by the middle ages, and it seemed strange to think outside medieval milieus.
But I love to mix things up, and I got to thinking that maybe I’d come up with something different. Something a little older than medieval. Something ancient.
After a bit more digging, I found a very small selection of Stone Age fantasy and adventure novels. Most of us have heard of Jean Auel’s Neolithic epic The Clan of the Cave Bear, but I also found a YA Stone Age fantasy called Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver. I didn’t read these books, but the fact that I couldn’t find a multitude of other titles in the same vein drew my interest. In a sea of medieval fantasy and future dystopian sci-fi’s, ancient fantasy seemed elusive.
I was intrigued.
A student of world mythology, I really wanted to come up with my own original myth, or at least add my spin on an existing one. And my newfound interest in a Stone Age setting would be the perfect backdrop for it.
I started brainstorming.
What I came upon was an idea shared by ancient Greeks, Romans, and Sumerians, an idea that modern science has now confirmed as being true: For a period of time, the earth existed without the moon.
Jackpot! I thought. Boy was I excited.
Upon further research, I learned from ancient writings that the general consensus was that the Arcadians lived before the moon. Plutarch, the Greek biographer and essayist said there “were Arcadians of Evander’s following, the so-called Pre-Lunar People.” Ovid, the Roman poet, also mentioned that “Arcadia brought forth Pelasgus, of greater antiquity than the moon.” And Lucian, the ancient Greek writer stated “the Arcadians affirm in their folly that they are older than the moon.” And ancient Greek author Apollonius of Rhodes speaks of a time “when not all the orbs were yet in the heavens, before the Danai and Deukalion races came into existence, and only the Arcadians lived, of whom it is said that they dwelt on mountains and fed on acorns, before there was a moon.”
Armed with this information, I began my tale.
In an ancient, dystopian, and moonless earth, it’s the story of one boy who dares to be different, and in doing so, changes his world.
Check it out when you get a chance, I know you’ll enjoy it.
All of the fantasy I’d ever read, written, or watched was in some way inspired by the middle ages, and it seemed strange to think outside medieval milieus.
But I love to mix things up, and I got to thinking that maybe I’d come up with something different. Something a little older than medieval. Something ancient.
After a bit more digging, I found a very small selection of Stone Age fantasy and adventure novels. Most of us have heard of Jean Auel’s Neolithic epic The Clan of the Cave Bear, but I also found a YA Stone Age fantasy called Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver. I didn’t read these books, but the fact that I couldn’t find a multitude of other titles in the same vein drew my interest. In a sea of medieval fantasy and future dystopian sci-fi’s, ancient fantasy seemed elusive.
I was intrigued.
A student of world mythology, I really wanted to come up with my own original myth, or at least add my spin on an existing one. And my newfound interest in a Stone Age setting would be the perfect backdrop for it.
I started brainstorming.
What I came upon was an idea shared by ancient Greeks, Romans, and Sumerians, an idea that modern science has now confirmed as being true: For a period of time, the earth existed without the moon.
Jackpot! I thought. Boy was I excited.
Upon further research, I learned from ancient writings that the general consensus was that the Arcadians lived before the moon. Plutarch, the Greek biographer and essayist said there “were Arcadians of Evander’s following, the so-called Pre-Lunar People.” Ovid, the Roman poet, also mentioned that “Arcadia brought forth Pelasgus, of greater antiquity than the moon.” And Lucian, the ancient Greek writer stated “the Arcadians affirm in their folly that they are older than the moon.” And ancient Greek author Apollonius of Rhodes speaks of a time “when not all the orbs were yet in the heavens, before the Danai and Deukalion races came into existence, and only the Arcadians lived, of whom it is said that they dwelt on mountains and fed on acorns, before there was a moon.”
Armed with this information, I began my tale.
In an ancient, dystopian, and moonless earth, it’s the story of one boy who dares to be different, and in doing so, changes his world.
Check it out when you get a chance, I know you’ll enjoy it.
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