Yesterday, I briefly mentioned an interesting question I got regarding my new novel, Vallidin.

"Tell me what sets your book apart from the thousands of Tolkienesque novels out there?"

When I read this question, my answer was obvious. I wrote:

"The action is more frequent and the magic is more real. There's not a very intelligent response to this question because there is not very much that separates two books from the same genre. Other than the story and how it's told. The classic good vs evil is of course inside my story."

But when I re-read my response, I started to wonder. Was this the best answer to the question? Was it even a valid answer? I tapped my chin in thought. Before I could think of a better response, another person entered the discussion. And they said something much better:

"The characters in this kind of novel have limitless possibilities. Their motives are not bound by the genre. The writing style doesn't have to be cookie cutter Tolkien. Plot twists? Not necessary. Romance? Only if you want. Why, if every novel in your genre was similar enough to be unable to distinguish it, I'd never read again."

As you can imagine, this response really got me giddy. Here's a real fan of fantasy writing. Here's someone who put into words what I could not. After reading this response, I happily came to a few conclusions.

My Novel is as Much About the Characters as the World That They are in. Vallidin is not just a heroic fantasy tale. It is also about the struggles we face on our own journeys. How other people can influence our decisions, how sometimes we need other people. Except, it takes place in a world of magic. This is not Earth we are talking about. This is a place where Wizards exist and cell phones do not. There is Romance in Vallidin. One of the central themes of Vallidin is romance. The main characters' actions are very much guided by what he feels for Arianya. And this is a big difference, because being in love can cause us to do things we might not normally do. That's why I included romance in Vallidin. I believe it adds a much needed flavor to the literature.
My next post will likely be a teaser of my upcoming short story. It is a very different writing style that I have adapted over the years. I think you might find it to be a bit more 'R-rated' as well.

Stay tuned!