A psychologist, author, philosopher, freelance editor, and
skeptic, Dan O’Brien has published several novels and currently has many in
print, including: The End of the World
Playlist, Bitten, The Journey, The Ocean and the Hourglass, Deviance
of Time, The Portent, The Twins of Devonshire and the Curse of the
Widow, and Cerulean Dreams.
Follow him on Twitter (@AuthorDanOBrien) or visit his blog at http://thedanobrienproject.blogspot.com.
He also works as an editor at Empirical, a national magazine with a strong West Coast vibe. Find
out more about the magazine at www.empiricalmagazine.com.
CHARACTER INTERVIEW
As
I sit down at my computer, I am struck by the eerie presence of someone behind
me. Leaving behind the blinking cursor, I realize that the cast of my latest
novel, The Path of the Fallen, are
standing behind me. E’Malkai, sullen and burdened by the weight of the
pilgrimage he has undertaken, stands behind the immovable figure of his Umordoc
guardian, Elcites. Arms crossed over his chest, his gaze unsettles me despite
how much time I have spent in his company whilst writing The Path of the Fallen. Arile, proud hunter of the north, leans
against his spear and inspects the wall with a carefree look upon his face.
Fe’rein, shrouded in the darkness that complements him so well, seethes with a
dark mix of irritation and confidence.
E’Malkai:
I heard that you wanted to speak to us.
Me:
(clearing my throat) In a manner of speaking, yes.
Fe’rein:
(glowering) What do you want? We have business left unfinished.
Me:
I am releasing The Path of the Fallen,
after nearly a decade hiatus, and wanted to let potential readers know a little
more about it. Instead of giving them a dry summary or an adjective-laden
exposition, I thought getting to know the characters might be a fun
exercise.
Arile:
(not making eye contact and looking away with a bored look on his face) What
precisely would these potential
readers want to know about us? We are an open book (snickers).
Me:
Let’s start with something simple: Describe yourself to the
readers.
Fe’rein:
Darkness. Death. There is little else to know.
E’Malkai:
(shifting uncomfortably behind his guardian) I do not know what to say about
myself. I thought I knew what I supposed to do with my life, but there was
always something missing. When I learned about the history of the Fallen and
the journey my father began, I realized that I had to find out more, learn
about where I came from.
Elcites:
(grunting) I am no more than what is expected of me. I guard E’Malkai. That is
all that matters.
Arile:
I am the last of my people. We once could hear all the voices of the earth. The
world has been broken. I can no longer hear what I once could. My people have
been scattered into the winds, but I can still hear their distant voices. They
speak of a new age, and of a final war.
Me:
That all sounds quite dire. You make it seem like there is only darkness and
sadness. Are there no happy moments in your life,
memories that give you pause and hope when you consider them?
Elcites:
The day I was given my charge, when I first met young E’Malkai, was the
greatest and saddest day of my life.
E’Malkai:
(looking up at the stoic look on his guardian’s face) I recall playing with my
uncle once upon a time. (Pausing) The world changed, and so too did those
memories. I cannot seem to look back upon the strained moments of my life and
see happiness.
(Fe’rein
scoffs and crosses his arms over his chest. He clearly is not going to answer
the question.)
Arile:
Each day is full of happiness and sadness, joy and terror. I find grace and
importance in the simplest of tasks. This day is a gift. We must not look upon
it with sorrow.
(I
start to speak, but Fe’rein interrupts me, his power crawling over his skin
like a swarm of frightening insects.)
Fe’rein:
What makes this story any different
than any of the other drivel available?
Me:
That is a bit strong, isn’t it? I would like to think that my writing offers a
fresh perspective on the fantasy and science fiction genre. I always try and
include elements of ethics and philosophical assumptions in my novels, and this
one is no different. I love to explore the elements of good and evil, as well
as the murky gray area that is exposed when decisions and choices and are no
longer easy. I think it captures the essence of the monomyth, or the hero’s journey, as well as being a rousing
adventure tale that a reader of any age can enjoy.
E’Malkai:
How is it doing so far?
Me:
It is a bit early in the game to really say much about it. I released it almost
a decade ago and it was well received, but it was in desperate need of a strong
editing session. Now, I feel like it accurately reflects my growth as a writer
and that it has a strong chance of being pretty successful, perhaps my most
successful work yet. Let’s put the focus
back on you: What do you want from life?
E’Malkai:
I want to set things right…
(Fe’rein
stands suddenly. Elcites turns, interceding between the Dark Creator and the
youth. Arile moves soundlessly behind the mion.)
Fe’rein:
There is nothing to set right. I did what was necessary. They took Summer away
from me. They had to pay.
Me:
(standing) It seems as though I have struck a nerve. Let’s try something a bit
easier, shall we? What’s the most important thing in your life? What do you
value most?
Arile:
(lowering his weapon) The search for truth, questioning my place in this world.
Complacency weakens the mind. I value knowledge, intelligence, and logic.
Fe’rein:
(sitting once more with a huff) Solitude. The power to do what I must to keep
what I have claimed. Once, I valued family and love, but those times have
passed.
Elcites:
My charge, my mission.
E’Malkai:
My family, the people who depend on and believe in me, even if that faith is
misplaced.
Me:
Speaking of family, did you turn out the way you expected? The
way your parents predicted?
(Elcites
maintains his ambivalent stare and Arile inspects something deeper in the
darkness of the room.)
Fe’rein:
I did not know my mother and father well. I have memories of them, brief
glimpses of who they were, moments in time frozen and exaggerated. I used to
wonder how they would judge me, but that doesn’t matter to me any longer. I
turned out the way I did because of the choices I made. My father could not have
known what would fall into my path. His plan for me is irrelevant.
E’Malkai:
(looking at his uncle, Fe’rein, with sorrow) I did not know my father, but as I
traveled north I learned much about the man he was and who he wanted me to be.
My mother was secretive of my past, but I do not blame her. I realize now that
she did not want me to die as my father had.
Me:
That is quite sad. The path of the fallen began when Seth, your father, was
cast from the Fallen and then ends when you return. Were you afraid of
traveling north by yourself, E’Malkai? What is your greatest fear?
E’Malkai:
Not being able to do what is necessary. Turnabout is fair play: At what point
in your life did you realize you wanted to be a writer?
Me:
A meaningful question indeed. I think I always knew I wanted to be a writer.
When I was about six, I designed an entire play for my cousin’s birthday: sets,
script, and little figures on Popsicle sticks. As the years went by, I found
that the notion of storytelling was very attractive. This pursuit led me to
writing my first novel in high school, a space opera that I published in 2002. Since
then I have published ten novels and plan on telling stories until someone
spreads my ashes over the sea. (Turning to Fe’rein) Fe’rein, what is your greatest
regret?
Fe’rein:
Beyond being summoned to this ridiculous farce, I would imagine the content of
my life was the result of walking down a path to darkness. It was not sudden or
abrasive, but instead incremental and engrossing. My greatest regret is taking
my brother’s life. It was too late for me by then. I could only see darkness,
despair.
Elcites:
(clearing his throat) What was your intent with writing The Path of the Fallen? Why did you set us down this path?
Me:
I wanted to tell a very particular story: one in which the line between good
and evil become blurred and the consequences of a hero’s actions mean much more
than defeating the bad guy. I liked the notion of a family saga wrapped up in
an epic science fiction/fantasy novel. The hero’s cycle makes for a powerful
story and often answers fundamental questions about the human condition.
Hopefully, my book is successful to that end. (Taking a step forward and
gesturing to Arile) Arile, how do you decide if
you can trust someone? Do you test the person somehow? Or are you just
generally disposed to trust or not to trust?
Arile:
Trust, like respect, is earned. When I first met E’Malkai, it was his naivety
and simple manner that let me know that I could trust him. Generally, the test
of whether or not a person is trustworthy is created by the environment,
selected for by pressures that challenge a person. The idea of being
predisposed to trust, or not to trust, is born of not trusting oneself. Have
you written many more stories? Are we to carry on, storyteller?
Me:
As the book closes, the story does not end. The path has ended, at least
metaphorically, but the journey is far from over. Book of Seth returns to the beginning, giving us a glimpse of the
life of Seth Armen, as well as Ryan Armen before he was corrupted. The sequel,
which takes place after The Path of the
Fallen, is called Breath of the
Creator and weighs in on what comes next. There are several other novels
with transient beings not of your dimension: a supernatural detective solving
murders in San Francisco; a young man who discovers what it takes to be
responsible as the world falls apart; a love story set in an epic fantasy
world. (Spreading my hands wide, acknowledging all of them) This question is
for all of you, what is one strong memory
that has stuck with you from childhood? Why is it so powerful and lasting?
Arile:
I will never forget when I returned home from a hunt and found my village
decimated, wiped from this earth by Umordoc. I took the long walk into the
tundra, to die, but found peace and a new home. The winds have been my
companion ever since.
Fe’rein:
Your question is foolish, storyteller. My childhood was a lifetime ago. I am no
longer that frail boy who walked beside his brother on the tundra.
Elcites:
I do not recall my childhood. I was born on Terra and raised in Culouth. My
youth was devoted to learning everything I could about human beings and their
ways so that I might one day protect E’Malkai.
E’Malkai:
Once I had fond memories, but now they all seem like lies meant to obscure my
path. Storyteller, do you read other stories? Are
you reading anything right now, or have you read anything recently that is
worth mentioning?
Me:
I have been reading A Dance of Dragons
by George R. R. Martin. I have become very invested in that world, though I
will admit that the pace of the narrative has slowed dramatically. I find
myself undulating between being surprised and intrigued by the story and then
suddenly being quite bored.
Elcites:
How did we come into being?
Me:
I am assuming you are asking me about my writing process. For The Path of the Fallen I wrote it for
four months straight, including Book of
Seth. Generally, I like to create a living outline that evolves as the characters
come to life and begin to guide the narrative. It is dependent on the world I
am invested in at any given time.
E’Malkai:
Are our names meaningful?
Me:
They are not derived from other lore, if that is what you meant. E’Malkai was
named as homage to the naming scheme of the tundra people. It really depends on
what I am writing. For instance, The
Journey has names that are quite significant in terms of their meaning.
Otherwise, I like to invent names for a particular world.
Arile:
How do you define success as a writer? Have you
been successful?
Me:
Success is elusive once you define it. It becomes something that you aspire for
regardless of the process and the craft. I would like to think that success is
writing stories that people in enjoy and connect with, even if it is
negatively. I think I have been successful in a very limited way: people have
read my books and enjoyed them.
E’Malkai:
Do you have words of wisdom about writing that
you want to pass on to novelists and writers out there who are starting out?
Me:
Write what you love and learn from criticism. The publishing world has changed.
I have been writing for nearly a decade and I find that every year there seems
to be a new opinion on which way the wind is blowing for fiction. Stay the
course and do what you love. If writing novels and telling stories is what you
want to do, then do that.
Fe’rein:
I have noticed that you ask this ridiculous question of other storytellers: What
is your End of the World Playlist? Why do you ask this question?
Me:
I like hearing what people think about the notion of an end-of-the-world
scenario. Also, I have a zombie novella of the same name and I like having the
vibes out there for it. Do you guys have anything specific that you want to say
to the readers?
Arile:
E’Malkai of the South will do what he must to set the world right. His story
will be passed on for generations.
Elcites:
The path of the fallen is filled with both adventure and sadness. Follow
E’Malkai and be transformed.
Fe’rein:
I will have my day, in this life or the next. I am not evil, nor is E’Malkai
good. We are merely opposite perspectives. You decide who visited more harm
upon the world.
E’Malkai:
I would like to think that I have done the right thing, taken the right path.
The storyteller will not give away his secrets, but he might give you a
glimpse. The greater question is: Do you have anything specific that you want
to say to your readers, storyteller?
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