Writing a Dragon Fantasy pt. II
In the first part of my blog I talked a bit about the backstory for my A Time of Dragons fantasy adventure series. Here in part II let's do a deep dive into the subplot and the research it took to bring to life an authentic fantasy story.
SUBPLOT
The subplot lays with the villains more than the heroes. In a struggle for power, newly crowned King Falkon is still trying to break free from the shadow of his father. At the same time, the lavish life of a ruler has distracted him from his priorities.
This makes it easier for his new queen, Nadiuska, a stranger to the people of Atharia, to force her own rule. In the middle of their tug-of-war is a mercenary named Coraise Kennethgorian. As leader of the Righteous Wardens his needs lay in payment for duties fulfilled. But Coraise has been around and he sees the cracks forming in the towers of the castle and intends to capitalize on it. Which one of them will end up as ruler?
RESEARCH
Writing a fantasy novel requires a different type of research than a contemporary setting. What I did was see what came before in popular fantasy novels and make sure I was living up to those same standards.
I like to read the same genre that I'm writing in at the time. Fo Rayna, I leaned into a novel series from Richard Kirk called Raven: Swordmistress of Chaos. These are oldies but really well-written good fantasy. Reading them helped me to improve my plots and be more descriptive without bogging down the story.
The other bit of research I did was re-watching the TV series Xena: Warrior Princess. There really hasn't been a series to come along since which portrays a powerful female warrior in a way that is enjoyable to watch.
I wanted Rayna to carry some of those traits as well. Dong these deep dives into characterization and plot is what makes it fun to write fantasy. For authors, that first draft is us reading the story we wanted for the first time. Having characters come alive helps move it along in the most wonderful of ways.
What I Hope Readers Take Away
First and foremost, I hope readers have fun going on this adventure with Rayna and her new friends. The other part of the story is in not letting your past dictate your future. Normally, I don't write with a message but this one is prevalent throughout. What I really hope you take away is time well spent with a good book!
If you're interested in who the supporting cast of characters are and which actors I envision playing them, check out this blog post on Fantasy Casting a Novel.
If you want to learn more about the hero Rayna, you can Meet the Hero in my original post here or check out the video below!
