The most obvious point of inspiration for my new fantasy novel Ravenseed is the Arthur Legends. Whether you’re reading Sir Thomas Mallory’s La Morte d’Arthur, TH White’s The Once and Future King, or any of the many other versions of Arthurian mythology, this is the most direct and conscious influence. Though Ravenseed is an entirely original work and makes no direct reference to Merlin, Guinevere, Arthur, or any of his various knights, the Dark Ages setting, and a couple of references to the unnamed King, make clear this tale belongs somewhere in the Arthurian timeline.

What other texts most influenced my work? Here are three books that lingered in my subconscious whilst writing, mostly as a tonal inspiration.

The Bible: 1 and 2 Samuel

I’ve written before about my theory that the Arthur legends were directly inspired by the story of King David. Just replace Samuel with Merlin, Saul with Uther Pendragon, David with Arthur, David’s Mighty Men of Valour with the Knights of the Round Table, Jerusalem with Camelot, and add supernatural artefacts (the Ark of the Covenant, Excalibur, and the Holy Grail). You get the idea. 

My primary source of inspiration for this tale is the forbidden romance aspect: Lancelot and Guinevere in the Arthur legends, and David and Bathsheba in the Bible. Their affairs lead to disaster in both cases (as well as causing war and division in the process – Absalom, Mordred, etc). In Ravenseed, there are two romantic stories, each a parallel of the other, one in the Dark Ages and one in the present. One is forbidden, the other isn’t, but both relationships face potential catastrophe.

The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro

This melancholy, elegiac tale of an elderly couple journeying in an attempt to find their son shortly after the reign of King Arthur is an unusual, vivid novel. A mysterious loss of memory seems to have gripped many in the land, though as they travel, the couple in question slowly recall their past. Along the way, they encounter knights, monks, ogres, dragons, and a number of travelling companions, some of whom are not what they seem. Much iconoclastic debunking of the supposed honour and justice of Arthurian rule ensues.

In this novel, Arthur is not the all-benevolent King generally spoken about in the legends, as the major revelations of the story reveal. In Ravenseed, the two knights, Sir Peter and Sir Matthew, are not as affluent or famous as many of their more celebrated kin, and whilst my book doesn’t reveal dark deeds performed by their King the way this one does, it does note that the King and his wizard (neither of whom are named) are often too wrapped up in loftier matters to care about important details like showing up for battles. In addition, Sir Peter and Sir Matthew are not treated well by the knights closest to the King, and understandably bear a certain amount of ill will as a result.

Stardust by Neil Gaiman

This hugely enjoyable romantic fairytale features star-crossed lovers, quite literally, given that one of the central couple, Yvaine, is a fallen star. Tristan has vowed to bring this star to the object of his affection, Victoria, but finds himself drawn to Yvaine amid a supernatural comedy of errors that also features an evil witch, enchantments, and certain other fantastical complications, some of which were an influence on Ravenseed.

Chief among these is the main enchantment that afflicts Elizabeth in my story (the details of which I will not spoil). She has just got married to Sir Matthew, at a detour to the Raven Inn on their march to war, though they do not consummate the marriage. However, Sir Peter is also drawn to her, and gradually, she begins to reciprocate. Obviously, love triangles are nothing new, but the supernatural nature of those in Stardust informed both of the romantic narratives in my novel. I’d also add the comedy in Stardust also informed some of the lighter moments in Ravenseed.

Again, to be clear, Ravenseed is its own beast and stands out from all the above. But it would be disingenuous not to mention the inspirations and influences that informed the novel. Besides, if any of the above are your cup of tea, I reckon you’d definitely enjoy my book.

Ravenseed is out now. Here’s the blurb from the back of the book to whet your appetite, if you’ve yet to pick up a copy:

532 AD. Knights Sir Peter and Sir Matthew ride to battle, but when they take an ill-advised detour, the two friends find themselves involved in a quest to break a curse on Sir Matthew’s love, Elizabeth.

The quest sends them on a journey through Anglia, where they encounter magicians, spirits, gods, and dangers beyond their wildest dreams – from without and within.

 In the present day, as teenager Fay Pendleton reads an ancient account of the two knights, scars start appearing on her face. Despite her ongoing disfigurement, she becomes obsessed with discovering the outcome of the quest, and her link to this mysterious story.

Ravenseed is available from Amazon on Kindle or paperback here (in the UK) and here (in the US). Downloads or paperbacks are also available from Draft2Digital, Smashwords, and associated outlets here.