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.
Treasure Island (Robert Louis Stevenson) – The granddaddy of all treasure hunt adventures, the influence of this classic could hardly be overlooked. In particular, the character of Long John Silver and his relationship with Jim is a key inspiration. Silver is a compelling character, but he is dangerous, and you are never quite sure whose side he is on, or if he will suddenly turn on Jim. There are hints of this danger in the relationship between Max and Flynn in my novel.
Five On A Treasure Island (Enid Blyton) – I’m a big fan of Enid Blyton’s Famous Five series. Whilst Five Go To Smuggler’s Top is my absolute favourite, this initial entry is also a cracking tale of children finding the treasure of local legend. It also illustrates one of the key principles of a great treasure hunt narrative (whether aimed at adults or children), in that the discovery of the treasure is ultimately and ironically secondary to obtaining something of even greater value – in this case, lasting friendship between the children, and the restoration of relationship between George and her parents. In my book, the treasure is important, but the restored relationship between Max and his father is the much greater prize.
Pigeon Post (Arthur Ransome) – Arthur Ransome’s superb Swallows and Amazons series are shamefully neglected by many these days. They normally concern boating adventures, but in this instalment, our heroes go prospecting for gold in the Lake District, whilst dodging the attention of a rival prospector. Other books in this series are more famous, but I always had a soft spot for this one. Peter Duck was another Ransome influence, incidentally.
The Goonies – A gang of children follow a map to buried treasure to save their neighbourhood from being torn down by smug property developers who want to build a golf course. Yes, it’s all rather noisy and obnoxious, but for children of a certain age (ie my age), this film can do no wrong. Packed with maps, cryptic clues, secret passages, booby traps, villainous rival treasure hunters, and so on, this is an obvious influence on my book that it would disingenuous to ignore.
Mary Poppins – The Disney film rather than the PL Travers’s novels are the inspiration here. Mr Banks routinely ignores his children (and to be fair, so does Mrs Banks). The magical Mary Poppins then appears, taking the children on extraordinary adventures whilst work drives Mr Banks to a nervous breakdown. However, upon realising what is important in life, Mr (and Mrs) Banks then are reunited with their children – at which point Poppins exits stage right. This theme is echoed in Uncle Flynn, with the establishment of the estranged relationship between Max and his father, which then gives way to adventures with Flynn, ahead of the big twist in the finale.
The Little Stranger – Sarah Waters’s sublime gothic mystery was a key tonal influence. Throughout the promotion of Phantom Audition, I’ve been very keen to emphasise that this isn’t a story that’s interested in terrifying the living daylights out of readers like some of my more overt horror stories. It that respect, it is akin to the psychological drama of this very clever ghost story, which whilst being page-turningly gripping, isn’t necessarily going to cause nightmares. The ghost story here belongs to a more old-school tradition, wherein the protagonist entering the haunted house ultimately discovers themselves within, in a manner of speaking.
Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte’s masterpiece is a clear inspiration in many areas, most tellingly in the way Thornfield Hall intimidates Jane, and has hidden secrets. In my novel, the dark secrets of Steven Yardley (a sort-of Rochester figure) haunt the protagonist Mia from beyond his grave. His Jacobean family mansion also intimidates Mia, and holds a few hidden secrets of its own.
Don’t Look Now – Daphne Du Maurier’s stunning short story (and Nic Roeg’s equally stunning film adaptation) were definite thematic inspirations. Don’t Look Now’s themes of grief and obsession are mirrored in my novel, along with certain plot themes (including the mediums). Incidentally, Du Maurier’s Rebecca was also an influence, but then again, that novel has influenced so many of my works that it’s getting a bit tedious to keep listing it.
Sleeping Murder – Act one of this Agatha Christie mystery remains a superbly unsettling opener, as a young married woman finds her dream home was once laid out with the exact refurbishments she wants to undertake. Every detail – from garden landscaping, to where she would put a door, to her chosen wallpaper – are already there, beneath the surface. This mess-with-your-head mystery is tonally something I adopted in my novel.
A Fantastic Woman – This Chilean film, which won Best Foreign Film at the 2018 Oscars, might at first appear an odd choice as an influence on Phantom Audition. Nonetheless, it actually provided the initial inspiration. The story concerns a transgender woman dealing with the death of her partner, and finding herself isolated and ostracised by his family. The film has a dreamlike, magical realist quality to it, and even at times becomes a bit like a thriller (there’s a mysterious key which her partner left, for example). Moreover, there is something of a descent into the underworld/death and rebirth metaphor in the film, a story arc which is very much echoed in my novel. One image particularly leapt out at me – that of a ghostly vision of the dead partner staring out at her from a crowded nightclub dance floor amid strobe lights. It’s an image I actually nicked, sorry, “paid homage” to.
Death and the Maiden – Another Chilean influence of sorts, in that Chilean playwright Ariel Dorfman wrote this blinder of a stage play (later adapted into a film by Roman Polanski). The plot concerns a woman called Paulina Escobar who becomes convinced her husband’s house guest is actually the man who kidnapped, tortured, and raped her several years previously. Paulina’s lawyer husband isn’t convinced, but she is determined to torture a confession out of the man who might be her former tormentor. However if he confesses, is his confession true, or simply a desperate attempt at escaping his predicament by telling her what she wants to hear? How this play influenced my novel, I will not explain, but it will become apparent when you read it.
Simon Dillon Books 
You must be logged in to post a comment.