LS: James, The Enemy's Son has a very epic sweep. It's a fantastic piece of world-building and creates very strong images in the reader's mind. It's also peopled with very distinct characters. Can you give us a 'rough guide' of Erth, it's cities, cultures, and a little history?
JJ: Erth is a place that may be or may have been. It was always my intention to only hint at where we are, so the ‘inferno’ that is only touched upon within the first book can be read in to on all kinds of levels. This world is a savage, desolate wasteland and has shaped its people over the course of thousands of years - all of which have individual mutations, or ‘marks’ as they are known. Erth is a cracked and bleeding world that desperately needs to be healed. Fragmented in to thirteen lost cities - the thirteenth, the flying city known as Newton, continues to scourge and bleed Erth dry of its precious life source. The Newtonian Empire also keeps control of its people through a form of substance abuse known as the Dosage.
The only culture that has any connection to their dying land are the Rojin - a spiritual people, those mutated by the twisted realms of Erth, who follow the guide of a mysterious, immortal figure known as The Father. With his strength beginning to fade, the Rojin capital, Yodann is now threatened by a traitor in their midst.
Now, the fate of the Rojin and all life on Erth, rests in the hands of two Newtonian exiles - their enemy, Jeradon Horncastle and his son Pirian. Will their arrival divide the Rojin further or lead them to salvation?
LS: Tell us about the major players. What I found interesting was the constant shifting of perspective - you're always wrong-footing the reader about who are the good, and who the bad guys...
JJ: I’m a strong believer that there is good and bad in everything. The world really isn’t as a clean cut as some people may think, it’s far more complicated than that. What makes a person good, what makes a person evil? Usually it is their surroundings, the society they are brought up in, circumstances they have dealt with for better or worse. Even their genetic code. Nature vs nurture has always fascinated me and is something explored through my characters – understanding this helps you shape them.
This is Jeradon and Pirian Horncastle’s journey. Here we see the sins of the father through the eyes of a child - a tale of redemption and tragedy. Jeradon represents the fallen hero, where as Pirian is the potential hero - both are shaped by circumstance. I think a lot of young readers will relate to Pirian as he grows a great deal throughout The Enemy’s Son.
Other key characters are the wolf-man pirate, Lomax and his faithful companion, the gargoyle Vagabond. Lomax is a real powerhouse character and is a prime example of not knowing whose side he is on.
Shades of grey makes a story so much more interesting to explore. Personally, I think it makes the characters denser, richer. As mentioned there is good and bad in everything - this is a universal message and therefore opens up the world and cultures to be interpreted in different ways. Who are we to say that Newton is evil? That the Rojin are good? Indeed, they do lend themselves more to one than the other, but there are reasons people become who they are. Nature vs nurture - one simply cannot survive without the other and if it does, maybe then we will have the answer to what is truly black and white.
Perspectives are very important in storytelling and developing character. There is nothing that excites me more than to be pulled in to a story only to have the whole thing turned upside down by this shift. It forces you read in to these characters and their world on a whole new level. Essentially, The Enemy’s Son can be read again as two separate books in chronological order if they wish, which will add more depth and understanding to certain key players.
LS: One of the other really exciting things about the whole concept was the idea of it being an illustrated book, but of the illustrations being online. I love this notion that people can find out about the characters in advance, if they wish, or as they read. There's so much thought gone into this aspect. How did you go about creating the visuals and inspiring other artists to get involved?
JJ: Being a Graphic Designer and Illustrator I felt that this should support my writing if anything. They are entirely different disciplines, yet they sit very comfortably together. When the official site was in its early stages of development it was only the chapters and my own gallery showcasing developmental pieces to help me visualise certain characters and scenes. I’d like the think I set a benchmark, that there was a quality there that people appreciated and wanted to become part of. There is no doubt that others have surpassed this and I find it a very humbling experience.
It is important for myself, first and foremost, to have this story recognised and the official artwork is a huge part of that. I also hope that along the way the talent that has attached itself to Erth so far will also gain some recognition in the process. I’d still be writing this story even if the official site never existed - but there is no doubt that it encourages me a great deal to see the respect and dedication of fellow artists around the world devote so much of their time to my world. I feel both humbled and gratified with the submissions - I must be doing something right for them to be producing work of such a high standard. Most of it isn’t simply inspired; it has become definitive due to those artists who are wanting me to art direct them.
It’s a wonderful process that some writers will never experience, through choice or simply not opening those doors. They really want to see my input at every level, which also helps with the world still being recognisable. If I just allowed anything to be placed up on the website, then there would be no point to it. I guide them right down to the subtle nuances - the symbolism, the clothing. Details - but little things that matter to me and hopefully make my world more believable. It began with my own artwork that set the benchmark and I really think these artists are surpassing that.
LS: What were your main sources of inspiration for the book?
JJ: There are so many. I’m a very eclectic person, but if I had to pin point the key influences I would have to say the start of all this for me was Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal. I was taken to the cinema when I was six years old to see this film and it just blew me away. I still watch it religiously and I still think it’s untouchable, even in the light of Peter Jackson’s efforts with The Lord of the Rings.
I used to watch a lot of Saturday morning cartoons, one of which wasn’t so well known was Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors, which has certainly influenced Erth Chronicles. I’ve always been an avid reader of comic books and obsessed about film. These things are a real passion of mine and I enjoy analysing and looking at how they are made - that’s the artist and designer in me I guess. I read a lot and in terms of writers I’m as happy reading Iain M. Banks as I am Elmore Leonard - I’m sure both have rubbed off on me in some way.
One of my favourite young adult books that really pricked up my ears was Michelle Paver’s Wolf Brother. I wish I could write something so simple and effective - an absolutely brilliant read and made me totally rethink the first two chapters of The Enemy’s Son.
LS: The Enemy's Son is book one. Can you give us a taste of what's to come? The preview at the end of the book is very tantalising...
JJ: It’s set seven years after the events of The Enemy’s Son. Erth's harsh realms will be explored on a much larger scale as Pirian, Larissa and Ched begin their Erth Walk - the Rojin's rites of passage. Now he knows he must find Gana, Pirian's life is threatened further not just by Erth, but the relentless pursuit of the beast known as 'Gana's Brother'. Kira Vaseesh must call on a certain Rojin and his Mindship to help save her brother, Karl and his mission from Newtonian forces. Imprisoned within concentration camps and forced to work the protronnium mines - his attempted rescue leads to a harsh discovery.
Back on Newton, a young boy escapes the watchful eye of his father, Emperor Rayal Jakahn. Losing himself within the metropolis he searches for the one emotion that makes him feel remotely alive - 'fear' in the eyes of his victims.
Visit: ERTH CHRONICLES
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