To celebrate Denire's lead, the following is a character highlight on Denire.
My inspiration for Denire actually came from a picture I saw in a knight with a cloak in a medieval magazine (which I cannot find) but here are some pictures that were similar:
(not my art)
The reader first meets Denire when he ambushes the three brothers on their journey through Miscia. Here is an excerpt from the scene:
The
three brothers drew back their reins. The horses neighed, startled
and agitated. A rider on a black horse suddenly appeared in their
path. The rider pulled the reins of his shifting horse as he gazed at
them from beneath a helmet that shadowed his eyes.
“Young
travelers, a word,” he said.
The
brothers were uneasy, but stayed their hands, held over their swords.
Their shock left them and they examined the rider. He was lightly
armored in chain, a blue tunic and cape draped over his sturdy
shoulders and down the sides of his steed. Intricately tooled
leather, they noticed, held a
sword at his waist. The same leather decorated the girdle of his
horse, now pumping its head and snorting at them. They moved their
horses back a few steps, close to each other.
“He
is a soldier of Arnith,” Fasime whispered.
“How
did he find us?” Oman asked in a speculative tone.
“We
should order him back,” Fasime stated, glaring at the rider but
waiting.
“No,
then he would know who we are,” Syah warned.
The
rider’s horse shifted again but he held him back. “I need to
speak with you,” the soldier said in a tactful, compelling voice.
“Why
have you tried to ambush us?” Oman demanded.
“You
should not be here,” the stranger answered. “I am a knight of
Arnith. You three need to come with me.”
(this of course is the wrong time period but I looked at this picture a lot while writing Denire - I liked the dark moodiness of it)
From Chapter Forty Four of Brother, Betrayed
"A Field and a Cabin"
Fasime
turned for his mount, but he saw Eltha had already untied him and was
leading the mighty black warhorse quickly to them. He mounted and
took the reins before turning towards Torgan. All of the villagers
silenced at the sight of him. Agetha held her wounded son with tears
in her eyes.
“Quickly!”
Torgan shouted. “Gather what horses we have and follow him!”
Fasime
sheathed his sword and shouldered his bow. He didn’t take the
moment to glance to the villagers, the mother and the wounded boy,
knowing what their eyes would tell him.
Bring
her back.
Fasime
flicked Lightning’s reins and cried out to him, starting him
galloping out of the market and towards the northern woods. The
sounds of the villagers were quickly out of earshot. They were into
the field before Fasime realized what he was doing. He was one man
against at least a dozen raiders. The feelings of duty towards the
village and family that had harbored him strengthened his resolve and
he withdrew the bow from his shoulder. They can’t out ride
Lightning.
He
was already to the threshold of the forest. He pressed his heals into
the stallion’s sides and leaned forward. He had always held caution
with the beast, not allowing it to ride at its fastest speed, not
knowing, upon that brink, what he would unleash. But now he strove
towards it, seeing that upon entering the forest there was little
snow upon the ground and the marauders’ trail was indefinite.
The
steed responded with a supernatural understanding. It rushed with
zeal in the direction its rider commanded it. Fasime gripped the
girdle tightly, feeling the jolting of the ride strangely smooth the
faster they galloped, as if Lightning glided towards their foes,
becoming discernible in the distance between the trees. No root nor
stone nor limb hampered him.
Perilously
Fasime straightened, reached for an arrow and knocked his bow. Soon.
They will be within range soon.
They
were deeper into the woods and Fasime was almost close enough. How
many arrows will it take until they turn and fight? We shall see.
Fasime raised the bow, unsure of his aim upon his shaking ride.
He saw the trailing end of their riders clearly ahead. He closed one
eye and drew the string, locking his legs against the stallion and
targeted the rear rider. He released the string and the arrow flew
ahead of him. Within a moment the enemy rider fell off his horse. He
was close enough to see the other riders turn in their saddles and
spot him. They didn’t stop and turn. They quickened their pace.
"War is not the answer, but if there's only one thing that'll make it better, then call me a warrior..."
- from Admiral Tibbett's "War is Not the Answer"
War. A definer of cultures and nations. Embedded in the psyches of the inhabitants of every "civilized" country. The embodiment of humanity's greatest evils, and yet the source of our highest ideals.
Courage ~ Patriotism ~ Honor
War creates heroes, but also has been the inspiration behind many great novels.
Whether it is a war against the ultimate evil such as the war against Sauron in the Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien...
Or the sparring of factions such as the houses in The Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin...
From The Art of The Song of Ice and Fire by Michael Komarck link
Most Popular Fiction War Novels:
Locked On by Tom Clancy
Though hard-core fans of Tom Clancy had mixed feelings about this novel, many reviews highlight the strong plot of this loved Locked On. A tale of modern military, terrorism, and political espionage.
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
Though written over a century and a half ago, War and Peace is still one of the best-selling fictional war novels.
A recent review from Amazon:
Ever since I was a teen (I'm 51) I tried reading War and Peace. The furthest I ever got was something like Page 80. Six summers ago, I thought, what the heck, give it another shot. After Page 100 or so, the book picked up steam, and I was absolutely awed as I've seldom been by all the great books I've read in my life. That's what I want to share with potential readers of this great book. Stick with it. It's like a trickling stream that grows and grows from many tributaries into a grand wide raging river. It's got everything in it, as if it were written by God. Tolstoy saw everything. There are so many, many unforgettable scenes in it. My favorite two are the costume party at the country estate (pure magic!) and the great wolf-hunting scene in which the wolf actually takes on a personality under the all-knowing skill of Tolstoy's great pen.
The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane
A very personal following of a fictional soldier's experiences during the Civil War. Though not action-oriented, The Red Badge of Courage gives insight to the darker side of war.
The Forever War by Joe Handleman
Critical acclaim for The Forever War:
"If there was a Fort Knox for Science Fiction writers, we'd have to lock Joe Haldeman up."
--Stephen King, author of The Shining, The Dead Zone, The Stand "The Forever War is not just a great Science Fiction novel, it's a great Vietnam war novel - and a great war novel, without qualification- that is also Science Fiction. A classic to grace either genre."
--Iain M. Banks, author of Use of Weapons, The Player of Games, Matter "FOREVER WAR is brilliant--one of the most influential war novels of our time. That it happens to be set in the future only broadens and enhances its message."
--Greg Bear, author of Moving Mars, Eon, The Forge of God
New Release in Fantasy, Fiction War Novels
Brother Betrayed by Danielle Raver (my novel)
There are two elements of battle in this novel. First, the main characters are often engaged in hand to hand combat, their chosen weapons usually being swords. To write these scenes with some historical accuracy, I studied different types of swords and their uses in combat. It helps that my husband collects swords and built his own forge in the back yard.
The other element of warfare in Brother, Betrayed comes from the main kingdom being at constant war with the surrounding tribes. These battles I modeled after battles fought in the Crusades. Though set in a fantasy world, there is a strong emphasis on knights, archers, cavalry, and siege weapons and tactics.
Several sequences in Brother, Betrayed were based on the Siege of Antioch, where a small number of soldiers defended against a large army in the First Crusade.
An excerpt from a hand to hand combat scene from Brother, Betrayed:
The large man stepped back, drawing his sword. Syah watched him grasp the hilt with both hands and then stand still. “You strike first,” Malgar said, as usual, “gradually to start.”
Syah nodded again as he drew his sword. His mind moved ahead of his actions, calculating the trainer’s moves, his vulnerabilities with a larger, slower sword. The prince moved towards him, swinging his blade downward and stepping to the side.
Malgar parried. “Good, and again,” he ordered.
Syah turned and swung at him from the other side. The trainer parried again and the prince tried at him from a different angle.
“Now faster,” Malgar ordered, stepping back to avoid the prince’s novice blade. The prince could feel his breathing grow shallow and his pulse quicken. He felt a rush of energy, his mind clear, thinking ahead of his strikes, evaluating and executing.
“Good,” Malgar said, “now defend.” Syah changed his stance to block the trainer’s sword. He saw the man’s direction; he watched the position of his sword, predicting his actions. Syah felt satisfaction as he was able to block each of Malgar’s attacks.
“Very nice, you defend well,” the trainer praised. “You know the moves well. Now we’ll increase the speed.”
Syah shifted his sword as Malgar came towards him. The prince held his ground a moment, but stepped back after blocking several quick attacks. Malgar moved forward again. Syah glanced at the trainer’s face, seeing his eyes were narrow, resolute, angry. Syah tightened his hands on the hilt and continued to defensively position his sword to prevent Malgar’s attacks from following through. The weapons master pushed forward, but Syah was close to the wall and had no room to maneuver. The man’s flashing sword came at him faster; although the prince was able to block it, it was becoming more difficult. Syah tried to move to a more open position away from the wall, but his adversary’s sword prevented him.
Malgar emitted a low, furious battle cry and Syah shuddered.
The wars drive the tension between the brothers as they each try to prove their usefulness to the kingdom. Oman, the eldest, is schooled on war by the king:
“A battle is fluid, my son. We do not plan for a single moment, but a series of possible events.”
“Yes Father,” Oman answered.
“Commander Lenpece, you will lead the majority of our mounted troops behind the Marrian army and wait until we engage them. Then you will herd them towards the hills, where Oman will be waiting with a company of fighters and archers. We will keep some cavalry with the main force in case they decide to send archers to the hills to the west. And I will await them, blocking their way to Bafonville. They will perceive us as a possible victory, a fair fight, and perhaps they will grow spine enough to engage us in open battle.”
Oman watched his men gather around him as the king left, awaiting orders. The king looked back to him after mounting. “Shall the skies shine on our victory today,” he said and tugged on the reins.
“We shall let the king and his army gain ground. When the Marrians see him they will slow their advance. We desire our presence to be secret, so we will approach with care, and gain the opposite side of the hill, out of sight. It will be imperative that they see the king’s army first and decide to match them. We will attack at the opportune moment, giving their army a chance to pass us. When the king’s army tears them down and they retreat, they will be exposed to our attack from the hill. Mount, we will ride until we can see the eastern hills in the distance. Tell the archers to follow behind us. Be wary of enemy scouts crossing the area.” The prince mounted and was followed by his host of soldiers and knights.
Tags: war, fiction war novels, warfare, warriors, "The Shadow of Sauron" by Ted Nasmith, Admiral Tibbett's "War is Not the Answer", The Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin, Most Popular Fiction War Novels, Locked On by Tom Clancy, War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane, The Forever War by Joe Handleman, Brother Betrayed by Danielle Raver, the Crusades, the Seige of Antioch, The First Crusade, knights, archers, siege, battles
I will be signing and reading excerpt from my book Brother, Betrayed on November 11th, from 9am to 4pm at the Barnes and Noble on campus at Troy University, in Troy, AL.
Flyers for the event:
Pre-order your signed copy of Brother, Betrayed from www.fantasyislandbookpublishing.com and pay no extra shipping!
To celebrate the print release of my novel Brother, Betrayed, I am starting a "Fan of the Month" club on my Face Book Fan Page link
Becoming a writer has been a dream of mine since I was old enough to put words on paper. I've learned that hard work and determination, and a true love for your talent, really can make dreams come true.
Share your dreams with us to celebrate "Meeting your Dreams". I hope you join us!
