With the launch of The Rarkyn's Fall (book two of The Rarkyn Trilogy) only a few weeks away, it's high time for a quick blog to talk (read: tease) in greater detail about what’s inside. One element I'm especially keen to share is how this book starts to explore different kinds of strength.
If you've been around the writing mill for even a brief amount of time, then you've likely heard the "write strong characters" advice phrased in some way or another. While this is valid advice for writing all characters, it is often aimed at anyone writing women, which is a lot, if not most authors at some point. And in the fantasy genre in particular, writers often translate this into writing physically strong women—myself included. I've blogged before about my frustrations growing up and seeing iteration after iteration of women portrayed as hapless and in need of saving. This was one of my chief reasons for writing Lyss and Brin the way I did in The Rarkyn's Familiar. I wanted capable, competent, badass women in my story, which at the time of writing, felt like a rare thing. (Thankfully today, it's not!).
However, for book two, The Rarkyn's Fall, I wanted to explore "strength" in a different way. In the real world, we have the saying "might makes right"; in the world of The Rarkyn Trilogy it's more akin to "magic and might, makes right". If you have magic or are a military officer, you are more valued in Illredian society. So, I wondered, how might people without these traits cope? Who might they be, and what methods might they use to survive in a world that places magical prowess and military strength at the top of its pecking order?
Enter Nessa and Iraia.
Neither of these characters have sheer physicality or magic to fall back on in a pinch. Neither one conforms to the traditional hero sterotype. Nessa is plus size while Iraia suffers from scoliosis (thank you Richard III for that inspiration!). Nonetheless, despite their magical and physical limitations, they have resilience in spades and have found other ways to navigate society. From Nessa's love and loyalty and Iraia's conviction and intellect, I really wanted these two characters to show there’s more than one kind of strength.
You don't have to be strong to be strong. This is one of the messages I want (hope) readers walk away with after this story. While a kickass main character is always fun to have, I feel it’s important that readers—particularly younger readers—see other kinds of strength highlighted and valued. You don’t need to fit the traditional hero mould; strength comes in all shapes and sizes—and sometimes when and where we least expect it.
Where The Rarkyn’s Familiar explored what makes a monster a monster, one might argue that The Rarkyn’s Fall is an exploration of what makes a hero a hero. And, of course, it wouldn’t be a dark and epic fantasy if there wasn’t some overlap between the two.
Ultimately, whether I’ve succeeded in getting my message across is in the hands of my readers. But if I’m honest, these new “strong” characters are some of my favourite to write, I hope you’ll love them too.
The Rarkyn’s Fall, book two of The Rarkyn’s Trilogy releases on the 16th October 2024. Pre-order here or catch up on the series with book one, The Rarkyn’s Familiar, here.
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