Fantasy Book Critic: COVER REVEAL Q&A: Banesong by Bryan Gifford (interviewed by Mihir Wanchoo)

BG: I always loved reading. As a kid, I devoured any books I could and loved any of the longer series, even books like the Lord of the Rings—which were admittedly a little over my head through my first reading. I wanted to keep living in those fantasy worlds, and so writing my own worlds and stories was just a natural progression!

Q] Why did you choose to go the self-published route?

BG: There were many factors that went into going down that route but the lower barrier of entry and the freedom to truly do anything I wanted were big contributors. Self-publishing sometimes gets a bad rap but there are many advantages in going self-published such as maintaining your artistic license and creative control.

(Cover art by Felix Ortiz, design-typography by Shawn T. King)

Q] The artwork for Banesong is spectacular (to say the least). What were your main pointers for your cover artist as you both went through the process of finalizing it? What were the main things that you wished to focus on in it?

BG: I love the cover too! It turned out phenomenal. We both knew that the main character, Adera, and her sword for which the book is named after needed to be the focus points for anyone viewing the cover. From there, the background and other characters flowed organically and felt very natural with the style I was going for. I wanted it to feel gritty, bloody and vengeful, and brightened with just a little hope. We went through a few renditions of character positioning. I didn’t want Adera to be too heroic looking as she’s not quite the traditional hero, so we eventually went with something that felt like the characters were advancing towards a horizon.

The font color was difficult. We were struggling to find something that really made the cover pop and didn’t want to settle for something that was just boring old black. Eventually, I thought of white to play off Adera’s hair. We had some discussions about it and decided white was the way to go. I think it really accents the cover design and provides a fantastic draw for the eye.

Q] Let’s talk about how Banesong came to fruition? What was your inspiration for this fantasy story?

BG: The inspiration for Banesong came solely from an idea for a character I had been playing around with for some time. I loved this concept of a woman who’d suffered greatly and was little more than a boogeyman story. Her social anxiety and borderline psychosis played well with her sarcasm and dry sense of humor, and I wanted to portray all that through not only dialogue but in the prose and way she viewed the world.

The creation of the rest of the book flowed entirely around her and came about as a result of deciding how she would act, where she would go, and how the book’s other characters and events would be impacted by her. It was a fun project in character study!

Q] Can you tell us more about the world that Banesong is set in? What are the curiosities (geographical, mystical, etc.) of this world?

BG: Banesong is set in the world of Aldresh and focuses on the country of Edonia. The country had broken off from the Vauthieran Empire a few decades ago and has been in a state of tenuous peace at best. Civil war brews against the crown and a mysterious enemy has risen up from within to join an Imperial invasion from the west. Adera is thrust into the midst of this conflict during her quest to kill the king and his governors for reasons that unfold throughout the story.

The story is tightly focused on the main characters and their struggles. It’s more of a low fantasy setting without magic or mystical creatures, with cultures inspired by the Chinese and the Byzantine. The world of Aldresh is a dangerous place, however, and mysteries lie around every corner.

(Cover art by Felix Ortiz, design-typography by Shawn T. King)

Q] Is Banesong going to the first book of a series? What can you reveal about your plans for the series (number of books)? Is there a series title?

BG: Banesong is a standalone. It felt natural for the story I wanted to tell to be concluded in one novel. However, I do have ideas for a continuation or a prequel and a collection of short stories following Adera’s adventures if there is a strong reception for the book and I feel people want to see more. We’ll have to see what else is in store for her!

Q] Can you share something about the book that is not mentioned in the blurb and why fans should be excited for this new story?

BG: All the events of the book tie in many ways to Adera’s past and to specific people that reveal themselves to her as the story progresses. There are also two other characters that follow Adera and whose lives are closely tied to her. It’s exciting seeing these characters grow together and watch the threads of her past unwind.

I hope also that readers hang on the edge of their seats for the many action scenes and battles that occur throughout the book. There’s some gritty in-your-face fighting and sweeping set pieces that fans of military fantasies will surely love!

Q] For someone who has not read any of your novels, how would you describe the type of stories that you write?

BG: I try to focus on characters and their growths, I feel that helps ground stories and connect readers with the casts of the books. Grand battles and dirty, nail-biting action helps too! Realism and the horrors of war and peoples’ struggles in a bitter and unforgiving world are important components of my works, but there’s always that light of hope—an ember to spark a flame, if you will.

Q] You also have previously released an epic fantasy trilogy called The Atonement trilogy. What can you tell us about your debut books?

BG: The Atonement Trilogy was and is very close to my heart and was where I first started writing at a young age. They are about a soldier’s struggles with revenge and grief amidst a four-hundred-year war against an immortal tyrant. These have tons of action, magic, humans and undead twisted by the will of a forgotten and vengeful god, and a grand conflict fomenting into a final and epic confrontation.

Q] In closing, do you have any parting thoughts or comments you’d like to share with our readers?

BG: Yes, I just want to say thank you to everyone who’s supported me along the way and to everyone who reads my work. It means so much to me seeing people read and enjoy the stories that come from the heart. Writing can often be a difficult and lonely path but every one of my readers makes that a path worth walking!

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OFFICIAL BLURB: Some people just need a knife to the back…

For Adera, that man is Urel Arellis: traitor, murderer, and king.

Thought dead and lost to the world, Adera stalks the shadows, a revenant striking fear in the hearts of all, earning her names only whispered in the dark. Years spent dissecting his networks, cutting down his supporters, daring to stir hope in the populace, have all come down to this moment. She has vowed to tear him from his throne.

Rebellion stirs in her wake, and beyond the seas, new threats loom. A mysterious enemy ravages across the continent of Edonia, one that whispers from the fires of Adera’s past. She must face her past to face her future, for Urel is not the only one with blood on his hands.

One thing is certain, however: some people just need a knife in the back. And for Urel Arellis…

That knife is a sword.