Some of you have asked me about my favorite supporting characters beyond the “Big 6” (Agni, Anton, Sara, Verlan, Kali, and Alexander). Some spoilers below.
Son of the Borderlands is a character-driven work by design. Not “world-driven” like A Song of Ice and Fire nor “quest-driven” like Lord of the Rings. That meant I needed to feel the secondary characters, to incubate them and let them grow in my head. Here are my views and inspirations for several of them.
Dona: The kindly old woman with a heart of gold, who faced tragedy (the deaths of her four children) in a tragic world, but without becoming jaded. A grandmother in all but name.
Nira and Qualo: Through them, the chilling indifference of the world comes through. They suffer through no fault of their own. But they also receive a great kindness through a chance encounter with Agni. Similar to our world, the book’s world is capable of great fortune and misfortune.
Aira: In my undergrad, I took a course on witchcraft–not how to work spells, but the phenomenon throughout history. Often, strong women suffered from men who feared their power and influence, or did not understand the arts they passed down. Aira is a fearless, unapologetic crone in a world that fears them. Instead of being cowed by knights and priests, she became an Azectrai town institution.
Orlan: Though fanatically loyal to an earthly leader, not a religion, he’s every zealot type I’ve met who used their position to be cruel. Attending a Catholic high school that preached a highly retrograde version of the faith, I knew too many of them.
Rem: If Rem appeared earlier in the book, he might have been a primary character. Rem is the “fox” to Agni’s “wolf,” a charismatic, shrewd man who shows himself Agni’s worthy foil. Their duels of wits were some of my favorite scenes to write.
The Other Knights and Politicians: Like many contested lands, the Azectrai Valley is a place of intrigue, backstabbing, and split loyalties. They are venal, petty, and self-aggrandizing. They are willing to sacrifice others for the slightest personal gain. Their children like Sir Arno are spoiled and sheltered, like many who grew up in privilege. They toady up to the truly powerful, like Duke Verlan, who stand to personally benefit them. Just watch the news and you shall see the type.
Book 2, tentatively titled Daggers of the King, will introduce a host of others. There will be 4.5 POV characters (the “half” is for one who only gets two chapters), and a much larger “supporting cast” to draw you in. Get ready for another riveting ride.