Ask the Author: David Dalglish
“Throw at me whatever silly, stupid, random question you feel like, and I'll do my best to answer. Those answers might even be interesting or entertaining, though I make no promises.”
David Dalglish
Answered Questions (165)
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This question contains spoilers...
(view spoiler)[First of all, I need to say that I love your books and I hope that you will become a morw popular author so soon.
My question is about the fall of Citadel. In Paladins series, it is said that Velixar destroyed the Citadel, but in the end of the Clash of Faiths (i guess), Darius killed him so easily as soon as he joined Ashhur's side. How did he manage to get killed so easily? (hide spoiler)]
My question is about the fall of Citadel. In Paladins series, it is said that Velixar destroyed the Citadel, but in the end of the Clash of Faiths (i guess), Darius killed him so easily as soon as he joined Ashhur's side. How did he manage to get killed so easily? (hide spoiler)]
David Dalglish
This answer contains spoilers…
(view spoiler)[So there's a couple things to this, and if you have not read the Half-Orcs, bear in mind, this answer is absolutely a spoiler for events in that series.
Okay, so Velixar is originally from the Half-Orcs. Jerico is as well, first appearing in the third novel, The Death of Promises. So when I wrote the Paladins, a spinoff of the Paladins, I also thought it'd be fun to bring Velixar along with him.
So the short of it is: Velixar is not dead. Far from it. He's an undead monstrosity, with a whole lot of story left in him, most of it taking place across the entire Half-Orc series.
As for how Darius took him down: a large part of it, if I remember correctly, was that Darius caught him off guard. He literally drew his sword and swung in a single motion before Velixar could react. And, well, it's a really big heavy sword flaring with Ashhur's power.
As for destroying the Citadel, Velixar used a lot of manipulation to do it, and doesn't even get full credit (there's another servant of Karak who worked inside the Citadel, preparing it for its collapse, that's touched on in the Half-Orcs as well). (hide spoiler)]
Okay, so Velixar is originally from the Half-Orcs. Jerico is as well, first appearing in the third novel, The Death of Promises. So when I wrote the Paladins, a spinoff of the Paladins, I also thought it'd be fun to bring Velixar along with him.
So the short of it is: Velixar is not dead. Far from it. He's an undead monstrosity, with a whole lot of story left in him, most of it taking place across the entire Half-Orc series.
As for how Darius took him down: a large part of it, if I remember correctly, was that Darius caught him off guard. He literally drew his sword and swung in a single motion before Velixar could react. And, well, it's a really big heavy sword flaring with Ashhur's power.
As for destroying the Citadel, Velixar used a lot of manipulation to do it, and doesn't even get full credit (there's another servant of Karak who worked inside the Citadel, preparing it for its collapse, that's touched on in the Half-Orcs as well). (hide spoiler)]
This question contains spoilers...
(view spoiler)[Reading through the half orcs series and I just have to know what made you to decide to massacre my boy Haern? Reading his death then having him brought back by necromancy is too much for my heart. Thankfully I still have shadowdance to read. (hide spoiler)]
David Dalglish
This answer contains spoilers…
(view spoiler)[So around that point I'm only working on what was my fourth novel ever, and I'd gotten it into my head that one of my biggest strengths was my willingness to kill off major characters, and just be absolutely ruthless to ensure the stakes remain high. Every book featured some major death in some way. So coming into book four, I'd originally planned to kill off Dieredon there in that spot. Fully the expectation. But when I was writing it, I felt no impact. Not really. And the sadistic part of me that still wanted to shock people, to pull off the emotional hits like with Aully in CoB, changed things at the last second. Down comes Haern, to sacrifice himself. There it is. The big shock I want. No one will see that coming!
Now also bear in mind this was before I ever wrote anything in Shadowdance. Haern was, to me at that time, just a cool character that was a bit of a Drizzt knock-off whose main emotional attachments and story arc were basically done (Delysia was dead, as was his father, so he was just kinda...there...). So off he goes, and I've not really regretted it, honestly. (If I have regrets, its about how the Thren/Haern face off goes, which in my defense, I literally wrote within a few chapters of even figuring Haern out as a character).
So would I do it again? Eh. Probably? I'm far less enamored with killing off major characters as I used to be, and I'd probably tweak the scenario so Haern gets a bit more epic of a send off, but I still do feel like his story was mostly 'done' at that point. He wasn't Veldaren's Watcher anymore.
Bringing back thru necromancy was just me having a blast tormenting everyone I knew would be pissed off at me for killing him, no excuse there, lol. (hide spoiler)]
Now also bear in mind this was before I ever wrote anything in Shadowdance. Haern was, to me at that time, just a cool character that was a bit of a Drizzt knock-off whose main emotional attachments and story arc were basically done (Delysia was dead, as was his father, so he was just kinda...there...). So off he goes, and I've not really regretted it, honestly. (If I have regrets, its about how the Thren/Haern face off goes, which in my defense, I literally wrote within a few chapters of even figuring Haern out as a character).
So would I do it again? Eh. Probably? I'm far less enamored with killing off major characters as I used to be, and I'd probably tweak the scenario so Haern gets a bit more epic of a send off, but I still do feel like his story was mostly 'done' at that point. He wasn't Veldaren's Watcher anymore.
Bringing back thru necromancy was just me having a blast tormenting everyone I knew would be pissed off at me for killing him, no excuse there, lol. (hide spoiler)]
David Dalglish
It's easily The Sapphire Altar, which'll be coming out in January. I love that book to death.
David Dalglish
In all likelihood, I doubt I will, for the sheer reason that it'd be yet another prequel book. After I started the Half-Orcs, I wrote prequel series with Paladins, Shadowdance, AND Breaking World. Going backwards yet again? Nah. I don't think I could do it and maintain my sanity. Plus my poor readers have had to wait years just for me to move the story forward, I can't imagine trying to split my attention to also filling in yet more back story.
So yeah, it could be a lot of fun, but the overall ending would be known. If I did decide to explore it, I'd find a way to do it via flashbacks/character stories in future Half-Orcs novels, so I can flesh out some of the fun bits without having to fully dedicate an entire novel or two to the premise.
So yeah, it could be a lot of fun, but the overall ending would be known. If I did decide to explore it, I'd find a way to do it via flashbacks/character stories in future Half-Orcs novels, so I can flesh out some of the fun bits without having to fully dedicate an entire novel or two to the premise.
David Dalglish
Perhaps. As I continue on with the Half-Orcs, there's a bit of fallout left to mess around with involving them, but it's probably still a book or two away in that series.
David Dalglish
This answer contains spoilers…
(view spoiler)[It's still on the agenda! I'm halfway through drafting the third Vagrant Gods book. Once it's finished, I'll officially start on the ninth Half-Orcs novel. (hide spoiler)]
Kevin
Him dying was acceptable. It just didn't do him justice how he died. My only consolation was that if you had given him powers then he would have been
Him dying was acceptable. It just didn't do him justice how he died. My only consolation was that if you had given him powers then he would have been way too overpowered. He already was almost unbeatable as a mere human. But I have to say that I finished the half-orc part and it actually pissed me off even more because of who you decided to give powers to in that story. I understand they were the main characters but it was how we call it in anime...plot armor and predictable. And he should have died too. Maybe I was being salty at the time but it just felt too much of a happy ending without much sacrifice for their win against what seemed like the complete and utter impossible. It only would have been a successful impossibility if it was Haern (with super powers) and only because he had pulled an impossible win in every one of his stand alone novels. I still haven't continued the series though. Maybe I'll pick it up soon. I have to say out of all the books I have read in my life none have made my mouth drop like the opening to the dance of cloaks. It was epic
...more
May 10, 2022 03:32AM · flag
May 10, 2022 03:32AM · flag
Readsbooks2387686
hi, first of all, really like your books, treat this as a rant if you like but with all due respect, Haern isn't just any character, he is the main ch
hi, first of all, really like your books, treat this as a rant if you like but with all due respect, Haern isn't just any character, he is the main character of an entire book series and it is his legacy that is closing out Dezrel's universe with Half-orcs book 9. Now i first got introduced to Dezrel thorough the Shadowdance series so i might be a bit biased and i do understand that you wrote the first five half-orcs books before the shadowdance books but (to me at least) from the way i read them with the shadowdance books first, it almost felt like the Half-orc characters, for lack of a better word "Stole" Haern's deserved ending. What i mean is that after everything we see Haern go through in the Shadowdance series, he deserves a happy ending, yet, according to the timeline, barely a year later, In comes the Half-orc characters and the 2nd gods war occurs and Delysia dies so Haern and Delysia don't end up together and Valdeeran is destroyed so his objective of keeping his home safe, what to me was one of his core tenants and goals is over, and then he dies in a rather anti-climatic way and i'm struggling to remember Dieredon and can't even remember if he is still alive and part of the main crew of book 8, which is a bit of a problem. Meanwhile Harruq gets to marry Aurelia, he gets to know his children, he saves the world and Hearn only gets passing mentions in the next four books. Once again, this is me ranting so I'm not expecting anything to come of this but It just feels wrong to not have Haern there to pass down the Legacy to Erin and instead have the Half-orc characters (or some other means) do it as with the exception of Tarkin, I don't think there are characters that really knew Haern, They knew the watcher but they weren't around during the Shadowdance series and that is where the Watcher is forged and it would be that more so then the Enigmatic Assassin that we met in Half-orcs that would be the legacy that needs to be passed on.
Anyway, once again, love your books and keep writing great stories ...more
Jul 07, 2022 10:48AM · flag
Anyway, once again, love your books and keep writing great stories ...more
Jul 07, 2022 10:48AM · flag
David Dalglish
Pulling this from memory, but I believe it has always been a roaring lion (or a lion's skull, depending on how edgelord the wearer is trying to be). Generally a frontal view as well, with gray fur. Sideways profile works too.
David Dalglish
Nah, that's his first intro to the world among all the books. Def one of my more clumsier additions of a new character, so I don't blame you for being a little confused. As the HO series goes on I sprinkle in additional bits of history with him and Mira, but there's nothing beyond that.
Al Boeder
Thank you for your response! I would like to add that I greatly enjoy your books. They are some of the grittiest fantasy I have ever read. Your Paladi
Thank you for your response! I would like to add that I greatly enjoy your books. They are some of the grittiest fantasy I have ever read. Your Paladins series is my favorite. I'm so glad you gave Jericho more page time in those books.
...more
Aug 31, 2021 04:54AM · flag
Aug 31, 2021 04:54AM · flag
David Dalglish
If I had to pick one, it was the day I quit my paper route. It might seem quaint, but it was a rural route, Sundays only, that I'd been doing since high school, waking up at 4am to drive around a bunch of Missouri backwoods roads delivering newspapers. It was good money, money I desperately needed for a very long time, as I cobbled together income from a bunch of different sources to make do while living in our trailer park.
But as the sales continued, I'd quit my job at Pizza Hut, then stopped substitute teaching, so only the paper route was left.
So when my self-published income remained steady for months and months, I finally made the decision to quit that little part time job I'd been doing for over ten years. So finally sleeping in on a Sunday, and having no other income but my writing income? That'd be when it finally hit me, I'd say.
The second closest would be walking into the local B&N to sign copies of A Dance of Cloaks on its launch day. There's something special about knowing so many people (my agent, Orbit's editors, their art dept, sales team, B&N's stock acquiring team, etc) actually think you might know what you're doing.
But as the sales continued, I'd quit my job at Pizza Hut, then stopped substitute teaching, so only the paper route was left.
So when my self-published income remained steady for months and months, I finally made the decision to quit that little part time job I'd been doing for over ten years. So finally sleeping in on a Sunday, and having no other income but my writing income? That'd be when it finally hit me, I'd say.
The second closest would be walking into the local B&N to sign copies of A Dance of Cloaks on its launch day. There's something special about knowing so many people (my agent, Orbit's editors, their art dept, sales team, B&N's stock acquiring team, etc) actually think you might know what you're doing.
This question contains spoilers...
(view spoiler)[who eventually won ashhur vs karak? (hide spoiler)]
David Dalglish
Well, that's kind of the point of the entire run of the Half-Orcs series, so the answer to that is in the eighth book, The King of the Fallen.
David Dalglish
Hey, I'm glad you're enjoying the app! As for the books, no hardcover, only paperback (seeing as they're self-published).
As for obtaining them in a timely manner: the print on demand service I use was bought by Amazon, so if you can go through them, I suspect that would be the most likely to have the fastest delivery.
As for obtaining them in a timely manner: the print on demand service I use was bought by Amazon, so if you can go through them, I suspect that would be the most likely to have the fastest delivery.
This question contains spoilers...
(view spoiler)[I was wondering if anyone could tell me what book or book series I should read to read about zusas child (in the end of A Dance Of Chaos)? (hide spoiler)]
David Dalglish
This answer contains spoilers…
(view spoiler)[I fear I must disappoint you, for the book is not yet written (though it's on the agenda). The Shadowdance Series chronologically leads directly into the Half-Orcs series (which is where a lot of characters, such as Haern, were first introduced). I recently completed the eighth book in that series, and in the prologue is where this child is very first introduced, and will feature prominently in the ninth book...whenever I get to writing it (hopefully within a year?) (hide spoiler)]
David Dalglish
I promised it at the end of King of the Fallen, there will be at least one more Half-Orcs novel to tie up some loose ends leftover from the Shadowdance series. Beyond that? I honestly don't know. If I do more in the world, they'll all likely be continuations of the Half-Orcs, which at this point, contains story beats and characters from all the others.
David Dalglish
There's def some stuff to tie up, at least to where I will be satisfied with it.
There's def some stuff to tie up, at least to where I will be satisfied with it.
...more
Jun 20, 2021 11:01AM
Jun 20, 2021 11:01AM
David Dalglish
I'm sorry, I really don't have anything like that :(
If it helps at all, the most recent HO book now includes a summary/recap of prior events at the start to help people remember and catch up, a practice I'll be doing from now on in all my other works.
If it helps at all, the most recent HO book now includes a summary/recap of prior events at the start to help people remember and catch up, a practice I'll be doing from now on in all my other works.
David Dalglish
I am! We announced a brand new Orbit trilogy, The Vagrant Gods, a few months ago. The first book, The Bladed Faith, is set to release early 2022, and the second maaaybe will be also out late 2022?
Anyway, here's the official announcement: https://www.orbitbooks.net/2020/11/09...
And the goodreads page for the first book is here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...
Hope this all helps!
Anyway, here's the official announcement: https://www.orbitbooks.net/2020/11/09...
And the goodreads page for the first book is here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...
Hope this all helps!
David Dalglish
It's a trilogy with a pretty solid ending. There's more I could do with the world, but obv a lot of factors on whether or not that happens, and it's w
It's a trilogy with a pretty solid ending. There's more I could do with the world, but obv a lot of factors on whether or not that happens, and it's waaaay too early to speculate on that :)
...more
Jun 17, 2021 12:44PM · flag
Jun 17, 2021 12:44PM · flag
David Dalglish
My guess is that you have a few of the original self published versions. To answer your questions, yes, A Dance of Death was renamed A Dance of Mirrors during the lengthy re-edit (so no need to grab that one if you've already read the previous self-published one - there were a lot of changes but likely not enough to make it worth a second buy, imo).
David Dalglish
Do you mean in the same world? Likely not. If I do any writing in Dezrel, it'll be an occasional one off in the HO series.
David Dalglish
The short, frustrating answer is a bunch of misc stuff happened, and as of now, it's not looking like there will be audible versions of those two later Half-Orcs books. I'm very sorry, but so far haven't been able to get a workable solution :(
Dre Jarrell
(Sorry if this is a repeat as I tried to comment and not sure if it went through)
This breaks my heart. The narrator for prison of angels was not good (Sorry if this is a repeat as I tried to comment and not sure if it went through)
This breaks my heart. The narrator for prison of angels was not good in my opinion (messed up names and would snifgle and break up sentences) but thats why I love your books. Cause I still read it often and just deal with it.
Possible solution, my brother and I volunteer to read them for you. We have already PERFECTED Harruq and Qurrah voices lol. ...more
Mar 15, 2021 01:25PM · flag
This breaks my heart. The narrator for prison of angels was not good (Sorry if this is a repeat as I tried to comment and not sure if it went through)
This breaks my heart. The narrator for prison of angels was not good in my opinion (messed up names and would snifgle and break up sentences) but thats why I love your books. Cause I still read it often and just deal with it.
Possible solution, my brother and I volunteer to read them for you. We have already PERFECTED Harruq and Qurrah voices lol. ...more
Mar 15, 2021 01:25PM · flag
David Dalglish
I'm going to take a guess you mean the Paladins game, and if so, absolutely! The Breaking World trilogy available on Amazon takes place about 80 years after Karak and Ashhur arrive on Dezrel. If you want more recent stuff, Jerico himself is from the Half-Orcs series, and makes his first appearance in the third book on (and as for that series, it details what becomes the Second Gods' War).
Hope this helps!
Hope this helps!
David Dalglish
As of right now (so huge caveat that things can always change) the plan is for one more book taking place a few years after The King of the Fallen. This planned book would be Half-Orcs 9: The Legacy of the Watcher. I suspect I'll get to writing it in about a year or so.
Mark
Thank you thats great love your books they have helped me through a lot dark periods of my life. I just wanted make sure I read all the Paladins, Shad
Thank you thats great love your books they have helped me through a lot dark periods of my life. I just wanted make sure I read all the Paladins, Shadow dance, Half orks and Breaking world before I started reading through your keepers and seraphim series.
...more
Dec 30, 2020 07:21AM
Dec 30, 2020 07:21AM
David Dalglish
That is a lot! I'm glad you found the books as a refuge when you need it. Hopefully you enjoy the non-Dezrel books just as much when you do get to the
That is a lot! I'm glad you found the books as a refuge when you need it. Hopefully you enjoy the non-Dezrel books just as much when you do get to them!
...more
Dec 30, 2020 11:23AM
Dec 30, 2020 11:23AM
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