S. Alexander O'Keefe's Blog, page 3

A Journey of the Mind

The process of writing a novel is a personal journey within the mind. It’s like getting up on a Saturday morning for a hike and having the power to choose, or create, the destination, the trail, the ground you will cover, the weather conditions, your hiking companions, and the experiences you will enjoy, bear, and suffer on your trek. As with any journey, the path chosen may change over time. You may encounter someone or something unexpected, such as a new idea, or a different twist on an existing one, and your trek, or tale, may change, or not. The choice is yours. That is the power and magic of the novelist’s pen.

After each journey, I find that I have learned a host of new, and often fascinating things. In writing Helius Legacy, I learned of the importance of “stealth and separate” in hostage situations, the altitude ceiling for a UH-1 helicopter, and how important it is to hide your “digital trail,” if you are consigned to the life of a fugitive.

In writing The Return of Sir Percival: Book I – Guinevere’s Prayer, the depth and breadth of my knowledge of early British history, which was not insubstantial, was expanded many fold. Yes, I could still get lost in the Kingdom of the Pendragon, but in time I would find my way again, with my trusty maps of the Roman roads and byways.

When I sit down with a glass of wine and reflect upon my two literary journeys to date, the most satisfying part of the experience is the creative satisfaction. I can “see” Guinevere, Percival, Capussa, Cadwyn and Merlin, as if they were sitting across the room, talking together about the dire threats facing the kingdom. I can hear Guinevere’s soft laughter, as she talks with Cadwyn, long into the night, the cruel scorn in Morgana’s voice as she plans her retribution, and I can feel the depth of Galahad’s pathos, when he recalls all that has been lost.

If you read either Helius Legacy or The Return of Sir Percival, I hope your journey of the mind was as enjoyable as mine.

The Enduring Powers of Myths and Legends

 

There is a power to certain myths that transcends the evolution of the human condition. I still remember the price Tyr paid to bind the Fenris wolf, the day Sigurd found Brunhilde, the twelve labors of Hercules, and the cloak that laid that mighty Greek hero low. Although I place the myth of Arthur Pendragon and the Knights of the Round Table in this great mythological pantheon, it merits that place by virtue of the historical Arthur’s heroic struggles.

Who can deny the power of a leader who fights and prevails in great battles to save his people from the boot of an invader? The Arthur of history, although shrouded in the mists of time, was the early Briton’s Leonidas. Mount Badon was his Thermopylae, except, according to the Monk Nennius, he survived and prevailed.

In writing “The Return of Sir Percival” I wanted to bring to life the drama of the existential contest facing early Britons, one that was as real, as I suspect it was terrible. I wanted the knights of the round table in this version of the myth to be more than prancing jousters seeking a ladies scarf. In my version of the myth, this band of brothers is the last line of defense in the existential struggle of the early Britons against the Saxon, Jutes and Angles. They were tasked with defending their country unto death, and they honored it to the last.

In Guinevere, it was my desire to give life to Queen who had the will, the intellect and the determination to carry on Arthur’s burden, under conditions that were even more dire than those faced by her deceased husband. At the same time, I wanted Guinevere to be a person with whom the reader could laugh, smile, share the pain of the kingdom’s fall, and rejoice in the hope of its resurrection.

As for Sir Percival, as the last Knight of the Table, he is tasked with carrying both the torch and the sword for his deceased brethren, alone. Given this near Olympian burden, Percival had to be “a man who had waded deep into the cauldron of life and borne the pain of its most scalding waters, …. a soldier who’d oft engaged in battle and felt the near touch of death; and most surprising, …a man who had found, in spite of the ordeal, a path to the rarest of gifts—wisdom.” He had to be the early Briton’s returning Odysseus, and in some measure, Achilles as well.

I enjoyed creating the characters in “The Return of Sir Percival: Book I – Guinevere’s Prayer,” and as I labor on the sequel, I look forward to traveling with them on their next adventures.

If you have time in your busy day, let me know which character you liked the best and why.

Comrade-at-arms

“‘Well, now that you’ve decided to start a war, do you mind overly much if I propose a plan to win it?’”

– Capussa, Sir Percival’s traveling companion and closest friend

 The character Capussa, in The Return of Sir Percival, is a Numidian mercenary who endures a series life-and-death trials and hardships alongside Sir Percival, in a horrific prison. This shared pain and sacrifice forges a bond of friendship and respect between the two men that is a central part of the story.

Capussa brings to the story a Hobbesian view of the world that is tempered by his own innate goodness, wisdom, and sense of humor. As an author, I particularly enjoyed creating the back-and-forth between Percival and Capussa, at the end of each days’ ride, and exploiting Capussa’s story-telling talent as a means of accomplishing a number of subtle ends.

The positive reaction of readers and reviewers to Capussa’s character is both interesting and gratifying. To quote the review from Kirkus Reviews:

“Percival is appropriately noble and easy to root for against the utterly evil Morgana, but the real star here is the knight’s fiery friend, the warrior Capussa, whose sharp sense of humor should make him a favorite of readers.”

The exchange quoted above takes place in the novel on a hill overlooking what at one time was the Roman amphitheater in Londinium (London). Today, it lies beneath Guildhall, but its historical significance of the place has not been forgotten.

 

Plaque commemorating the Roman Amphitheater in London.

Morgana – A Formidable Nemesis

“Peace is the child of the sword.”

Morgana, The Return of Sir Percival: Book I – Guinevere’s Prayer

 

When I think of the character Morgana in The Return of Sir Percival, the word

“nemesis” comes to mind. She is intelligent, ruthless, conniving, manipulative and

unscrupulous to a fault, and, like any blue-blooded ancient Roman, she desires “to

rule the world and make mankind obey” (quote from Virgil’s Aeneid). However,

she also desires vengeance.

 

In creating Morgana’s persona, I drew upon the plethora of historical sources

chronicling the venality, mendacity and savagery that were a constant in Roman

dynastic struggles, as well as a few of my own experiences on the road of life.

Throughout the story, Morgana displays these same qualities particularly in her

opportunistic manipulation of her Norse allies.

 

Whenever I look through Morgana’s eyes in the story, my philosophical

orientation is clarity itself: “The world will yield unto me what I seek, or I will take

it, whatever the price.” That being said, Morgana does have her wistful moments,

and they have a particular significance to the story.

 

If you have a perspective on these windows into her thoughts, I’d love to hear from you.

The Battle on the Aelius Bridge

“Whether we live or die today is in God’s hands, but staying by your side is in mine, and stay I will, until I am dead, or relieved.”

– Sir Percival of the Round Table.

 

In The Return of Sir Percival: Book I – Guinevere’s Prayer, Sir Percival makes the foregoing promise to a severely wounded archer, on the Aelius Bridge, just before they are attacked by Morgana’s forces. This battle has particular significance in the story for both Percival and Guinevere.

The Aelius Bridge was real. It was built by the Romans over the Tyne River, near present day Newcastle. Although the bridge has long since passed into history, and its precise location is unknown, my daughter Morgan and I felt compelled to visit Newcastle, and to travel along the Tyne River, as part of our research.

As I looked out upon the Tyne River from the observation tower at the eastern terminus of Hadrian’s wall (“Walls End”), I envisioned the bridge and the heroic battle that occurred there so long ago, in my Arthurian world. It was a sight to see.

I’d be curious if any local archaeologists in the Newcastle area have any insights regarding where the Aelius Bridge was located. If you do, please let me know in the comment section below, or send a message via my author page on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SAlexanderOK....

 

Sir Percival’s Epic Journey

When a good friend of mine finished reading The Return of Sir Percival, he advised me that the map of Albion at the beginning of the book failed to encompass, and hence accord appropriate acclaim, to the knight’s entire journey home. He said “You need a map of the ancient world.” His point is well taken.

In the story, we learn that Sir Percival’s homeward journey begins with his release from a horrific prison in the ancient city of Syene, Egypt, and ends in the northern reaches of Albion. The trip from Syene, which is located on Egypt’s southern border, to Albion, or England, is approximately 3,700 miles.

Today, a diligent traveler could make the trip in about three days (assuming decent connecting flights), in relative comfort. In Sir Percival’s time, 600-650 A.D., it would have been a long, grueling and dangerous trip through deserts, over mountains, and across two formidable seas. Even Xenophon (and his ten thousand men) would have been impressed.

In accordance with the foregoing well-considered advice, I have laid out Sir Percival’s entire journey on a map of the western world. As the red line indicates, Percival and his Numidian companion, Capussa, traveled the length of Egypt, boarded a ship in Alexandria, and sailed to Aquileia at the top of the Adriatic. From there, they crossed the Italian peninsula, sailed to Francia, traveled overland to the former Roman port town of Lapurdum, and then boarded a galley bound for Albion. Chapter One opens as the galley rounds the northwestern coast of Francia and makes its run for Albion.

If there are any other details from the book that you would like me to expound upon in future blog posts please let me know in the comments.

The Desire for Power

The desire for power, as in the power to control and subjugate other human beings, has been a constant throughout human history. The means people use to obtain power, and to retain it once they have acquired it, are as unlimited as they are often savage, particularly where dynastic or imperial power is in play. For example, it was common in Roman dynastic struggles for the would-be emperor to kill any and all family members who stood (or who were even perceived to stand) between the claimant and the imperial purple.

The foregoing obsession plays a central role in both of my novels: the Helius Legacy and The Return of Sir Percival. In Helius Legacy, a powerful corporate magnate unleashes a small legion of killers to hunt down a man who has (unknowingly) inherited an interest in land that could pull down the magnate’s empire. In The Return of Sir Percival, the power struggle is one between the Britons, and the Saxons and Norse, for dominance of Albion.

For some people, like Morgana, the acquisition of power is a lifelong obsession—a game of chess to be played unto death.

“Intrigue and the pursuit of power are obsessions at the imperial court, and Morgana not only loved the game, she played it with the skill of a master, despite her youth.” — Merlin the Wise.

A Quest Fulfilled

I began writing The Return of Sir Percival: Book I – Guinevere’s Prayer two and a half years ago. This tale chronicles the last Knight of the Round Table’s epic search for Guinevere, the Queen of the Britons, upon his long delayed return to his war-ravaged homeland. The first book in this saga is now complete. Today is the Publication Date! (Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or your local bookstore.)

In every human endeavor we exchange a commodity we cannot replace – time – for the goal sought. For me, writing this book was not only a fair exchange, it was an obligatory one. It had to be done. And now, at long last, it is.

I want to thank everyone at Greenleaf Book Group who assisted me in this literary undertaking, including Hobbs Alison, Tyler LeBleu, Diana Ceres, Tess Mallory, Elizabeth Barrett, Sam Alexander, Chelsea Richards, Lindsey Clark, Neil Gonzalez, and Pam Nordberg. If I have missed anyone, I sincerely apologize. Your skill and kindness is deeply appreciated.

Finally, I want to thank my wife and family for their love, encouragement and patience.

Sir Percival has returned.

S. Alexander O’Keefe

The Journey to Queen Guinevere

Describing and developing an iconic character, such as Queen Guinevere, is a daunting task. The Guinevere in The Return of Sir Percival is a woman of approximately thirty years who has lived three lifetimes in one: She experienced life as daughter of a powerful noble; life as the queen of great realm and Arthur’s spouse; and finally she has endured the tragedy of Arthur’s death, the fall of the kingdom, and her exile to the sanctuary of the abbey. This journey, and in particular the crucible of the last years, has burdened her with a thousand sorrows, but at the same time conveyed upon her wisdom, patience and the strength to endure.

Much of this character’s development takes place in the context of the informal conversations between Guinevere, and her precocious, but fiery young handmaiden. In one scene, the ever-curious Cadwyn questions Guinevere about how she was chosen to be queen. Guinevere’s wistful answer about the reality of the role of women and marriage in medieval power-politics, coupled with her enjoyment of Cadwyn’s umbrage, provides an insight into both her history and her personality:

“When Arthur sought my father’s aid in this war, he agreed to support Arthur’s claim. In return, Arthur agreed to take me for his Queen, when I came of age.”

“Milady, did your father ask you if . . .”

Guinevere smiled a sad and knowing smile.

“No, Cadwyn. That is not the way of things. The daughter of a powerful lord is a coin in the game of power, a thing to be bartered away for gain. It has been thus for centuries.”

Cadwyn sat up in her chair, a look of defiance on her face. “I will choose the man that I marry.”

Guinevere laughed. “I suspect you will, Cadwyn, and he will be a very lucky man.”

Guinevere’s character is also developed through the use of a series of reminiscences or “flashbacks” wherein she recalls different events in her past. These recollections, along with Guinevere’s chats with Cadwyn, and later her more intense exchanges with Percival and Merlin, enabled me to provide the reader an insight into the nuances of this legendary woman’s character, and at the same time to provide facts critical to the overall plot. Now that the book is about to be published (9/6/2016), I can only hope that the persona I spent so much time and thought on resonates with readers. Please let me know what you think by posting a comment below, or on my Facebook page.

The journey to Queen Guinevere

Describing and developing an iconic character, such as Queen Guinevere, is a daunting task. The Guinevere in The Return of Sir Percival is a woman of approximately thirty years who has lived three lifetimes in one: She experienced life as daughter of a powerful noble; life as the queen of great realm and Arthur’s spouse; and finally she has endured the tragedy of Arthur’s death, the fall of the kingdom, and her exile to the sanctuary of the abbey. This journey, and in particular the crucible of the last years, has burdened her with a thousand sorrows, but at the same time conveyed upon her wisdom, patience and the strength to endure.

Much of this character’s development takes place in the context of the informal conversations between Guinevere, and her precocious, but fiery young handmaiden. In one scene, the ever-curious Cadwyn questions Guinevere about how she was chosen to be queen. Guinevere’s wistful answer about the reality of the role of women and marriage in medieval power-politics, coupled with her enjoyment of Cadwyn’s umbrage, provides an insight into both her history and her personality:

“When Arthur sought my father’s aid in this war, he agreed to support Arthur’s claim. In return, Arthur agreed to take me for his Queen, when I came of age.”

“Milady, did your father ask you if . . .”

Guinevere smiled a sad and knowing smile.

“No, Cadwyn. That is not the way of things. The daughter of a powerful lord is a coin in the game of power, a thing to be bartered away for gain. It has been thus for centuries.”

Cadwyn sat up in her chair, a look of defiance on her face. “I will choose the man that I marry.”

Guinevere laughed. “I suspect you will, Cadwyn, and he will be a very lucky man.”

Guinevere’s character is also developed through the use of a series of reminiscences or “flashbacks” wherein she recalls different events in her past. These recollections, along with Guinevere’s chats with Cadwyn, and later her more intense exchanges with Percival and Merlin, enabled me to provide the reader an insight into the nuances of this legendary woman’s character, and at the same time to provide facts critical to the overall plot. Now that the book is about to be published (9/6/2016), I can only hope that the persona I spent so much time and thought on resonates with readers. Please let me know what you think by posting a comment below, or on my Facebook page.