Sneak Peek into Chad's Upcoming Fantasy Series

The Last Archide was meant to be a fantasy series. I know, I know, that’s hard to believe-what with my fascination with Tolkien and Lord of the Rings.

Very soon, you’ll see some new artwork show up in the Vault on my web site. It will show you just how long the Archide series has been in my brain, the heavy fantasy theme, and the comic book influence all in one spot. Don’t judge me too harshly-a lot of this was done pre-high school!

My next as of now untitled series is well underway. This one will be all fantasy and I’m loving every second. Getting ready for it, I have been binge watching a lot of fantasy films and television. Lord of the Rings (obviously) the terrible Hobbit trilogy, Willow, Braveheart, Gladiator, Game of Thrones and the Starz series Spartacus to name a few. It helped put me in the mindset of what I wanted my series to feel like, what I didn’t want it to feel like, how adult vs. how young adult and so on. It’s been an adventure!

I’ve pulled out the old drawings, established heroes and villains, invented new races, and even designed a map for this new endeavor. I won’t give away too much, but I thought I would throw one thing out there, because I’m having so much fun with it and that is the idea of magic-or, in this case, dark magic.

I decided to tie two ideas together. 1: that the use of magic leaves a mark for good or bad and 2: the concept that poor decisions make links in a chain we carry with us to the next life, as Charles Dickens showed us in his character of Jacob Marley. So, for my new series, a wizard who uses magic for dark deeds, specifically murder, is weighed down with chains. One link per life he or she takes. These links can’t be destroyed, but to remove them from one’s self comes at great cost. I’ll leave it at that.

Anyway, thanks for reading and keeping up with my insanity! Have a great summer and keep your eyes open for all that’s new and exciting in the Chad R. Odom universe!