An Aversion to Sequels

 
I'm delighted to host David M. Brown, author of Fezariu's Epiphany, on my blog today. I'm currently reading the book and looking forward to posting a review. I'm also currently writing a sequel to my own novel (Divide by Zero, coming from Stonegarden in summer). So the title of David Brown's post  seems particularly relevant to me. I hope you'll enjoy reading it as much as I have.

Fezariu's Ephiphany is an epic fantasy tale: 12-year-old Fezariuthought his mother died when he was little, but when his beloved stepfatherdies the boy discovers she is alive and well - and working at the most famousbrothel in all of Elenchera. When she cruelly rejects him it's more than he canbear, and he runs away to join a band of ruthless soldiers for hire. TheMerelax Mercenaries will fight for anyone who can pay them, no matter thejustice of the cause.
Fezariu grows up among the soldiers and becomes one of them. He thinks his timewith the mercenaries has hardened him. But a campaign in his old home townpushes him too far, and he discovers what really happened to his mother. Maybethere are some things money shouldn't buy... and maybe it's time Fezariu tookhis revenge.
Sounds intriguing... but what about those sequels? Over to you David.
When I published Fezariu's Epiphany back in May 2011, I sometimes found interviewquestions wanted to explore the possibility of a sequel. I can say for certainthat you will never find me writing a follow-up about another epiphany Fezariuhas. The Elencheran Chronicles are intended as a series of self-containednovels, a visit for the reader to a different period of history, and a briefamount of time spent in the company of some of the characters. The timeline currentlystretches to 47,000 years and may go further when I revisit the world historyat some point, so readers are not short of literary destinations for theirsummer holidays.
So, am I saying that sequels are completelytaboo? My next novel, A World Apart,will not have a follow-up. It's a long novel but by the end there have beenenough resolutions to say the story is well and truly over, there isn't a needfor any more from the three main characters – Demetrius, Eleyna and Halcyon. Thatsaid the idea of writing a series of novels about the same characters is notone I can readily dismiss, the history of Elenchera simply won't allow it!
Looking through the history I find I havemany ideas waiting to be written and it becomes more difficult trying to decidewhich one will be the third book in the Elencheran Chronicles. Some events inthe history are so action-packed and stretch across a vast range of years thatone novel may not be enough to contain them all. I think inevitably sequelswill be necessary, perhaps a trilogy, but no more than that, I simply can'tcommit to that many books.
When I first started writing about theworld of Elenchera I knew that I wouldn't and couldn't write a series likeRobert Jordan's The Wheel of Time orTerry Goodkind's The Sword of Truth.I never got into Jordan's work despite completing the first Wheel of Time book but I read every oneof Richard and Kahlan's adventures in TheSword of Truth series. Goodkind did very well to sustain those charactersthrough one long and continuous narrative but I did find the later instalmentsinferior to the earlier books. I didn't want to go down that same path. I lovemy characters but the thought of spending half a dozen books with them is notan appealing one. I would strangle them before their stories were finished! 

This is one of the reasons I am drawntowards Terry Pratchett's Discworld series.They're always in the same world but they are self-contained novels and featurea wide range of characters, always plenty of variety. Although regulars likeRincewind, Death and the Guards of Ankh Morpork would request that you readtheir books in order I don't always think it's essential. Elenchera will bejust the same. If you saw a pile of books about Elenchera you could pick any ofthem up and not be missing anything.
When I come to write those longer novels Iwill have to commit to a maximum of three books to tell the story but no morethan that. I'd rather have just one novel to tell a story but some are suchlong narratives I fear they could stretch to 2,000 pages which is an epic bookfor any reader, it would even put War andPeace to shame. I've seen many people roll their eyes at the mention ofTolstoy. I don't want that to happen to me!
My aversion to sequels means that somemuch-loved characters may only get a brief time in the spotlight but althoughthat saddens me to a degree I think it's also a mark of great characters ifreaders can get attached to them after knowing them for only a short time. Themore I focus on self-contained novels, the more of Elenchera I can show you.There is a lot that goes on in those 47,000 years, certainly more than I cantell you in a lifetime but I will endeavour to whisper as many secrets as Ican. Just remember that if a novel of mine does not end on a cliff hanger thenthe chances are you won't be getting a follow-up. 
Thank you David. And if you want to find out more about David's books, please follow these links:
TheElencheran Chronicles:  http://elenchera.comTheWorld According to Dave:   http://blog.elenchera.com Twitter:  http://twitter.com/elencheraFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/fezariuGoodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11451305-fezariu-s-epiphany (book page)Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Fezarius-Epiphany-Elencheran-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B00515BM9W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327742120&sr=8-1B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fezarius-epiphany-david-brown/1102095604?ean=9781456500597&itm=1&usri=fezarius+epiphanyBook Depository: http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Fezarius-Epiphany-David-Brown/9781447718772IndieBound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781456500597?aff=elenchera