3 literary classics that helped inspire my dark science fantasy

If there’s one thing I refuse to do here, it’s to talk up my own books unless I’m discussing specific scenes in a neutral way. But I do like talking up inspirations behind my books, especially when they’re rather unconventional.

I’m primarily a science fantasy author, so conventional wisdom says that I like combining science fiction and fantasy reads, like Harry Potter meets A Space Odyssey.

This is correct, but since I want to use my writing to spread the message of liberty while creating what are hopefully entertaining works, it would be foolish to limit myself. Instead, I rolled with a variety of genres that helped me concoct Deceived Mage, including three classics you may know a thing or two about.

So, which books have I read in the past or recently checked out that assisted in the creation of this short novel, as I call the 45,000-word sprint? One of them might just be the best book ever written in American history, although these rankings are subjective. It’s a book you may have come across once or twice in your lifetime.

East of Eden by John Steinbeck

I may have started writing Deceived Mage in 2023, but I rolled with the ‘set and forget’ tactic and left the content alone for months. In the interim, I stumbled across the first chapter of East of Eden and was so enthralled I bought a copy on the spot.

Upon finishing the work, I went back and added some of those inspirations into my own, much of which has to do with my main character, Ella Kinnunen's, love for the region in which she lives. 

If you’ve ever read East of Eden, John Steinbeck goes into such deep depths regarding his description of and nostalgia for the Salinas Valley that it was something I wanted to replicate with Ella’s thoughts on her home, the Astra Valley. 

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Of course, the work also let me take a significant dive into quite a few of my characters, and that came courtesy of Steinbeck. His ability to seemingly create complexity in Adam Trask, Lee (my personal favorite), Kate, Samuel Hamilton, Cal, Aron, and Abra Bacon (another favorite), just to name a few, was nothing short of ingenious.

Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell

You knew this one was coming, as Nineteen Eighty-Four may be the gold standard for all authors whose themes coincide with libertarianism, whether they realize it or not. I remember reading Beyond the Wall by Kate L. Mary for the first time back in 2021, and the main protagonist, Drea Young, is given instructions to retrieve and read a secret copy of Orwell’s classic. 

While Ella doesn’t live in the same totalitarian society that Drea found herself in, there were still similarities between Ella’s situation and that of Winston Smith’s, but at more of a micro level. Yes, society in my work is monitored, with drones keeping tabs on the happenings in the city of Astronova. But we get a deep dive into just how much Ella’s father, Samuli, monitors her. 

Sure, there are cameras with facial recognition tech decked out all over the ancient castle in which she lives. But Ella also has to keep an eye out for those pesky Spirit Mages, who can read into one’s vibes and, if they’re powerful enough, their thoughts.

Nineteen Eighty-Four also helped inspire a major scene in Deceived Mage, but I don’t want to give up too much here of what that particular scene is as it’s the ultimate spoiler.

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

In Deceived Mage, we got two political parties who have created a landscape much like the one we see in our own world. But Brave New World by Aldous Huxley also played into this with his castes (Alphas, Betas, Gammas, Deltas, Epsilons), as the rival Mercenary and Augury Parties have indoctrinated their followers into not just taking up roles to support said parties but embracing them.

Ella’s servant, for example, mentioned that her family had been proud to serve the highest-ranking members of the Augury Party for centuries. One of the more antagonistic characters in the Mercenary Party mentioned that the Huotaja, those serving as the Mercenaries’ bodyguards who resemble the Undertaker from when he was in his prime, should be sent into a danger zone in her stead.

These bodyguards, all of whom tower over normal men and women, appear to be more than powerful enough to overthrow the bureaucrats they serve. But they instead willfully fall right in line, and the same holds true for the Auguries’ equivalent, the Marsalkka.

The masses, while it seems like they’re out having a good time when they’re not working, have been bound by relentless central planning not just courtesy of one but both parties. Those parties just disagree on how to best go about that central planning, even if they’re more alike than they’ll admit. 

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Again, I don’t want to give up any spoilers here, but there’s also one chilling statement in Deceived Mage that drives the point home of just how loyal the masses are to their role in the party. The statement in question wouldn’t have crossed my mind had I not read Huxley’s classic drilling ideas into my brain.

The Takeaway

While I want to keep helping readers find awesome books that they otherwise may not have heard of like my most recent read, there are times when I want to help authors, and this is one of those posts. The takeaway here is that, regardless of which genre an author writes in, it would be shortsighted if they limited themselves to that genre or genres alone. 

All genres will help not only improve one’s writing style but even help inspire different story elements, tropes, deeper characters, and, ultimately, more original work. So, if you’re someone who writes fantasy or, to be more accurate, science fantasy, for the most part, don’t be afraid to pick up that historical fiction novel or a classic like the ones listed above. 

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You might just feel those creative juices flowing from some awesome reads that you may have never seen coming.