Risa Aratyr

Shadow's Road - Author's Notes

When I wrote Hunter of the Light, I was adamant that is was not the start of trilogy, not the first of a “Blackthorn” adventure series, not “Book 1” of another oppressively-detailed, multi-tomed saga. I was absolutely adamant that Hunter was a self-contained entity that would have no prequel, no sequel, and no companion volume.

So, naturally, I was dismayed when characters, settings, fights, and plotlines of an untold Éirinn story got hold of me and wouldn’t let go. I was already struggling to find time for Darkdays. I didn’t need the protagonists and villains of an entirely separate world demanding my attention. Besides, I’d said it aloud, I’d given my word. I was not going to write another Éirinn novel.

Then the final scene came to me. The final plot-twist that would bring the tale full circle. The lines that would nail it. The clincher. The wrap up. The End.

Once I had that, I had to write the book. I was no longer dealing with a random profusion of loose plot-threads. Now the threads were all anchored in a rock-solid, high-powered finish. Already, and without my help, they were sorting themselves out, twining together, weaving a new tale into the tapestry of Éirinn.

Though Shadow’s Road picks up shortly after Hunter of the Light leaves off, I stick by my old claim. It is not a sequel. Shadow’s Road is another book entirely, and another type of book. At its heart, Hunter is a simple fairy story--a patchwork of folkloric motifs pieced together to tell a ripping yarn. Shadow’s Road is an epic poem--a new song in the old tongue and rooted in ancient rhythms.

Though “done” in the story-telling sense, Shadow’s Road wants a bit of tweaking before I’d be willing to have it widely read. My Irish needs checking; if there are any Irish-Gaelic experts out there who’d like to hurry Shadow’s Road into final-final draft, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Also, the map needs re-drawing. When I was readying Hunter for publication, I was unable to find accurate historical info to guide me in delineating the Five Kingdoms’ borders. Now that I know where they belong, I’d like them in place for Shadow’s Road.

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