Hello and welcome to our latest author interview with fantasy author, Ignatz Dovidāns!Please tell us a little bit about yourself and your writing.
Firstly, thanks so much for having me on! My name is Ignatz Dovidāns, author of Moonrise: A serialized low-fantasy novella series featuring globe-trotting action and adventure. These little snack-size fantasy stories are inspired by the format of comic books and prestige TV, and they feature original illustrations by yours-truly. The scope of Moonrise is an epic 45-installment series so it's currently my sole focus as an author.
Who would you say your biggest literary influences are?
For fantasy specifically, I draw influence from all over the place. Martin can certainly be felt in my love of throne-room politicking and multiple POVs. I've also taken quite a bit of influence from Sanderson's ability to break out of the fantasy mold, something I really admire about his writing. But first and foremost, as cliché as it is, I'm always looking to Tolkien as my figurative north star. More on that later!
How has the history of the middle ages impacted/influenced your work?
In a lot of ways, the true history of the various periods of the middle ages has been co-opted by the modern imagination. I think part of the reason the middle ages have such a hold on fantasy is that it, in many ways, represents the fantasy of the modern reader. We work day jobs and desk jobs and service jobs like serfs for our lords who sleep on big piles of gold. But, unlike now, the medieval period was a time, at least in the popular imagination, where one could plausibly break free from their masters and embark on a grand adventure. Moonrise was never meant to be a historical fantasy by any means, and my fantasy world draws from various periods of history from the Bronze Age all the way to the early 1700s. But this aspect of the middle ages, this dynamic between the small ruling class and the mighty working class, is very much present in Moonrise and that is very much on purpose. To me, fantasy is all about entering a magical safe space to explore the traumas, anxieties, hopes, dreams, and fears we take with us from the real world. As a literary device, the public imagination of the middle ages then becomes an incredible place to explore real-world issues plaguing society while also creating an adventure the reader will want to get lost in.
Do you feel like your writing has been impacted/influenced by Tolkien? If so, in what way(s)?
As I said before, Tolkien is perhaps my most important literary influence. When you look at the series' that were directly inspired by the Lord of the Rings (e.g. Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time), there are undoubtedly aspects of Tolkien's writing that were left behind. Things that, in my mind, are what made Tolkien's story of brotherhood, adventure, and deep, deep personal trauma so important and resonant. Like most people my age, my indoctrination into Tolkien's works was sealed by Peter Jackson's adaptation. And, while meaningful and important to me in its own right, it wasn't until revisiting the books as an adult that Tolkien's writing really jumped off the page and came to mean something different to me than any adaptation or homage ever did. For starters, his prose flows like poetry, often meandering to take stock of the grass or trees when the true stakes of the story are elsewhere. You can't write a book like that anymore. Well, I suppose you could, but any hope of commercial success would be dubious. It's an aspect of the series many modern readers find tedious but, for me, is a major draw of the work. Tolkien is a master of immersing us in feelings that are, by and large, lost to us in the 21st century. Our minds are so busy with the endless stream of terrible headlines, or the ceaseless parade of notifications on our phones, that we've lost the ability to just be still and quiet and present. Tolkien reminds us, to this very day, what it feels like to sit by a river just to appreciate the sound. To ponder the sonority of the trees or the smell of the wind. Modern fantasy tends to be endlessly complex, with convoluted lore and enough fake-history to fill a real-world history textbook. I've seen people come up with dozens of languages and scripts and draft faux documents all in the effort to build a world the way Tolkien did. But Tolkien didn't need to create Elvish to make his world so palpable. The secret was all in the way he crafted his story and put words to paper. When I say Tolkien is my north star, this is what I mean. If I've done my job well, Moonrise is an epic fantasy series full of whimsy, introspection, and quiet moments. A soft, safe place where readers might be inspired to sit by a river just to appreciate the sound.
What do you think the current innovations in your genre(s) are?
Truthfully, I hate to call this an innovation because it's more of a revolution. But we're seeing more and more previously marginalized people telling their stories. I am a white straight-passing man and, for decades, fantasy stories have been written by people like me about the oppressed, outcast, and ostracized. Often times when those stories aren't necessarily ours to tell. The breadth of voices that have been entering the space in the past few years has been incredibly refreshing and exciting. The new ideas, worldviews, and norms that these previously silenced authors bring into the space is a good thing for storytelling as a whole.
What is something in your genre(s) you'd like to see more of?
This goes hand-in-hand with what I said above, but a diversity of stories. We've seen lots of Chosen Ones and FMC's with colored hair and secret powers. Fantasy is a genre with unlimited possibilities, but we rarely see a story that breaks outside the mold. I think Travis Baldree's Legends and Lattes is a great example of what I'd like to see more of, where the entire format is unlike anything in the fantasy space so far. Now that's not to say I don't want to keep reading epics about Chosen Ones and bow-wielding FMCs. I just think we, as an audience of fantasy, are eager for so much more. This, of course, has been part of my goal in writing Moonrise. The first book plays like a classic fantasy tale, but each consecutive book has a new premise and a new problem that pushes the conventions of the genre. Book 2 is a Fourth Wing-esque military academy drama. Book 3 is a globe-trotting PG-13 Game of Thrones. Book 4, set for release October 2023, is a Halloween-inspired supernatural mystery centering around a masked ball. I'm currently writing the early drafts of Moonrise 17, which is set to be a pirate story, so there's lots in store for the future!
What is something in your genre(s) you'd like to see less of?
This is going to be a controversial one, but I'm wary of the rise of hard magic systems. Now, look, I like hard magic systems a lot. Moonrise's system is what I'd call a 'firm' magic system because, at the end of the day, I'm a geek and love puzzles. Hard magic systems are fun. I love reading a series and slowly figuring out how the magic works. It's also a great way to establish stakes from a storytelling perspective! But here's the thing. Is that fantasy? I'm not saying it's not, but a lot of these Sanderson-inspired stories are more about the puzzle than the characters or themes, which in my mind are the core of what makes fantasy fantasy.
Is there anything else related I didn't ask a question about that you'd like to add?
I don't think so! Just wanted to wish you all the very best! This blog has a new fan :)
Where online can our readers find you and your work?
The first three books of Moonrise: Wolfsong, Legion, and A New Awakening, are available on Amazon in Kindle e-book and paperback. Book 4, Spectre in the Night is coming October 2023! You can mostly find me on TikTok @moonrisebooks where I'll be making a fool of myself for the algorithm gods.
Ignatz, thank you so much for the interview and sharing your thoughtful answers with us!
