News
In the development of not only the story of Not Gods But Monsters, but for the world building necessary for future sequels, I spent some time fleshing out the individuals in a visual medium. Below are a pair of illustrations done for the character Flynn Earrele. As you can see, there is as a bit of Peter O'Toole and Cary Elwes in the face.
A handy guide of the ores present in Not Gods But Monsters. WARNING: There are some minor spoilers below so if you haven't read (or finished) the book, you may want to back away.
For those who've read Not Gods But Monsters, you may notice a strange series of words at the beginning of each that looks suspiciously like a date. That's because it is (shocker, I know). Much like the development of the Byraelian language, the creation of the calendar was intended to point to the world's more unique qualities.
To celebrate the one-month anniversary of the release of Not Gods But Monsters, I've made available FREE--for your pleasure--Chapter 07 in its entirety. Feel free to read it in-browser or download a copy of your own from the links below.
When laying down the groundwork for the world for Not Gods But Monsters, I had to take into consideration a number of elements that we take for granted and how they came to exist. Before any element--even one seemingly ancillary like the calendar--could be fleshed out, I found I had to develop the ancient Byraelian alphabet on which many of these elements hinged.
Part three of this series, in which we look at the musical playlists/influences of Chapters 05, 06 and 07.
As a part of the experience for creating Not Gods But Monsters, I spent time developing a "soundtrack" for each chapter, based on music that I felt best embodied the mood and themes of the chapter's content. Let's take a look at chapters 03 and 04.
As a part of the experience for creating Not Gods But Monsters, I spent time developing a "soundtrack" for each chapter, based on music that I felt best embodied the mood and themes of the chapter's content. The genres range from metal to techno to experimental and even elements of jazz and blues-influenced rock. Sometimes, the songs themselves were not representative of the musical act's body of work, but the mental images created while listening to the piece.
Author Joshua Banker announces the release of his first full-length work, Not Gods But Monsters. Banker's first foray into speculative fiction contains elements of science-fiction, horror and fantasy, and is at once a quest tale, a coming-of-age story, and a reflection on a society and culture that might look a little like our own. Richly-drawn characters and an intricately-built world make Not Gods But Monsters both a thrilling and a thought-provoking read.
