Dear Reader,
“Tales of Raxana”, of which “The God Under” is the first book, belongs to the genre of Sword and Sorcery, as well as Fantasy, although I feel the first term is more appropriate. I wanted to create a story that would involve Gods and Demons as live and present forces formed by the strength of the human mind. The process would then be reversed and those forces would not only start to act independently, but also gain the power to wield lives of their own creators. I also wanted to incorporate postulates of karmic cycle: death and rebirth. There is a prosaic reason for the book too: The main character visited me several times telling me his adventures ;).
As a kid, I would keenly listen to the old Slavic folktales my father read to me at bedtime. The story “Ironhead” entertained me the most. It tells about a fellow who undertakes a journey to find his wife abducted by Bash Chelik (the Ironhead), an incredibly powerful winged creature whom even hundreds of dragons could not beat. The creature lived in a mysterious citadel that was “neither in the sky, nor on the earth”. Thirty years later, I am still puzzled by such paradoxical, yet poetical placement.
As a teen, I was amused by Eiji Yoshikawa’s books about Miyamoto Musashi, the great samurai known for his duels and his distinctive sword fighting style. Musashi himself wrote a little book named Gorin no shô (The Book of Five Rings). Besides of being a great swordsman, he was a Buddhist and he lived by the art of Zen.
Additionally, my interest in medieval history never faded and legends that grew around historical events always fascinated me.
I have to mention, I grew up with books from two prominent authors of the genre; the first (and foremost): Robert Ervin Howard, and then J.R.R. Tolkien. Their souls remain to shine as a lighthouse of inspiration for all who dare to sail across vast oceans of imagination.
I sincerely appreciate your attention,
Yours Truly,
Author
