Colossus’ raw power, wolverines’ adamantine claws, Captain America’s unbreakable shield, the powers of the Greek gods, and the hierarchy of the archangels. These are but a few to name of the heroes I would watch growing up.

I was always a fanboy for superheroes, especially marvel. I had my time with DC, but I was always more drawn to the stories of the X-men or other superheroes within the realm of the marvel universe. Other means of fantasy such as Lord of The Rings and anime such as one-punch man and Dragonball Z played a part as well, but it was a few that stemmed from my childhood that allowed me to develop Oron the character you read today.

Colossus

To say that fantasy and heroes have had a slight impact on my novel is an understatement. I remember getting up early Saturday mornings, roughly around 8 am, to catch a list of cartoon shows that would appear on Fox. Over a few years, the shows had moved around and switched but I always remember waiting to watch the 90’s nostalgic marvel show x-men. The always progressive stories of wolverine’s trust issues and macho feud with cyclops, gambit’s Casanova chivalrous tendencies towards rogue, and Professor X’s forever dilemma of accepting the very humans who hate him while teaching mutants to be at peace with civilization was what I loved about the show. I couldn’t wait to rush to the carpet in front of my tv and sit for two half-hour episodes. At the time wolverine had been my favorite mutant and marvel character for that matter and still is. But the character that helped shape Oron was colossus. I remember seeing him for the first time, his mutant power of being able to enwrap himself in metal which tremendously increased his raw strength and power reeled me in. His character traits of being a humble Russian farmer with roots of loyalty and fighting for good is also what attached me to him even further. From that point on until this very day, colossus is still one of my top favorite marvel characters and has also helped pave the way for me to creating my character Oron. I knew I wanted Orons characteristics to be someone who came across as hard and cold on the outside because of the lore I had built around him, but I wasn’t exactly sure how I wanted him to look. Eventually between coming across colossus combined with my love for bodybuilding and the aesthetics that bodybuilders bring is ultimately the reason why I created Oron to have more of a menacing appeal to my readers. But as for the color of Orons skin, it’s funny that Oron turned to be blue. I have gotten feedback both negative and even some positive saying Dr. Manhattan has played a role in this decision I made. They are similar in some respects but in all honesty, it had nothing to do with that character. The sole reason is that I like the color blue and decided to go with a lighter or sky blue. Navy blue is my favorite to be exact, but I Liked a light shade of blue that looked on Oron and then decided to keep it. I had gone through several other stages of Oron with different colors and patterns and other anatomical appearances, but I felt none of them looked well enough as the color that he ultimately ended up with.

Sarevok

Another character that played a role in the creation of Oron was the main antagonist of the well-known RPG-pc game from the 1990s Sarevok Anchev from Baldur’s Gate. Still one of my favorite villains ever, Sarevok had the menacing appeal of height, increased strength, and malice that caused him to be feared. But it was his assured intelligence and allured determination that made me enjoy his character. Although I like the version of Sarevok from Baldur’s gate, it is the expansion to Shadows of Amn in Throne of Bhaal that was the version that piqued my interest for Oron. Sarevok at this point comes forward to help his brother, the main protagonist in the entire storyline. The evil aura still emanated from Sarevok but as you play out the game, or read the books, you, in turn, find out that even though this once archrival of yours had been your most bittered enemy was nowhere to help you even with the ominous characteristics he still had. This helped give me an idea to develop Orons past as being one of sorrow and negativity while helping Aurelia and although being a stern teacher, Oron meant the best for Aurelia. There were certain differences between the characters but also some similarities as well in the ways of how they displayed their care for the person they trying to help and the determination and confidence they expressed through their cold hard demeanors with Orons being more serious and Sarevoks attitude animating more of a serious but sinister malevolence.

Marvels Cosmic Hierarchy

Getting older I started to really dive into the cosmic hierarchies of Marvel. The vast powers in the universe always intrigued me as to how powerful they could become and how different beings would clash against one another. Being limited to the capabilities we have as humans always made these stronger beings look much more appealing because I knew it was physically impossible to achieve their prominence of power. Characters like Galactus or the In-Betweener from the marvel cosmic hierarchy would always possess jaw-dropping crazy abilities and crash with other beings of good or evil in the universe. I wanted to adapt powers such as this into my storyline, but I wanted to also make sure the readers knew that no matter how powerful one could seem, everything in my universe can be defeated. We might look at Oron and think that he’s a God of some sort, an undefeatable being with extraordinary abilities. But the truth is Oron could be matched by other relevant powers as well. In Marvels Hierarchy, the order of power is laid out for you to see who is the strongest and weakest of that order, although it’s subject to change at times since some beings get stronger and others weaker. But what I enjoy is that even though there is an order of strength of power that doesn’t mean someone of weaker status can’t defeat another being of higher ranking. Because there are so many factors that help accumulate the ranking status of powers you are never fully solidified in that position and can be destroyed. As Marvel fans would know, we saw this when master order and lord chaos put aside their differences and joined together to destroy the living tribunal who was considered the second to the one-above-all who is the strongest entity in the marvel universe. Another example was how the Knull, the divine leader of the symbiotes, such as the one called venom from spider-man appeared from the multi-verse and decapitated a celestial, who were known to be some of the strongest beings in the multi-verse at the time. As much as there are hierarchies sometimes there are powers that seem to have been forgotten or hidden away to avoid detection. And even though there is a list of hierarchical power such as the one Oron is a part of you maybe never be truly undefeatable with other powerful beings that roam the universe.

Greek Gods of Old

Another form of lore that helped shaped my character Oron was the tales of the Greek Gods from Mount Olympus. The many stories and fiery battles between themselves and also the titans intrigued me the most out of the many legends they were a part of. Their supremacy and dominance over Earth and its inhabitants were similar to what I wanted to implement in how Oron was perceived. Each Greek god had a role to play in part to help civilization keep structured. They each had an array of followers, some more than others, and had cities dedicated to their names. They were worshipped and in term bestowed their blessings upon the strongest of their followers and warriors. But Out of all the gods I always gravitated towards Poseidon and Hercules the most. Poseidon’s because of the wisdom yet commanding presence the god held and Hercules because of the demi-gods valiant heart and brute strength. So, you can say these didn’t exactly correctly tie with Oron but there are similar traits from these characters and the motions of the Greek Gods that inspired some of the character traits in Oron.  Although Oron is a hard-pressed individual he still flows with wisdom from the amount of experience he has gained from his years of life as Poseidon expressed through his many gatherings with other Gods and mainly Zeus. Oron’s strength seems to be unmatched and comes off as an omnipotent figure, similar to Hercules, to the people of Earth. As you read along in the novel you come to see Orons shortcomings and also weaknesses which were important for me to show. But whatever Greek God it was, even though they were far beyond mortals, they could have weaknesses emotionally and physically. You could be strong-willed and mentally equipped but even the Gods can be shaken just like when they had to battle the titans for their freedom.

Christian Biblical Hierarchy and its Powers

Growing up I was brought into a family with moderate practice of the Catholic Christian religion. Every Sunday for several years we would go to church and celebrate the name of God like a lot of other Christian families and live our lives as close to those religious morals. Needless to say, as I got older I drifted farther away from the specific ideological catholic beliefs when it came to how we were created. I still did and currently have a belief that there is some sort of greater being in the universe, but I have concluded that I have no idea what it is. For all I know it could be some greater intelligence that has no shape or form. It could be some superior alien race that decided to use humans as a test subject for their own means of biological experimentation. Or maybe we collided with other forms of substances and we weren’t the direct creation from any being at all, just a number of substances colliding together which then took billions of years to create our bacterial organisms that finally evolved into what we are today. Personally, I don’t believe in the latter of the possibilities, I think there is some sort of greater being or spirit, intelligence, or energy, whatever you want to call it, but have no idea what it is. But as I started to sway away from Catholicism the stories of the archangels and powers within the bible didn’t leave my mind so easily. Reading upon how God created the Earth and then the archangels and other stories such as Able and Kane piqued my interest. This was the foundation for the background lore of Illithesium and also my wanting to add Oron to a hierarchy of characters that belonged to the Christian religion but with my own twist. God’s love with the strength of Michael and Lucifer’s fallen grace would play a role in Illithesium and Oron but differently from how the bible displays it. Oron and these characters were beings of great power, yes, but they could be destroyed and were not immortal as we learned growing up in religion class. They had physical forms and could be spoken to although through a language far beyond our capabilities. Their legendary powers displayed in the bible also are showcased but in a way that it could be explained and understood in a more somewhat scientific down-to-earth method. Adding Oron to the lore of characters that I grew up reading about and knowing with adding many different featured twists was creatively fun. And the lore thickens as I’m currently writing the second book which you’ll get to see hopefully sooner rather than later.

My Love for Bodybuilding

As I mentioned up above, bodybuilding has been a part of my life since I was 18 and has allowed me to view life in a specific way. If you want results, then you need to go out and earn them by taking necessary calculated actions in order to have success. By doing this over years I build a physique I had once admired and still admire, for myself through hard work and dedication. Involving myself in bodybuilding and reading upon bodybuilders and strength lifters is what really caused me to adopt a specific look to my character Oron. Now not all my characters look as big as Oron as I want physiological diversity in my novels, but the results one can get from weightlifting and the many ways you can build your body are shown through all my characters. But the reason why I chose Oron to not only be tall and broad but heavily muscular was to give an idea of what a superior being far beyond human capabilities can look like at physical peak performance. But an even bigger and more lasting impression I wanted to leave on my readers was that even the mightiest and biggest beings have demons they have nestled inside them. The strongest of us also have skeletons in their closet they’d like to forget that always come back to eventually haunt us. It was to show that it’s normal to have to face your fears and to overcome them. It was a combination of respecting the hard work and ethic that goes into building a body as bodybuilders do, whether they be natural or not, and the strength that has to be applied to overcome the adversity of everyday life obstacles, injuries, and more. And to know that a being that may be tall and strong with power none the likes have seen before can still be shattered as nothing in the universe was made to be perfect and will eventually break under certain pressure. 

Last Thoughts

Oron became a staple in the Illithesium novel and to find out more you’d of course have to read up on the book to see what happens. I hope you enjoyed the character of Oron as much as I did create him and giving him life while watching him grow throughout the novel.

If you liked what you read here or have any questions, comment below or send me an email and I’d be happy to chat with you!

Recently, I moved and haven’t had as much time to continue writing my stories or even to address my website or blog. But finally, after moving in and getting settled down I can get back on track to doing the thing I love doing the most, Write! With that being said, let’s get to it with this newest blog post I just finished.

Some outstanding books are called classics for a reason. They’ve not only been written by some of the greatest literary geniuses of their time, but their works also possess universal characters, themes, emotions, and experiences that are very much relevant till today. Some are, no doubt, the inspiration that sprouted modern genres of literary fiction that many have come to love. Here are 5 books you should be reading if you’ve never read them. They are worth a re-read if you’ve read them!

The Box Man, by Kobo Abe

“The Box Man” is a fantastic read. It is very much an existential work that reveals several questions about the subject of identity and where man stands in society. The story creatively begins in a diary format, like a manual, as the narrator reveals the essential tools in building a boxlike outfit that features what can be described as an observation slit for vision – one that the Box Man wears all the time. Abe creatively makes use of characters in a fluid way, thus presenting an invariable perspective of life that is seen through the lens of a box man. If you’re a fan of conceptual novels that mix conventional story told with weirdness, you should read The Box Man. It is thought-provoking, memorable, witty and it is worth the time to wrap your head around.

Strangers, by David A. Robertson

This is a brilliant work that combines solid and imaginatively crafted characters, an outstanding plot, excellent dialogue, and several mysteries that will no doubt influence how you perceive the world we all live in. Robertson creatively and brilliantly explores the themes of both identity as well as belonging, and he does so, using a classic narrative that makes the story deeper, darker, and compelling. Everything about how Robertson uses his storytelling gift is artful, and Strangers is one book you really should be reading.

My Abandonment, by Peter Rock

This story splendidly features the touching tale of a father and daughter who attempts to work out a life of independence while scarred against a society that is hostile to their eccentric and bizarre choices. It is like a weird kind of love story that makes the mind think deeply about questions like – what does it mean to be a responsible parent? Is their relationship toxic or empowering?  Are the lessons that children imbibe from their parents those that they truly intend to instill in them? These and more make the story not only compelling but also thought-provoking, one that readers will undoubtedly savor.

‘Good Morning, Midnight’ By Jean Rhys

This is the pinnacle of a fiery literary arc that very much makes Rhys a sharp-witted observer of the human tragedy. In Good Morning, Midnight, Sasha is made to confront both the loves and losses of her past which further create the world of the powerless, the disposed, those who are damaged, and the ones who cause the damages; it is nothing but a world of dilapidated, colorless rooms in hotels that no one would want to stay in if there are other options.

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy is a fantastic book that houses “The fellowship of the Ring”, “The Two Towers” and “The Return of the King.” It is simply one that stands high amongst the several 20th-century fictions as one of the greatest, perhaps the greatest story produced in the English language. It is a story filled with intrigues – arguably the greatest work of fantasy with a history highly understandable such that it can be matched with the history of a real word. Every re-read reveals new insight into a character in a more enlightened light as well as more details of a situation. It is worth reading and great for every age.

In sum, amongst several benefits of reading these books, one thing for certain is that it will gift you the dependable joy of losing yourself in a fantastic book while learning a whole lot! They are very much worth reading at least once in your life.

Now until the next time, be sure to check out my other blog works and always keep trying to get lost in the next story.

Happy reading!

Perhaps you are aware that fantasy books have great benefits. They not only help to stimulate the reader’s creativity, but they also encourage the reader to think out the box. Your horizon becomes widened, and your perspective about the world’s boundaries grows larger. Now, if you are looking to get some adult fantasy books to read, here are five great suggestions you can take on. 

A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

A Game of Thrones is the first book in the series titled A Song of Fire and Ice by George R. R. Martin. It is an award-winning book that has taken on a life of its own even as a television series by HBO from 2011 to 2019. It features the story of the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos in a somewhat outplay of fantastic political events. The book focuses on the significant effect of the choices we make as humans, especially when we realize that we are too deep in such decision making to turn back. Ned Stark is invited by his childhood friend, Robert Baratheon, the king of King’s Landing to be his principal advisor, “hand of the king.” Ned obliges the invite at the expense of his family at Winterfell. And that singular choice spirals into what later becomes a deep succession of events that evolves the characters and the mood of the reader.

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

This 2011 release is a unique bestseller. The historical fantasy book has gotten mainly positive reviews from literary critics for its perfect blend of history and fantasy. The plot circles around a Yale University professor, Diana bishop, who specializes in the history of science. In this book, she becomes opened up to the world of magic deposited inside her. And the ball of this series of events is set rolling by her reading of a manuscript, Ashmole 782, which has been missing for 150 years. At the first touch of the book in the Oxford University library, her witch powers come alive. The presence of a vampire, Matthew Clairmont, is also notable in the book, with whom she engages in a forbidden romantic relationship.

A Clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin

In the series, A Song of Ice and Fire, A Clash of Kings stands as the second novel. Just like its predecessor, it won several awards. It was adapted as the second season of the television series, A Game of Thrones. The story continues from the flow of thoughts in the previous debut novel, where King Robert Baratheon dies. With his death, the whole kingdom is thrown into turmoil, and what is known as the War of the Five Kings ensues. The major characters in this battle are Jeoffrey, Renly, Stannis, Robb Stark, Robert Baratheon, and Theon Greyjoy. They acclaim themselves as the rightful heirs to the iron throne in their rights. This war serves as the fulcrum on which other subplots and stories develop in this second novel of the series.

The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang

Referred to by Publishers Weekly as “a strong and dramatic launch to Kuang’s career,” The Poppy War has arrested the heart of many fantasy novel lovers all around the world.  And it is a recent release debuting in 2018. The Poppy War is about the Sino-Chinese war, and Kuang was inspired to write it because books of the Chinese 20th century are not common on the bookshelves. The story is that of Rin, a lady who secretly trains to join the Sinegard army. She is called to the frontlines as the war ensues between the Kamari empire and her people, the Federation of Mugen. With the Shamanic powers she possesses, she has to choose between having to change the course of the war in her favor at the expense of her humanity.

The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson

This book stands as the second volume of the Mistborn trilogy. It was written in 2007 and has been regarded as a great fantasy book to read by lovers of sci-fi and fantasy novels. The Well of Ascension is a buildup on The Final Empire, the preceding novel in the trilogy. The story in the book circles around the remaining members of the Kelsiers crew who attempt to bring order to the Luthadel and the final empire at large. After the death of Lord Ruler, the realm has been thrown into turmoil. And Vin, who has grown to be the most powerful Mistborn in the land, and Elend Venture must work to build a better empire from scratch while escaping various attacks.

Rest assured, these fantasy and sci-fi books have gotten great reviews since their release, and they stand as a perfect read. Getting them would a great idea for you.

If you think you are ready to make a commitment and read some fantastic fantasy and look no further than these five novels. They’ll bring you into a world of magic and power which will have you keep the book glued to your eyes for days. Subscribe to my site for new news on my upcoming work and keep a look out for my latest blog posts and ideas!

There are tons of books out there that we want to read but the problem for us is that we don’t always have time to read them.

There are so many cool series we may never even come across because of the sure amount of great books.

Now for the major bibliophile, especially ones in multi-genres, there’s a better chance…. probably a greater one, that you’ll come across more book series or that you’ve heard of these on the list.

But for the average book lover, hopefully, these can help to brighten your search. so, Let’s just get straight to the list and see if they’re right up your alley.

• Chains of Honor.

The first book series was going to look at is the chains of honor fantasy series by Lindsay Buroker.

A favorite among sci-fi fans Lindsay Buroker has been able to carve out a following for her loved series.

It’s a thrilling and captivating story of magic and might that follow Yanko White fox into restoring honor to his family’s name while finding out why his mother left him to become a pirate.

This Magic wielding series will keep you entertained with its boastful storyline and in-depth character build of a book series.

• The Queen of Tearling.

Second, on the list is The Queen of Tearling series which boasts a grand following of readers and fans.

Signed on by HarperCollins, the author Erika Johansen managed to create a great series that tells the story of a young princess named Kelsea Raleigh who becomes exiled but begins on a long journey to take back her throne which was rightfully hers.

Erika has been known to capture her fan’s love for the series by using superb storytelling with great means of exploiting meaningful parts of the story when it counts. 

• Stormlight Archive.

Without giving to much away, Stormlight archive follows a myriad of characters that collide with one another through each fantasy enriched world.

In this epic fantasy, one distinct foundation is that each character has armor they are bound to which allows them to be ten times as strong and showcase each of the character’s strengths.

But what fans really seem to enjoy about the story is the prosperous and live world it is set in and the detailed lore following each character.

Brandon Sanderson seems to keep his fans satisfied with the whopping ten book series and has created a story within a universe for many to enjoy.

• Demon Cycle.

The Demon Cycle series has been regarded as one of the SFF fan favorites.

In Peter V. Brett’s world, humans have been forced to be kept behind walled cities for their own sake to stay alive.

Demons rise up as soon as the sun sets, for them to look for and then feast on any living thing they can find.

They only thing stopping a demon from tearing you apart is a painted ward, either on a building, wall, or on a person.

Each main character gets thrust into the storyline early on showcasing their identities and giving a taste on what they will be having to personally face later on in the book.

The power of friends and company is what the entire series also brings forth to the reader.

but the complexity and depth of magic are what fans seem to really enjoy.

Be sure to add this series to your reading list.

• The Cinder Spires.

This series has had many readers loving the story, even ones outside of the steampunk genre.

The series starts off with what is supposed to be a quick secret mission to route out enemy forces that hope to bring down the government of Spire Albion.  

A team is assembled but very soon they realize this is not just a small enemy operation they are to dismantle but soon blows open to the team trying to stop a full-scale war with their rival nation.

As the story opens further and unfolds you get swept into the militarism of the different factions and the lore behind each empire along with the characters in their story.

Jim Butcher has notably created a recognized cult masterpiece which bends the reality for steampunk story lovers.

I hope you found some of these brief descriptions for these series interesting enough to go and do further research on your own.

One thing to remember is that they are all in their own way beautifully written stories that anyone would love to spend their time indulging in.

But the real question isn’t now how much time it would take to finish each series but if you’ll be able to put the book down because of how interesting they are.