The Fantasy Setting of Speak with the Dead

One of the aspects I absolutely love about writing fantasy is creating the world the story will take place in. Escaping into setting is what first drew me to reading and fantasy as a child and for me it is one of the most important features of a good high fantasy book, if not the most important. I’m going to talk about the world that Telluth sits in and how I crafted it to be unique, but also familiar.

I’ll start with a setting that inspired me while I was dreaming up Speak with the Dead. I grew up reading The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini. If you’re unfamiliar, The Inheritance Cycle is the saga of a poor farm boy (Eragon) who discovers a dragon egg (Saphira) and becomes a dragon rider. Together, they navigate a world (Alagaësia) full of destiny, politics, and war under the rule of the evil Galbatorix. Alagaësia, to me, is the stereotypical fantasy setting–the epitome of a fantasy world, similar to Middle Earth or Earthsea. The world includes things a fantasy reader will find familiar, such as Elves, Dwarves, dragons, technology from the middle ages, and magic. There are also dark forces working against good (Shades and Ra’zac = Bad, OG Dragon Riders and Elves/Dwarves = Good, generally). 

Paolini leans on classic elements of fantasy to create a world his readers inherently understand, and then twists bits and bobs to make it more interesting. For instance, Shades are a vaguely familiar concept, but they are slightly different depending on the world. In Alagaësia, Shades are beings that have been possessed and have thus become a new, more powerful and evil creature. The Ra’zac, on the other hand, are entirely new. Fully born from Paolini’s brain, the Ra’zac are a fresh evil that my teen brain found terrifying and refreshing. Not only does this race add flavor to the setting, it also makes the reader question, “what other terrifying new things are lurking in the shadows of Alagaësia?” Plenty of fantasy books fall into this pocket of traditional setting twisted to be unique–ACOTAR, Game of Thrones, Wheel of Time, etc.

I decided my goal was the same. The world of Speak with the Dead is classic, yet unique. You’ll find familiar elements–elves, dwarves, middle age tech, ‘good’ magic, and ‘bad’ magic. You’ll also find new concepts. Vassians are a race of humanoids that grow to be seven-feet tall, are hairless, and have gray-ish skin that’s strong like armor. They’re a twist on a vampire with sharp teeth and red eyes. The gods and their influence on magic are traditional at first glance, but deviate from there as you gain more understanding of them and their place in the world. Your perception of them will evolve as Anna’s relationship with them evolves. The critters, though they are a small bit of the story, are also unique. Similar to the world of Avatar: the Last Airbender, some of the animals that inhabit Telluth are mashups of real-world animals. A treecat is a cross between a Maine Coon cat and a tree squirrel and a hedgebear is a cross between a hedgehog and a bear. There’s a type of beaver with sabre-teeth, and a type of frog that sprouts mushrooms on its head to attract insects. Yes, I did commission art of my critters and, yes, they are adorable even when angry. You’ll see. 😉

I could discuss setting for hours, but I’ll save you the rest of my ramblings. I wouldn’t want to give anything else away! My hope is that while you’re reading Speak with the Dead, you’ll ask, “what new things am I going to discover next?” while navigating a world you’ll find familiar, if not always comforting. Thanks for reading!

P.S. Yes, I did purchase the foot-tall Saphira statue and I am so excited to put her on a shelf in my office and stare at her while I daydream about my own worlds. 💙