Zealot Script

R.S. Moule is the author of the Erland Saga, an epic fantasy trilogy. The first volume, The Fury of Kings, was released on 17 May 2023 by Second Sky Books. It is his first novel. He lives in South London with his wife Eloise and their cat Tinks, and has a passion for writing epic fantasy grounded by human flaws and desires, set in worlds inspired by a childhood divided between his home in the soft, rolling hills of the Cotswolds and summers spent exploring the rugged coastline and deep glens of the Isle of Man. When not reading or writing, he can often be found playing guitar, watching football, or looking for his keys.

What’s your favourite part of the lifestyle of an Author?

Probably when what I’m getting down on paper closely aligns with the vision in my head. Or the satisfaction of finding an elegant solution to a tricky plot point.

What made you start writing?

I was working in a particularly boring job dealing with undelivered mail, and something in the monotony of that ignited a spark of creativity. It helped too that the books I was reading at the time were particularly brilliant and inspirational – they made me want to try and achieve something similar. I got a few hundred words down and was proud enough of what I’d written that I wanted to keep going.

Is there an Author that you consider your inspiration?

The big three are George R.R. Martin, Sharon Kay Penman, and Ken Follett. Their multi-POV, nation-spanning, medieval epics served as the inspiration for the Erland Saga. There are other brilliant authors that have influenced my writing, but it’s those three that lit the touch paper.

What’s your number one tip for an aspiring Author?

Give yourself distance from your work before reviewing/revising it. So many times I’ve gone back to a tricky passage months later with fresh eyes and found it’s a lot better than I thought. I believe Stephen King recommends that when you finish the first draft of a project, you should not look at it again for six weeks, which if you have time to wait is great advice, particularly if you’re just starting out. Also – character is plot and plot is character. I often see people dividing stories, particularly in the fantasy genre, into either plot-driven or character-driven, but in the best fiction the desires and behaviour of the characters drive the plot and the plot drives the actions and growth of the characters.

What type of book do you like to read and does this differ from the genre that you prefer to write?

Fantasy is probably my most-read genre, but I also read a fair amount of historical fiction, popular history, and literary fiction. I’ll read anything if the prose draws me in.

Which one of your characters would you most like to spend time with?

I’m not sure I’d like to meet any of them – I wouldn’t be able to survive in their world and I doubt they’d adapt particularly well to ours. Rymond Prindian, the heir to the crown of Erland, is an irresponsible layabout (at least at the outset of the story), but I reckon he’d be the best to go for a pint with.

Which book do you consider a must-read?

The Tiger’s Wife by Téa Obreht. The prose is so lyrical that it would be a fantastic read even without a plot, but the way she also weaves together several intertwining threads across the past and the modern-day is exceptional. I read it while on holiday in Croatia in 2012 and it’s stayed with me ever since. Also, I recently read Act of Oblivion by Robert Harris, about the hunt for the men who signed Charles I’s death warrant, and it’s so brilliant it made me want to go back and tear up everything I’ve ever written.

What’s been the hardest edit that you’ve had to make? Why did you want to keep the material in?

In editing The Fury of Kings, my editor asked me to try rewriting a strand of the plot from a different character’s POV. At this point, I’d been writing and re-writing from the original character’s perspective for around 6 years. It was a slightly intimidating proposition, and it did take a little time to get right up against a deadline (and this was the first time I’d written to a deadline), but I got it done and the improvement to the story was clear. I’m glad I did it.

If you could live in a book, which one would it be?

Naomi Novik’s Temeraire series. It’s the Napoleonic Wars with dragons – what could beat that?! I would probably die, but it would be a cool few minutes.

If you could pick an Author to write your biography, who would it be?

Someone who can make the mundane seem terribly interesting. Nick Hornby, maybe.

Is there any conflict between what you want to write and what you think your readers will like?

As a debut author that’s a tricky question. For now, I’ll write what I want to write and hopefully it finds an audience.

What effect can a review have on you, if you read them at all? Both the good and the bad.

I have been reading them – seeing The Fury of Kings connect with advance readers has been an absolute treat. The bad ones I will learn to live with.

Can you sum up your life story in ten words or less?

Rural upbringing. Moved to London. Lives in a house.

What’s exciting you about your next project?

I’m currently working on edits to Book 2 in the series, and drafting Book 3. Book 2 is a slightly different vibe, with some unexpected alliances, so I’m looking forward to seeing how it lands with those who’ve read The Fury of Kings.

And finally, you have one quote to be remembered by, what is it?

“You’re all just pissing in the wind. You don’t know it, but you are.” – Neil Young, Ambulance Blues

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Read the Fury of Kings by R.S. Moule, the first book in the Erland Saga
Race through the pages of an epic new series and enter a world of intrigue, battles and destiny that will leave you breathless. The Erland Saga is a classic fantasy adventure, perfect for fans of George R.R. Martin, John Gwynne, and Raymond E. Feist.