Has the success of Avatar or Twilight spawned a new creative way to address ethical issues?

From: Saga of Caliyon
Published: Sat Mar 27 2010


The billion dollar success of fantasy films such as The Chronicles of Narnia series and Avatardemonstrate the power of presenting ethical issues through fantasy entertainment. Not lost in this mix is also the ingenious ability of creative writers to touch on this theme in books such as Twilight and the Harry Potter series.

In his new book, The Call of Prophecy, Troy Reeves utilizes dragons, elves, magic and spiritual symbolism to bring out the positive message of how good always ultimately triumphs over evil. Working full-time as a nursing officer for the Canadian Armed Forces, Reeves delved wholeheartedly into writing the novel to help offset the pressures of his profession and to share an imaginative and creative tale of struggle and triumph. Reeves believes that an added benefit with the fantasy genre is the escape it offers people while coping with everyday issues like a slow economy and high unemployment.

The Call of Prophecy takes the reader on a journey into a world of spectacular fantasy, prophecy, and adventure. The book is centered in the kingdom of Lorenth, but something is amiss in the kingdom. During one of the expansion missions, the humans determine they are no longer alone in the world. In fact, the men are viciously attacked by the elves of Illu`Dar. Sentient, magically adept dragons, dwarves, elemental races, treants, dryads, sprites, ice elves, and woodland elves compose the fae races that for generations have lived in a silence pact with the humans, never revealing their presence until the humans breached their borders.

The book is not without its controversial aspects. While certainly not a religious work, there is a strong ethical tone, particularly in relation to a human story arc much like seen in the film Avatar. Strength perfected in weakness and submission, a trinity-concept of both the deities and the essence of magic, as well as other subtle themes make for a unique literary blend of fantasy and examination of the human spirit.

Reeves says of his book, "I wanted to create a world that was familiar yet unique. I wrote the book as if it were a movie already; thinking about what would be cool to see on the big screen and then translating those visions into word form, painting a detailed world with characters that my readers will want to both love and hate in some cases."

"I allowed the strengths of my myriad of influences to frame the work while doing my best not to bog the reader down with excessive wordiness or tedium that I have experienced before from several authors that I still hold in high esteem," adds Reeves. "I also wanted to master the art of shifting the point of view to aid in keeping the interest of the reader as well as being able to weave a more complicated storyline that revolves around 4-5 story arcs—each one affecting the outcome of the main story arc."

Troy C. Reeves has been an avid fantasy reader for much of his life. He serves in the Canadian Armed Forces as a nursing officer and works in a home business while pursuing his writing career. He and his wife, Melissa, have three sons and live in Edmonton, Canada.
Company: Saga of Caliyon
Contact Name: The Call of Prophecy
Contact Email: tcree@hotmail.com
Contact Phone: 780-574-4747

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