What next for grydscaen?
So we are finally working on the last grydscaen book in the main series entitled grydscaen: scout. This book is part of the Techno Thriller series featuring Rom the teenage homeless Level 9 hacktivist for the Packrats. The story features Rom, Jester, Faid, Jazz and Raven the main characters we encountered in grydscaen: dark. grydscaen: scout is the sequel to grydsacen: dark and picks up where that story left off. grydscaen: scout includes a twist that readers will not expect going into the book which is the culmination of the entire grydscaen series. Lino Dejarre the Emperor of the Pacific Territories is also featured.
This month I submitted grydscaen: imperium for publication. We are currently in production. imperium is the 10th book in the main grydscaen series and brings the series to its culmination. Also going on we bring the main grydscaen series to a conclusion with imperium. It has been a long time coming with multiple volumes but imperium marks the culmination of the epic series. After imperium we will be publishing the two backstory books and scout which will finish off the series.
What do you think about bringing the grydscaen series to conclusion?
The grydscaen series has been a labour of love and a lot of work and time was put into it. grydscaen started when I was in junior high school when the first hacker character Rom was created and Lino Dejarre who was in another story called Eton Boy’s Jacket was brought into grydscaen which at the time was called gridscan which the name still means network like its original spelling and can be seen in the series. Though the title changed to grydscaen the meaning of the network of everything and everything connected remained. The gridscaen is the network. That was the original idea behind the series where hackers rule the day.
Why is grydscaen such an epic?
The world of grydscaen is really rich and includes so much history and culture that multiple volumes were required to showcase everything in the world. The world is still larger than the main series and after grydscaen is over there will be publication of the Prophet trilogy which explores the religious aspects of the world and the Prophets and their beliefs. Taking place 10 years after the main grydscaen story ends, the Prophet trilogy explores things that we could not really touch inn the main series. Characters in imperium take front and center, and we get to see Lino in a way we have never really sen him before, as a father and a parent, still the Emperor of the Pacific Territories. I wanted Lino to grow up since the main grydscaen series starts with him at age 10, then 17 in grydscaen: sheer which is the book to be published in May and 19 in grydscaen: utopia which was previously published. The story is epic because the world is so rich and many facets and commentary about today’s society is ripe in the story. I make commentary on everything from mental health, to gay marriage in the mate pair ceremonies, transgender rights, gays in the military, homelessness, the drug industry, climate change, nuclear war and drug addiction. All these things have their place in the grydscaen world.
Who is your favorite grydscaen character?
Well that is hard to say. I like Faid Callen the leader of the Packrat hackers and a host, I like Lino Dejarre the Emperor and I like Jester the insane blackhat hacker but I would have to say my favorite character who is on the cover of grydscaen: dark and the first hacker character I created in the ninth grade would have to be the homeless teenage hacktivist Rom. Why do I like Rom because he has so much going against him but still seems hopeful even in the face of adversity.
What comes next after grydscaen?
Well the Prophet trilogy comes after grydscaen and we will start publishing volumes in that series this summer. The Prophet trilogy explores the esoteric side of religion in the grydscaen world and delves into the mythology around the Prophet Shrine in the Zone and you learn more about the spiritual leader of the Packrats named Aiken who we see near the end of grydscaen: imperium.
Who are the main characters of the Prophet trilogy?
The main character of the Prophet trilogy which takes place over a period of 7 years is Amiael Saren Aiken who is the young ten year old Prophet when we first meet him. Trained in the religious tenets of the Prophets from a young child he grew up at the Prophet Shrine in the Zone. He was raised by his mother the Jannai shapeshifter Ciel and his spiritual teacher Aiken, spiritual leader of the Packrats. Amieal has a sacred charge that is his destiny and we follow his training and the ups and downs of his teenage years in the series as he plans and trains for his mission he will undertake at age 17, his destiny. There are many secrets in Amiael’s life that I will not reveal here but they will have a large impact on the Empire and Lino Dejarre the Emperor of the Pacific Territories.
What does it feel like to come to the end of the grydscaen series?
It is bittersweet that the grydscaen main series will come to an end but the story has a rightful conclusion and we are finally there with grydscaen: imperium. It has been 9 years since we published the first book grydscaen: retribution. When I wrote retribution I set out to write a single book but when that one was done there was just more to write. Now that we are at the end, it has been an awesome journey and I have learned not only a lot about the grydscaen world and its characters but I have learned a lot about myself emotionally, personally and as a writer. This has been a great journey and I would not change any of the ups and downs that I experienced as the series was published. This has been an awesome ride and I hope you like the climax grydscaen: imperium as much as I do. Stick around for the Prophet trilogy to learn more about the religious aspects of the grydscaen world and as grydscaen signs off I leave you with Rom’s favorite phrase: Hackers Unite! Hack Till You’re Dead! All Hail the Packrat Code!