In writing the introduction trilogy for Land & Sea, it was important to get a variety of perspectives about the war. The cast of characters was large, so that the reader could become immersed in the storyline and the events we would have unfolding with this unique alien invasion.
The characters are critical. Plot moves readers along but I believe it is the characters that compel readers to dive into a book. Our characters each had story arcs developed by our Creative Juggernaut team. It wasn’t enough to have good characters in the novels – they had to undergo a transformation as a result of the invasion and their experiences. We spent a lot of time making sure our characters were not “cookie cutter” or stereotypical.
We have the DIA analyst who is one of the first people to see the signs of the incursion. You have the reporter who will do anything and everything to exploit the emerging situation. We have the battle-hardened Sergeant who finds himself once more drawn to war. Another veteran, a drug dealer, who charges into the face of danger. The young girl whose father is taken from her by the war and who finds her whole world turned upside down. The technology entrepreneur who sees the war as an opportunity. Then there’s the young Marine Corporal, tough as nails, whose mettle will be tested in ways she cannot even imagine as the aliens come ashore.
While these are the main characters – the cast is much larger. We had a discussion about Game of Thrones and their massive cast. While we wanted to capture some of that feel, we recognize that this is a science fiction military series – and that too big of a cast would be hard for readers to process. We wanted a pacing in the novels that was faster than GoT, but one that tapped their success.
Even the secondary characters stand out, some having their own arcs. Seemingly background characters in the first novel will become major players in future books. Some minor characters appear in some of the novellas and novels we have planned on coming out – not to mention the game material. Land & Sea is a universe that has a spider-web of character connections that will add to the overall experience of the reader/player.