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Local Author’s Novel Is More Than Just Fantasy

6th December 2012 By 0 98
By Neil Harrison.

One of Britain’s leading fantasy authors has paid a visit to Manchester Metropolitan University to discuss his latest novel and his on-going book tour.

A. J. Dalton has lived in Sale since 2003 and has taught creative writing at both MMU and The University of Manchester. He is currently holding book signings across the region to promote his latest novel “Empire of the Saviours.”

The author describes the book as “an epic fantasy,” in which “a young boy unleashes pagan magic, before going on the run pursued by heroes, saints and saviours in an oppressive religious regime. It’s autobiographical, obviously” he adds, only half-jokingly. He admits drawing upon his own youthful experiences in writing the book, which is set to be the first of a trilogy, saying “it has a ‘rites of passage’ element to it, which is a universal story.”
Despite coining the term ‘metaphysical fantasy’ to describe his own sub-genre, the author contests “at the end of the day, fantasy is fantasy. If it has a good human story it doesn’t matter what you call it.”
Released earlier this year, Empire of the Saviours has seen the writer at book signings “pretty much every week.” He believes it is part of his job as an author “to be able to talk to the customers about the genre and to be enthusiastic about fantasy.”
A.J. Dalton will be signing copies of his book at Waterstones Warrington on Saturday 8th December. Empire of the Saviours is available for Kindle on Amazon. For more information visit ajdalton.eu.

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