Author Guest Post Ft. Jesse Teller (The Manhunters) -- "The Timeless Enemy"

Today I am excited to share with you all a guest post featuring Jesse Teller, author of Song and Hemlock (both part of the The Manhunters series)! This particular pieces discusses his first time encountering a dragon in television and his eventual journey into writing fantasy.

by Jesse Teller

When I was a boy, my parents took me to the movies. This was back when we had no money. No money at all. We had to fight to get food on the table and we were always strapped. Well somehow, my parents found the money and the time to take us to the movies, and I saw Sleeping Beauty.

I don’t remember much at all. Colors, I think, is all I could take away from it. I was about six and I had no recollection of the story or the images really, but I do remember very distinctly the dragon. I remember the colors, the breath, and the black. I remember this tiny man striving to fight it, and the way it seemed impossible. I remember thinking no force in the world could rival a dragon, and that is all I took from it.

Years later, I was watching TV in the morning on a Saturday, and I saw Bilbo Baggins take the first steps of his journey. The artistry of it consumed me, the way those particular animation artists moved the characters across the screen. They were the same animators that did The Last Unicorn and I will never forget the way they drew the line. The movie The Hobbit was fun until Bilbo and I found ourselves at the feet of Smaug.

So huge that dragon was, nothing Bilbo could do could ever stack up. There was no weapon to grasp to bring death to that monster. No hope, however slight, could be held when the idea of fighting that beast was at hand.

I do not accept the death Tolkien gave to his god of dragons. It is too convenient, too simple. No one arrow ever made could take down the beast I saw in that cavern, no matter how well shot, no matter the target.

I remember thinking if ever a power could exist that could rival a being that great, it would have to be me who found it. No other creator could reach within and pluck out the shred of hope that stood up to a creature so mighty.

Well, of course, I was wrong. Writers and artists have been killing dragons as long as dragons have been around. St. George cast one down centuries before I was born, and people have been doing it ever since. But Smaug stayed supreme in my mind, a creature of such immense power that no one dare stand before him had they not a ring of power.

So then I set to work. I began, time after time, crafting a hero or heroine strong enough to crush the monumental monsters of my mind. Soon wizards. Then warriors. Then one after the next, I began to put together an army of people and beings so invincible that they could stand up to Smaug. They could face the Nefarious, the Tempest and the Wrath of the greatest forces of darkness that any mind could find. Any mind anywhere. With this devotion to craft and heart of a creator, I plumbed the darkness within my mind to find magic.

When I hit teenage years, I wanted warriors. Arislan, Aragorn. Caramon Majere. I found Mycenae Kark and Sai Sibbius Summerstone. One after the next, I sought and found one swords smith, then another, to battle the monoliths of my mind. Twenties found assassins. Thirties, barbarians. One great hero after the next filled my mind, always with one goal in sight.

Crush Smaug.

Pulverize the immense. Bring down the invincible. I write high fantasy. If that means I am not grimdark, then so be it.

There is a boy in here, deep where no one can find him. He is fighting a monster, a monster deeply rooted in the fiber of his mind. That little boy will not let me go small. He has a nemesis. He has a nightmare, and one after the other, he will pump out the mighty and the brave to bring it down. I have never killed Smaug. He is, as far as, I know unkillable.

But Rayph Ivoryfist would get close. Smear Kond could sneak up on him. Dreark would make Smaug tremble. I fear that somehow the mighty, world-moving powers within my books will make me less grim, that I might lose some street cred. I might have readers who shrug and drop me, thinking they want lower fantasy than I am prepared to give them.

To them I say, please forgive. There is a monster in here. He scares me. I must fight him the best I can. Smaug is watching. Smaug is waiting.

About the author:

Jesse Teller fell in love with fantasy when he was five years old and played his first game of Dungeons & Dragons. The game gave him the ability to create stories and characters from a young age. He started consuming fantasy in every form and, by nine, was obsessed with the genre. As a young adult, he knew he wanted to make his life about fantasy. From exploring the relationship between man and woman, to studying the qualities of a leader or a tyrant, Jesse Teller uses his stories and settings to study real-world themes and issues.
He lives with his supportive wife, Rebekah, and his two inspiring children, Rayph and Tobin.

Author links:  Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | Twitter | Reddit | Smashwords

Recognition

1st Prize, The 2017 Drunken Druid Book Award

Literary Titan Gold Book Award
Drunken Druid Editor’s Choice, March 2017
Drunken Druid 2016 Book of the Year Short List
Hungry Monster Gold Book Award 

Song (Manhunters, Book One)

"Some of the darkest minds in Perilisc attacked Mending Keep, releasing all its prisoners. Despite his strained relationship with the crown, Rayph Ivoryfist calls old friends to his aid in a subversive attempt to protect King Nardoc and thwart terrorist plots to ruin the Festival of Blossoms. But someone else is targeting Rayph, and even his fellow Manhunters might not be enough to save him."

Hemlock (Manhunters, Book Two)

"The busiest pirate bay in Perilisc is newly infested with vampires. These monsters will soon overrun the world, but the Manhunters must try to stop them in secret. Agents of the king are hunting Rayph's vigilante crew. With one false step, they could all end up at a royal execution."

Hemlock is available on Amazon, Kobo, iBooks, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords.

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Song by Jesse Teller

Song by Jesse Teller. 2017. Ebook. 321 pages.

Dark, gritty fantasy has grown vastly in popularity these past few years, and Jesse Teller's Song is a great example of just why it has become so popular. 

Song is the first book I've ever read by Jesse Teller, but it certainly won't be the last! This book begins when the prison of Mending Keep in Perilisc has been breached and all of its prisoners have been released. Our protagonist Rayph Ivoryfist then joins forces with an old partner to protect the king--and of course many other subplots appear.

I want to first mention the worldbuilding of Song, which Teller obviously put great attention and detail into. It's a very convincing world which is helped by how thorough his descriptions are of various places and events in Perilisc. Nothing was overdone or drawn out, however, creating a nice balance of action, dialogue, and description or worldbuilding. 

The overarching plot itself isn't the most unique thing I've heard of, but Teller's execution is what makes this book stand out. It is Teller's writing that pulls you into the story and makes you want to keep coming back for more. I also appreciated the realistic portrayal of life that Teller has created; it is brutal and raw, with plenty of death and gore. 

Rayph himself was a great character to follow. He is a born leader and I enjoyed watching his handling of the many obstacles thrown his way on his quest to fulfill his duty. I also loved reading his relationship with Smear, as the two have a natural relationship that, although sometimes a bit tension-filled, is written in a authentic manner.

In addition to Rayph is another point of view from Konnon, a man who wants nothing more than to find a cure for his daughter's Paralysis. He is another interesting man that I found myself immersed in learning more about. Much in the same way as Rayph's partnership with Smear, Konnon must eventually partner up with Glyss, another pairing that is wonderfully well-written. Based on the many characters and their interactions with others, I can tell that Teller truly understands how human relationships work, and I was impressed with how well-written these many relationships were developed.

Despite the many positive aspects, I did find myself struggle to initially get into this book and the connect with the characters. The positive parts easily outweigh the negative, but it did somewhat hinder my enjoyment and I wasn't as immersed in this book as I hoped I would be. That said, I am still very interested in Teller's writing and world and will certainly pick up another book sometime. 

Overall, I've given Song three-and-three-quarter stars!

*I received a copy of Song in exchange for an honest review. This has no bearing on my enjoyment or rating of the book.*

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