This is my first interview in a while, and it’s one I’ve been looking forward to. Darrell Drake is a resident writer/contributor of the r/fantasy community and a self-published author. He’s the type of author with the kind professionalism I like in the indie scene: good cover product, clean edits, and a unique setting/selling point. In today’s digital market and growing self-published scene, it’s important to spotlight authors who may otherwise go unnoticed. I hope you enjoy the interview with Darrell Drake. Bawk!

AB: Hi, Darrell! Thanks for agreeing to do this interview! I’ve followed you on r/fantasy for some time and in particular, your love of Sasanian Iran! Glad to have you here today!

For those unfamiliar with you, could you tell us a little about yourself? Who is Darrell Drake, author and archery practitioner?

DD: It isn’t often I meet my stalkers. So either you and yours are good at what you do or I don’t have many. A pleasure at any rate.

This is, I think, where I’m meant to recount some interesting anecdote to prove to folks I’m human? Maybe. Parsing. Truth be told, there isn’t much to tell. When not writing, I’m making mods for Sid Meier’s Civilization VI or playing some game or another. Or sleeping. There’s nothing quite as beautiful as sleeping.

Oh, and the nearest archery range is too far away, so I’m years-rusty. It’s a shame, because the immediate feedback it provides makes one feel accomplished, if fleetingly. And of course, its prominence in fantasy.

So, uh, yeah. Odds are I’d rather be sleeping at any given time.

AB: It seems we both appreciate the joys of sleep! Anyways, your novel, A Star-Reckoner’s Lot, is the first part of a planned series called A Star-Reckoner’s Legacy. What is it about and will it be a trilogy or a potential long-haul series?

DD: A Star-Reckoner’s Legacy begins with the misadventures of a wandering demon hunter, Ashtadukht, and follows her sorry lot through an analogue of Sasanian Iran. There, she struggles with unhealthy grief and the beasts of legend she’s tasked with rooting out. What transpires is a tragic downward spiral that leaves a lasting, catastrophic impact on the setting.

Presently, only a trilogy is planned. But if it happens to do well, there’s always room for more.

AB: What were some of your influences for A Star-Reckoner’s Lot? You and I have talked about this once before in the past, but Pre-Islamic Iran is a fascinating setting, that has influenced my own works and literary tastes. What drew you to that particular time period and how did it affect your conception of the novel’s inspired setting?

DD: Well, at this point I’m not sure what drew me to Sasanian Iran in particular. It’s all very fuzzy. But I am very much there as much as a layman can be. As far as how it affected the setting? I used it as a very firm foundation, which is precisely why I spent years researching it before writing the novel, and while I’m still researching Sasanian Iran to this day (besides personal interest of course). Changes were made due to it being heavily rooted in fantasy, but for those looking, the inspiration should, I hope, be plain.

Backing up a bit, there were some noteworthy influences besides the obvious. Mushishi, with its sordid, emotional tales and traveling protagonist whose task is to bring the occult to heel, well, it was beautiful. While I gravitate toward tragedy, I have a keen appreciation for Pratchett’s ability to transform a setting rife with camp and absurdity into something that explores serious topics and themes. From him I learned that levity can do wonders for even a truly sobering tale. Add to that the exploits and cultural influences of the Shahnameh and One Thousand and One Nights.

AB: That’s quite an eclectic mix of influences. Mushishi? That’s actually pretty awesome, I was not expecting such an…obscure influence. Moving on, the novel focuses on a star-reckoner. I will be the first to admit, it sounds like a title inspired by a specific Zoroastrian Magi sub priesthood. What is a star-reckoner and how do they relate to the overall story?

DD: Asterism-reckoner didn’t have quite the same ring to it. I’m not entirely sure where the term originated, though my notes do mention it being in use in Hellenistic-Roman and Indian sciences. This makes sense considering how keen the Sasanians were on importing and applying expertise from around the world.

There’s a whole cosmos out there, and in it, a constant contest between the stars, planets, and other celestial objects. While star-reckoners have many responsibilities, the act of star-reckoning from which their title is derived (in the novel) involves inserting their soul into the celestial theatre. From that they glean a tiny fraction of the power involved in the battles between the planets and the stars, then put that to work in casting their lots. The whole process is one steeped in chance, such that when resolving their lots I always roll a die.

The core responsibility of a star-reckoner is to find and end divs, beasts and monsters of all types that seek to breed corruption and evil in the world. Readers follow Ashtadukht’s struggle to do her part, though not exactly as expected.

AB: The joys of painstaking research in private databases…the main character of the novel, Ashtadukht, is the titular star-reckoner. She’s described as “the worst there’s ever been” in your own words. She strikes me as the right blend of potential competency along with inexperience. Better yet, the hint of her darker desires and emotions leaking through the story suggests someone who isn’t clear cut morals wise. Who is Ashtadukht and how did you conceive her as the main character?

DD: She is indeed the worst there’s ever been. Not only are her spells much more volatile than her peers, she has a tendency to go easy on divs. Give them a chance where others would simply cut them down. In a world where dualism reigns, she straddles the fence. There is reason for this, but that’s better left to readers to discover. The same can be said for why her lots are so prone to backfiring.

When I first set out to write Ashtadukht I had an idea of a wanderer with a secret—I love huge twists, especially the subtle hints you can throw in that are only apparent in hindsight, and even then can be missed. On top of that, tragedy is sort of my wheelhouse, at least in part, so she needed to have that going for her.

Now, it’s more complicated than I can explain without getting into spoilers, but Ashtadukht is a victim of loss. The thing about bereavement is that it affects everyone differently. Ashtadukht hasn’t taken it so well. Even if we’ve convinced ourselves we’re over it, that loss is part of us for the rest of our lives. It affects us in ways we’ll never know. Some of us can’t get over it. That’s Ashtadukht. She’s in a bad way. She clings. There’s a shadow over her and a monster on her back. The extent of which will become apparent to readers, but coping mechanisms are oftentimes unhealthy, and she is no exception.

Ashtadukht trudges on, but she’s never actually left her past.

AB: The kind of tragic protagonist I myself love and often indulge in. We share the enjoyment of the misery of fictional people! Besides our terrifying penchant for tragedy, what is the world and setting of A Star-Reckoner’s Lot like? Given its inspiration, how much does it deviate from real history and how much does it take from sixth century Iran’s conflicts, politics, and culture within the context of Ashtadukht’s own story?

DD: In fashioning a world inspired by Sasanian Iran, I continue to strive to be true to the history. Even now I spend a great deal of time researching this or that aspect of the civilization before writing a scene. If they’re in a historic city, I spend hours or days trying to dig up what I can on the city. If they aren’t I model scenes on real-world locations. What trees are native to this region? More than just the meaning of a festival, what were its merrymakers up to? Those who know Sasanian history can spot historical events. It’s a great deal of work, but authenticity is important to me. That said, I’m no scholar. I would never claim as much. But I do strive for accuracy.

As much as I strive, I am ready to make concessions for the sake of fantasy. It’s an analogue after all. While it’s important to me to follow personal standards in its representation (I doubt most would notice!), the setting is fiction first and foremost. Magic and divs certainly had no place in Sasanian Iran, but they’re front and center in A Star-Reckoner’s Legacy. And rather than concentrating too strongly on the history or hardly at all on the politics, the tale follows a star-reckoner, and in that is focused on her encounters with what is decidedly fantasy.

AB: You always have to strike a balance between source material and your own world. Otherwise, we’d all be living in bizarre alternate worlds! Switching thought patterns at the speed of light, I’m particular about cover art. Your cover art is very striking, clean, and gives a solid image of Ashtadukht, the Iranian setting, and the hint of the magic system woven in the symbology plastered on the upper left corner. What made you want to go with this particular cover and who did the art?

DD: With A Star-Reckoner’s Legacy, the books each focus on an individual character’s perspective. So where the original standalone provided the reader with a more panoramic view of the party, I figured I’d change that to reflect the shift in focus that it took as a series. Book One was very much Ashtadukht’s tale. Book Two is Tirdad’s. Book Three is . . . well, we’ll see. Naturally, I wanted to make it clear what sort of setting we’re dealing with, and as the artist can surely tell you, I provided a great deal of historical references and details. He probably hates me.

Speaking of, the talented John Anthony Di Giovanni is responsible for the art, while STK Kreations wrapped it in a fancy design. Together, they’re growing rather ubiquitous in the fantasy community, especially among self-published authors like myself. And, well, I suppose that’s because they do a damn good job of it.

AB: He sounds like someone out of the Italian art schools! Also, more power to the standalone. Standalone authors, revolt in the face of the doorstoppers! Wrapping up, with A Star-Reckoner’s Lot currently available, what is on the horizon? Do you have plans to try and traditionally publish it? And are you working on the sequel?

DD: Unless a traditional publisher seeks me out, which will likely never happen, I don’t have any plans to go that route. I do, however, have the sequel to A Star-Reckoner’s Lot releasing on March 31st. An Ill-Fated Sky begins immediately after the end of the first book: “Tirdad will forsake honor. With his sword, or on it.”

AB: Where can readers find out more about you?

Website: http://astarreckonerslot.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarvyMagpies

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5338781.Darrell_Drake

AB: Before we go, I have to ask: if you had to face a last stand against a horde of undying demons, what would be your weapon and how would you fight to your last breath?

DD: A drug that kills me quickly and comfortably. Screw that noise. They don’t get the satisfaction.

AB: You are a pragmatic man. Sometimes death is better than demon stomachs. Once again, thank you so much for taking time out of your day to answer my questions!

DD: Thanks for reaching out, bud. It’s a rare pleasure encountering folks with an eye for the period, or an aspect of it anyway. May the planets empower you!