WILD WOODS

The dark is rising in Peter Newman’s The Deathless

The forest is a traditional habitat for the forces of darkness in fantasy. Luckily the populace of Peter Newman’s new novel have protection in the form of the Deathless: immortal warriors in suits of winged crystal armour.

Newman describes his novel as mixing high fantasy elements with folklore. “I was inspired by Grimms’ Fairy Tales and all those old ideas of ‘don’t leave the path’; ‘be back indoors by nightfall’ – and added some twisted demons.”

Just because they are immortal, it doesn’t mean the Deathless are invincible, though – or without more human enemies. While the evil in the Wild is getting, er, wilder, someone attempts to destroy House Sapphire, setting in motion a terrible chain of events. “The inciting incident is that someone tries to assassinate one of the Deathless – not easy, because they can come back as long as one of their descendants is still alive. It sucks to be the offspring!”

The book also touches on politics, a forbidden romance between the noble houses and issues of class, with the Deathless living in crystal castles, high above the mortal hunters. “If you’re in the lower classes then you’re neighbours with demons,” Newman says. “If you call for help, the Deathless will come – but the demons may already have taken your granny!” WS

The Deathless is published on 14 June.