Back to work!

Spent a couple of weeks clearing off some writing projects off my plate so I can get back to The Assassin Prince.

I'm going to be splitting time between The Assassin Prince and other projects, but I want to spend on hour a day working on it. Outlining and research will take time, and the other projects will allowing my need to write to have it's outlet.

You may wonder what "Research" I need to do --- after all, it's a fantasy novel, about a place that doesn't exist on this world. But looking back on other fantasy novels, you can see the roots of European middle ages and other eras. While I have an idea of how the main factions look and operate, I want to get a feel for how the real-life counterparts functions and make adjustments to make them unique to my world. Political, military, social --- take it all in, and adjust as needed to fit this world I'm building. Not everything I will be creating will end up on the page, but knowing I've already decided on those matters will make it easier to write when the time comes.

Co-writing both Outcast Ops novels was relatively simple --- it's just taking what is already in the word and using it. Thanks to Google maps, I know enough about locations here on Earth to set the stories against, even though I've never been to South Africa or San Francisco (I can't speak for Rick on either location). I know the team carries H&K MP5s and the submachine guns fire 9mm bullets, while the AK-47 fired a 7.62mm bullet and is an assault rifle. Those are well known.

But a sword? Both the AK and MP5 are used the same way, pull the trigger and it fires bullets until the magazine runs dry. While a katana, a saber, and a gladus are all swords, they aren't used the same way. The first two are primarily slashing swords, while the third is more of a thrusting sword. If I have a Roman-like Legion, with large shields, they are not going to have katana-like swords, because the katana is more suited to a two-handed use (That's why Samurai didn't use shields beyond the code they lived by --- a shield would have robbed them of speed and power when using their katanas.) Now, I could give a Samurai a gladus, but that changes the entire way he fights.

Then I have to take in consideration how the warrior holding that weapon. A Roman legionary fights as part of a team, a unit, an army. He is protected by the men on either side of him, as he protects them. The gladus was designed to stab from behind the safety of a shield, because there's no room for sweeping slashes when you're shoulder to shoulder with fellow Romans. They train day after day on striking a wooden pole until becomes second nature. The use of the gladus is limited and doesn't have the variety of techniques other swords does.

A Samurai, on the other hand, is trained from a young age in the art of the sword. They learn all sort of offensive and defensive techniques and tactics using their swords. They fight individuality, singly or in small groups, in a looser formation, to allow the katanas room to sweep and generate the force to cut into their enemy. There is more of an individual mindset then what a Roman legionary has.

And that just the swords......

Anyway, enough for tonight. See you next week!

*****

Both Outcast Ops novels I co-authored are on Amazon and are both part of the Kindle Direct program. African Firestorm is here: Outcast Ops: African Firestorm on Amazon! For those in the United Kingdom, Outcast Ops: African Firestorm on Amazon UK!! Red Ice is here: Outcast Ops: Red Ice on Amazon!. and for those in the UK, Outcast Ops: Red Ice on Amazon UK!


Craig