Daniel Gelinske, author of The Freedom Fighter, the first book in the Tirlannon saga, has a new post on his official site with a few bits of news regarding a new revision of his first novel, as well his upcoming book, Shadow of the Chimaera. Some highlights of the update include:

• A major revision of The Freedom Fighter, “Nothing of the plot will change. None of the events will change. All the characters will remain the same, but hopefully this version will be far better written.”
• Gelinske is currently planning on adding more chapters to The Freedom Fighter.
• Shadows of the Chimaera is still being written

The biggest news of Mr. Gelinske’s update is the news that he has officially dropped his pen name (formerly Patrick Reid) and has decided to publish with his real name. Loyal DauntlessMedia.net readers will recall an interview, conducted with Mr. Gelinske, back in March, as well as a review of his latest revision of The Freedom Fighter. Both articles have been edited to reflect Mr. Gelinske’s latest news.

An Exclusive Interview With Daniel Gelinske,
Author of The Freedom Fighter and Tirlannon Saga

In 2004, Daniel Gelinske published The Freedom Fighter, an epic story about a young man who fulfills his destiny to lead his people to freedom from an oppressive regime (you can read DauntlessMedia.net’s full novel review HERE). The novel’s fanbase has steadily continued to grow. Spread mainly by word-of-mouth, The Freedom Fighter has already become well known in several internet communities, and its reputation as an entertainingly unique blend of magic and science fiction is rapidly increasing.

But how did it all begin? What are the stories behind the novel? What’s in store for fans of Tirlannon? Recently, author Daniel Gelinske took time out from working on his second Tirlannon novel, the currently titled Shadow of the Chimaera, to talk with DauntlessMedia.net. He shared his thoughts about his inspiration for Tirlannon, provided a unique look at the world and characters, and gave us some tantalizing hints about what’s in store for the fans of this brand new saga.

For Daniel Gelinske, the journey into Tirlannon began with Dungeons & Dragons, the popular fantasy tabletop game which has captured the imaginations of millions since the early 1980s. But as with all popular stories and activities, subsequent incarnations (and the inevitable knock-offs) often become cliché. While Gelinske still professes a genuine joy regarding D&D, he says, “Around 1993, I was tired of the usual clichéd Dragonlance/Greyhawk/etc. campaign settings.” And so he did something about it.

Gelinske began by drawing a map that included two factions, the Tarligean Elves and Madrocean humans. D&D was an influence, however, as the new realm began to take shape, Gelinske “chose to deviate from the original D&D rules a bit …especially when Cireth was added.” And with it, Tirlannon began to take on some very unique properties – signs that it was to become much more than a D&D derivative.

The next thing Gelinske needed to do was to construct an overall story. Originally, Gelinske says, “I wanted to gaze into the world where myths and legends were generated, beyond the veil of prehistory, and create a continuity that would continue through every era. That was the idea from the get-go really, as I had initially created the connection between Arthur and Daecrynn (Oro’quiel/Excalibur).” But it didn’t stop there. And indeed, something very interesting happened – something that would not only separate Tirlannon from D&D, but something that would become a trademark for the entire saga.

The defining moment, the final separation from D&D, was sealed when science fiction found its way into the story: “I just wrote it as I saw it… the conflict between magic and technology, between the spirituality of the elves and the material dominance of the Cirethians was alot of fun to write about and watch unfold in my mind and on paper.” According to Gelinske, “in the gaming world, D&D wasn’t really set up for mixing magic and technology initially so I had to create something [new].” And thus the foundations of Tirlannon had been created.

Before Gelinske could start The Freedom Fighter, Gelinske needed to construct an entire backstory, “I had already known all the answers to the most important questions … Where did the Taergeni come from, how did Tarligean get its start … I also had a good idea where I was going by the time I was about halfway finished with TFF.” And really, Gelinske is being modest. He has a vast archive of stories, notes, ideas and outlines for every age in Tirlannon history. This archive will be a great resource for future Tirlannon projects.

When it came time to write The Freedom Fighter, Gelinske focused on his characters. Talking about his main hero, Gelinske says, “originally Daecrynn Tuvitor was largely based off of myself, but his character has evolved quite a bit since I started writing.” Indeed, evolution is a key to the creation of The Freedom Fighter. Having completed three published revisions, Gelinske is also working on a fourth edition.

But that isn’t the end of the Tirlannon saga. There are at least two new books on the horizon. Gelinske’s second novel, Shadow of the Chimaera, is currently being written. This new book “is mostly finished, and will expand the world quite a bit for fans. Many new locales will be visited, new characters will be introduced.” Gelinske expects its publication by the end of 2009. The third book, titled Schisms and Storms, is “a tale of the end of the prehistoric world [that] will be aptly timed for 2012.”

Beyond these two books, Gelinske says, “we will eventually see the Remnants of Tirlannon series that will illustrate the effects of the survivors of Schisms on the ancient to medieval world. After that, I’ve been playing around with storylines set in modern and future timelines. Prequels aren’t out of the question if I’m not too old when the last of those timelines are finished, and I still have the urge to carry on. I’m not lacking for notes on the “prequel” times.” The backstory that Gelinske has so meticulously constructed for the past fifteen years is certainly paying dividends. The future of Tirlannon looks bright.

In addition to the novels currently being revised, written, and planned, a Tirlannon role-playing game is currently in development. Gelinske promises that the game, which he is personally authoring, “will also shed light on many places and aspects of the world of Tirlannon that the books won’t be able to cover.”

As we wait for the future of Tirlannon, it is worth noting how Gelinske, and his world, have come full circle: the new Tirlannon RPG “will be a tabletop game comparable to D&D.” Tirlannon has returned to its roots, finally developing the game he first planned in 1993. The Tirlannon RPG figures to be a “very simple and efficient system, but very expansible” so gamers will be able to put themselves directly into the world which was born from Daniel Gelinske’s imagination, fifteen years ago.

You can visit Daniel Gelinske’s official homepage for the world of Tirlannon at:

Tirlannon.net

The Freedom Fighter, written by first time author Daniel Gelinske, is our introduction into a brand new world, called Tirlannon: a vast and ancient realm that is rich in detail, full of energy and entertaining in its sheer bravado. It’s the story of how a lone warrior finds his destiny and rallies his people to freedom. It has more than its share of magic, mysticism and sinister villains. And the best part? This is just the tip of the iceberg.

The Freedom Fighter is but the first book in an epic saga that will tie together myth and legend with science and fiction in a way that no other saga has done before. Considering that this is Patick Reid’s first official publication, it’s no surprise that there are some flaws in the crafting of this novel. But if the rest of this new saga is filled with as much action, adventure and epic scope as The Freedom Fighter, in a few short years you’ll be adding the Legacy of Tirlannon to the short list of “great” epic stories.

This is the story of Daecrynn Tuvitor, a Taergeni Elf about to confront his own destiny as warrior, a romantic, and a leader. His journey will take him out of the “comforts” of his refugee foster family, and place him completely in the midst of the great political storms of his time. In many ways, he is the ideal hero. His prowess as a hunter and a fighter are balanced by a youth and vigor, and by a quick wit, sharp tongue, and uncanny sense of humor.

After finding the legendary blade, Oro’quiel, Daecrynn embarks on his quest to rally his subjugated people against the oppressive Madroceans – a race of humans who had conquered the Taergeni Elves when Daecrynn was still just a small child. Their crimes against the Elves are many. But all of that is about to change. With the rise of a leader, a young man who was destined to lead their people, the Taergeni Elves take the first coordinated steps toward freedom. The battles they fight range from the deeply personal to the profoundly epic. And by the time the dust settles, their homeland of Tarligean is once again under their control.

As Daecrynn journeys throughout the land, as he interacts with other characters, the size and scope (but certainly not all the details) of the Tirlannon universe are revealed. Daniel Gelinske has constructed a universe whose details rivals that of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle Earth. I do not make that claim lightly or nonchalantly. There is a rich, deep history to Tirlannon that is hinted at as the story unfolds. And, too, the foundations for an epic, and tragic, future are being built.

If there is a major criticism of the novel, however, it is in how well such detail is interwoven into the story. Quite literally, there is enough backstory on Tirlannon to fill a voluminous compendium (there are even some very useful and thoroughly interesting sets of appendices at the end of the novel). As a result, there are times when the book feels more like an encyclopedia than a story. Diehard fans of Lord of the Rings are used to such exquisite detail and are, therefore, less likely to be put off by the sometimes dense descriptions and backstories.

One other negative consequence of the detail is the pacing of the novel. More often than not, Gelinske’s pacing is effortless and intuitive, much like J.K. Rowling. But there are a few times when sequences are either glossed over too quickly, or are burdened by too much exposition. Once again, however, this is likely the result of The Freedom Fighter being Gelinske’s freshman effort. The pacing, like his occasional stumbles of language usages, improves as the novel unfolds. But it is important to note, however, that Gelinske has not had a professional editor – and a definitive Fourth Edition is on the way.

In spite of a few bumps in the road, The Freedom Fighter is worth reading because the story is so compellingly epic. Whether it is the liberation of Namakeira, the retaking of Andriel, the romance between Daecrynn and Nadali, or the sinister machinations of the Cirethians, there is something special about this story.

The Freedom Fighter, in spite of a few miscues, is well worth the investment of time. It’s mixture of science fiction and magic, of myth and history, and of both epic and personal stories is unique. There is plenty here for fans of many genres. Tirlannon is poised to become the next great saga. Imagine if you had been one of the first people in history to read The Hobbit? If you missed that opportunity, have your chance now with The Freedom Fighter.