Q&A with Jeff Henrikson, Author of A PRAYER FOR PEACE Series

Jeff Henrikson recently released the third book in his sword & sorcery series A Prayer for Peace. Learn more about his new book Do the Gods Give Us Hope? in this interview.

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November 2018; 978-1723832246
ebook, print (474 pages); fantasy

What inspired this series?

The story is loosely based on a DnD adventure I had with friends in graduate school. The characters’ unique personalities come from the actual people that played those characters. As the adventure unfolded, I began filing ideas away for what I thought would make a good story. Eventually, fourteen years ago, I sat down and started writing one day. I wanted to see if I had what it takes to write a good series. It was a mountain that I wanted to climb.

What is your author voice/style?

I have attempted a serious work of fantasy. I’m told my combat sequences are excellent and my character voices are distinct. My work is intelligent and unique in that it involves three tiers (individual, nations, and heavens) and involves multiple points of view, where different parts of the story are seen from different perspectives.

Based on the titles in the series, what is the connection to gods?

The gods in the world created in the series interact with mortals in indirect, and occasionally, direct ways. This leaves the main characters wondering if they have free will or if their strings are being pulled from behind a curtain. In the series, the thief is continually confronting his loyalties with regard to his race, his god, his guild, and his own desire for power. Over time, the thief is unknowingly influenced for the better by the company he is forced to keep. I wanted the reader to consider what happens with the gods in my made-up world with our god here on earth.

Fan readers of which authors and books do you think would enjoy the A Prayer for Peace series and why?

George RR Martin, Joe Abercrombie’s Half a King series, Christopher Paolini’s Eragon, Isaac Asimov’s Foundation Series, or DnD and Pathfinder. The series has an extensive number of characters, told from several points of view, and involves gods, nations, and mortals. The plot weaves together in a way I’ve never seen from any other author before. The points of view overlap, occasionally telling the same story from another character’s perspective.

Your brother is an author as well. Is there any rivalry there?

My brother, Mark Henrikson, is also an indie author of seven books. The premise of his series was my idea, which I gave him permission to use. We have a great relationship, but I would be lying if I said there wasn’t some brotherly rivalry there. It is unique and inspiring to work in the same space as we always motivate and learn from each other.

What do you hope for readers to take away from the series?

What I want most is for readers to enjoy the characters and the story.  If the reader comes away from the series with deeper questions about their place in our world, then so much the better.

Buy Do the Gods Give Us Hope? at Amazon

About the Author

Jeff Henrikson lives with his wife and three children just outside of Washington D.C. He works for a Department of Defense think tank advising our armed forces who so valiantly keep our nation strong. Jeff is a Chemical Engineer by trade and obtained his doctorate from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (Go Blue!).

His favorite book series of all time is Isaac Asimov’s Foundation Trilogy. Contemporary favorites include Ready Player One and Jack Campbell’s Lost Fleet series. Jeff plays almost any sport that has been invented and contrasts that by reading, watching movies, and playing video/board games.

To learn more, please visit jeffhenriksonauthor.com.

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