Prompt Cast
"Essex Dogs": A Historical Fiction Novel Capturing the Energy and Chaos of War Fiction
TLDR "Essex Dogs" is a historical fiction novel that combines the energy and chaos of 20th century war fiction with the world and characters of the 14th century. The author discusses the importance of historical accuracy, realistic battle scenes, and exploring characters with limited agency in a historically accurate world.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
Dan Jones, a historian and author, turned to writing fiction because he wanted to challenge himself and learn something new about the business of writing, leading him to write his debut novel "Essex Dogs."
05:53
Dan Jones had the idea for his novel "Essex Dogs" while on a flight from Prague, and after a catalytic moment on Omaha Beach in Normandy, he decided to write a medieval fiction that captures the same energy and chaos as 20th century American war fiction.
10:49
"Essex Dogs" is a historical fiction novel that captures the energy and chaos of 20th century war fiction while staying true to the world and characters of the 14th century, avoiding the common pitfall of putting modern people in ancient costume.
15:45
"Essex Dogs" aims to portray characters with limited agency in a historically accurate world, contrasting with other historical fiction novels that often give characters a high degree of agency and the ability to reshape history.
20:38
The author of "Essex Dogs" discusses the importance of embedding story and plot in action scenes, using the example of a battle scene where the reader is drawn closer to the main character and experiences the physical and emotional consequences of the fight.
25:38
The author discusses his approach to writing battle scenes in historical fiction, emphasizing the importance of getting close to the characters and their experiences to create a realistic and visceral depiction of the events.
30:42
The author discusses how he incorporates historical details and systems into his writing to create a realistic world, and how breaking those systems can add an element of fun and intrigue to the story.
35:32
The author reflects on the common experience of war and how it affects individuals in different ways, particularly in regards to the main character Love Day.
40:16
The book explores toxic masculinity in the Middle Ages by examining the motivations and interactions of a group of men during the Hundred Years War, contrasting their perspectives with those of the Knights and Nobles who have a different understanding of the conflict.
45:14
Historical fiction allows for the exploration of characters who break the rules, make bad decisions, and don't understand the systems they are in, which can be difficult to capture in pure historical writing.
50:29
Writing historical fiction allows for a fun and entertaining exploration of history while still delivering serious thinking about the nature of history and allowing for storytelling in a different way than straight historical writing.
55:44
The process of writing historical fiction often requires stepping away from the computer and engaging in activities like walking or driving in order to generate the specific images and sensations necessary for the story to come together.
01:00:24
The process of writing a book is different from writing a newspaper column, script, short story, or novel, and it requires different skills, but it is a learning journey and a way for the writer to challenge themselves and grow.
Categories:
History
Society & Culture
