Journey of THE DARKENER: Humble Beginnings and Central Theme

THE DARKENER, as a project, began back in my sophomore year of college. At the time, it was more of an interesting concept than a planned novel, a curiosity for me to toy with while I went through my day-to-day life. I certainly never expected it to result in anything of value, let alone a hundred-thousand word book.

Back then, it was a simple idea: What if you took the most powerful being on the planet, the most physically imposing force there was, and broke him mentally and emotionally? What use would all his strength be if he couldn't even control his own mind? The concept was fascinating to me. It would give me a chance to explore what it would take to push such a being to that point, as well as how he would handle it once he got there. It would allow me to create a complex and interesting antihero, and in turn a complex and interesting story. My sincerest hope is that I succeeded in doing so.

The book, thematically, is very dark as a result of that original idea, and, at times, very in keeping with the "gritty and real" movement that seems to be sweeping through modern media. A lot of the time, the world isn't a particularly happy place. People lose loved ones. People hurt other people. People do whatever they have to to get ahead. These are the realities of the world we live in. Bringing them to light is nothing new. What's interesting, however, is examining how the darker side of the world can become intertwined with the lighter side at times, how the very thing that brings you hope and joy can be the thing that brings out the monster within you. It's fun to flip perspectives, to show how fighting for what you believe in, from your point of view, can look a whole lot more like bringing chaos to the world from someone else's. As it says in the book, oftentimes light and dark are simply two sides of the same coin.

This concept, this juxtaposition of darkness and light, sits at the very heart of the story. It's the fuel that drives the narrative, and undoubtedly it'll be the thing that leaves readers most torn. Which side do you take? Do you hate a man for his actions, or do you try to understand his intentions? Do you see things as black and white, or do you acknowledge that most of life exists somewhere in the gray? Is the hero a monster or is the monster a hero, or are they two sides of the same coin again?

These are the kinds of questions that drove me, that helped bring complexity to what I was trying to create. I hope that all of you are able to find them just as compelling as I was.

Thanks again for all the support!
-Nate