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Mixing Fantasy with Horror
In Valenfaar: The Children’s Song, characters wrestle their own inner demons as they prepare for battle against an ominous force known as The Children. Where did the idea for this novel come from?
It came from a few different places if I’m to be honest. A lot of workshopping and finding out what felt right for the story, while also brainstorming with a good friend of mine (who the book is dedicated). Ultimately, I came up with the image of the Children first and started to let ideas fly from there. As for the characters and how they struggle with the events around them, I’ve always enjoyed it when characters have a noticeable struggle with what they’ve been through. It always makes them more real and relatable for me. So I wanted to do that with my characters too: give them more depth and have them feel vulnerable mentally as well as physically.
There was a lot of time spent crafting the character traits in this novel. What was the most important factor for you to get right in your characters?
Personality. Who they are, what their backstory is, and how they talk and interact with one another. I always want everyone, even the side characters, to feel real in some respect. So I give them families, vocal ticks, ignorance in some fields vs experience in others. Keeping everyone varied while having something relatable is critical for me. I don’t want carbon copies of one person all over the place.
What intrigues you most about the horror and dark fantasy genres?
The possibilities. When mixing fantasy with horror, there are so many cool and terrifying ideas people can come up with. When I wrote The Children’s Song, I never intended for it to have a horror element. It just kind of evolved on its own. But, I take in a lot of fantasy and the pure breadth of horror possibilities is great. From zombies to vampires and werewolves, we could have undead dragons, liches, ghouls, and an amalgamation of them all. With fantasy, the sky isn’t the limit, it goes beyond that. You can make the coolest scariest stuff that can be unique compared to more traditional horror.
Can you give us a peek inside Book 3 of this series? Where will it take readers?
Absolutely! Book 3 is already out (I hope to be sending it your way soon) and readers will see the events of Crimson Plains and Children’s Song collide into one big book. Both casts of characters will be present and crossing paths frequently while they try to deal with the Thregs and the Children at the same time. Of course, we’ll also see underlying plots, such as what Varen has going on, progress even further. The side characters come fully into step with who they really are and everyone takes on a more prominent role in the events of the books. Everyone becomes more important, and EVERYONE will be there to deal with everything all at once. It’s a wild ride.
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The events of Valenfaar: The Children’s Song are largely isolated from the events of the Crimson Plains and take place, simultaneously, on the opposite side of the country. If you are new to the Fall of Valenfaar series, you can read the Children’s Song without having read the Crimson Plains first.
Valenfaar: The Children’s Song
James McLean’s Valenfaar: The Children’s Song is a dark, gripping fantasy novel that plunges readers into a world on the brink of collapse. Set in the same timeline as The Crimson Plains but on the opposite side of the country, this second installment in The Fall of Valenfaar series follows the desperate struggle against the ominous force known as the Children. As war looms, characters battle not only external foes but also the demons within their own minds. From the ominous first scene of a burning orphanage to the eerie climax where the Children’s influence takes full hold, the book weaves a chilling tale of survival, duty, and moral decay.
The writing is vivid, sometimes brutally so, and McLean doesn’t shy away from the horrors of war. Scenes like the feast before battle, where soldiers drink and joke as if trying to drown out the inevitable, feel painfully real. When Garridan wrestles with his past and loses himself to nightmares, his turmoil is so raw that I found myself genuinely unsettled. The eerie song of the Children whispered throughout the novel, adds an ever-present layer of tension. Every time it was mentioned, I braced for something awful.
What really struck me was the way McLean builds his world, not just the physical setting but also the deep-seated beliefs and corrupt politics that shape Valenfaar. The moment when Jo-een realizes the king and queen are oblivious to the country’s true state is a masterful piece of storytelling. It highlights a terrifying reality: those in power often live in ignorance while the people suffer. And then there’s Varen, the High Priest, whose chilling, calculated nature makes him one of the most compelling figures in the book. His confrontation with Fenrich, where he casually explains his complete control, is both fascinating and terrifying.
If there’s one thing that didn’t completely land for me, it’s some of the side characters. While figures like Garridan and Jo-een are deeply developed, others, like Roth, sometimes feel more like placeholders for comic relief than essential parts of the narrative. That said, even the lighter moments often serve a greater purpose, like the scene where Merl sings around the campfire, giving a fleeting glimpse of innocence before chaos erupts. The book thrives in its contrasts, making its darker turns even more gut-wrenching.
Valenfaar: The Children’s Song is a heavy, emotionally intense read that will appeal to fans of dark fantasy and military epics. If you enjoy books like The Black Company or The First Law trilogy, you’ll feel right at home here. It’s not a lighthearted adventure, but if you’re looking for a story that grabs you by the throat and refuses to let go, this is it. Just be warned: once you hear the Children’s song, you won’t forget it.
Pages: 279 | ASIN : B0BV7KM279
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