7 non Harry Potter reasons I wrote The Arcane Prophecy
Harry Potter may bring unapologetic libertarian vibes, but The Arcane Prophecy transforms them into unapologetic, no B.S. territory.
Young protagonist you’ll relate to unless you hung out with that preppy clique in public school? Check. Kick-ass story with shock value? Check. Harry Potter vibes, but with a main character that shares one too many traits with Lord Voldemort? Checkmate.
That’s The Arcane Prophecy, Book I in my Arcane Elemental Academy series—a YA fantasy with unapologetic libertarian teeth—at its finest. And when you read it, you’ll catch the Potter connections from the first page.
Our fearless protagonist, Yote Diamondback, has a relative who loves to bully her and a school that welcomes her. Sounds so Potter-like. But don’t worry. Harry Potter wasn’t the only reason I crafted The Arcane Prophecy.
1 – Marking territory in YA fantasy
Who’s the antagonist in this thing? You’re gonna ask that question after the first few chapters, and it’ll immediately throw off genre expectations for the normies who like reading the same book over and over again.
So I took a flamethrower to formulaic YA fantasy and reconstructed it in my own image. You’re not getting straight-up genre fiction, but a bridge between it and literary fiction. If you want something different, step inside. If not, get the f*ck out.
2 – Anarcho-capitalism
Yote doesn’t wait for a Ministry of Magic knockoff to solve her problems—she claims her own dangerous liberty.
Another reason I took a flamethrower to traditional formulas: Government wasn’t coming in to save the day. Or, the main character saves the day, then the right people come along and reform government.
Nah. I’ll pass. Let’s inject some good old anarcho-capitalism from the Rothbardian School in there. Self-ownership, personal sovereignty, and dangerous liberty thrive. Statists are gonna hate this work, and that’s a beautiful thing.
3 – Elemental magic only
One of the original magical systems at work here. Entwine the four classical elements plus spirit with Nordic runes, and I brought an ancient magical system into the 21st century.
A system that’s captured audiences for a while, thanks to Avatar: The Last Airbender and its sister show, The Legend of Korra. The only difference is that Nordic flair.
4 – The good old pagan ways
Pagan ways are so associated with the Left that it’s ridiculous. So I had to remind readers that some pagans are libertarians. And not those Gary Johnson Libertarians.
Libertarian pagans for all the right reasons, and not because some see it as a counter to Christianity. Because let’s be honest: That’s exactly why more than a few people embraced the Old Ways.
5 – A sport that makes sense
Box thrashball is a mutant hybrid of hockey and lacrosse. That makes it a dangerous game and one that makes a hell of a lot more sense than Quidditch.
Because if you ever watched hockey or box lacrosse, congratulations. You’ll understand this game.
Oh, and don’t worry. Like Rowling, I’m entwining box thrashball scenes in with the plot. We aren’t playing games for breaks in the action, though I doubt there’ll be any rogue bludgers or Dementors invading the court.
6 – Break from the Renegades Epic
I’ll always f*cking love the Renegades Epic. But when you got a shared universe with the same magical system, things get stale.
So The Arcane Prophecy keeps the elemental magic vibes but with a unique twist on the magical system at play. A softer, less complicated system with fewer elements, no magical swords, and far less blood and guts.
7 – My hometown
If you’ve been reading my work for a while, you know how much of a love affair I have with my hometown, Wintersville, Ohio. It’s to me what Hogwarts was to Harry Potter, and it spews Hogwartian vibes when the leaves change.
Other than the d*ckhead mayor the town had in the 1990s, it’s the epitome of Anytown, USA. Close-knit community. Christmas village-like in the winter. Picturesque rolling hills and deciduous forests on its outskirts.
It’s the kind of place that makes you believe in magic—because for me, it always has.
Check out Arcane Elemental Academy
Ready to take a deep dive into Yote Diamondback’s tale? Check out a raw version of its first 8,000 words and catch Yote’s intense rivalry with her sister, Jett.
And don’t forget to grab the free prequel, Arcane Awakenings, and see what Yote and Jett were up to during their final days of Elemental middle school.
You’re getting rebel teachers, cheaters, and mean girls looking to take Yote outta commission before she can graduate from her age-13 cohort.
