7 reasons why The Arcane Prophecy is literary fiction
The Arcane Prophecy is a young adult fantasy, but it’ll piss off the genre police. It’s a mutant hybrid between genre and literary fiction.
That means it’s not quite literary fiction, but I’d be lying if I sat here and claimed it was pure genre fiction. Most genre fiction feels cookie-cutter to me, formulaic to the point of boredom. So I avoid it both in my writing and in books that I read.
Well, Harry Potter’s fine, but other than that, pure genre fiction makes me want to scream. Literary fiction’s better, but it can drag.
So we’re talking about the bridge between genre and literary fiction here, but there’s a literary flair to Book I in my Arcane Elemental Academy series. Seven of them, to be exact.
1 – The setting unleashes a chaos theory
Saddle up, because you’ll hear ‘chaos theory’ the more you hang with me. I got the term from a Mr. Bob Murphy, whose book, Chaos Theory, inspired The Arcane Prophecy’s setting.
You got pure anarcho-capitalism here, with no Ministry of Magic in town to mess things up. Problem is, there’s an overarching government looking to go outta its way to take control of Arcane and the region it’s located in.
2 – I highlight market-based education
Some genre fiction readers will hate it when I highlight what a market-based education system looks like. But to drive the Rothbardian libertarian worldview home, you’re gonna see that approach in action.
It’s something Ayn Rand would’ve done if she concocted a young adult fantasy and sought to highlight a town and region with no public sector and a 32-school market collectively known as Arcane Elemental Academy.
3 – When does the freaking villain show up?
If I gave you a hint, I’d spoil it for you. But if you’re expecting a clear-cut villain in Chapter 1, you’re gonna be disappointed because you ain’t getting it.
And maybe there’s no single antagonist? With The Arcane Prophecy spewing a literary flair throughout it’s 60,400 words, you’re gonna cross a lotta characters who may fit the billing.
The good news? No one’s twirling a mustache.
4 – Dialogue leans into philosophy
You’re getting a bunch of teenage tabloids without the persistent swearing. Ironic, since I tend to swear a lot, and it’s gotten me in trouble before.
But when you’re getting a point across, your characters aren’t just moving a plot. They’re showing you what anarcho-capitalism looks like, and that involves philosophical discussions about how this society functions and what the potential pitfalls are.
Yeah, I said potential pitfalls, because there’s no such thing as a perfect society. And not everyone’s bold enough to admit that about their own worldview.
5 – Blatant differences from traditional schooling
Harry Potter may’ve helped inspire The Arcane Prophecy, but nobody’s wearing a school uniform and sitting in uncomfortable chairs all day.
I remember sitting in class during my own school days and wishing we could get up, move around, and get more practical with things. To my dismay, it never happened, but I spared my characters attending Arcane the same heartache.
You’re gonna see them playing school without a bell system or rushing to attend their next class. Hell, most schools at Arcane don’t hand out any letter grades or homework, and that ain’t a bad thing.
6 – Emphasis on road maintenance and defense contractors
“Who will take care of the roads” and “Who will protect you from the bad guys” are two “I got ya there” questions your typical statist who knows no better asks when you share fantasies of the masses going on a peaceful tax revolt.
Well, I got answers to those questions in The Arcane Prophecy.
Who takes care of the roads? In Arcane, it’s not a bureaucrat; it’s private contractors. As for who protects the populace? Once again, private contractors. Not a monopoly that extorts money without consent.
7 – Wait? Thrashball’s not school-sponsored?
Yeah, the schools go head-to-head in my invented sport of thrashball. And don’t worry, the game’s simple enough to understand.
But the funding’s all done through private means, with firms buying the teams uniforms, promoting them, and even paying to bring in the best coaching staffs.
Really, those representing each school within Arcane on the thrashball court are just wearing the colors and insignia. The private sector’s running the show, and they do a damn good job at it every year, as my protagonist, Yote Diamondback, will find out.
Even the prequel leans into literary fiction
What does the bridge between genre and literary fiction even look like? If you’ve ever wanted YA fantasy that challenges genre norms while still hitting you with high stakes and heart, start with the prequel, Arcane Awakenings. It’ll give you a taste of the chaos before The Arcane Prophecy blows the doors wide open.
