A fellow author asked me via Twitter what made my trilogy epic. For a moment I paused. Did I truly understand the meaning of “epic”? I was inspired by “The Lord of the Rings”, “The Silmarillion” and “Paradise Lost”, which are all referred to as literary epics. But did I truly know the meaning? Here are the definitions of the word:
n.
1. An extended narrative poem in elevated or dignified language, celebrating the feats of a legendary or traditional hero.
2. A literary or dramatic composition that resembles an extended narrative poem celebrating heroic feats.
3. A series of events considered appropriate to an epic: the epic of the Old West.
adj.
1. Of, constituting, having to do with, or suggestive of a literary epic: an epic poem.
2. Surpassing the usual or ordinary, particularly in scope or size:
3. Heroic and impressive in quality:
With this definition in mind, here is why my trilogy is definitely an epic tale.
It is an extended literary narrative for sure at approximately 273 thousand words. It covers the beginning and ending of time, so its scale and scope with regards to time is definitely epic. The story focuses on the trials and tribulations, and feats of an epic hero – Arimar.
The story surpasses the usual and ordinary. I have created, as had J.R.R. Tolkien, my very own mythology from the creation of my own imagination. This is not a spin-off nor a cleverly emulated story. I wanted to write something completely new.
This much I can promise you. The epic battle scene in “Last Stand of the Living” will rival any ever written. We have grown to expect epic drama whenever mortals and immortals clash.
