Murtagh

As for the actual language that the humans of Alagaësia use, that is a matter for examination elsewhere and elsewhen.

Afterword & Acknowledgments

Kvetha Fricai. Greetings, Friend.

You made it. Congratulations. Take a breath, put your feet up by the fire, let your emotions settle out. I hope this tale of Murtagh’s journey affected you as much as it affected me.

Perhaps you have some questions. Allow me to attempt some answers….

The initial inspiration for Murtagh came from, of all places, a tweet. A number of years ago, when I was in the midst of rewriting To Sleep in a Sea of Stars, a fan asked me what Murtagh was up to at that moment. It was way past my bedtime, and I was feeling a bit punchy, and as a result, I replied as follows:

At one point (after Inheritance), Murtagh enchanted a fork to be as deadly as any sword. He called it Mr. Stabby. Thorn was not amused.

Absurd though it was, the idea stuck with me, and in 2018, when I decided to finish a collection of short stories set in Alagaësia, I thought back to that tweet. With some adaptation, it formed the basis for the first story in what became The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm, the first volume in Tales from Alagaësia. (Will there be a second volume? Indubitably.)

That story, as many readers will recall, was written from the point of view of Essie, not Murtagh, but even so, I could feel the outline of a larger tale coalescing around that core, one that might serve as a proper, full-sized return to Alagaësia.

And so it proved. After To Sleep in a Sea of Stars was finally released, and after I spent a few months revising and editing Fractal Noise (a prequel to To Sleep that I originally wrote in 2013), I felt ready to return to Alagaësia.

As I fleshed out the plot and delved ever deeper into Murtagh’s and Thorn’s characters, I found rich earth to work with. Indeed, the richness surprised me. My first conception of Murtagh was more in line with the sort of old-fashioned adventure novel that Edgar Rice Burroughs might have produced (and which I still very much enjoy).

But the more I thought, plotted, and wrote, the more I felt for Murtagh and Thorn, and the more I realized that this book provided a perfect opportunity to explore the issues they were dealing with following the events of the Inheritance Cycle, as well as those of Murtagh’s own tragic childhood.

The writing itself proceeded with pleasing swiftness. Having a clear plan makes all the difference. I started in October 2021, and the first draft was done by January 30, 2022. Not too bad, all things considered. Of course, there were tweaks and changes and edits to follow, but the major pieces were in place.

I quite enjoyed returning to Alagaësia with an extra twelve years of life and writing experience under my belt. And as with The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm, revisiting these characters felt like coming home after a long absence. It was good for the soul, is what I’m trying to say. To have this book released in the twentieth anniversary year of Eragon only sweetens the experience.

Now, there are two additional points that need addressing:

First, although Murtagh acts as a stand-alone entry into this world, you will have no doubt noticed that certain storylines are far from concluded. This is on purpose, and although I can’t reveal my exact plans at the moment, rest assured, I have much more to write in (and around) Alagaësia.

Second, although Murtagh is the fifth full-length novel I’ve written in this world, it’s not the Book V. Or rather, the book I’ve always thought of as Book V. That particular story takes place a bit further down the timeline, and I still have every intent of writing it.

So yes, lots more to come, both in Alagaësia and in the Fractalverse. I have stories to tell, folks!

***

As with every novel I write, Murtagh wouldn’t have been possible without the help of a great many people. Some of you have been here from the very beginning; others are new to the team. But together I owe thanks to:

At Home: My wife, Ash, for your love and support, and for giving me the time and space I needed to write, edit, and promote Murtagh. Thank you! I know it was a push. Also, our two children, who, though they didn’t understand what I was doing, provided so much joy every day.

My mom for your usual keen eye when it comes to editing, as well as for helping with business and family. And my father for keeping everything running, month after month, so I could stay head-down in the book.

My astoundingly competent assistants, Immanuela and Holly, for your own (very helpful) editorial comments, as well as all of your hard work on websites, social media, merch, and so much more. Couldn’t do it without you!