The inspiration for this writing journey began in sunny, southern British Columbia 46 years ago. As a classical, pencil-and-paper Dungeon Master always in demand, my D&D game continues in Japan with new player characters eager to improvise and develop their own stories. New players are millennials who add a real freshness to D&D with their inclination towards modern society themes and the use of contemporary language. Together with our 1980s-era, old-school, Canadian players championing this effort, all kinds of amazing adventures playing out over the years have found their way into these books.
I hope you'll have as much fun with Genoivieve, Roxanne, Ulmaetor and Numencrön as I have had, developing scores of characters and writing about the world through various experiences. No AI is ever used in the written word or in my hand-drawn maps. Character images begin with personal photographs and are then enhanced by AI image software.
The Genoivieve series are simultaneous stories in a classical setting where women and minorities are suppressed, but blatant misogyny, racism and homophobia are not endemic prejudices. In particular, as I applaud women for generally reading more, Genoivieve makes a case for an increased female readership in a genre that has historically been male-oriented.
The content of these contemporary high fantasies is inspired by JRR Tolkien, Gary Gygax, RA Salvatore, Robert E Howard and dollops of Franz Kafka and Charles Dickens, so if you're familiar with the celebrated masterpieces from any of these ground-breaking authors, we already have something in common. Eternal gratitude goes to all my veteran players for their suggestions and support, and to my darling soulmate Yoko, without whom the endless nights spent proofreading might be overwhelming!
Apart from writing and conducting my RPG, I and my colleagues operate an English school in Japan. I'm an avid vintage record collector and play music every day, often quite loud! When time permits, Yoko and I travel to the Mediterranean region to inspect classical world heritage sites. Other passions include visual astronomy, freediving and photography. I can really get mired into anything involving optics. Although age and the Pandemic have naturally caused skills to decline, the silver lining is that I have more time to write! So stay tuned!
With My Very Best Wishes and Sincere Thanks,
MARTIN WERNER ZANDER
Featured Book
The Prime Material World has never known true peace. But Genoivieve, Grand Matriarch of Aphrodite, has never stopped fighting for it.
Now, alongside her companions Ninmeşaora and HAL, she is done waiting.
Ulmaetor. Professor Volansky. The Illithids — those ancient mind flayers who held the dwarves in subjugation for nearly two centuries. One by one, Genoivieve is coming for them all.
But darkness is not so easily extinguished. Factions fall and rise again. Evil is patient in ways that even the most powerful Cleric of Aphrodite cannot outlast. What she can do is strike hard, strike true, and carve out something worth protecting — for now.
This is not the end. It never is. But it is Genoivieve's finest hour.
Genoivieve II - Grand Matriarch of Aphrodite is a first-person high fantasy epic — the magnificent fifth volume of the Genoivieve Series, where long-awaited reckonings finally arrive.
View All Books