David Drake

Cover art: Donato

The (common) religion of the Isles is based on Sumerian cult and ritual, but the magic itself comes from the Mediterranean and is mostly Egyptian in its original source.  The voces mysticae which I’ve referred to as “words of power” in the text represent the language of demiurges; that is, they are intended to have meaning to beings which can then translate human desires to the ultimate powers of the cosmos.  I have copied them from real spell manuscripts of the classical period.

I don’t personally believe that the voces mysticae have power over events, but millions of intelligent, civilized people did believe that.  I don’t pronounce the voces mysticae aloud when I’m writing. continue reading…

Why is the hardcover edition of Servant of the Dragon so poorly proofread?

This is a sore subject with me. I did three drafts of the novel (as usual). My friend Dan Breen read each section after I’d gone over it the first time, and my wife read the final typescript. By the time I sent electronic copy to my Tor editor (whom I won’t name here) it was very clean. continue reading…