Despite a long history of novels and prose based off of their exploits, superheroes are primarily thought of as being better suited for comic panels. So if you think it seems odd that Norrin J. Powell’s new book “The Genesis of CHTHON” revolves around six superheroes, he’d probably be inclined to agree.
However, with eight novels planned, Powell concluded that there would be no other way to be faithful to the idea.
“I originally wanted to make a comic book, but unfortunately it seemed rather difficult,” Powell said. “By the end of 2002, I decided to write the story out in a novel form.”
By the looks of it, you can’t blame him – the first book alone weighs in at 388 pages and he isn’t afraid to take its six-hero troop to the ends of the earth. Ranging from 1989 Baltimore and Paris to hints of worlds beyond, it battles everything from child molesters and aliens to the simple pains of young love.
Powell cited the acclaimed author of “Ender’s Game,” Orson Scott Card, as an influence.
“I’ve tried to give the same feel (as Card’s work) to make the reader know the character and see what they think ? not make them two-dimensional,” he said.
Much the same way that Card believably conveyed the idea of child soldiers unwittingly fighting alien bugs, Powell looks to do the same with his proposed series.
“I’m very big on realism,” Powell said. “I understand it’s fiction and it’s fun, but I’m really big on a real-life aspect. I just spent a month and a half doing some research in Europe because I have a town in Scotland in the second book – I go to that degree, so I can be accurate.”
Powell seeks to create much of the realism by taking things from his own experience, and he makes no apologies for this.
“A lot of the characters are ideas that I’ve come up with over the past 17 years or so based on people I’ve met and what their personalities were,” Powell said. “The character I based off myself, his name is Norrin. I used a lot of how I felt I was.
At this point in the book, he is about 19, and I think about how I was when I was 19. However, the main character of the novel is Sam, who is more analytical and more think-things-through. He was also based on a friend of mine. ? I took their personalities and how I felt that they would react in these types of situations.”
Powell connects this with mythology, which is arguably the origin of the modern superhero stories.
“Any mythology is based on actual events that took place – not necessarily as they actually happened, but with embellishments,” Powell said. “Some of the events (in the book), although they’re not real, something similar might have taken place that I might’ve been able to draw on for a chapter.”
Mythology also gives the key to explaining the unusual title.
“It’s a Greek word,” Powell said. “Sometimes it means Earth and sometimes it means the underworld. Later on, the entire Earth winds up involved as the characters fight. I delve further into mythology as the books go on.”
Powell is always looking forward, seeing far into his character’s future even while in the middle of writing the second book.
“The first book takes place on Earth, but by the end of the fifth book, you’ll see how they move on beyond,” he said.
Expecting to have the second book finished sometime in August before subsequently editing it, Powell said he’s confident that “The Genesis of CHTHON” will birth a following.
“If you like romance, you’ll find romance, if you like action, you’ll find action,” he said. “There is no set specific audience. It’s obviously a science-fiction novel, but I think it’s something everyone can enjoy.”
