David R Slayton has been sharing the musical support for his stories since his first book (White Trash Warlock) was released. This week’s release of his brand new epic fantasy Dark Moon, Shallow Sea is no different. We’re SO excited he was able to take a bit of time away from release week crazy to give some in depth insight into some of his choices, and how they fit into the story.
When Phoebe, goddess of the moon, is killed by the knights of the sun god, Hyperion, all who follow her are branded heretics. With Phoebe gone, the souls of the dead are no longer ferried to the underworld, and instead linger on as shades who feast on the blood of the living.
Raef is a child of the night. He lives in the shadows, on scraps, eking out a meager existence as a thief. But when an ornate box is sequestered in the Temple of Hyperion, the chance of a big score proves too great to resist. What he finds within propels him on an odyssey across the sea and back again, altering the course of his life forever.
Seth is a knight of the sun. But unlike the others of his order, the fire of Hyperion only brings him pain. He believes he deserves this penance, exacted for his unknown origins. Tasked with recovering the contents of the box, Seth must also venture beyond the horizon if he’s to learn the truth about himself.
In a dying world divided by the greed of those in power, Raef and Seth find their destinies intertwined—and learn they might have more in common than they ever imagined.
By David R Slayton:
Every book has a rhythm and a tone. Being epic fantasy, Dark Moon, Shallow Sea begs for a soundtrack that can sweep you away to another world. Aegea, the world the characters inhabit has been better days. The moon is gone from the sky, and her murder stopped the tides, leaving the ghosts of the dead without a path to the Underworld. I picked songs for this playlist that inspired me to think about the world but also the two point of view characters, Raef and Seth.
As the moon’s last worshipper and a knight of the sun god, they are opposites and natural enemies.
The list kicks off with Blurry, by Crown the Empire, which I felt is a great Raef song. I could see it at the music for the opening credits of the movie or television show. At the beginning of the book Raef’s a bit lost and quite angry, wanting revenge for his goddess’s murder and desperately needing connection, but not knowing how to find it.
Seth struggles with his faith. He believes deeply in his god, Hyperion, and is eager to show his worth. At the same time he doubts his worth. Unlike the other knights, the god’s fire burns him, and doubt can be fatal in a knight of Hyperion.
This cover of XTC’s Dear God felt like a great embodiment of Seth’s creeping doubt:
This book is also cinematic, at least enough for me to see it in my mind. I chose songs that would capture the tension or mood of specific scenes. For example, Bear McCreary’s Something Dark is Coming would beautifully fit the hike across Thiva, known as the Isle of the Dead.
The gods are crucial part of the world in Dark Moon, Shallow Sea. They are alien and strange, but not so removed from the lives of their worshippers that they do not grant favor or answer prayers. Some places in the book are more sacred than others, such as the island of Eastlight, which has a secret history Raef longs to explore. Another track by Bear McCreary, Kobol’s Last Gleaming, perfectly fits the feeling of reverence that Raef must feel upon seeing the island.
Finally, this book also contains a love story, though in such a darkened world I must leave it to the reader to decide if it can be a happy one. Still, love provides hope and a glimmer of light in the darkness.
The first time I heard Jaymes Young’s Moondust, I thought of Raef. I listened to it constantly when writing and editing the final draft of this book:
The soundtrack ends with Freya Riding’s cover of Maps by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. I love this song deeply and it catches the perfect mood of the books’ final scene:
You can listen to the full playlist here:
Let me know if you feel like the songs match the book in the comments.
Dark Moon, Shallow Sea by David R. Slayton is available October 31, 2023 everywhere, however you read, from Blackstone Publishing.
Photo credits: Lost Stars Imaging
Funk-N-Fiction 