In author Paul Taffinder’s own words, his mesmerising new science fantasy trilogy The Dream Murderer Cycle is a “celebration of human possibilities”, and having had the chance to read the first two novels in that trilogy, I couldn’t agree more.
The series consists of the already published Murderer of Dreams and Betrayer of Dreams, with the concluding novel, Mistress of Dreams, set for release next month.
Set predominantly in a far-future post-apocalyptic Earth, all books are united by the exploration of deep psychological themes concerning the meaning of true leadership and purpose.
While both the story and the writing are expertly crafted by the author—a lifelong fan of the science fiction and fantasy genres—it is the fact that he is, in his day job, one of the UK’s most respected chartered psychologists and business consultants that brings that added authenticity to proceedings.
Here, we have a writer who not only knows how to draw compelling characters but has the training and experience to get under the bonnet of their minds to convey their drives, compulsions and fears, and to consider which are best adapted to achieve their goals in an extreme environment marked by brutality, ignorance and decay.
The first novel, Murderer of Dreams, opens in the year 2084, when developments in nanotechnology have led to a select few becoming virtually immortal. They will no longer age, though they can still die from injury.
The wheels of civilisation, however, grind to a spectacular halt when a comet, Echrexar, strikes Earth, resulting in an apocalypse-level event which destroys all of humankind save a few small groups who were able to take refuge.
We then jump forward 18 centuries. The world has gradually recovered but the descendants of those survivors are living in a new Dark Age of fanatics, internecine warfare and regressive beliefs with the comet Echrexar now immortalised as a god and society (such as it is) consumed by ruthless ambition and violence.
Set on a continent called ‘Kiangsu Realm’, whose actual location is intriguingly hard to identify, the remaining humans, barely one million strong, are divided up and ruled by separate clans that are constantly conspiring and warring against each other for supremacy—like feral dogs fighting for a bone.
Within this primitive backdrop, where the shattered buildings of the past provide a constant reminder of just how much has been lost to time, we are introduced to one of the few remaining Immortals—the perpetually 25-year-old Eslin.
To the leader of the clan, the ruler of the Kingdom of Honam, she serves as spymaster, she is known as ‘Skava’, and in this role she aids his imperial machinations.
Secretly, however, she holds within a burning passion to reunite the kingdoms and rebuild the world.
This will be far from easy, not least because there are plenty who want her dead such as fellow Immortals and old enemies Harbin of the Hundred Islands and the feared assassin Kesmet.
She must also be wary of the zealots who maintain the Faith, a restrictive creed terrified by prophecies of Echrexar’s return, and the dream wanderers who can foretell the future.
In book two, Betrayer of Dreams, Eslin continues her chosen path, still pursued by danger on all sides, as she plots the overthrow of kings to bring about the reunification of humanity.
If anything, Kiangsu Realm has now become even more savage, with assassins having struck down the mighty and thrown the realm into turmoil.
The solution, however, may rest underneath the ground—the ancient Temple of Cise Hook, said to contain archaic secrets that could, perhaps, change the future of the world.
And, with the soon-to-be-published book three, the climax of the trilogy, Mistress of Dreams, all-out war has broken out as the battle not just for the realm but humanity’s destiny comes to its bloody conclusion.
A visionary work and instant classic, the Dream Murderer Cycle has it all: complex, competing characters woven within an epic narrative, set within a living, breathing world (complete with its own maps with its own extensive mythology and lore), and all fighting for the highest of stakes.
It’s clear from the off that author Paul Taffinder has a firm understanding of the foundations upon which to lay arresting science fantasy fiction, and the writing chops to deliver it in such a way as to maintain interest across the series.
Inspired in part by the writings of Steven Erikson, who penned the ‘Malazan Book of the Fallen’ series, and Jack Vance, who wrote ‘The Dying Earth’ series, The Dream Murderer Cycle is engrossingly entertaining and packed with perceptive insight and meaning.
There is no end of suspense and intrigue, plots and counter-plots, victories and reversals of fortune, and countless threats to deal with, as well as tantalising mysteries to uncover, as we follow anti-hero Eslin’s quest.
The series also seems to chime perfectly with modern-day concerns, from the threat of annihilation from space or the collapse of civilisation to the rise of nanotechnology and the Silicon Valley dreams of immortality.
In this respect you could view the trilogy as a kind of future history, but at the same time—taking the novels’ potent psychological themes—you can read it as a discourse on the qualities of true leaders, or with the Immortals, upon the value of life and the hollowing effect of ennui.
I particularly enjoyed how Eslin is handled. She comes across as a realistic figure who, unlike her master, recognises that leadership is about commitment to a course of action (for better or worse) rather than title and finery.
Thus, she pursues her goals with sometimes ruthless focus, seeing the bigger picture at all times, yet there are also moments of weakness and fear, such as when she realises her hunters know her old name.
Importantly, she develops as a character by facing, and overcoming, the obstacles or setbacks along her path, as well as the internal struggles such as the question of whether to remain in the shadows or emerge to play her hand.
I also cherished the vibrancy and pithiness of the writing, which has a dynamic lyricism befitting the epic mood, such as “The strong mare laid her ears back and ate up the ground as they raced through the forest”.
The Dream Murderer Cycle will undoubtedly appeal to those who love quality sci-fi or fantasy, such as Dune, Game of Thrones, or Lord of the Rings, as well as a wider audience interested in novels that forensically examine the human condition and what it means to live a good life.
As protagonist Eslin says, “The point of balance, between the fears that grip you and the risks you dare to venture, is purpose”.
Paul Taffinder, already a multinational bestselling business author, clearly has purpose in his writing, and he achieves it in droves with his unforgettable debut trilogy.
Murderer of Dreams (Book One of The Dream Murderer Cycle) and Betrayer of Dreams (Book Two of The Dream Murderer Cycle) by Paul Taffinder are published through Xiphax Press and are available now on Amazon in paperback and eBook formats, priced £12.99 and £6.99 respectively. Mistress of Dreams (Book Three of The Dream Murderer Cycle) will be published in August 2022. For more information, visit the author’s website, www.dreammurderer.com or follow him on Twitter at @XiphaxP and Instagram at @xiphax_press.
Q&A Interview with Paul Taffinder
We speak to respected psychologist and bestselling business author Dr Paul Taffinder, founder of Taffinder Consulting, to learn more about his professional work as well as how it has helped inform his stunning new science fantasy trilogy, The Dream Murderer Cycle.
Q. Where does this fascination with the psychology of motivation and action come from, and how has it helped progress your own career?
A. I’m not entirely certain where it started. I remember when I was very young I wanted to be a writer. In my mind, to be a writer meant you needed to learn to write (so I should study English, classical and other literature) plus go deep in learning about people (so I should do a psychology degree). In the end I did study both English and psychology, but was so fascinated by psychology that I did an undergraduate degree, then an honours degree, a masters and finally PhD. The idea of advising, getting into consultancies and then moving up to director and partner followed.
I have always taken the view that psychology is, in essence, about everything—because it defines and explains how and why people do everything they do in whatever field or endeavour or in their personal lives. That, I suppose, is my endless fascination.
Q. You have authored several bestselling business books aimed at CEOs, and which explore leadership. How does your definition of leadership differ to the concept as it is typically defined today, and why do you have issues with this ‘woolly’ definition?
A. Over the last decade or so, there has been a gradual erosion of objective study of leadership in favour of a naïve view that leadership should be about ‘being who you are’, ‘being yourself’ or ‘being a follower in order to be a leader’. In short, there is a lot of nonsense circulating.
Leadership hasn’t changed in millennia. We are all still human and the same underlying motivations, needs, fears and essential aspirations are as relevant now as in the Stone Age! Yes, society is complex. Yes, technology is everywhere. But the value of leadership can be measured in the same way:
- Providing a sense of achievement and motivation to succeed that structure and organization on their own will not.
- Calling on commitment to action or even sacrifice by individuals to benefit the team, enterprise or country (for example, President Zelenskyy of Ukraine).
- Inspiring people to overcome seemingly impossible obstacles.
- Persuading disparate factions to pursue common cause.
- Engendering hope among people who are despairing.
These outcomes don’t come from ‘being yourself’ or ‘having respect for everyone’ though such things make people feel good for a while. Leadership is getting people to do things they have never thought of doing, do not believe are possible or that they do not want to do. It takes deep conviction in yourself and your goals for a team or enterprise; a willingness to tell the story of what the aspiration should be and where people fit in that story; a preparedness to take risks and commit to decisions and action; and, finally, to be determined to be an actor in some of this— to show confidence when you are fearful, to speak assurance when threats seem overwhelming, and to offer inspiration when you are uncertain of the outcome. ‘Never change, be yourself’ is the opposite of development and the opposite of true leadership.
Q. Apart from the subject matter, what key differences are there between writing business books and sci-fi/fantasy novels?
A. The mindset is very different. Business books require (mostly) rationality, logic, evidence and coherent argument. There is creativity in there as well. But science fantasy, especially, requires creativity, a sweeping imagination that explores human potential and will not crumble under the pressure of logic. It also requires a willingness to break the boundaries of the genre. By that, I mean an author should not simply write what readers expect. You can probably sell thousands of copies, but it is, to me at least, rather craven to stick within bounds or follow a formula. I’m an iconoclast at heart so I decided to merge science fiction and fantasy into what I hope is gritty ‘realistic’ fantasy! In a sense it is a future history.
What does not change between writing business books and science fantasy is the discipline of the writer putting one word behind another until you have a complete book—a much harder challenge than people realise. The bigger challenge is not so much about creativity as discipline, day-in day-out. It’s a job, even if you already have a day job! I adhere to the old adage: If your writing doesn’t keep you up at night, it won’t keep your readers up either.
Q. You have had the idea for your trilogy since your late teens. Why did you decide to revisit it 30 years later?
A. A burning need to write is the answer. The business books occupied my urge to write for many years … but the thrill of completing a full novel was hugely attractive. When I came to re-write what I had started, and the concept and storyline leapt into new focus for me, I found that I had three novels to write! The trilogy of The Dream Murderer Cycle came into being. It’s also a tale of the ages, on many levels. Much like the ancient story of the Flood, people are fascinated by a world imperilled by natural or human-made disaster. Currently we are obsessed by the ‘climate catastrophe’. In the 1960s and ‘70s, it was the threat of a new Ice Age. Then, global overpopulation. Four hundred years ago it was the malign machinations of witches in league with Satan. In Roman and Greek times it was the anger of the gods seen in sea storms, famine and volcanic eruptions. All these things are viewed by ordinary people as potentially and genuinely apocalyptic—the end of everything.
Q. Why were you keen to develop a future world defined by an earlier apocalyptic event?
A. Murderer of Dreams starts with an apocalypse. Indeed the ‘Murderer of Dreams’ is the cause of the calamity. But the tale is one of human striving to fulfil a purpose, to move humanity forward. What I love is the idea of people not giving in, of fighting the good fight, of facing their fears and wrestling with the moral dilemmas thrust on them by an unknowing, unforgiving universe. That’s when people confront the dark places of their soul and great leaders emerge. That’s how you know what individuals stand for. That’s how humans measure themselves against the universe.
In part, I wanted to create a world that felt real to readers. Most fantasy asks people to suspend credence and believe in an alien world that just happens to be populated by humans. It is then liberally scattered with dragons, sprites, knights and magic. I get that and love it too, mostly. But I wanted to write a science fantasy that was not formulaic and felt like our world, but was fantastical to the outsider—that is the reader. In my books the ruins of our world are crumbled under soil or are robbed out by miners called ‘breaker-rats’ seeking the treasure of the Golden Age. Assassins move silently to do their lords’ bidding. The clan families pretend noble honour but wield daggers behind their back. The Faith of the Archivists, in whose temples are hidden weapons and secrets of the age long gone, battle for orthodoxy and supreme control. The last remaining immortals hide in plain sight, fearful to reveal themselves, but the heroine, Eslin, believes she has an obligation to intervene in brutal internecine spying and war, to take on the fanatics of the Faith and to return the world to what was. That is a noble ideal, even if her methods stray into darker regions.
Q. What do you hope readers will enjoy most from reading the trilogy?
A. First and foremost I hope they are thrilled by a rollicking tale of intrigue, ruined civilization, dream wanderers who foretell the future, and immortals who struggle with the blessing of longevity and the ennui that it brings—as well as their own bitter choices to intervene in the world or hide in the shadows. What I loved about creating the world of Kiangsu Realm is the detail of characters, customs, landscapes of high mountains and vast rivers, competing religions and misunderstanding of the civilization long-buried but still glimpsed in ruin and artefact. As many of my fans have said, they get deep into the complexity of what feels like a real world but peopled by strangers in odd roles like ‘master intelligencers’, ‘exarchs of the Faith’, ‘Archivists’ in their temples, soldiers and assassins. Through all of it runs the seeping menace of the god, the murderer of dreams, the stealer of a million, million souls.
If the three books excite a reader to think of themselves and what life’s purpose is, I shall be content.
Q, Your novels bear the imprint of your insights and expertise as a psychologist and ‘CEO Whisperer’. Was this a deliberate decision, and what do you think it brings to the novels?
A. Immersion in psychology as science and practice is very much a part of me. I have moved over my career from working with thousands of employees to help individuals fulfil their underlying potential to specializing in advising CEOs and top teams of corporations. Hence the ‘CEO Whisperer’ tag. Advising very senior, very powerful people isn’t easy—but I discovered I had both the knack and the confidence. Doing it effectively is like guiding a powerful horse that has huge energy and wants its own way but needs to be calm and to direct its power in the right channels. What I do as the CEO Whisperer is help individuals direct leadership energy in the optimal ways.
My understanding of people, their motivations, fears and ambitions is self-evidently something that pushes into the novels. Some of the character development is based on real people; some on the flaws and strengths of historical figures. What has surprised me is how some characters seem to write themselves. I can’t force them to do things they wouldn’t do. They make choices and decisions that fit, even if I have other ideas. I suppose it’s because I see each character in full as I write and their core personality becomes self-directing. The wonderful thing about writing novels, especially science fantasy, is the opportunity to see what capable, powerful, intriguing individuals can do—just as much as enabling evil to emerge in the backstories of ruthless villains. The landscape and society I draw gives characters scope to do great good or great evil. Most especially, though, I love to see protagonists afflicted by the same impulses that might make them do bad things in a good cause and struggle with their conscience.
Q. In your day job you run a highly successful CEO consultancy. How do you assist CEOs with professional development and progression?
A. CEOs occupy a very challenging and unique habitat in organizations. Their world is uniquely influenced by external forces (like shareholders and markets); they have a complex mandate; the top team will amplify and focus organisational politics on a small group of individuals; they have heightened visibility as the symbol of institutional leadership; the top team will attract individualists with high needs for power and achievement and also which symbolizes special status and hierarchy. CEOs, when I work closely with them, usually show the following common attributes, needs and concerns that I help advise them on or where I build their capability and skill:
- Dominant on the surface – anxieties underneath. I usually run confidential psychological assessment and profiling of the CEO, feed this back and then work on development or advice, over months but sometimes years.
- ‘I’m moving so fast, I don’t know how to take stock without disrupting critical work’ – helping CEOs understand where they spend their time and what is value-adding or not.
- ‘Where am I taking this business?’ – here, CEOs want ‘strategy on a page’ to guide decisions.
- ‘I need to trust someone completely (and privately)’ – this is my role, requiring trust and complete discretion in everything.
- ‘I have influence but very little power’ – I will help CEOs develop influencing tactics and ways of motivating or shifting teams towards the right goals.
- ‘Individual & team loyalty is critical to me’ – the flipside is that CEOs therefore tend to take a long time before dealing with, let alone pulling the trigger on, executive performance issues.
- Rational decisions? Length of their tenure, internal politics, ExCo dynamics, and concern for loyalty all tend to compound how CEOs make decisions, and they need help to see rational options in an objective way.
- Effective use of conflict is a vital CEO capability – but few use it well and require advice on surgical interventions where it matters or broader change initiatives in parts of the organization.
- ‘Bring me solutions, not problems’ – most managers reporting to a CEO do the opposite! CEOs are time-poor so prefer options for solutions. I will frequently help them and their direct reports redefine the way committees work, how problems in the business are solved and how to always think in ‘options’.
- Power matters – CEOs want to feel control. Options offer control.
Q. Now you are writing fiction, will you ever return to business books in the future?
A. I think there are one or two more novels in the Dream Murderer series in me. Fans have told me there is so much more that could be written and so much more they want to explore. I agree.
On business books, I have started to develop ideas around the concept of CEO leadership, what it’s like at the top, what goes right and what the landmines are. I might well write a book on that.
Further, I am intrigued by the ‘business’ of space exploration. The endeavour was, for a long time since the first cosmonaut and NASA’s moon landing, dominated by governments—only they could afford the enormous expenditure to realise the dream. Now and in the future it will be the rich entrepreneurs like Elon Musk, Richard Branson, Jeff Bezos and their like who set the pace. How will entrepreneurial exploration be different? Will it have the character of the explorers of old or the Victorian wealth creators—Rockefeller, Vanderbilt and Isambard Kingdom Brunel?
Q. With your new career as a science fantasy writer in mind, where would you like to see yourself in five years’ time?
A. I would like to see two more books in The Dream Murderer Cycle, millions of dedicated fans and, best of all, the novels turned into a TV series.
For more information on Dr Taffinder’s professional services, visit www.taffinderconsulting.com.