Hello everyone and welcome to my stop on the Escapist Book Co. virtual book tour for A.J. Calvin’s Epic Fantasy novel The Talisman of Delucha, book two in The Relics of War series! Today, I am excited to help kickoff the tour by sharing an interview with the main character from the book, Ravin De’vor!
You can find our Q&A below, along with all of the info about the book, the author, and links to purchase a copy of The Talisman of Delucha for yourself! Also, be sure to take a look at the schedule here or at the top of the post and follow along to see the stops from our other awesome hosts!
Book Information:
The Talisman of Delucha by A.J. Calvin
Series: The Relics of War
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Intended Age Group: Adult
Pages: 370
Published: July 19, 2022
Publisher: Self Published
Blurb
Ravin is an anomaly amongst those who use magic. He refuses to join the Council of Auras and tie his fate to the wizards, and long ago escaped a terrible fate amongst the Enlightened, called the Shadow Council by some. His escape gave him freedom few others with his power enjoy, and he means to keep it, no matter the cost.
Serving as an advisor to the Deluchan queen, Ravin learns a powerful relic is kept deep within the catacombs below the palace. War is on Delucha’s doorstep, brought about by none other than the council he fled from and their Soulless leaders. He resolves to retrieve the relic in order to combat the imminent threat, but collecting the Talisman of Delucha is not without its own danger.
As the Soulless’ army prepares to besiege the Deluchan capitol, Ravin makes one final, desperate attempt to secure the Talisman. The kingdom’s survival depends on his success, but time is not on his side.
See Also:
Can’t Catch a Break • Step Where I Step, and Don’t Touch Anything • Magic and Mayhem Await
Book Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09SM8R55K
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-talisman-of-delucha-a-j-calvin/1016199921
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-talisman-of-delucha
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details
Apple Books/iTunes: https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-talisman-of-delucha/id1610381853
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60233090-the-talisman-of-delucha
Character Q&A
Could you please introduce yourself to our readers?
My name is Ravin De’vor. I’m an unaffiliated mage and the advisor on magical affairs to the petulant teenager who calls herself Queen of Delucha. She tries my patience daily, but this post may be my only means of destroying Dranamir. The other Soulless can be dealt with later, but she and I have a history…
My life before this job is not something I willingly share. Unfortunately for me, the author decided to include it in the book. I wasn’t pleased with the telling; it put me in a very precarious position with the queen and her allies. But if you’re curious, read chapter thirty-nine.
If you were stranded on a deserted island, what is one thing you’d like to have with you?
Unless I’m cut off from magic, I’ll never be stranded, but I’ll humor you. I’d take a bottle of mead, but not to drink. It would be purely of sentimental value. I can conjure anything else I’d require for survival with magic.
What is your biggest pet peeve?
The petty politics of spoiled nobility. Why did I take this gods-damned job again? Oh yes, to help the queen with her Soulless problem…
What do you do in your free time?
At present, I have no free time. The Soulless’ army has attacked the neighboring kingdom, and I’ve no doubt Delucha is next. My time is spent preparing the palace’s magical defenses and monitoring for any incursions. I’m also forced to suffer through countless meetings with Her Majesty, many of which don’t pertain to the real threat we’re facing.
I suppose if I did have free time, I’d spend more of it with Adalin. She has become a good friend.
What’s your favorite animal?
I don’t believe I’ve ever considered this question.
I should make myself more familiar with horses. Adalin loves horses, but the creatures are a mystery to me.
What do you think about [other MC(s)]?
Would you like an honest answer, or a nice answer? Never mind, I’ll just answer plainly.
I see much of myself in Tavesin, and I will do everything in my power to see that he does not follow a similar path. The boy deserves better from life.
Dranamir is merciless, conniving, and bloodthirsty. Did I mention we have a history? We do. She tried to murder me. I haven’t forgotten, and I’m done playing by the rules.
If you could go anywhere in [the book’s world], where would you go and why?
I can go anywhere in the world, as I’ve been gifted with Aetherial magic. If you aren’t familiar with my history, my mother created the Aetherium specifically for me, and I am its master. I can use that realm to travel anywhere I wish in moments.
And you want to know more of my mother? Of course, you do. She is Solsticia, the celestial goddess of magic. No, I don’t receive special treatment from the gods. If anything, they make a point of using me in their damned schemes and I pay for it dearly.
But to answer your question, I prefer solitude. I enjoy time alone in the forests and mountains of our world where no one can arrive to demand my skills or insights. Sadly, I do not get enough moments like this. My job seldom permits time away.
What is your favorite food?
I rather enjoy bacon sandwiches.
What is your favorite season?
I’m not certain I have a favorite, but I have a least favorite: Winter. I detest the cold.
How would you define happiness?
To be left to my own devices, without the meddling of my mother and the other gods. To be free of their schemes would be bliss. But who am I to question their divine will? I’m only mortal, and they find my talents useful. I wish it were otherwise.
What are you passionate about?
Seeking revenge against Dranamir. Until I achieve that, there is little else to care about.
How do you feel about your government?
Delucha’s government is run by a teenage monarch who is more interested in her betrothed than in running the country or preparing for the inevitable war. Her advisors are at least competent.
If you could change one thing about [the book’s world], what would it be?
The emergence of the Soulless. They’ve been a plague on this world for centuries. They’ll be the death of it too, if we can’t form a proper defense. Delucha is only one stop on their path of destruction.
What’s your biggest secret?
My past. I discussed this earlier, so if you’d like to know more, I will once again refer you to chapter thirty-nine, since the author so kindly forced me to share the details there.
What do you hate?
Petty nobles. Privileged monarchs with no sense of duty. And Dranamir. Most of all, Dranamir.
What’s your biggest fear?
Conscription by the Soulless’ master. Adalin says I’m being overly dramatic, but it’s the truth. I can think of no worse fate for anyone—and I have been singled out on more than one occasion.
What do you think your best quality is?
My magical ability. It allows me to travel, to fight, to defend… Nearly everything except heal, as I never learned the arts.
Other people often comment on my eyes. They’re an unusual color, thanks to my mother.
How would you describe the world you live in?
When it’s peaceful, it’s a fascinating place.
We have more than humans and gods inhabiting our cities. There are Scorpion Men, Murkor, Felenes, and Airess. The Drakkon rarely appear in cities, but they’re part of our world too. I have always been interested in the history of other species, though I’ve rarely been given the opportunity to pursue such knowledge.
Magic is present in many aspects of our world, as well. Take the Shining Tower, for example. It was constructed of magic and is now home to the Council of Auras. I have never ventured inside—the wizards fear me and consider me something of a wild card, so to allay their misguided concern, I’ve gone no further than the garden at the tower’s entrance. But it too is filled with magic. Flowers bloom year-round, even when winters are exceptionally harsh.
There is much beauty in our world, but also much devastation. And the ruin will only spread as the Soulless continue their war. I’ve sworn to do everything in my power to prevent their success.
About the Author
A.J. Calvin is a science fiction/fantasy novelist from Loveland, Colorado. By day, she works as a microbiologist, but in her free time she writes. She lives with her husband, their cat, and a salt water aquarium.
When she is not working or writing, she enjoys scuba diving, hiking, and playing video games.
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/@AJCalvin
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/@AuthorAJCalvin
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