Said to date back to the last ice age and beyond, the Bock Saga could possibly be the world’s oldest creation myth.
Now respected Bock Saga historian and author Carl Borgen has drawn upon the ancient civilisation and cataclysmic events it describes to write his first novel. The End of Paradise is an unforgettable rollercoaster ride packed with wonder and peril, and YA fiction doesn’t get more mythical and epic than this.
To mark its publication, we spoke to Borgen, who is also author of The Bock Saga: An Introduction and Temporarily Insane, to learn more.
Q. You are recognised as the world’s leading historian on the Bock Saga, an ancient creation myth that shines a light on the world’s first civilization. Having previously written two non-fiction titles about the Saga, why did you decide to write a novel?
A. I wanted to approach the Bock Saga from a different and lighter angle. The first book was the majestic Bock Saga itself; the second, Temporarily Insane, was about the adventures and scandals surrounding the excavation of the treasures that the Bock Saga mentioned. The End of Paradise is a pure fantasy story that plays on one of the many theatrical stages that the Bock Saga is so full of.
Q. In brief, what is The End of Paradise about, and how does it link to the Bock Saga?
A. The Bock Saga mainly describes the Paradise Time as a static situation. It is more a photograph than a film, so to say. It tells in detail how things were and how people lived, without speaking about the individual fates of the people who lived at the time. Paradise Time was the happiest time that humanity ever encountered and not much happened at all. But, (spoiler!) it came to an end in a most dramatic way. The End of Paradise is the story of the people who witnessed that disaster and had to handle the changing Earth and each other.
Q. Your book is aimed predominantly at a young adult audience. What do you think young readers will gain from reading your novel?
A. I hope readers will enjoy being submerged in a world—our world in what is considered the deep black hole of the prehistoric. And even though it was Paradise Time, and our planet was in a different condition from what it is now, there are many similarities to the modern age. The end of the Paradise Time was caused by climate change, and how humanity reacts to such an event is not different then than now. What I think is remarkable is that although in the book no laws of physics are broken, it is full of dragons, elves and other mythological concepts. Reading this story will, therefore, give an insight into many of the oldest symbologies of the world. And although you would never have thought of these concepts before, once you know them, they feel very familiar. Once you have this insight, the world today seems a more logic place.
Q. How helpful was the Bock Saga in creating the fictional world of the Bock family and the Paradise Time?
A. The Bock Saga is the fertile ground in which the story plays out. Knowing the Bock Saga means it is impossible to have writer’s block. There is so much to choose from and little to nothing has been explored so far within the turns and twists of the Bock Saga.
Q. Who is your favourite character in the novel, and why?
A. I like Aika most. She is a girl fighting against society because it was determined she has no soul. I know many heart-breaking stories in the real world of individuals who had to fight against the powers of the day and their prejudices. It is usually a fight that one loses. It brings out the chevalier in me, who wants to rescue her. I know it is not possible, because she lives in another realm than I do, but I would like to save her anyway, because I feel for her.
Q. What key themes does your book explore, and how can the apocalyptic situation that the characters are thrust into inform our understanding of today’s world?
A. One of the key themes of the Bock Saga is that in prehistoric times there was a global culture where harmony with each other and nature was one of the highest values. But what happens to the harmony between people when nature suddenly changes? As human nature has not changed over the aeons, the reactions to cataclysmic events are similar then to now.
Q. The novel features many terms used by the first civilisation, the Aser, and which are contained within the Bock Saga. Can you explain a little about the language of this ancient civilization?
A. The Bock Saga speaks of ‘Root’, the first language that mankind spoke. It is a language where every sound has a meaning, of which the words and sentences are derived from. This makes the alphabet, itself, a story. Physics describes our universe and the laws of nature with the help of numbers and mathematics. The Root language does that as well. It is a mathematical construct with letters.
In the Root, the plan for humanity was encoded. Because we are already far into the plan, the history of mankind can be read from it. Furthermore, all existing languages on the planet are derived from the Root. It is hard to see in writing but when you listen to the sounds and the meanings of the Root, and compare it to other languages, you will hear the logic.
In the back of the book is a small glossary of some of the most common Root words, so the reader can see for themselves.
Q. What was the greatest writing challenge you faced in writing The End of Paradise, and how did you overcome it?
A. Some writers design their plot into the minutest details from the beginning to the end. I don’t do that. I design the first few sentences and have no idea where the story takes me. The ideas for the next words, sentences and paragraphs just come falling down from the sky. I spent many evenings at my desk writing and being curious how the situation of my story would develop. I never wanted to stop before knowing the end of the chapter. That is why I was writing until deep in the night. Sometimes I saw the dawn coming before my characters had finished their actions, but I couldn’t stop writing until the next cliff-hanger.
Q. Your novel will, no doubt, leave readers hungry to learn more about the Bock Saga. If so, what should they read next?
A. I would suggest choosing my non-fiction title, Temporarily Insane. It is an entertaining book to read. It introduces the basic concepts of the Bock Saga and narrates the funny and tragic adventures and scandals that surround it.
Q. Can you tell us about the next book you are working on?
A. I prepared a book that is kind of autobiographical, although it is the only one in the Bock Saga series that contains stuff that is impossible. You know, me and my friends used to be punks from the streets. We lived in a different world than most people, a kind of parallel universe. It is about the adventures of a group of these outcasts that against their will get involved in the continuing story of the Bock Saga. Although I consider it as my grandest and greatest work, my magnum opus, I am in doubt to publish it. It is very strange and very personal. Releasing this book would feel like walking in a busy shopping street naked!
In addition, I am working on the next episode following The End of Paradise. When the Paradise Time ends with disasters of a global scale, another era begins. Many generations later, that ends as well, and the human population take another sharp turn in their history. It is an era full of action and chaos and leads directly to modern times. Again, I will take advantage of the scenery and historical concepts that the Bock Saga provides. Many tense nights with a candle and the sound of my typewriter rattling lie ahead of me.
The End of Paradise by Carl Borgen is available now from Amazon in hardcover, paperback and eBook formats, priced £17.99, £12.75 and £4.99 respectively. For more information, visit www.carlborgen.com or follow Carl Borgen on Twitter and Facebook.
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