Dear GSFF Reader,
I have been obsessed with Greek mythology for as long as I can remember. From my first myth I was captivated by this fantastical world of heroes, monsters and mercurial gods; of death-defying quests, magic, love, and transformation. These ancient stories sparked my obsession with fantasy novels – tales that so often champion ordinary people against earth-shattering odds. Daughter of Chaos is my love letter to both Greek mythology and epic fantasy, reimagining a woman at the centre of some of the most epic myths. A fisherman’s daughter who rides with heroes, fights mythical creatures and challenges gods. An ordinary girl who becomes extraordinary.
When I began work on Daughter of Chaos, I had no idea it would be published. I wrote it because it was the book I needed to read. After a close family member unexpectedly passed away in 2019, my cousin took me on a quest of my own to the Greek island of Naxos, in search of sun, sea and sand. On the island, I retreated into Greek mythology and once again fell in love with these stories, drawing catharsis from the trials of the heroes and heroines of my youth. Following in the footsteps of characters like Ariadne and the Maenads, imagining the original splendour while in the ruins of Demeter’s Temple, and watching the sunset through Apollo’s ancient archway, Naxos breathed new life into these tales and into me.
When I returned home, forced to face reality, Danae appeared in my mind: a determined young woman on her own quest, scaling the Caucasus Mountains in search of her destiny. I was gripped by the idea of a new story, woven into a world inspired by the old tales that had travelled with me and helped me. The story of a girl who loves her family, and despite loss and hardship, goes on an epic adventure to take down the gods. Delving back into the classical source texts for inspiration, Daughter of Chaos and the plot of the rest of The Dark Pantheon Trilogy emerged, a fantastical reimagining of mythical Ancient Greece.
I hope this story will bring you the joy, comfort and strength it brought me while writing it.
All my best,
Alex
