Orem author gives fantasy tales a moral

OREM — K.L. Morgan and J.K. Rowling both started writing fantasy novels in the late 1990s. Both have written six novels. But that's where the similarity ends.

Rowling's "Harry Potter" series went on to fame and fortune, Morgan's "Fiarah" series, which just concluded with the sixth book, is awaiting large-scale discovery.

"The downside is that (Harry Potter characters) don't perceive consequences for their actions," Morgan said. "My characters have consequences."

Granite Publishing in Orem published Morgan's first book, "Castledance." Then she created Tri-Quest Publishing to publish the last five books, each averaging 600 pages with some illustrations. Morgan's target audience has been schools and libraries but the books are also available on the Web site, www.TriQuestPublishing.com, and Amazon.com. About 10,000 have been sold.

The series, called "The Chronicles of Fiarah," features an elf historian, the last historian on the fictional world, Furth. A sorcerer killed the other historians so he could rewrite history. Fiarah escaped to tell the true story of their world.

The series is about good and evil and how good eventually triumphs. In the first book, evil threatens all the races — peaceful trolls, elves, humans, undants, gnomes and delves. (A delf is a cross between an elf and a human.) The main character is a delf, although the series doesn't have just one hero. Anyone may step forward and fight evil, she said.

The characters possess magic and cast spells but face serious consequences if they use their powers irresponsibly.

"I call my magic talent. I think we all have it," she said. "The series has religious overtones.They teach religious values and attitudes."

Most publishers don't want religion in their books. But it's there, anyway, she said, "It's called paganism."

Morgan's series doesn't emphasize any particular sect or doctrine. The story line opposes violence and teaches how to deal with evil. Her fifth volume, "Guardian of Peace," emphasizes the war against evil, showing who is responsible for it.

"I strive to teach how to recognize evil," she said, even small wrongs. She also teaches accountibility.

"My philosophy is if you see a problem, do something about it," Morgan said.

Although her series is complete, she has left the door open to go back and pick up her characters again.

While Morgan doesn't have the marketing strength of the "Harry Potter" series, she has gathered fans who say:

• "You have strengthened my feeling for the magic of the mind and the imagination and goodness you portray in your characters."

• "The interaction between good and evil is more than just a background for a story, it is a conflict of personal values and resolving relationships."

• "It has been so long since a book has been so well done that I feel the characters are family and the world you created is another realm I can escape to."

Morgan has been endorsed by James Michael Pratt, author of "The Last Valentine"; Terry Brooks, author of "Star Wars Phantom Menace"; and Mark Victor Hansen, author of "Chicken Soup for the Soul."

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E-mail: rodger@desnews.com