Terrifying Inspirations for the Science Fiction/Horror Novel Plane Walker by C. P. Dunphey
Horror has always been one of my favorite genres in literature and film. There’s something about horror that makes me always want more. Some people enjoy roller coasters to get their adrenaline rush, for me it has always been a good scary film. From Lovecraft to John Carpenter, there has been no shortage of inspiration for Plane Walker that came from classic, and some not-so-popular mediums of the genre.
One of the big inspirations for the atmosphere of Plane Walker came from the video game franchise, Dead Space. As many know, this series is very popular and has spawned several books and graphic novels. What some may not know, is that it was inspired by the 1997 film Event Horizon. Event Horizon is one of the greatest Science Fiction/Horror films of all time. Though it was not well received when it was released, it has since garnered a lot of positive attention from modern critics and filmgoers alike. The desolate, claustrophobic, genre-melding film was very ingenious and shined through Lovecraftian elements and fantastic horror. I wanted Plane Walker to hold the same feelings of hopelessness and terror that Event Horizon did. I can only hope that I succeeded in doing so. You, the readers, will have to be the judge.
Another film that helped inspire elements of Plane Walker’s style was the 1990 film Jacob’s Ladder. This movie was a critical and financial success though many do not know of its existence. The film helped inspire the Silent Hill franchise and has since received a reboot due for release some time this next year. The stunning and heart-wrenching story follows a man named Jacob as he is plagued by what appear to be demons and hallucinations that stand as some of the most disturbing scenes in film history. What really awed me the most about Jacob’s Ladder was the sadness and despair that Jacob experienced throughout the film. When writing the narration of Plane Walker, the novel was written through first person, stream of consciousness. The main character, Lazarus, has brain damage and memory loss. I wanted to display his confusion and frustrations with his ailments through a variety of hallucinations and events that tested his psyche. I channeled a lot of energy into creating a narrative that left the readers feeling at times hopeless, and often afraid.
Horror has always been a niche for me. I only hope that Plane Walker serves as a fitting example of how literature can truly terrify and sometimes inspire, through techniques of fear within narration and plot.
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- C.P. Dunphey
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