Mutant World of Rite: Interview two with author Jason Borrego
February 1, 2014
(Interviewer) Where did the idea for the Mutant World of Rite begin?
(Jason Borrego) The Mutant World of Rite has evolved over the years. It was originally planned to be a single book with several point of view, characters. However, the heroes grew into something more, it was simply too much to slip into one book. The characters, the world, and the story needed extensive space to unfold. I begin intersecting various points in the would-be series. The Dark Fantasy draws its inspiration from both the worlds of fantasy and science fiction, in a steampunk apocalypse.
(Interviewer) What is the Great Calamity that happens in the Mutant World of Rite?
(Jason Borrego) The Great Calamity is a series of destructive events that reshape the world. The Mutant World of Rite is the shattered remains of Earth. Most of the real world’s history is accurate up to the twenty first century. During this critical time a world war breaks out, countries quickly join sides and begin development of super weapons. After years of war, nuclear winters, and hellish viruses the planet begins to seize. Earthquakes swallow the mountains, volcanoes erupt — like the Fourth of July. Tidal waves washed away coastal cities in a single swoop. Then, a series of stars fall from the heavens. The combination of calamity left the planet in a heaping ruin. The land replaced the sea, and the sea the land, creating terrifying new continents, radiated and mutated beyond recognition. In the wake of the destruction, survivors found that the new world was different – terra-formed, and flooded with giant monstrosities.
(Interviewer) Do your books take place right after the Great Calamity?
(Jason Borrego) No, they take place ages in the future. This gives the books a deep history of both the old world and the new. Slowly the new world discovers supernatural plagues and wonders. Cyber tech, magic, and mayhem all add to the dark beauty of the new world. The extended timeline gives me a long history to play with and shape. You see, in the years following the Great Calamity, dragons returned to the world. I wont give away any secrets, but in the current season, the dragons have gone extinct, again. This double timeframe allows me to create many questions and lore. I promise the reader will be swept into the world with bated breath. So much has happened leading up the current timeframe. Time in the Mutant World of Rite is counted by planetary cycles or seasons. This makes keeping track of time for record keepers a tedious task.
(Interviewer) Did your own life experiences influence the series in any manner?
(Jason Borrego) Absolutely, going up in a strict religious home gave me an early concept of good and evil. This is the basis for nearly every story put to print. The Mutant World of Rite is no different, it draws parallels between dark imagery, biblical lore, and mythology. This creates factions in the world that are constantly contrasting. The story itself revolves around the light vs. dark concepts. Within every person is a will to be good. Yet, we find ourselves draw like gravity to the bad. The struggle of perils really brings out the best and worse in my heroes. The symbolism to maintain honor, courage, and love for others is highlighted by making the outcome for such actions a stab in the gut. I tend to punish my characters a little too much. Yet, through the fire they are refined to a perfect light, or twisted into an obscured evil. I think most readers pull for good. Yet, deep down they relate to the dark. Sometimes a man of honor slipping into the dark category is the most relatable. We all strive to be good. Yet, sometimes we are defined in the moments of anger and misery. This trait is reflected by my characters. These monumental moments in their life change them, and it’s not always for the better.
(Interviewer) How do you maintain the brightness of your heroes in such a savage place?
(Jason Borrego) The surrounding darkness is smothering and stuffed with decay. However, a little light in the world begins to illuminate through the characters attempts at kindness, and love. The Mutant World of Rite is a heaping wasteland stuffed with evil men trying to gain an edge. Yet, it is love that it the most powerful element in the stories. Love conquers all, and creates a balancing act over a river of hate. The hate, dismay, and bitterness creates an emotional impact on multiple levels. This helps highlight the damage of living in such a world. Honor, morality, and justice seem to bring a slight ray of hope to the hopeless world.
(Interviewer) Where is the project heading?
(Jason Borrego) “Laughs,” in the right direction. The first four books contain a different type of character. Each has their own strengths and weaknesses. I did this to create a hero or heroine for everyone. Antonio is a gritty gunslinger with great honor. However, his honor is tested by those with no honor. Rose is a bubbly little princess forced to bear the burden of the crown at the tender age of eleven. Jude, is a brash soldier with daddy issues, and Ray is a coming of age boy, in a world, he never dreamed existed. The characters intersect at various points and various points of view. Antonio doesn’t see the world as Rose, and so on… The tales are different and strange in a sense that magic, tech, and everything in-between exists, but is perceived differently by each character. Heroes can cling to their morals and die, or break their honor and survive in shame. There really is no easy answers. The heroes must fall apart before they can really shine. It’s kind of like love, you have to lose it before you truly understands its worth.