Hey everyone, Kyle West here.
When I look back at The Starsea Cycle, it's honestly hard to believe what a massive journey it has been—ten books, over a million words, and roughly 3,600 pages.
I started writing this series in late 2020, and because I'm what you call a "discovery writer," I didn't outline everything ahead of time. I was uncovering the mysteries of the Manifold, the Orbs of Starsea, and the ancient alien Gates in real-time, right alongside all of you (and our MC, Lucian).
I loved writing this series so much because of the characters. My ultimate goal has always been to write people who feel incredibly human and relatable, even when they are standing on strange, hostile alien worlds. It was a joy to watch Lucian grow from a scared, overwhelmed young man from the flooded slums of Miami into the Sorcerer-Ascendant who literally holds the fate of the universe in his hands.
But Lucian's journey wouldn't mean anything without his found family, which is the true heartbeat of the story. I loved writing Serah, whose humor and fierce loyalty perfectly balanced out Lucian's brooding. I loved exploring Fergus's search for redemption and a cause that truly mattered, Emma's bravery in leaving behind a life of comfort to face her destiny, and Jagar's hard-won, fatherly wisdom.
At its core, this series allowed me to explore a philosophy of magic that I deeply believe in. In the books, true "Sorcery" isn't about rigid rules; it's about discovering your own internal truth, accepting yourself flaws and all, and realizing that love is the ultimate bridge between imagination and reality.
On a personal level, this series is also deeply tied to my own family's growth. I wrote the first eight books in a two-year whirlwind because I was just so captivated by the universe. Then, in the summer of 2022, my wife and I welcomed our second son, and our home in Oklahoma City descended into a delightful kind of chaos. Finishing the epic conclusion became a monumental effort, but the immense patience and support from you, the readers, gave me the strength to push through to the end.
To know that you spent your valuable time traveling the stars, fighting the Alkasen, and exploring the Light and Shadow Realms with me is the highest compliment an author could ever ask for. Thank you so much for reading, and as always—keep exploring.
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