The Void Place FAQ

Please note that there will be extreme SPOILERS for the entire novel here, so it is advised to read the novel before you read this article. When we discuss if something “really happened,” what we mean is; did it happen in the original legend? Because of course, all of this is fiction.

For a breakdown of what comes from the legend and what was added or enhanced for the novel, check out Legend to Novel: The Void Place.

Submit your own questions in the comments below or through the Contact form.

Concerning Igraine and Uther, what actually happens in the legend?
Pretty much exactly what happens in the novel, except that Uther isn’t depressed and is not sorry at all for what happened. The morals of the legend here are very murky (read: outright reprehensible, not a lot of argument to be had) and most disturbingly, Merlin plays a very active and willing role in Igraine’s sexual assault. Uther is then perfectly happy to marry Igraine (although they never seem very happy) and does indeed lie to her (without any of the guilt he feels in the novel) about the paternity of the child.

Did Merlin’s mother really condemn him so strongly?
No. In the legend she is long gone by this time (she vanishes after he leaves home, never to be seen again). Her condemnation was added to the story in order to convey that the author does not in any way support Merlin’s actions.

Is this kind of thing going to happen a lot on the series?
Thankfully no, or I wouldn’t be able to write it in good conscience! This is the worst thing that our heroes will do in the entire series (although Arthur does have a doozy of a morality slip coming up), and its repercussions will play out actively through the first 10 novels at least, and arguably until the very last book.

Were Morgan and Margause really forced into marriage at so young an age?
In the legend, yes they were, although their precise ages are never actually specified. Morgan is indeed sent away to a school until she is marriageable age.

Did Ulfius really have to do all that for Uther?
In the legend, yes he does, including the part where Uther tells him he is in effect “selling” him to the blind beggar. Ulfius is a very loyal friend, and stands up to a lot of abuse by Uther.

Did Uther really have this whole massive depression?
No. Although the stories we hear of him crying in his tent, and his eventual sickness and death are from the legend. In many ways, the legendary sources try to have it both ways, with Uther crying over Igraine and feeling completely powerless, yet at the same time being a fearsome and respected leader. I chose to skew him toward major depression in order to highlight the difficulties of being a King under Merlin, which will offer an interesting counterpoint once Arthur is experiencing the same difficulties.

Is that deadly seat at the Round Table real? Did it happen in the legend like this?
The Perilous Seat (AKA Siege Perilous) is actually in the legend, and Uther does in fact allow someone to sit there, and that person does melt away, just as described. You will see, much later in the series, who exactly is able to sit in that seat. What is not in the legend is the connection of Uther letting Riger sit there and his resulting depression, and how that transforms into his yearning for Igraine. That was added to unify the story elements and give more motivation to Uther’s perceived need for Igraine.

Was there really a Sir Riger in the legend?
Yes, although he is only named Riger in one version (in most, he is not named at all), and the majority of his character and the way he plays on Uther’s mind was invented wholesale for the novel. The entire episode of the Perilous Seat takes up only two pages in the longest version of the legend, but is an important incident and had to be included.

How could Merlin do something like this?
Well, obviously the morality of the day was not what we would consider moral today. In the legend, he can commit this crime, give some lip service to penance and go on to be our hero. In my telling, he must go through some serious suffering, growth and atonement for what he has done, which will extend for quite some time in this series.

How is Igraine treated in the actual legend?
The original legend is largely uninterested in the thoughts and feelings of women, and thus Igraine’s emotions and reactions are only hinted at. She does resist the king’s and Ulfius’ advances, and we are told that she cries when told that she will marry Uther, but from that point, she seems to have little feelings about her second marriage or unborn child (except happiness to be saved from “shame”), and largely vanishes once she gives birth to Arthur. She does not choose to remain at Tintagel in solitude, as she does in this novel. She makes one more notable appearance in the legend, then is dropped forever. Pretty harsh treatment for King Arthur’s mother, no? Although at least she gets a name, which is more than you can say for the way the legend treats the woman who raises Arthur.

Who is the woman that appears in Merlin’s portal?
You’ll find out!

Do Blaise and Meylinde name the crime as a rape in the legend?
Not at all, and it seems it was not at all regarded as a rape at the time (nor do all people today regard it as a rape). As the author, I thought it was extremely important that we name the crime as a rape, and that characters in the story use that word to confront Merlin.

Does Uther really apologize in the legend?
Hahaha, no.

What process did you go through as an author go through to ensure that this story was told responsibly?
I was awfully concerned about it, especially since it is our “heroes” who commit the crime and seem to have few qualms about it later. What I did is talk to several women about it, reach out to female Arthurian scholars and have them look over my plan for telling it, research accounts of sexual assault, add the author’s note addressing it, and more. You can read a whole article about the process I went through to tell this story responsibly here.

Why does King Arthur have to be conceived in this way?
That’s a very interesting question. I really had no idea until I started to read about overall themes in Celtic myths and legends, where it seems that many heroes and other people intended to be “special” are conceived in unusual circumstances, such as rape or incest. At the time, this apparently was greeted a bit more acceptingly than we look on it today. The Swithen is committed to remaining faithful to the actual Arthurian legend, but hoprfully my telling of this story can help us rethink the attitudes that would lead to indicating a character’s “specialness” in this way.