Does Arthur Slade have an evil nemesis?
July 19, 2010 | Elsa
In The Hunchback Assignments, Modo is a hunchback who has the ability to transform his appearance. He has been raised as a secret agent by Mr. Socrates, his benefactor. Modo does not experience the outside world until he turns 14, when Mr. Socrates leaves him at a corner of London one afternoon. In order to survive, Modo applies the skills he learned and somehow finds himself involved in uncovering a monstrous plan like no other.
The mastermind behind The Hunchback Assignments is Arthur Slade. I have been very lucky this summer to be able to chat with Arthur.
Here's what we talked about:
E- What was your inspiriation for your latest steam-punk novel, The Hunchback Assignments?
A- There are several inspirations. The first is, of course, The Hunchback of Notre Dame. I've always really enjoyed that book and wanted to write something inspired by it. I also had been working on a Sherlock Holmes type book that wasn't really working out the way I wanted it to. So I got a rather bizarre idea--what if I combined the Hunchback with Sherlock. That sounded interesting to me. Then I thought why make him a detective when he could be a secret agent. And finally I realized that in order for him to sneak around properly he'd have to have clever disguises. Or he could change his shape. And that is how it all came together. I also decided that each novel would also draw inspiration from Victorian novels. So the first book is inspired by Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the second book is inspired by 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea.
E- In your book, Modo has an evil nemesis to fight. Do you yourself have an evil nemesis, Arthur?
A- Yes. His name is Bart and he lives two doors down. He stares at me whenever I walk past.
E- Who is your favourite villain from the movies?
A- Darth Vader. Why? Well we have the same name. Err, if you drop the "D" and add a "UR" on the end.
Plus he really knows how to enter a room. And how to negotiate. It would be cool to be him--after all with the "force" I could really clean up my office a lot faster.
Do you have an evil nemesis?