About D.K. Shadow

I still remember the summer I picked up Robert A. Heinlein's Starship Troopers from my local library. I was completely hooked—couldn't put it down! That book single-handedly launched my lifelong love affair with science fiction. There was something about those power-armored soldiers and the whole concept of earning citizenship through service that just clicked with me. You'll definitely see echoes of that influence in how I've structured the military elements of the Project ForgePulse series.

The original Star Wars trilogy? Those films basically rewired my brain as a kid. I must have worn out our VHS copies! What really struck me wasn't just the epic space battles, but how lived-in and real that universe felt. I've spent countless hours with Star Wars novels—currently making my way through Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter for the second time—and I've logged more hours in Star Wars: The Old Republic than I probably should admit. That blend of personal stories against a massive galactic backdrop is something I've always tried to capture in my own writing.

Of course, no discussion of epic worldbuilding would be complete without mentioning Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. I first read those books when I was twelve, and they fundamentally changed how I thought about creating fictional worlds. The depth of history, the carefully constructed languages, the sense that every location had existed for thousands of years before the story began—that level of immersion is something I've always aspired to create in my own work. The way Tolkien balanced intimate character moments against the backdrop of world-changing events has been a huge influence on the structure of the Reforged Universe.

Gaming has been just as influential as books and movies in shaping my storytelling sensibilities. The Halo series completely blew me away when I first played it—I remember staying up all night to finish the first game, then immediately diving into the expanded lore. I'm still working through all the Halo novels, which do an amazing job of filling in the universe's corners that the games can only hint at.

The Elder Scrolls series has been a constant companion throughout my creative journey, with Morrowind standing as my all-time favorite—even with the fantastic Oblivion remaster that came out recently. There was something magical about Morrowind's alien landscapes and deeply layered lore that captured my imagination like nothing else. I spent countless hours just wandering that world, discovering hidden stories in forgotten corners. That sense of mystery and archaeological discovery is something I've tried to weave into the ancient ruins and artifacts that appear throughout the Reforged Universe.

The Fallout series has been another major influence, particularly in how it portrays humanity's resilience in the face of catastrophe. I love how those games balance bleak post-apocalyptic settings with moments of dark humor and genuine hope. The way Fallout explores how societies rebuild and reimagine themselves after devastation has definitely shaped how I approach the human colonies in my books—especially in the later volumes where we see how survivors adapt to life after Earth.

I've also spent way too many late nights immersed in the rich worlds of World of Warcraft and StarCraft. While they're more fantasy and sci-fi respectively, both Blizzard universes taught me so much about worldbuilding and creating distinct, memorable factions. The way the Protoss, Zerg, and Terrans in StarCraft each have their own unique technologies, philosophies, and weaknesses definitely influenced how I approach alien civilizations in my writing. And WoW's ability to tell epic stories across multiple expansions showed me how to build narrative arcs that span years while still keeping readers invested.

And I can't talk about influences without mentioning Mass Effect! That series is practically a masterclass in sci-fi storytelling. The way it handles interspecies politics, ancient cosmic threats, and personal relationships all at once—while still letting players shape the narrative—completely changed how I think about character development. Commander Shepard's journey across those three games showed me how to write protagonists who evolve in response to impossible challenges while still maintaining their core identity.

The Reforged Universe is really my love letter to all these influences. I've tried to take what I've learned from decades of consuming sci-fi and fantasy across different media and create something that feels both familiar and fresh. It's my way of adding to these incredible genres that have given me so much enjoyment over the years.