And don’t we, as authors, often look to the past to create something new in the present?

They both originate as earthly and mystical watchers who change destinies so their people may conquer. I like the idea of connecting medieval to modern times knowing that Merlin and The Man in Black share the same mission. Just as The Man in Black’s mission in A Human Element drove him to facilitate a child’s creation to carry on the line of his dying people, Merlin’s vision led him to facilitate Arthur’s creation as well. He has foreseen that Arthur will become a great king who will unite all of Britain. In Mary Stewart’s Merlin Trilogy, Merlin is an ordinary mortal but one with intuitive intelligence and clairvoyance. He’s a man of mystery and magic with roles as a sorcerer, prophet, bard, adviser, and teacher. My favorite mythical watcher in fiction is Merlin from the Arthurian legend. And, like a god, he chooses not to always interfere unless it’s for the greater good. He is like a god because he changes the destiny of others for a greater good (an entire people). He also represents hope and acts as a catalyst to keep hope alive. His presence allows me to push the protagonist truly beyond the brink and eventually be saved. How did The Man in Black evolve and how do I perceive his function? He evolved as an instrument of light to help others survive so his own world would survive. In the end he suffers and is a martyr-like figure for the greater good so his people can go on. Sometimes he is there, like a lifeguard, and sometimes he’s watching and you simply sense his presence, more like a god. He connects to both the earthly and the other-worldliness in my characters. In my suspense novel, A Human Element, I created The Man in Black as a watcher.

The watcher book dean koontz