PHOTO: Fran Comesanas in his Hudson Valley home, where history and nature inspire the dark, intricate worlds of his fantasy novels.
Journey Through Shadows With Complex Characters And Timeless Themes
Fran Comesanas discusses his debut novel’s exploration of morality, character complexity, and spiritual themes inspired by Hudson Valley, blending traditional religious motifs with innovative storytelling in fantasy literature.
Fran Comesanas, a retired author residing in New York’s Hudson Valley, has captivated readers with his debut novel Saint Peter’s Gate: Path of Darkness. His work intricately explores themes of power, redemption, and the eternal struggle between light and darkness through complex characters and morally charged narratives. Drawing from the rich, often haunting history of his surroundings, Comesanas weaves traditional religious motifs with innovative storytelling to create a fantasy world that challenges conventional perceptions of Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory.
In Saint Peter’s Gate: Path of Darkness, Comesanas introduces Ember, a protagonist burdened by centuries of resentment and haunted by a dark past. “Ember needed a lynch pin to make her less of a monster,” Comesanas explains. “Any character can be scary, or tough, or brave; but fantasy characters need something more.” Through Ember’s journey, readers witness how past traumas and external forces shape identity yet do not ultimately define who we are. This emotional depth invites readers to reflect on their own struggles with history and self-forgiveness.
Fran Comesanas masterfully crafts immersive narratives with deeply relatable characters, redefining fantasy through profound moral insight and compelling storytelling.
The novel’s spiritual themes are grounded in traditional religious imagery but reimagined through a darker, more visceral lens. Comesanas was inspired by the concept of Saint Peter’s Gate as a gateway to Heaven and sought to envision the logistics of souls arriving in the afterlife amid the staggering numbers of daily deaths. “I created a Purgatory that was closer in character to the wilds of Africa, where there are predators and prey,” he notes. This wilderness-like liminal space becomes a crucible where souls are either deemed worthy of Heaven or dispatched to demons tasked with handling the darkest souls, adding a layer of raw survivalist tension to age-old parables.
Character development and plot construction stand at the heart of Comesanas’s storytelling. He stresses the importance of relatable characters, whether hero or villain, to foster emotional investment. “Even supporting characters, as short lived as their lives may be in my books, need to reach the reader in some way,” he says. This focus on character coherence ensures that the story remains tightly woven and engaging, with unexpected twists that keep readers hooked.
Living in Rhinebeck, NY, amidst the historic and atmospheric Hudson Valley, deeply influences Comesanas’s writing style and settings. The region’s blend of natural beauty and somber history lends a fitting backdrop to the eerie and suspenseful worlds he creates. In his upcoming third book, a portion of Ember’s journey unfolds along the Hudson River, where the landscape’s haunted past enriches the narrative’s mood and depth.
Themes of power, betrayal, and redemption are central to the novel’s plot, exemplified by the rogue demon’s attempt to seize control of Saint Peter’s Gate. Comesanas sees these struggles as reflections of real-world human flaws and moral ambiguity. “The side pouring the most sugar over themselves are often the ones most trying to hide their decayed motivations,” he observes. His message encourages readers to acknowledge human fallibility, the difficulty of standing up for what is right, and the enduring impact of personal choices.
The success of Saint Peter’s Gate has been both exciting and validating for Comesanas. While he has begun work on a new fantasy novel, he has also ventured into suspense and action fiction, currently seeking traditional publishing representation. Balancing the demands of marketing and writing remains a challenge, especially after stepping away from social media to focus more fully on his craft. Despite these hurdles, Comesanas continues to pursue storytelling with passion and integrity.
Source: Reader’s House Interview with Fran Comesanas
