The middle grade fantasy/paranormal book follows a superfan, the 12-year-old titular character, Paul Weaver, as he documents his quest to become a Paladin Knight in his world’s equivalent of YouTube, Fantasy-Tube. Modeling each chapter after a vlog, the book focuses solely on Paul’s dialogue as he talks to his small — but growing — audience on his channel, Knighthood Never Looked So Good. Aside from a few key moments toward the end, teasing a follow-up that McMurray is already writing, the book is entirely from Paul’s perspective, with italicized dialogue from guests of the vlog.
In the prologue, “Ep. 29: I can’t believe it’s come to this,” McMurray employs an in medias res approach to Paul’s story, dropping viewers into the moment he announces his plan to steal his principal’s soul. How a 12-year-old vlogger can achieve such a lofty, arguably evil goal starts with a flashback to his first vlog post.
While Paul doesn’t have much of a following — his first video (i.e., the “Ep. 1” chapter) has a whopping 113 views — it doesn’t stop him from narrating his experience with the changing world around him. From his vulnerability in sharing those stories, it appears that his online presence is his way of dealing with his anxieties of school pressures, shifting family dynamics and health issues, and the growing distance between him and his best friend.
“That’s really true for how a lot of kids navigate the world today,” McMurray said. “Social media really shapes them.”
The format of “Paul Weaver” rings true to our post-YouTube, TikTok moment we are culturally in, just as a book like Sharon M. Draper’s novel “Tears of a Tiger” did with diary entries and morning school announcements in the mid-1990s. Because of his experience as a history and career class teacher, McMurray knows the impact of technology and bite-sized storytelling has on young adults. He attempts to capture the essence of what appeals to those younger audiences with first-person vlog entries, as if the format is tailor made for the modern reluctant reader.
It was a challenge for McMurray to write an adventure book made up solely of vlogs, considering the character telling the story is “on-screen” and safe within the video. But he got creative — sometimes even replying to comments that the reader can’t see — and somehow made Paul Weaver’s story suspenseful.
On the cusp of puberty, the vlogger deals with real world issues that come with growing up — like his older sister Ruth’s self-image and confidence issues, his grandfather’s Alzheimer’s, etc. — while balancing his overactive imagination and his middle school fantasies of becoming a Paladin Knight. Some of what he’s seeing is reality, but some of it might actually be magical.
At the beginning of “Paul Weaver,” an exchange between Ruth and Paul gives evidence to his naivety. When she says “good things change, Paul,” he asks “do they have to?”
McMurray was influenced by comic books back in his day, whereas Paul seems to escape via “Star Wars,” “The Lord of the Rings,” and the “Harry Potter” series. They both had grandfathers who mentally deteriorated. The parallels between writer and character are finer than they appear.
“Growing up is accepting that good things do change,” McMurray said. “Something that was good doesn’t last forever. You have to come to terms with that, and the other good things will take their place. I think there’s a bit of ourselves in everything that we write. It’s sometimes cathartic to take these emotions you hold onto for years and put them in a story that other people can relate to.”
With nearly a dozen books written, McMurray’s latest straddles comedy, mystery, supernatural, and geeky elements to connect with readers who may have all the puzzle pieces, but don’t know quite how they fit. Playing with the format of YA fiction, “Paul Weaver and the Soul Reaver” explores the reality — through fantasy — of growing up in and navigating the modern, tech-centric world.
Paul believes that by becoming a Paladin Knight — to follow a strong moral code — he can help halt the growing evil that’s changing his grandfather, his sister, and his best friend for the worse. It’s up to him and his dog, Samwise, to save their town. He does it by latching onto fantasies to salve his reality, whether he recognizes the coping mechanism at 12-years-old or not.
HOW TO GO
What: “Paul Weaver and the Soul Reaver” book launch and signing
When: 7-9 p.m., July 8
Where: Star City Booksellers, 55 S. Main St., Miamisburg
Cost: Free
MORE INFO
S.C. McMurray’s “Paul Weaver and the Soul Reaver” is available digitally and in paperback July 8. Copies can be reserved ahead of the event at eventbright.com.
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