As a fantasy author, I’ve often been told that I write in a ‘cinematic’ style. That’s a compliment for me, because I love to immerse my readers in the worlds I’ve created. Sometimes I find inspiration in cinema itself – in movies and TV shows that solidify ideas of what I’m trying to create or experiences I’m trying to capture. I’d love to share some of these and see if you agree!
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Starring Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany, this movie is one of my top three favorites of all time. Not only is it well written and clever, but it also accurately portrays life on a war frigate during the age of sail. The claustrophobia below decks and the bite of ocean winds above, the terror of a stormy sea and the peace of blue skies and calm waters. And most of all, the utter discipline needed during the chaos of a naval battle, when a spray of wooden splinters was as lethal as a volley of cannonballs. I drew a lot of inspiration from this movie, and in my mind, the Touchstone is very similar to the HMS Surprise, a ship that is currently on display at the Maritime Museum of San Diego.
Black Sails
This television show ran for 4 seasons on the network, Starz, as a prequel to Treasure Island, the classic novel by Robert Louis Stevenson. It’s a bit of a rougher take, and not for all viewers, but again, it accurately portrays the rigors of life aboard ships (and in port) and how deadly it was to fight battles at sea. Ship of Spells is not ‘as rough.’ In fact, Ship is perhaps more like…
Pirates of the Caribbean
Who doesn’t love the Curse of the Black Pearl? It’s utterly delightful, entertaining and iconic, with equal parts ship lore (“…more of a guideline, really…”), imagination, and heart. For the most part, the writing is tight, the plot clever and the pacing near perfect. But I love the way magic combines with character, and that is very much a part of the Ship of Spells vibe. Add a few fauns and minotaurs and you’re ready to weigh anchor!
Shadow and Bone
Here’s another television series – one that’s not necessarily nautical, although the characters did spend time on sailing ships and airships! While I wrote Ship of Spells long before I read Leigh Bardugo’s trilogy, I was absolutely entranced when I did, and the show was, to me, a perfect adaptation. I loved how the special effects captured the casting of spells, how the Fold was terrifying from within and without, and how organically the stigmatism of the Grisha (magic-wielders) was portrayed. This show very much captured how magic might work in a real-world setting, and while the magecraft in Ship is totally different, there is always a price to pay for using it, whether social, emotional or physical.
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
There have been many iterations of this Jules Vernes classic, but I fell in love very early on with the 1954 version starring Charleton Heston and James Mason. I think, because of this movie, I became smitten with marine life, so much so that I debated being a marine biologist instead of a zoologist. While none of Ship of Spells takes place under the sea, the sheer isolation of ship life and the rugged strain to stay afloat, the dependence on weather and the wonder of strange new living creatures is a big part of Ship’s vibe. And even though the Nautilus herself is not alive nor sentient, she is very much a character in the story and that shaped how the Touchstone evolved, eventually taking on a life of her own.
One Piece
I admit it with total sincerity – I have never read the manga nor watched the anime, and I respect creator Eiichiro Oda for the sheer bounty of work produced! That said, I truly enjoyed the Netflix live-action series, and I can say that what struck me most was the heart of the show, the authenticity, and the unfettered imagination of world-building (characteristic of most anime). I loved the way the writers stayed true to each character as they each pursued their dreams and became a family, and I hope you see that in SHIP OF SPELLS.
So, if you have the time and the inclination, please enjoy one (or all!) of these cinematic marvels! It may help you better imagine life aboard the Touchstone, sailing the Northhelm’s seas and rolling the cannons across her decks! The sound of canvas thundering with wind, the slap of the waves striking the hull, a bell at night, the sharp tang of salt. I hope you’re as transported as a young Bluemage longing to earn her place and join the crew of the marvelous, magical SHIP OF SPELLS.
SHIP OF SPELLS by H. Leighton Dickson
(Deluxe Limited Edition)
Don’t miss out on the stunning DELUXE LIMITED EDITION while supplies last. This breathtaking collectible is only available on a limited first print run in the U.S. and Canada, a must-have for any book lover.
One Piece meets Shadow and Bone in this lush tale where magic rules the seas. A shipwrecked royal mage-in-training wants to join the crew of the infamous pirate ship who rescued her. But first, she must not only prove herself to the infuriating captain, but also to the sentient ship, the Ship of Spells, that’s bonded to him.
Fantasy [ Entangled: Red Tower Books, On Sale: November 4, 2025, Hardcover / e-Book, ISBN: 9781649379139 / eISBN: 9781649378149 ]
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About H. Leighton Dickson
H. Leighton Dickson grew up in the wilds of the Canadian Shield, where her neighbours were wolves, moose, deer and lynx. She studied Zoology at the University of Guelph and worked in the Edinburgh Zoological Gardens in Scotland, where she was chased by lions, wrestled deaf tigers and fed antibiotics to Polar Bears by baby bottle! She has been writing since she was thirteen and pencilled her way through university working for DC Comics.
Now repped by Looking Glass Literary & Media’s D. Ellis Wilson, Heather got her start as an indie author with the Sci/Fi fantasy series, RISE OF THE UPPER KINGDOM. Next came the Gothic thriller series, COLD STONE & IVY and then award-winning DRAGON OF ASH & STARS: The Autobiography of a Night Dragon. Her next novel, SHIP OF SPELLS, is coming out November 2025 from Red Tower Books.
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