Novel Playlists from Fantasy Novelists treats each fantasy novel like a feature film and encourages the author to put together their own dream soundtrack. A screenwriter with a penchant for pitching ideas no producer in their right mind would fund, M.D. Presley took to writing flintlock fantasy instead, kicking off his Sol’s Harvest quadrilogy with The Woven Ring, The Imbued Lockblade, and now, The Glass Dagger. The playlist is below; you can listen to it in Spotify here.

Everyone fears a Render, those chosen by Sol to sever the bonds of life with their glass blades. And no Render is more feared than Graff, who single-handedly held the line at Stone Cleaver. Hundreds died by his hand during the Grand War, and hundred more in the intervening years, despite Graff not spilling a single drop of blood. A relentless monster, Graff has set his sights on the child Caddie, and now not even Marta can stop him.

And now Luca doubts if she even should.

Their band shattered and original mission scattered to the winds, Marta must ally with old enemies as new friends betray her. Worse still, Marta now suspects something dark dwells deep in the child she now considers her own.

Playlist: The Glass Dagger

Drifting – Maverick Sabre

I hope people listen to this playlist if for no other reason than getting this song more attention. I’ve been fixated on it for a matter of weeks now and the anxiety it produces (in the best possible way). It reminds me a lot of how all the characters begin the story.

Black Eyed Dog – Nick Drake

This is one of Drake’s lesser known songs and I think probably one of the most haunting things I’ve ever heard. This here’s for young Graff and a certain black Breath.

Your Love – Middle Kids

It took me forever to hunt down this song since I thought it was a cover (seriously, can’t you imagine 10,000 Maniacs singing it?) and it’s for poor Isabelle and the man she just can’t quit.

Cannibal’s Hymn – Nike Cave

Ah, the requisite Cave. This song has probably two of my favorite lyrics, the somewhat eponymous “if you’re going to dine with cannibals, sooner or later darling, you’re going to get eaten,” and “allow me, my love, to allay your fears.” This is for Graff and the deeper waters he goes swimming in. Loads of monsters swimming there.

Lost on You – LP

There’s a definitive breakup here, and this song is for Isabelle yet again. The character was initially conceived to just be a knock off of Chewbacca, which makes her whole relationship with my Luca/ Solo a little weird.

I See a Darkness – Bonnie “Prince” Billy

I found both Will Oldham and Nick Cave via the same Johnny Cash cover album, and this is still another one of the more haunting songs I know. Feel free to pick any of the unhealthy relationships in this series for this song to represent.

Glenn Tipton – Sun Kil Moon

Probably the sweetest murder ballad you’ll ever hear. This probably should have been on my last playlist for book two, but Spotify didn’t have it when I put that one together. This one’s for Caddie and her character shift throughout the series.

Intergalactic Menopause – Murder By Death

Terrible title for an exceptional song. The images they spin here make me think of traipsing through a tolmen and looking up at the stars. Don’t know why, but it does.

No One – Jenn Champion

“And there’s no one and there’s no way out.” If you can find lyrics that represent the dark night of the soul better than this, then my hat’s off to you.

Trinity Dub (Three) – Massive Attack/ Mad Professor

I usually hate remixes with a burning passion, but this one exceeds expectations. Also, the number 3 has a bit of significance in the story, so here we are.

Staying Alive – Cursive

Hope you’ve got 10 minutes you can devote to this song, which is a defiant middle finger to depression. At least my interpretation of it is. So much of Marta’s character is wound up in her defiance, so it seemed a fitting exit song for her.

About the author

Never passing up the opportunity to speak about himself in the third person, M.D. Presley is not nearly as clever as he thinks he is. Born and raised in Texas, he spent several years on the East Coast and now waits for the West Coast to shake him loose. His favorite words include defenestrate, callipygian, and Algonquin. The fact that monosyllabic is such a long word keeps him up at night.

He can be found on Facebook and Twitter @md_presley and blogs weekly at mdpresley.com.