Chris Fenwick

July 12 , 2018

Ketih Rommel Opens Up on His Thanatology

I had a chance to talk with the author of the “Thanatology” series and learned some interesting background about his books. The series came about because of Keith’s fixation with death. I would venture to say that most of us have questions about death we would like answered as well as fear. Many of us might even try to forget about our inevitable fate and refuse to acknowledge it as often as possible. For someone like Keith, who has experienced multiple brushes with death, the ideas of death and dying have become enigmas. He regards his feelings as an ebb and flow of curiosity spattered by fear. On occasion, he asks the question “how bad could it be” not in a suicidal way, but seeking more knowledge. Because it is impossible to know for sure what death is like, he imagines it instead. His novels create a window into what the other side of life could be. Much of the “Thanatology” is surprisingly based on real events and people. The main character in “The Lurking Man,” Cailean, is based on his own alcoholic grandparents and the theme of an abused child mimics his mother’s unfortunate life growing up.

Each of his books is a challenging read, but Keith knows his audience isn’t a bunch of dummies. Readers will figure it out if they pay attention, though these are not the sort of books one can daydream through. You have to stand on your toes or you’ll wind up confused. Keith describes it as “thinking man’s fiction.” The purpose of each book is for readers to stop and reflect on their own lives so that they ultimately lead better lives than the characters.

Finally, the beauty of the series is that the first three books can be read in any order. This allows for flexibility for potential readers to choose which book sounds most intriguing to them so that they can become better immersed in the fictional world. The fourth book in the “Thanatology” pulls pieces from the first three, so it is easier to understand if those ones are read first.

Check out Keith's books at:

https://www.sunburypressstore.com/searchquick-submit.sc?keywords=keith+rommel

and

http://keithrommel.weebly.com/

or find them on Amazon!