West Linn teacher Steve Davala releases latest novel

Local author Steve Davala invites readers to enter a new world and follow along as Millar, an ancient warrior robot, wrestles with his past.

Davala, a Tigard resident who has taught at Rosemont Ridge Middle School and West Linn High School for over 20 years, published his newest book “The Way of the Forgotten” on Aug. 5.

Davala’s previously published works include the “Soulkind” trilogy, “Skywatch” (a science fiction tale) and the children’s book “Books Are for Reading, Not Eating.”

Davala said “The Way of the Forgotten” is not related to any of his previous works, but true to the sci-fi and fantasy that is the DNA of his writing. The book follows an ancient warrior robot who cast aside all of the weapons and robotic parts that made him who he was, reset his own memory and hid away in a cave after making what he felt was a grievous mistake.

“Hundreds of years later, he’s awakened and his past is coming to haunt him,” Davala said.

Davala disclosed he felt burnt out on writing after finishing his previous novel, “Skywatch,” in 2021. Instead of writing, he turned to other forms of art like carving.

Eventually, he felt it was time to get back to writing, but every time he sat down to do so he felt stuck; none of the ideas felt right. Davala managed to convince his friend and fellow book-lover to give writing a try during last year’s National Novel Writing Month.

Davala and the friend, Chris Walters, pushed each other to keep writing throughout the month. After multiple scrapped ideas, Davala hit upon the seeds of what would become “The Way of the Forgotten.”

“All of a sudden I got this idea for the robot and I started scripting page after page of what I thought would happen and the characters, and it flowed from there,” he said. “The story just felt right to me.”

While the book has several themes and morals, Davala specifically mentioned identity and revenge, adding the protagonist robot questions who he is and whether anyone ever really gets a chance at a fresh start. The ramifications of seeking vengeance also play a key role, Daval said. Much like his other books, the importance of family and meaningful relationships are also central to the story, he said.

“The Way of the Forgotten” is currently available to purchase on Amazon. Davala said it should also soon be available on Audible as well. He’ll share the novel at local author gatherings and events like Rose City Comic Con in the coming weeks as well.