Throughout The Eagles Favour, Robert Vaughan tackles themes of prejudice, discrimination, and the dangerous path from exclusion to violence. Drawing from his personal experiences in the United Nations and a deep sense of humanity, Vaughan explores the subtle ways biases can shape our world, making this story both timeless and timely.

The Eagle’s Favour by Robert Vaughan is a historical fiction set in the 1940s that feels unsettlingly familiar in today’s divided world. It delves into the human psyche, following its characters through a brutal journey that reveals how discrimination—once normalized—can quietly take root, growing from exclusion to hate and ultimately to violence. The novel also explores what it means to go through suffering yet still emerge with a soul. 

Robert Vaughan is a native of Yorkshire, who has lived, visited, and worked in numerous countries around the world. These experiences have shaped his love for cultural diversity, open-mindedness, and for the dignity of all members of the human family. He has worked for many years as a Human Rights Officer with the United Nations and these experiences have helped shape his perspectives and this book. Below he reveals that a firm belief that with imagination, and political will, a better world is possible. 

What inspired you to write this book on the topic of discrimination?

I started writing this book over ten years ago. I had just started my career at the UN, and was dealing with multiple human rights violations daily, so these experiences helped shape my inspiration, but also, I think inspiration comes from inside oneself. I know that was the case for me, having had difficulties with English all my life, I often shied away from writing, so this was something I wanted to achieve.

The main themes are prejudice, and discrimination and the subtle ways our biases seep into everyday life. It reveals how, often without thinking, we silence or push certain voices to the margins, and how those small, overlooked moments can snowball into something far more dangerous. The book also examines the power of government—like an eagle poised to strike— showing how, when turned against a group, it can have devastating consequences. Sadly, I see a lot of similarities today to when I wrote the book. 

What were the biggest challenges you faced while writing this book and what was the process?

I went to my local library, the same one I went to as a boy in Headingley, Leeds, every day for about three months and wrote on average about 2000 words a day. Luckily the library had no Wi-Fi and I would purposely leave my phone at home.

Which character was the most enjoyable to write and do you see yourself in any of them?

I have to say, I enjoyed writing the character of Helmet as I feel I’ve met this person in many countries, in many bars. He was partly inspired by a friend of my fathers who died climbing Mont Blanc many years ago — he always had something witty to say. Even though some of the characters can have truly awful views, which was at times tough to write, I think there’s a bit of them in all of us. We are not a linear species and having negative emotions are part of being human. What really matters is how we handle those emotions and how they shape our actions. I should note that my wife loved the story but hated the characters because of their views. 

How has the response been, and what surprised you most about the publishing process? 

I have to say that the response to the book has been positive on the whole, but also slow in getting the word out. The book includes torture, sexual violence and strong and controversial language from the start, so it can easily be to not everyone’s taste. Even the editor said she needed to take a break whilst reading it. The publishing process for any book I feel is a minefield, which really is a full-time job, and requires employing literary agents and sending copies to Instagram influencers. When you are working and have a young family, this is hard work but you have to do it to hopefully reap the rewards.

What books or authors have influenced your writing style? 

I’m not sure I would say I have a writing style or have been influenced by any specific author, I read everything by George Orwell a longtime ago, but as I mentioned I have always found both reading and writing English difficult (I was tested for dyslexia as a child) and this unfortunately had a negative affect on my love for books. Nowadays, like everyone, it’s more about finding the time to sit and open a book and avoid doomscrolling than anything else. 

MORE INFO

The Eagle’s Favour is available now on Kindle and paperback, you can find out more here: amzn.eu/d/hPsgj8C