Category Archives: Blog Tours

Blood and Blade by Matthew Harffy – The Blog Tour

12 days of Clink Street Christmas Event: Guest Post – Peter Worthington (@CatshillPeter )

As part of the 12 days of Clink Street Christmas blog tour i’m very happy to bring you a guest post from Peter Worthington, author of “The Eden Tree” which i reviewed back in July. If you missed the review click the image below to open a new window 🙂

I’m very glad to say Peter has kindly offered to share with us a little flashback revolving around the charterers in The Eden Tree. I hope you enjoy

The Last Christmas at Kirmingsham Hall

Back in 2006 – before his grandson Wesley was diagnosed with cancer – John Morgan had said: “Christmas is made for grandads.” Thanks to a chance meeting with a flower-seller John traveled to Israel and returned with a mysterious antique box the contents of which saved Wesley’s life and led John to an amazing adventure. One considered his destiny.

A decade later on Christmas Day John’s thoughts were of a familiar aroma floating towards his nostrils. He reminisced of his grandma’s baking and entered the Kirmingsham Hall kitchen to the dulcet tones of “Mary’s Boy Child” playing in the background.

“Is that mince pies I can smell?” he said, taking a long sniff, and reached for the overflowing plate.

“Yes, John, we’re baking for the party tomorrow,” his wife said, tapping a wooden spoon in her palm, “and don’t touch again.”

He kissed her cheek, ignored her chastisement, quickly grabbed a pie, and ran for the lounge, crumbs falling onto the hall tiles. His eyes found the faces of family and friends relaxing on blue leather sofas, chairs, or cross-legged on soft pillows and red carpet. The spacious Tudor property had been their home since John and Liz married in the summer of 1986.

The gathering was planned for weeks. The Morgan Christmas Day celebrations would begin with a full English breakfast at The Black Swan and continue with traditional turkey dinner at home. Traditions would be broken, however, in ways that were staggering.

“Mince pies. Yum.” James said as he followed his wife Alyanna through the swing door.

“Keep ya’ mitts off them, James my boy,” Sean said with a wink as he grabbed one off the plate. “Jesus, these are hot” he blew on his fingers as Rachel play-punched his shoulder.

Rebecca, their toddler, was in the lounge playing horsey on Goliath’s back. Goliath – aptly named as he was six foot eight and weighed twenty-six stone – was Aly’s cousin. Rebecca and her mum had benefitted from a miracle too. On Christmas Day the family would travel together to the mysterious garden. Probably for the last time.

The laughing toddler’s tiny legs hardly encompassed the giant’s massive frame. Roisin, Goliath’s fiancée, knelt close as guardian angel. The lounge door opened and two teenage boys bounded in to take their turn at the rodeo.

“Mum and Josh have just arrived,” Wesley said, looking through the patio window.

“Oh great,” Iggy said, “now we have ex SAS and Mossad here. What Christmas party-poopers!” He slapped Goliath on his rear as he mounted his back. “Gee up, horsey.” The man mountain twisted and Iggy fell off laughing.

Watching her labours devoured Liz said with a shrug, “I can make some more.”

The two family dogs lay by the stone hearth. Presents under the tree testified that Christmas was for dogs too.

After a sumptuous breakfast handshakes and farewells were given to the landlord and staff. Sadness and anticipation in the air. Cars made their way past the iced-over pond, the remnants of festivity strewn around the village. Steering his BMW through the double gates for the last time John grasped Liz’s hand and pushed open the front door.

Christmas carols by choristers played over the hi-fi as the household opened presents. A pile of multi-coloured wrapping paper growing on the carpet.

“Slippers. Bleedin’ slippers,” Sean tore at his parcel.

“Language, Captain,” Rachel pointed to a toddler placing Lego blocks together to make a huge tower which toppled to her exasperation. Periodically someone carried turkey remnants, mashed potato, sprouts and other greens on a platter, alongside pizzas, chilli and rice. The group dined until the Queen’s speech after which James called out “Okay, Rambo, you can come back in now.” Sean returned and gave a thumbs up.

“Can we have some games?” Wesley said, winking at Iggy.

“Yes of course, Sweetheart,” Becky said, “and you were a brilliant innkeeper.” Wesley blushed as his mum smiled proudly.

Through the late afternoon and early evening there was laughter, fun and merriment as various games were played. After a very competitive final attempt at Twister Becky surrendered and John realised it was time.

“Okay everyone. It’s time to go.” John gathered everyone for a massive group hug.

One by one the family and friends stepped through the portal and entered Eden – never to return.

The Eden Tree Blurb

” Mark Twain said, “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” John James Morgan knew the day he was born. Two days before his sixty-first birthday he found out why. John is a happily married businessman, father and grandfather, living in Cheshire, in the heart of England. Happy, that is, until his family face a crisis. A terminal one. At the local market, a flower-seller tells John a story that changes his life. Assured his destiny is in his own hands, John crosses the globe in pursuit of a religious artefact which has remained hidden for two thousand years. Presented with an antique box containing maps, parchments and a bag of leaves, John returns to the UK and witnesses a miracle. With the box in his possession, John and his family find new friends and enemies; lives are threatened and people die, although some will be healed. With the help of many different people, from all walks of life, John’s journey will finally lead him to the discovery of an extraordinary and mysterious tree. But what will this Eden tree mean to John, his family, their faith and their future? The Eden Tree is author Peter Worthington’s first novel; a fictional account based on his own experiences with his son, John Wesley, who underwent treatment for cancer but sadly passed away shortly after his seventh birthday. The Eden Tree has allowed Peter to give his much-loved son “a happier ending.”

About Peter Worthington

Today Peter Worthington lives in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire with his wife Margaret. Peter has enjoyed a bright and varied career as a church minister, ﬁnancial adviser and internet consultant. Now retired he is busier than ever thanks to his three grandchildren, studying for an Open University Degree in Creative Writing, voluntary work, playing World of Warcraft, serving on the board of a housing association and writing. He has previously published short stories in a number of Christian magazines. His ﬁrst novel, The Eden Tree (published by Clink Street Publishing 19th July 2016 RRP £8.99 paperback, RRP £2.99 ebook) is available to purchase from online retailers including amazon.co.uk and to order from all good bookstores. For more information you can follow Peter @CatshillPeter or visit http://www.edentree.co/

Short Story by AW Rock (Part Three) @SohoHoney #12DaysofClinkStreet

12 days of Clink Street Christmas Event: Guest Post – Monika Jephcott Thomas

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As part of the 12 days of Clink Street Christmas blog tour i’m very happy to bring you a guest post from Monika Jephcott Thomas, author of “Fifteen Words” which i reviewed recently

If you didn’t see the review click the image below to open a new window 🙂

I hope you all enjoy the guest post! My blog is yours Monika.

Christmas In Germany

Christmas for me as a child was a wonderfully long drawn out affair. It started 4 weeks before X-mas with Advent and ended on the 6^th of January on Epiphany. During that time there were highlights filled with long established traditions in our family.

There was no Father X-mas. Presents would be brought by ‘Christkind’ i.e. baby Jesus, on Christmas Eve.

Every Saturday night before the 4 Advent Sundays we children put our shoes outside our bedroom door, well cleaned and polished and lined with x-mas wrapping paper. If you had been a good girl the angels would come during the night and bring you little presents and on the first weekend also an Advent calendar. Not a bought one with doors to open and finding chocolate behind it but one that was made by my Mum, which must have taken her ages for all of us. Little felt bags on a string for every day with the dates on it. When you opened it there might have been a couple of marbles, some sweets something little that I was really looking forward to.

On December the 4^th, St Barbara, we would go into our garden and cut some branches from our fruit trees. These would blossom at Christmas and would decorate our dinner table.

On December 6^th , St Nicholas was celebrated. In the early evening we would gather as a family in our living room and sing X-mas and Advent songs, read poems and my parents would read us stories. Then at some stage there would be a loud knock on our front door. St Nikolaus, dressed up as a bishop and Knecht Ruprecht, St Nikolaus’ slave, dressed up as a chimney sweep, black and dusty, would arrive when snow was outside, on a horse drawn sleigh. He would come into our living room with a golden book and a sack of presents. We would sit with big eyes and in expectations of what presents we would receive and also a bit frightened about how Knecht Ruprecht might punish us if we had not been good over the year. St Nikolaus would read out from his golden book all the good things we had done during the year and also remind us where we had to improve so Knecht Ruprecht would not have to be angry with us next year. Then he left the sack of presents and we waved to him good bye from our front door when he left in his sleigh. It was so realistic and I wondered for many years how he knew all the things we had done over the year.

On the 3^rd Advent Saturday night we wrote a letter to Christkind with our wishes for presents for X-mas and the angels would take this to him.

Every day during Advent we also had a wooden crib on the window sill of our living room. Every night before going to bed my mother would take us to the crib. We had to either choose some hay if we had been good to put it into the crib or some straw if we had not. We were in other words responsible for how comfortable baby Jesus would be when he was born and would lie in the crib under the X-mas tree. An effective way for parents to get 4 weeks of good behaviour!

On X-mas eve we would gather up in our dining room and sing X-mas songs until a little bell rang and the angels had finished arranging our presents under the tree (a big fresh pine tree with real candles). After a delightful time of unwrapping all we had our dinner which was always fish and then went to Midnight Mass

X-mas day was spent with our grandparents and X-mas dinner always was a goose, red cabbage and Kloesse (dumplings)

We had a relaxing time playing with family, celebrated NY eve with fireworks in our garden and had a family holiday till Jan 6^th, Epiphany. At breakfast my Mum would have baked a sponge cake and a coffee bean would be buried in it. Whoever got the slice with it was King for the day and could do what they liked (within limits of course.) After breakfast my father followed by us would go to our front and back door and write e.g. AD 19 C+M+B 56 (initials of the 3 kings) in chalk over the front door to bless the house for the coming year and the same on the back door which would first be opened to let the bad spirits out.

Fifteen Words Blurb

But when Max is stationed at the fortress city of Breslau, their worst nightmares are realised; his hospital is bombed, he is captured by the Soviet Army and taken to a POW camp in Siberia. Max experiences untold horrors, his one comfort the letters he is allowed to send home: messages that can only contain Fifteen Words. Back in Germany, Erika is struggling to survive and protect their young daughter, finding comfort in the arms of a local carpenter. Worlds apart and with only sparse words for comfort, will they ever find their way back to one another, and will Germany ever find peace?
Fifteen Words is a vivid and intimate portrayal of human love and perseverance, one which illuminates the German experience of the war, which has often been overshadowed by history.

Purchase on Amazon UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fifteen-Words-Monika-Jephcott-Thomas-ebook/dp/B01MCWG3IJ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1477564925&sr=1-1&keywords=fifteen+words

About Monika Jephcott Thomas

Monika Jephcott Thomas grew up in Dortmund Mengede, north-west Germany. She moved to the UK in 1966, enjoying a thirty year career in education before retraining as a therapist. Along with her partner Jeff she established the Academy of Play & Child Psychotherapy in order to support the twenty per cent of children who have emotional, behavioural, social and mental health problems by using play and the creative Arts. A founder member of Play Therapy UK, Jephcott Thomas was elected President of Play Therapy International in 2002.

12 days of Clink Street Christmas Event: Enemy Series Intro & Review – Rob Sinclair

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Today i’m very happy to bring you my review of Dance With The Enemy by Rob Sinclair and also a little intro to the series which Rob has kindly written for us.

First off i must say I’ve heard many a good things said about this author by fellow bloggers. I’ve actually had the three books in the series for a little while already so when i heard he would be taking part in the Clink Street Christmas event it was an easy decision for me to pick him as someone i’d like to feature . Word of mouth speaks a lot to me and with so many good comments i just had to buy the series and i’m very glad that I’ve had the time to read/review the first book in the series.

I’ll pass you over to Rob to give you an intro then you can read my review 🙂

Intro to Enemy series

My Enemy series of books have now sold 200,000 copies worldwide since the release of the first book, Dance with the Enemy, in 2014, which was followed by Rise of the Enemy and Hunt for the Enemy. But for those people not familiar, what are they about?

I set out with the Enemy series to write books that were fast-paced and filled with action, because those are the types of books that I’ve always enjoyed reading myself (not to mention the types of TV and film that I watch too). I had a vague concept in my head as to who the central character would be. A tough guy. An all action hero who’d lived much of his life in that vast area of grey that separates right and wrong, but who had a certain vulnerability about him too. That last part was very important to me. I’d become increasingly tired of heroes who were too perfect, almost superhuman, and wanted a much more grounded and human hero. One who makes mistakes and one who gets hurt. And so was born Carl Logan.

Many years ago Logan, as a tearaway teenager, an orphan moving from foster home to foster home, and increasingly getting himself mixed up with gangs and drugs, was recruited by a shady law enforcement figure – Mackie- as a low level informant. Over the years that relationship grew until Mackie himself moved on in the world becoming a Commander of a secretive intelligence agency known as the JIA (Joint Intelligence Agency). Seeing potential in Logan, largely given his bleak outlook on life and his nothing to lose mindset, Logan was brought into the fold at the JIA and, through years of physical and psychological training, was turned into something of a killing machine, travelling the world and carrying out the dirty work of the UK and US governments, under the radar.

But, despite the brainwashing training, there was always a gnawing inside Logan that he was more than just an assassin, a feeling that wholly comes to the fore when Logan is captured, tortured and left for dead while on a JIA mission in the Middle East. Which is the point in time where the Enemy series picks up, with Logan struggling to come to terms with that trauma, and trying to figure out exactly who he is, with many in his organisation now believing him to be goods damaged beyond repair.

The three books follow Logan from that lowest point on a journey of not just redemption and proving his self worth, but of revenge too, as he tries in vain to get his life back on track and to get his own back on those who’ve wronged him. Starting in Dance with the Enemy, Logan is drawn into a plot to kidnap America’s Attorney General in Paris, and the series follows Logan across the globe as he tracks down the bad guys whilst coming to terms with betrayal after betrayal – some closer to home than others – and all the time wondering where his life is headed, and whether he can ever truly escape his past, and what he is.

My Review – Dance With The Enemy

Carl Logan is a man who has been trained to take orders and not ask questions but after things go wrong on a recent job he’s no longer the same agent he was. He’s been broken and it’s clear throughout the story that while he’s still good at his job he’s just not as focused as he should be.

From the first big scene involving the kidnapping of the Attorney General Frank Modena I was hooked. The detail had me gripped as I focused on the action.

Logan is sent in to find and retrieve the Attorney General little does he know that the man who broke him is involved somewhere along the line.

What happens next is a great spy thriller where Logan has to put the pieces together and find out what’s truly happening. It’s clear to Logan from the start not everything is clear cut as some would like it to be.. so what is the real truth behind the kidnapping??

I won’t give the game away but the author did throw in some great twists. One i’ll admit i thought was coming but as to how it played out i had no idea.. and wow..it’s a good one.

Development is a big thing for me. Not only do i have to like the characters but i need to see a path for them to grow and Rob Sinclair delivered everything i could have wanted with Logan. You’re given tit bits of info building as the story unfolds and this way of developing the lead character really helped hook me in.

I loved that Logan isn’t perfect..he’s far from it. You know he won’t come out of this without a scratch and it just makes the whole tale all the more gripping.

The supporting characters were pretty well covered too. i loved the way the author managed to again give little bits of info.. just enough at the time but never overdoing it..keeping you just a little in the dark to everyone’s motivations.. as it should be with a spy thriller.

When i reached the end i could easily see why so many people had given great reviews..it’s more than deserved.

This tale is ultimately about revenge. It’s full of action and intrigue. The plot has to be the number 1 thing that stood out for me.. lot’s of different motivations and agendas and i just couldn’t put it down

My rating – 5/5 Stars!

About Rob Sinclair

Rob’s first novel, Dance with the Enemy, was published in June 2014 and is the first in the bestselling Enemy Series following embattled intelligence agent Carl Logan. Rise of the Enemy, the second book in the series, was released in April 2015, with the third book, Hunt for the Enemy, being released in February 2016.

The Enemy series has received widespread critical acclaim with many reviewers and readers having likened Rob’s work to authors at the very top of the genre, including Lee Child and Vince Flynn.

Rob’s latest thriller, the pulsating Dark Fragments, was released by Bloodhound Books on 8th November 2016.

Rob worked for nearly 13 years for a global accounting firm after graduating from The University of Nottingham in 2002, specialising in forensic fraud investigations at both national and international levels. He now writes full time.

Originally from the North East of England, Rob has lived and worked in a number of fast paced cities, including New York, and is now settled in the West Midlands with his wife and young sons.

Rob’s website is www.robsinclairauthor.com

He can be followed on social media at:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RSinclairAuthor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robsinclairauthor/

Dance With The Enemy – The Enemy Series Book 1

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dance-Enemy-gripping-international-suspense-ebook/dp/B00KK6FJSC/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Dance with the Enemy is the explosive first chapter in the highly-acclaimed Enemy series of espionage thrillers featuring Carl Logan.

Rise of the Enemy – The Enemy Series Book 2

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rise-Enemy-The-Series/dp/1909477850/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1438198518&sr=8-3

Redbrick “Carl Logan may be a battled hardened agent, but Rob Sinclair has managed to find his soul” – bestsellingcrimethrillers.com

Everyone has a breaking point. Carl Logan might just have found his. The Joint Intelligence Agency sends agent Carl Logan on a routine mission to Russia. It should have been simple. But when Logan’s cover is blown, he’s transported into a world of hell he thought he would never see again. Something is different this time, though, and before long doubts begin to surface in Logan’s mind as to why the assignment went so wrong. Logan has never been short of enemies. And sometimes the enemy is closer to home than you think. Could his own people really have set him up?

Hunt For the Enemy – The Enemy Series Book 3

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1911110128/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=7RN6PPZTNPA2HH8A440W

They’ve erased his past. Wiped out his very existence. But Carl Logan isn’t finished yet. On the run in a harsh Russian winter, Logan – once an invaluable asset but now branded a traitor – has been framed for murder. His own firm, the secretive Joint Intelligence Agency, have labeled him a rogue operative after two decades of loyal service. The agency is hunting him down… and they’re not the only ones. But there’s much more at stake than just Logan’s life. One by one, agents and informants from all sides, all allegiances, are dying. And Carl Logan is the only man who can put a stop to it, once and for all.

Blog Tour – Fifteen Words by Monika Jephcott Thomas- Review

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Title – Fifteen Words
Author – Monika Jephcott Thomas
Genre – Historical Fiction/War & Military
Publication – 22^nd November 2016
Pages – 293
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

Two young doctors form a profound and loving bond in Nazi Germany; a bond that will stretch them to the very limits of human endurance. Catholic Max – whose religious and moral beliefs are in conflict, has been been conscripted to join the war effort as a medic, despite his hatred of Hitler’s regime. His beloved Erika, a privileged young woman, is herself a product of the Hitler Youth. In spite of their stark differences, Max and Erika defy convention and marry. But when Max is stationed at the fortress city of Breslau, their worst nightmares are realised; his hospital is bombed, he is captured by the Soviet Army and taken to a POW camp in Siberia. Max experiences untold horrors, his one comfort the letters he is allowed to send home: messages that can only contain Fifteen Words. Back in Germany, Erika is struggling to survive and protect their young daughter, finding comfort in the arms of a local carpenter. Worlds apart and with only sparse words for comfort, will they ever find their way back to one another, and will Germany ever find peace?
Fifteen Words is a vivid and intimate portrayal of human love and perseverance, one which illuminates the German experience of the war, which has often been overshadowed by history.

Review

The last bit of the synopsis of this book is what really hooked me in. –

“Fifteen Words is a vivid and intimate portrayal of human love and perseverance, one which illuminates the German experience of the war, which has often been overshadowed by history.”

I think like many when I think of war I always associate Germany is being the bad guys.. that’s how we are taught in school. You just get clean cut facts but you don’t see the real people involved.

What I really liked about this book was how easy it makes you remember not all Germans wanted the wars.. some were forced into service that they really didn’t have the heart to do. Just because they were German doesn’t mean they were a Nazi.

The story focuses around Max and Erika, both doctors but with different views on the leadership of Germany. Max signs up for service..not because he wants to fight but because he wants to save lives.

When he’s captured and held as a POW he looks back at the events that led him to where he is.. These thoughts of his wife keeping him going when he could just as easily give up.

At the same time we see Erika dealing with similar emotional struggles as her husband.. he’s been away so long.. is he even alive.

The love they have for each other is strong but temptation comes to both and you can understand why in such a stressful situation.

It really did make me think about what it must have been like, not only for the men/women serving but also those left behind, neither having the full picture but being forced to live their lives.

It’s a real emotional ride for both.. I won’t spoil it for you as a reader but its got ups and downs, twists and turns that really do make your mind work as you see things from different perspectives.

Fifteen words is mentioned a few times and it was amazing to see how much can be conveyed in such a short amount of words.

I must say the twists the author added towards the end really did bring something extra to the tale. Unexpected to say the least but it gave it a wow factor.

These are the type of books I really enjoy, character driven, wonderfully descriptive and written, emotional and thought-provoking. Wonderful.

The book is out today! to find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon.

My thanks go to Athoright for the chance to read/review this book, it was my pleasure.

About Monika Jephcott Thomas.

BLOG TOUR – Insurgency by S.J.A Turney

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Ok so today i’m taking part in the blog tour for SJA Turney’s new book Insurgency. I’m going to be reviewing this book in the near future and i can’t wait to read it… if you’ve read my reviews you’ll know i love his work!

For more info on Insurgency head to Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazom.com

As part of the tour Simon has very kindly wrote a piece on his top emperors throughout history and it’s a very interesting read. Take a look

Top 10 Emperors by S.J.A. Turney

In honour of my new release Insurgency – a tale of an emperor and his family at a moment when their world crumbles under external pressure, I thought it might be nice to do a run-down of my top ten emperors. And to keep it simple, I’m going to limit it to Rome and Byzantium, not including people like Ming the Merciless or Napoleon. But when I thought about it, I figured: is this top ten good emperors, top ten most interesting, or top ten bad ones? So let’s make it interesting. These are my top ten most interesting emperors, whether they be good or bad, and in no particular order:

Julian the Apostate (355-363)

I’ve often thought about writing a novel about Julian. Constantine is famed for making Christianity the state religion of Rome, and following on from him his menagerie of sons saw no reason to buck the trend, keeping tight with the Christian faith. Julian saw Christianity as endemic of the decline and corruption of the empire and attempted to reinstate pagan worship. But for all the power and importance of that decision, which makes him the last ever pagan emperor of Rome, Julian was much more. He was an excellent administrator, a strong general, a philosopher and writer of philosophical treatises, a social reformer who temporarily slowed the decay of the state, a philanthropist and, very possibly, a vegetarian. Julian is one of history’s great ‘what if’s’. Had he not died of a wound only 8 years into his reign, what might have happened?

Elagabalus (218-222)

Elagabalus is very much the fruitcake’s fruitcake. As far as weirdos go, they don’t come much stranger. A member of the Severan dynasty, Elagabalus was a fifteen year old priest of the sun god in Syria when he became emperor. He brought a lump of sacred black stone to Rome from Emesa, making his Sun god the chief god of Rome to the consternation of the Roman elite. He built a new temple on the Palatine to Sol Invictus, married a Vestal priestess, breaking all Roman law, and his reign was characterised by nepotism, matriarchal control and wild sexual excess. He reputedly liked the company of men in the most bizarre ways, pretending to be a woman in Rome’s brothels where he would solicit himself to other men. A curious and colourful individual, Elagabalus did not last long before the weight of senatorial disapproval brought an end to him. To some extent he might be remembered for introducing Sol Invictus to Rome, a god who would become a soldier’s favourite alongside Mithras, but I doubt that is what he will ever be most remembered for.

Justinian (527-565)

I could include Justinian for the Haghia Sophia alone, but he was so much more. By far the most influential and interesting of the Byzantine emperors, Justinian set down a series of codes that still influence laws to the modern day, fought to reunite the empire, attempting to return Italy to the fold under his general Belisarius, lived through the Nike Riots – the worst riots in Roman history – reinstating order through force backed by the strength and influence of his wife Theodora, and built some of the greatest structures in Roman/Byzantine history, many of which are still extant today. Justinian represents for me the high point of the later Roman world. Examine the great buildings of Istanbul and check how many of them are linked with this man.

Caligula (37-41)

Oh he’s the most despised of all emperors, isn’t he? But who’s the real Caligula? You see, I’ve recently written a work on this fascinating man and, while he was clearly acerbic and quick to anger with a somewhat odd, hit-and-miss sense of humour, there is some argument that the great stories told of his madness were largely the invention of his enemies after his death. But whether he intended to make his horse a consul or was merely joking that doing so would make better consuls than the extant aristocrats of Rome, it’s still a great story. Whether he punished his rebellious legions by making them carry chests of seashells back from the English Channel, or whether he really considered them the spoils of war, it’s a colourful moment in history, and his reign is peppered with them. Love him or hate him, you can’t deny the powerful appeal of this character.

Probus (276-282)

One of Rome’s unsung heroes, in my opinion. One of the hard ‘soldier emperors’ from the Balkans, Probus came to power in a time of wars and troubles and tough leaders. He was a strong general himself, spending much of his reign fighting wars both external and internal, and yet found time to finish Rome’s great circuit of walls, build numerous projects in Egypt, drain dangerous marshes on the Danube and the Nile, and restored much that had been damaged by decades of war. But here’s his real value: in order to rebuild the economy of Gaul, Probus developed viticulture in Gaul, using military labour. In essence, it might be said that Probus was the father of French wine. How’s that for a legacy?

Trajan (98-117)

Everyone knows Trajan, right? The first non-Italian emperor. From the city of Italica in southern Spain and with one of the most memorable faces in Roman sculpture, Trajan holds a number of reasons to be on this list. A conqueror, he added Romania and Arabia to the empire, bringing it to the greatest extent it would ever have and overcoming two ancient enemies of Rome. He is the second of Rome’s ‘Five good emperors’. An able commander, he was also an excellent administrator, as is recorded by a set of letters exchanged between him and Pliny while the latter was a governor in Asia Minor. But if Trajan will be remembered for anything throughout eternity, it will be his building projects. In Rome alone he left the great markets, column, baths, forum and aqueduct. In Ostia he created the new great port. With his architect, Apollodorus of Damascus, he truly changed the face of the empire.

Diocletian (284-305)

Diocletian is hard to work out. Was he a visionary or deluded? Was he an agent of change or a tyrant? Whatever he was, he changed Rome’s ruling system forever. Before him there had been a chaos of succession, often by murder or usurpation. Diocletian instituted the Tetrarchy, but which the empire would be split between east and west, each ruled by a senior Augustus and a junior Caesar. It didn’t last long, or course, and after him Constantine once more unified the empire, but the division created by Diocletian had long-reaching effects and he is the progenitor of the Byzantine empire every bit as much as Constantine. Moreover, his edict of Maximum Prices was perhaps visionary, and certainly is one of the most important administrative documents to survive from the ancient world. He left us the wonderful Baths of Diocletian in Rome (even if he had very little to do with it in reality) and he left the amazing Palace still visible in Split, Croatia. And perhaps the most fascinating thing? He is the first emperor to retire from the post, retreating to Split to grow cabbages.

Maxentius (306-312)

Again, like Caligula, a man about whom I have written (an as-yet unreleased joint work with Gordon Doherty), and like Caligula a man maligned by history who can easily be viewed in a much more positive light. A man groomed for the throne and yet who still had to seize it, albeit possibly unwillingly. A man beset by tragedy, who lost his son in the Tiber, who lived a life married to the daughter of his enemy, who held Rome in a world where every other powerful man was his enemy and coveted his lands. And yet Maxentius held no persecutions of the Christians, held out against incredible odds until Constantine’s army were at his very gates, and who left us basilicas, baths, villas, circuses and more. I have a soft spot for this quiet, overlooked emperor. Watch out for our book. I think you’ll like him too.

Philip the Arab (244-249)

Constantine is often hailed as the first Christian emperor, though he was baptised only on his death bed. Half a century earlier, this conservative, careful man may well have been the first Christian emperor, though that fact is highly debatable. During the height of the 3^rd century crisis, when emperors came and went like the sunrise and sunset, Philip managed 5 good years and was lenient on the Christians of the empire. He made peace with Persia in the east and, unpopular though that was, that allowed him the leisure to fight wars at the Danube. In his reign he celebrated Rome’s 1000^th birthday with great pomp and splendour. A short-lived man, but an enigma, as far as I’m concerned.

Andronikos Komnenos I (1183-1185)

One of the later Byzantine emperors of the Komnenian dynasty, Andronikos had a very colourful early life, debauching and warring, spending time as a prisoner of the Turk, attempting a coup against his cousin the emperor, and in exile at Antioch. As emperor he instituted tough, even brutal laws and measures to curb corruption among the nobles, relieving the empire’s lower ranks. For his harsh (if effective) rule, he received one of the most memorable deaths of all the emperors, losing a hand, an eye, his hair, his teeth, covered with boiling water, stabbed repeatedly and finally torn apart.

Insurgency is published by Canelo, priced at £3.99 as an ebook.

For more info on Insurgency head to Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazom.com

Blog Tour – Ascension (The Oasis Series #1)

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Title – Ascension (The Oasis Series #1)
Author – Jeannie van Rompaey
Genre – Science Fiction/ Dystopian Fiction
Length – Pages
Publication – April 2016
My Rating – 3/5 Stars

Synopsis

Meet the MUTANT HUMANOIDS. They may look a little different from us, but inside they’re much the same as you and me. Left on a diseased Earth, they live in windowless compounds, safe from the contaminated wilderness outside. Safe, yes, but their lives are restricted. When the mutant humanoids discover that some complete human beings, COMPLETES, have also survived and are living greatly improved lives on satellites, they determine to rectify this imbalance and claim their share of Earth’s heritage. Three-headed RA rules the humanoids with ruthless precision, but others are involved in a power struggle to depose him. Who will succeed in being the next CEO of Planet Earth? Sixteen -year-old MERCURY plans to start a new life on Oasis. Will it prove the Utopia he expects it to be? ASCENSION, the first novel in Jeannie van Rompaey’s Oasis Series, explores with humour and compassion the way humans respond to change. The future worlds of Earth and Oasis mirror our contemporary society. The division between the haves and have-nots widens and the lust for power leads to corruption. But there are idealists determined to build a fairer, more egalitarian society.

Review

This book follows the lives of the mutant humanoids on earth, who’ve been left behind after a plague has hit the world. It was very interesting idea from the author to say we humans bring on such a plague by how we treat the world we live in.

I found myself thinking throughout this book about the hidden messages within. The author not only touches on how we take our world for granted but also deals with issues such as racism. The author has done well to create a world so similar but so different to our own at the same time.

There are a lot of mythological references throughout the book which I really liked.

The story itself was very interesting, being told from different perspectives. I especially liked Mercury. About half the book relates to him and I enjoyed every bit. He was by far the most developed and the author clearly put some time into the character.

My 3 star rating is mainly due to the fact I was a little confused as to the target market for the book. Some scenes definitely felt more YA but then a few were most certainly adult themed.

The mutant humanoid army was probably the bit I liked the least, their characters being too fickle. I would have liked to see them struggle a bit under their leadership but they were one dimensional following orders blindly. This was the bit that felt very YA to me. Easy reading but it happened too fast.

To be honest this was an enjoyable but thought provoking read. I read it in 3 days thanks to the author’s style of writing, not over complicating things.

I think the author has set herself up nicely for the next book in the series, hinted at things to come. Enough has been given in my opinion to get you to pick up the next book when it’s released. I definitely see more conflict in the next instalment and I look forward to seeing how things play out.

Overall I enjoyed the story and underlying themes throughout give this book a little extra. It’s an interesting world the author has envisaged.. let’s see what happens next

My thanks go to the author and to Authoright for the opportunity to read/review this book and to be part of the blog tour. I appreciate it greatly

The book is available now. Head to Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com for more details

I was very lucky to be given a little insight to the author and how The Oasis series came about..Enjoy!

The Oasis Series, Book 1 Ascension and Book 2 Evolution – Jeannie van Rompaey

I live on the subtropical island of Gran Canaria with my husband, a historian and artist, and spend most of my time writing novels, short stories, plays and poems. I also paint and TJ and I exhibit our artwork together. My daughter, Anieka, lives in London and we make frequent trips to see her, visit art galleries, go to the theatre and attend literary events. What a wonderful life!

I was brought up in the village of Weston, Northamptonshire, in a thatched cottage with shop attached so that my mother could combine looking after me with earning a living. I hated it when the shop bell rang and she called out to me to answer it and serve the customers. It broke my concentration from the stories I was writing. I’ll certainly never be a shopkeeper but my passion for reading and writing has never faltered.

I tend to be an eternal student. My formal education culminated in receiving an MA in Modern Literature from the University of Leicester in 1996, but I won’t ever stop learning. My career has included teaching, lecturing and running drama and creative writing workshops. I am also a theatre director, actor and voice-over. As Jeannie Russell I am a senior member of the Guild of Drama Adjudicators and adjudicate at drama festivals in the UK and Europe. Next year I’m off to Frankfurt to adjudicate for FEATS – Festival of European Anglophone Theatrical Societies. I’m looking forward to that.

I have four published novels, quite a few short stories and my plays have been produced on the London Fringe. Themes include the power of creativity, the complexity of relationships and speculations about the future of our planet.

I became interested in writing dystopia because of my concern about the environment and the use of science in contemporary society. I have read several novels about future worlds, including Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, her trilogy, Oryx and Crake, the Year of The Flood and MaddAddam and Kazuo Ishiguru’s Never Let Me Go. They are both imaginative literary authors who have used their talents to write dystopian fiction. Reading their work inspired me to create my own future world.

Looking up at my painting of a three-headed man hanging over my desk, the character of three-headed Ra was born. He soon became the ruthless CEO of the mutant humanoids living in windowless compounds on a contaminated Earth.

As my novels are character-led, rather than plot-led, it wasn’t long before I was inventing more mutant humanoids to inhabit the claustrophobic worlds inside the compounds, characters who were turned out to be ambitious, determined and resilient.

I imagined another group of survivors, humans without mutations – completes. These lucky ones managed to escape the polluted Earth to live a privileged life on a manmade satellite called Oasis. Given a second chance they construct what they believe to be a perfect world, a utopia.

I could see that there would enough conflict between these two groups in their very different worlds to make a story. The mutant humanoids incarcerated in their compounds on Earth would surely envy or even resent the new life the completes were creating for themselves and want to share it.

That’s how The Oasis Series began. Ascension, Evolution and Renaissance.

I invite you to enter my world. Enjoy!

Website – http://jeannievanrompaey.com/

David's Book Blurg

Book reviews from a guy up north (UK)

Category Archives: Blog Tours

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Blog Tour – Ascension (The Oasis Series #1)