Tag Archives: Reading

Guest post – Lake of Sins character hierarchy – L. S. O’Dea

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The 3rd book in the Lake of Sins series, Hangman’s Army by L. S. O’Dea has just been released and I can’t wait to read my copy. Look out for a review in February!

If you havent already you can see my reviews for the previous titles in the series here :-

Book 1 – Escape

Book 2 – Secrets In Blood

It’s fantasy..dark and gruesome secrets will be revealed!

To get your free copy for the first two books in the series click the image below!

books-by-ls-odea

Another bonus is that the author has kindly agreed to a guest post to give some background to the hierarchy within the series. Enjoy!

 

David was kind enough to ask me to write a guest blog on the hierarchy of the world of the Lake of Sins.

Book one in the series (Lake Of Sins: Escape) is told from the point of view  (POV) of two Producers.  This is probably not the best way to start the series since Producers are the lowest of the classes and have a very limited view of the world as a whole.  Originally, the first two books were combined, so you did get a broader world view due to parts of the story being told through the POV of Almightys and a Guard.

However, the book was too long for traditional publication and I was told by an agent to either delete about 100,000 words or break it into two books.  I reworked the original to create two books and here we are.  For some, the hierarchy of the world of the Lake of Sins is confusing, until they read book two.

This should help readers who haven’t read book two.

Think of Producers as field slaves who are kept uneducated and isolated.  Field slaves unlike house-slaves (or in this world House Servants) do not know the structure of the society as a whole.  They only know their world.  They understand that there are different levels of “masters” but they have no idea about the government and even the workings of a small town.  They know their village and farming and that’s it.

Now, Trinity, the main character (MC) is a little different because her father, who is a House Servant, taught her to read.  She knows a little about his life with Almightys and has a slightly broader world view but not much (although she understands a lot more by the end of book one).

So, let me present to you the Hierarchy of the Lake of Sins!

lakeofsins_hierarchialstructure_almightyslakeofsins_hierarchialstructure_societalclasseshierarchy_lakeofsins_flowchart_newclasses

I really hope this post gives you some interesting background to the social structure. It’s very easy to follow during the books but for me this is a unique series and I wanted you to know more about the world L. S. O’Dea has created . Here’s some useful links :-

Authors Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/lsodea
Authors Twitter
https://twitter.com/lsodea
Authors website
http://www.lsodea.com
Links to Amazon to purchase
http://myBook.to/LOS_Escape
http://myBook.to/LOS_Secrets
http://myBook.to/LOS_HangmansArmy
Other places to buy! –
Escape = https://books2read.com/u/4Xgn21
Secrets in Blood = https://books2read.com/u/bo6Dn9
Hangman’s Army = https://www.books2read.com/u/bzpA5Z

Remember to get the first two books in the series for free click the image below!

books-by-ls-odea

 

The Madam by Jamie Raven – Review

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Title – The Madam
Author – Jamie Raven
Genre – Crime Fiction
Length – 337 Pages
Publication – May 2016
My Rating – 4/5 Stars

Synopsis

Murder, loyalty, and vengeance collide in a gritty read perfect for fans of Martina Cole and Kimberley Chambers.

‘Orange is the New Black meets a twisted Southampton’ Molly, Amazon reviewer

‘If you like a crime novel with a strong female lead then you’ll love this’ Katie, Amazon reviewer

Three years and eleven months. That’s how long Lizzie Wells has been banged up inside Holloway prison, serving time for a crime she didn’t commit.

Six months. That’s how long it’s taken Lizzie to fall in love with her fellow inmate, Scar.

Now they are both finally free and, together, they are about to embark on a vengeful search to find those who framed Lizzie. It’s time to make them pay…

THE BUSINESS MAN. THE COPPER. THE MADAM.

Review

I loved this tale, a strong female lead on the hunt to settle a score.

Lizzie has just been released from prison for a crime she didn’t commit.

She only took the plea as the case was so clear-cut and to claim she was innocent would see her go down for life no doubt.

From the start Lizzie is driven..so driven she’s not really bothered about what will happen to her. She’s warned pretty quickly not to dig up the past and doing so could have her ending up in a lot of trouble.

I’ve read a few police procedural tales and this had the same vibe just from the victim’s viewpoint. Lizzie talks to witnesses, looks at the evidence, pokes holes in stories and generally causes a right fuss until people start to notice her.

I wouldn’t say the ending of the story was predictable as such but it was clear Lizzie knew who was ultimately behind her going to prison although there is a nice twist towards the end when a secret is revealed.

I enjoyed the characters a lot, Lizzie like a say was driven and passionate. Her mother bitter over the past, the old school detective who’s already made up his mind..loved them all.

This isn’t a whodunit rather a why did they do it..Lizzie needs the truth.

All in all a good read, straight forward plot. The writing was great and easy to follow..I managed to read it in two days which is a record for me.If you’re looking for a crime novel without the headache of putting the pieces together then this is the book for you.

My thanks go to the author for the chance to read/review their work.

To find out more head to Amazon or Goodreads.

Code Breaker by A.J. Trevors – Review

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Title –  Code Breaker: An Alexander Hastings Novella
Author – A.J. Trevors
Genre – Short Stories, Crime, Thriller
Length – 26 pages 
Publication – Dec 2016
My Rating – 4/5 Stars

Synopsis

‘So, can you hack it, my friend?’

‘Give me three seconds and a good connection. I can hack into anything’

Cyber-sleuth Alexander Hastings is a hacker extraordinaire

With the help of his phone, he can hack into anything and everything connected to the Australian Central System, also known as the AuCS, making the futuristic city of Melbourne his veritable playing ground.

However, when his past resurfaces, Alex will need to be at the top of his game in order to uncover the shadowy plans of the techno-terrorist organisation Black Binary, their leader and ex-mentor Roman Caster

Follow Alex as he races against the clock to uncover their plans and prevent them from coming to pass.

Before it’s too late.

Review

The last time I read the work of A.J. Trevors I used the word potential and I think this short story shows how well his work is progressing. Yes it’s a short story but the plot felt tighter.

Alexander Hastings is a hacker but he’s not always been on the side of good. In this tale he’s ask to help the police by looking into his ex-mentor.

There’s a really good twist in this story and I really enjoyed the technical side of the tale since these days anything can be controlled/hacked with enough knowledge and time.

This is a good short tale, detailed enough for s short and fun with it and the bang at the ending worked perfectly.

If you want something quick to read then give it a go.

To find out more head to Amazon or Goodreads.

My thanks go to the author for the chance to read/review their work

Fifth Columnist by Frank Westworth – Review

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Title – Fifth Columnist: A JJ Stoner short story (The Stoner Series Book 5)
Author – Frank Westworth
Genre – Thriller
Publication – Sept 2016
Pages – 50 Pages
My Rating – 4/5 Stars

Synopsis

An action-packed quick thriller featuring covert operative JJ Stoner, who uses sharp blades and blunt instruments to discreetly solve problems for the UK government. In Fifth Columnist, a bent copper is compromising national security but none of the evidence will stand up in court. That’s exactly why men like Stoner operate in the shadows, ready to terminate the target once an identity is confirmed…

Fifth Columnist is a quick thriller, an hour’s intrigue and entertainment. It features characters from the JJ Stoner / Killing Sisters series. You don’t need to have read any of the other stories in the series: you can start right here if you like.

As well as a complete, stand-alone short story, Fifth Columnist includes an excerpt from The Redemption Of Charm (to be published in March 2017).
Please note that FIFITH COLUMNIST is intended for an adult audience and contains explicit scenes of a sexual and/or violent nature.

Review

I actually read  Fifth Columnist last year not long after it was released but I’ve been waiting to review it until I had the time to read it again as part of The Stoner Stories collection. Look out for that review soon :).

Fifth columnist is the fifth tale in the JJ Stoner short stories. The author has also wrote two full length novels that feature some of the characters but I’ve not had a chance to read them yet and can confirm it didn’t affect how much I enjoyed or understood these short stories.

Once again Frank Westworth has given us a super short, informative and intriguing tale.

What Frank does well for me is that he gives you just enough information to follow the action but not enough so to give you the full picture. For me this works perfectly. As someone who is yet to read the full length novels it hooks me in.. makes me want to know more about the characters. I can quite imagine also that if I had read the longer novels then these shorts would build nicely onto the series.

Focusing on Fifth columnist itself I have to say I enjoyed it..there’s quite a build up with this one then BANG.. twist..and I was left rereading the page so I could fully take in what had just happened..It was the wow moment I was looking for at just the right time.

I enjoy short stories like this, it’s a great way to see how an author writes before committing to larger works.

Overall this is another great short from Frank which builds nicely onto the foundations set in the previous shorts. I highly recommend you read the shorts as a collection as I feel you get more from it that way. I’ll certainly be making time to fit more of Frank’s work into my reading schedule this year.

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon.
If you want to know more about The Stoner Stories collection my review will be posted next week but in the meantime you can find out more on Goodreads or Amazon.

The Reborn King (The Dragon’s Blade #1) by Michael R. Miller – Review

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Title – The Reborn King (The Dragon’s Blade #1)
Author –  Michael R. Miller
Genre –  Fantasy
Length – 408 Pages
Publication – Nov 2015
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

Dragons once soared in the skies, but that was before the Transformation, before they took human form. Now, demonic forces stand to obliterate them. When left mortally wounded, Darnuir, the Prince of Dragons, can only be saved through a dangerous rebirthing spell. He is left as a babe in human hands.

Twenty years later, Darnuir is of age to wield the Dragon’s Blade. As the last member of his bloodline, he is the only one who can. He is plunged into a role he is not prepared for, to lead a people he does not know. Shadowy demons ravage his new home and the alliance between humans, dragons and fairies has fractured.

Time is short, for new threats and deadlier enemies are emerging…

Review

Now this was a fantasy tale i could really get to grips with. We have everything I love in a fantasy book, Wizards, Trolls, Dragons, Fairies, Demons and a battle of good versus evil.

The story starts well and we are thrust into a war between demons and the rest of humanity. During this battle Prince Darnuir is hurt but saved by the wizard Brackendon. He uses a dangerous spell which turns him back to a baby.

Cosmo is a wonderful character, a hunter who is entrusted with baby Darnuir. He raises him without the knowledge of his former self. This means when the demons return that Darnuir has to grow up fast and unite everyone to fight. But the demons have been quiet for 20 years.. why did it all stop any whya re tye now suddenly back??

Now I can’t spoil the plot but there’s a good reason why.. things are hinted at throughout the book.. little bits shared here and there that add up to give you a fuller picture but still leaves you desperate for more when the end comes.

As Darnuir grows Brackendon has his own battle to fight. I loved in this book that magic is poison.. If not properly controlled it will break you and the rebirthing spell is just too much for Brackendon to take.

For 20 years Darnuirs past life has been kept secret and he must face an internal battle with himself to become the leader everyone needs.

The main issue he has is trust, none of the races really trust each other..too much bad blood.

Along the way he is aided by not only Brackendon and Cosmo but the mysterious Guardian Blaine. He’s been away for many years…why?? I liked Blaine. He’s certainly got the best interests of his people at heart but how far will he go to save his own race? only time will tell. Dragon’s have a rather high opinion of themeselves so will Blaine be able to follow Darnuir’s wishes to unite the races to fight the demons as one?

There’s battles, death and so many twists to enjoy in this one and one of the best things had to be the unpredictability of it..I was hooked, even though I had some ideas I really didn’t know where the story was going to go and what would happen next.

Now, let’s talk about the demons and their master Rectar. I loved the setup and their internal struggles. As a reader you are still left in the dark a bit as to Rectar’s motivations but his plan is clear and towards the end of the tale his past starts to become clearer. There’s so much unanswered at this stage but I felt the author gave you just the right amount of information to hook you so you’ll come back to read the next book.

The word I used most often with this book was “Damn”. Mainly –

Damn why didn’t I see that coming, Damn that’s a nice idea! or Damn they killed….(obviously not going to drop names 🙂 )

Overall this is a brilliant story, easy to read, fun, exciting and engrosing. There’s twists & treachery around every corner… what more could you want? Early on I felt a lot of questions were unanswered which meant I stopped reading to think these questions through..answers do come but later in the book. My only advice is don’t over think things..all will be explained in due course and what an imagination this author has…Damn it’s good!

The author has me excited to see how this one plays out. Bring on book 2 due out in February.
To find out more head to Amazon or Goodreads.

My thanks go to the author for the chance to read/revew their work

As Wings Unfurl by Arthur M. Doweyko – Review

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Title – As Wings Unfurl
Author – Arthur M. Doweyko
Genre – Science Fiction
Publication – July 2016
Pages – 234
My Rating – 3/5 Stars

Synopsis

Applegate Bogdanski returns from Vietnam with a missing leg, a Purple Heart, and an addiction to morphine. He stumbles through each day, looking forward to nothing and hoping it will arrive soon. When he attempts to thwart a crime, he is knocked unconscious and wakes up to discover that people are once again calling him a hero, though he feels undeserving of the praise. 

Apple returns to work and meets Angela, a mysterious woman who claims to be his guardian. Immediately, he feels a connection to her, which morphs into an attraction. But he soon discovers that Angela is much more than she seems. 

Apple and Angela are swept up in a conspiracy that stretches through time and space. Together, they must fight to save everything they hold dear from an alien race bent on destroying humanity.

Review

This book follows Apple.. he’s not had the best of times but he’s always managed to keep going.. and in this book we find out why. Angela has been with him.. watching..protecting as best she can.

After a murder and a robbery Angela is forced to reveal some truths to Apple. Angels exist and not all are intent on doing good.

It’s a good versus bad tale. We get introduced to some interesting good guys, one such is a Yeti! I loved the Meh-Teh and Shilog, They have a side story which converges with Apples and this is one part of the book that I really enjoyed.

I don’t want to give too much away but there’s a plot out there to remove humanity and start over..There’s a biblical feeling to events whereby one of the higher beings watching over us and our every movement has decided we have failed to live up to expectations and it’s time for a do over. 

I really liked the bad guy in this tale. I can’t spoil it but clearly they have some obvious issues, you never really know what you’re going to get with the character, like they could do anything and I loved the unpredictability of it.

The battle between the forces of good and bad was done pretty well, not graphic in details but the end fight had me hooked as to how things could end.

So you’ll want to know why it’s only a 3* star for me. Well it’s the relationships between the characters, mainly Apple and Angela. I know we are told Angela has been with Apple for years but as this is a fast paced tale I don’t think we had enough time to see or feel the relationship grow itself without it being pointed out to us. 

The major plus for this book is the plot itself along with the writing. It’s very easy to read and enjoyable and the plot keeps you hooked with multiple perspectives.

This book is perfect if you like the idea of a good versus bad Fantasy/Science Fiction vibe tale with fast paced writing.  An enjoyable quick and interesting read.  Enjoy the ride.

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon.

My thanks go to the author for the chance to read and review their work.

Inkitt Android App Launched

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First of all I’d like to welcome you all to my first post in 2017!

During 2016 David’s Book Blurg has went from strength to strength with the thanks to my readers, fellow bloggers and some very supportive authors not to mention those who deal with book promaotions. I really do thank you all for making reviewing such a pleasure and I look forward to connecting more with you throughout the year.

Ok, so for my first post this year it’s not a review..it’s an info post to draw your attention to something I like that hopefully you will aswell.

I’m always looking for otherways to read. Don’t get me wrong, I love Amazon but I like the idea the authors can take control and can share work in different ways to reach a wider audience in whatever way they like.

I found out about Inkitt when I was asked to review some work posted and I loved the idea.

About Inkitt

On the surface, Inkitt (www.inkitt.com) is a platform where aspiring writers can share their novels and inquisitive readers can unearth fresh content. But under the hood, we are democratizing publishing: The Inkitt algorithm analyzes reading behavior to predict future bestsellers. In other words: if readers love it, Inkitt publishes it.

Essentially it’s another way for authors to share their work but what I felt it lacked when I first viewed it was an android app since I don’t read much using my laptop. The iOS app has been available for a little while but I’m an android man..I’ll never leave Samsung.

Thankfully the developers noticed this to and the app is now available for free to download. The below images show what the app looks like on a tablet.

Today I basically want to ask you a few things. Have you heard of Inkitt before? Have you used their website? Will you download the app? If you do download it please let me know what you think.

The app was only released yesterday so its early days but first impressions are good. It easy to use and works well on my tablet so I think I’ll be using this a bit throughout 2017. The offline library is perfect for me since I read on the bus which very rarely has WiFi.

Will it replace my normal means of reading? No… this is an addition, a different way to read books and so far I can see it fitting in nicely. I’m looking forward to seeing what authors I stumble upon.

You can check the app out on the Google play store here – Play Store

Here’s the blurb from Inkitt for the release if you’d like to know more. Let me know what you make of it.

David 🙂

 

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THE INKITT APP BRINGS THOUSANDS OF NOVELS BY INDIE AUTHORS TO ANDROID

Inkitt empowers readers and publishers to discover world’s next best sellers

BERLIN, JANUARY 7, 2017: Inkitt, the world’s first readers and data-driven book publishing house is introducing an Android app for phones and tablets, globally available from today.

Inkitt’s iOS app became available back in November and was well received by users: The app was not only featured on the US App Store but also on numerous other App Stores around the world, as well as on the front page of Product Hunt, ranking in the top 10 in Tech.

 

Inkitt for iOS featured as a top Books app in the US App Store

Following the warm welcome by the iOS community, and in order to meet the demand of their own fast growing user base, Inkitt is now bringing their digital library with thousands of novels by emerging authors to Android devices.

“It was a great reward to see Inkitt featured as a top app in numerous App Stores around the world and receive such great feedback from users” says Inkitt’s Founder and CEO, Ali Albazaz. “Readers were really excited about the iOS app but kept asking when we’re launching on Android too. We heard them, worked really hard and today we’re bringing Inkitt to Android devices. All readers will now be able to discover tomorrow’s bestsellers on the go and read great novels by upcoming authors wherever they are.”

Inkitt for Android – 4 key features:

  • Access to thousands of novels from all fiction genres: fantasy, sci-fi, mystery, thriller, horror, romance, drama, action, adventure, YA and more
  • Personalized reading suggestions: hand-picked novels based on a reader’s favorite fiction genres
  • Customizable look to match user preferences (e.g. font size, color combinations)
  • Online/Offline: readers can save novels to their offline library to access them anytime

Beyond being a platform connecting aspiring authors with book lovers, Inkitt’s mission is to become the world’s fairest publishing house: Its in-house developed algorithm analyzes reading behavior to determine the potential of a novel to become the next bestseller. Using this unique data-driven approach, Inkitt wants to ensure that great works by new and talented writers never again stay in the dark.

Since July, Inkitt has published 7 novels: Catalyst Moon: Incursion by Lauren L. Garcia (Fantasy), Just Juliet by Charlotte Reagan (YA Romance), I Was A Bitch by Emily Ruben (YA Romance Mystery), Esper Files by Egan Brass (SciFi) and Caged by Onaiza Khan (Psychological Thriller),  King’s Lament by Lilia Blanc (Fantasy Romance) and Three Fat Singletons by J.M. Bartholomew (Humor Romance), six of which became bestsellers on Amazon.

 

 

 

 

 

The Prisoner: A Forest Lord Novelette by Steven A. McKay (@SA_McKay) – Review

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Title – The Prisoner: A Forest Lord Novelette
Author – Steven A. McKay
Genre – Historical Fiction
Publication – 20th December 2016
Pages – 27 Pages
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

When two lawmen – fabled former outlaws themselves – are sent to a snowy English village to arrest a rapist it seems a straightforward task, but is all as it first appears?

England 1325 AD

As Robin Hood and Little John take the criminal into custody they find the people of Stapleford accommodating enough and the terrified victim’s bruises are plainly visible. Inevitably, as they set off on the journey back to Nottingham the lawmen’s disgust at the captive’s crime colours their opinion of him and Little John has to be restrained from brutally assaulting the man.
The harsh winter conditions slow their progress though, and eventually the prisoner’s protestations and desperate violent actions have the lawmen questioning what’s really been happening in Stapleford…

Can Robin and John complete the mission they’ve been given, or will their own innate sense of justice lead them down an unexpected path?

Fans of the bestselling Forest Lord series will love this exciting new stand-alone tale, set just before Blood of the Wolf, that explores the themes of morality and justice in medieval England.

Review

The Prisoner is a short story in the absolutely brilliant Forest Lord series by Steven A. McKay which brings fresh life to the tale of Robin Hood.

This short is 27 pages long which isn’t much but you get a good little story for your 99p.

If like me you’ve read the rest of the Forest Lord series you’ll be needing a fix of McKay right about now and this does the job nicely.

What I really enjoyed about this tale is once again how the author manages to give an ending I didn’t see coming. You really never know with McKay what twists and turns he’s going to throw at you.

For me the story ticks all the right boxes for a short tale. If you’re familiar with the series you’ll love being back, and if you’ve not read the series yet this would a be a great insight to McKay’s Robin.. you can’t go wrong for 99p in my opinion.

This isn’t a Christmas tale but it does have an ending which can bring a smile to your face and give you a bit of joy which is exactly what you need at this time of year. Justice will be served.

Everyone is busy with the holiday season so this is the perfect tale for you, it’s not a big commitment and it’s got a strong story which builds on the series and characters we’ve grown to love

Top notch for a short story

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon

Death in Profile by Guy Fraser-Sampson @GuyFSAuthor – Review

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Title – Death in Profile – Book 1 of the Hampstead Murders
Author – Guy Fraser-Sampson
Genre – Thrillers
Publication – March 2016
Pages – 320 Page
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

The genteel façade of London’s Hampstead is shattered by a series of terrifying murders, and the ensuing police hunt is threatened by internal politics, and a burgeoning love triangle within the investigative team. Pressurised by senior officers desperate for a result a new initiative is clearly needed, but what? Intellectual analysis and police procedure vie with the gut instinct of ‘copper’s nose’, and help appears to offer itself from a very unlikely source a famous fictional detective. A psychological profile of the murderer allows the police to narrow down their search, but will Scotland Yard lose patience with the team before they can crack the case? Praised by fellow authors and readers alike, this is a truly original crime story, speaking to a contemporary audience yet harking back to the Golden Age of detective fiction. Intelligent, quirky and mannered, it has been described as ‘a love letter to the detective novel’. Above it all hovers Hampstead, a magical village evoking the elegance of an earlier time, and the spirit of mystery-solving detectives. Guy Fraser-Sampson is an established writer best known for his series of Mapp and Lucia novels which have been featured on BBC Radio 4 and optioned by BBC television. This is his debut work of detective fiction, and the first title in the Hampstead Murders series.

Review 

Twist after twist after twist.. with misdirection thrown in.. wow.

This story follows a police investigation into a series of murders. The case has been stagnant for some time but when a body turns up with new evidence to look at things start to pick up.

Something I really liked form the start was the mention of “copper’s nose” and how the author showed relationships and motivations in the police department itself. It’s the whole issue of old school and new school techniques and ideas. Loved it.

As the case progresses a profiler is brought in to help them narrow the search..using this profile leads them to a suspect…

What happens after that is some wonderful twists and misdirection that had me engrossed.  At one point I thought I’d figured it out but no.. twist.

The plot was great, characters were believable and interesting and I liked there was more to this tale than just a simple police procedural book, the characters had more depth to them.

For me it kept me guessing right until the end and I was that engrossed I finished it in 2 days.. it wasn’t a case of I didn’t want to put it down but more that I just couldn’t put it down!

My thanks go to the authour for the chance to read/review their work

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon

Guillaume by Prue Batten – Review

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Title – Guillaume (The Triptych Chronicle Book 2)
Author – Prue Batten
Genre – Historical Fiction
Publication – 10th Dec 2016
Pages – 314
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

The Church – powerful and moneyed.
The Heretics – zealous and poor.
Lyon – a city that might claim to cast the seeds of reformed thinking upon the world.
Guillaume of Anjou, formerly an archer fighting with other Angevins in the Third Crusade, is now the manager of a successful merchant house. In his new position, he unwittingly steps into and out of the shadowed world of trade and secrets in Lyon.
Guillaume carries the weight of a book in his hands – a book that may well light the flame of the greatest philosophical and spiritual change Europe will experience so that word and sword will cut a swathe through the fabric of life in Lyon.
But he has also made an enemy who wants nothing more than revenge.
He will fight for his life…

“With her customary elegant use of language, Prue Batten plunges us effortlessly into the mercantile houses, twisted alleys and secret shadowy tunnels of medieval Europe. Guillaume is a riveting tale of twelfth century trade, treachery and intrigue.” Matthew Harffy, bestselling author of The Bernicia Chronicles.

“This is for readers who love the historical fiction of writers such as Wendy Dunn, but yearn for the adventure of an earlier period and the excitement and mystery of ordinary people tangled in dangerous politics.” Gillian Polack, bestselling author of The Middle Ages Unlocked

Review

This is my first venture into the work of Prue Batten and I can safely say I was impressed!

The book follows a man named Guillaume who helps run a merchant house. I can’t lie, I loved him.

His life is about to change very quickly. As we go through the tale you can tell he likes to give out a calm impression but underneath he’s exhausted.

From the start of the book you can tell someone is either out to get Guillaume or destroy the business he helps run but you are kept guessing as to which and the motive behind it. I really enjoyed the mystery in the book, the author keeps you hooked until she is ready to reveal all.

Character development is the thing I look for most in a book. I need to find them believable and Prue Batten has put together an ensemble that ticks all the right boxes for me.  Not only was Guillaume a great character but the story also had a great supporting cast to the tale. The relationships, motivations and personas all felt right, they developed naturally rather than being forced.

This book is full of treachery, murder, mystery and intrigue. Shadows form the past return and it’s all woven together in a wonderful plot that was gripping from start to finish. This book really was a treat to read.

I also really enjoyed the descriptiveness used by the author. Prue gives you a background to the trade Guillaume is part of and this only added to the story which made it feel more real.

I can’t spoil the plot for you but can I can say this, there’s multiple players involved in this story and until the last few chapters you don’t have all the pieces so it a real buzz when things start to click together.

A special mention must go out for the ending of this book. Again I can’t spoil it but it suited the story perfectly and left me with that empty feeling..Hold on, that’s a good thing! I mean I was left with that “oh wow” moment and was left wanting.. needing more. I can’t wait to read more of the authors work.

Guillaume is a well written tale with great characters and a perfectly paced plot.. There’s nothing about this story I didn’t love!

My thanks go to the author for the chance to read/review their work. I’ll certainly be watching out for more 🙂

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon