Tag Archives: Reading

The Theseus Paradox by David Videcette – Review

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Title –  The Theseus Paradox
Author – David Videcette
Genre –  Crime, Thriller.
Length –  438 Pages
Publication – Nov 2015
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

“I can’t tell you the truth, but I can tell you a story…”
How much is fact and how much is fiction, only YOU can decide…

‘A chillingly credible tale based on real circumstances.’
‘A five-star, explosive finale.’
‘Leaves the reader hungry to research this version of events!’
‘A believable conspiracy theory with an incredible ring of truth.’
‘This fictional thriller holds a lot of water. Do not miss!’
‘A powerhouse of a fact-fiction mash-up.’
‘A stunning ‘big reveal’ at the end.’
‘Brilliant stuff that smacks you in the face!’

July 2005: in the midst of Operation Theseus, the largest police investigation that the UK has ever known, Detective Inspector Jake Flannagan begins to ask difficult questions that lead to the mysterious disappearance of his girlfriend and his sudden suspension from the Metropolitan Police.

Who masterminded London’s summer of terror?
Why can’t Flannagan make headway in the sprawling investigation?
Is Jake’s absent girlfriend really who she claims to be?

While hunting for the answers to the most complex case in British history, one man will uncover the greatest criminal deception of our time.

Terror, extremism and fear of the unknown,
Sometimes the answer is much closer to home.

The author: David Videcette is a former Scotland Yard investigator who has worked on a wealth of infamous cases, including the 7 July 2005 London bombings. He has twenty years of police and investigative experience as a British detective, specialising in counter-terrorist operations and organised crime. He currently consults on security operations for high-net-worth individuals and is an expert media commentator on crime, terrorism, extremism and the London 7/7 and 21/7 attacks.

David says, ‘I can’t tell you the truth, but I can tell you a story..’

Review

Ok so this was a really interesting one for me, based around the 7/7 bombings it gives you a very plausible, fast paced tale.

Jake the lead character is great, he relies on his gut instincts.. he’s a pain when it comes to his bosses and police procedure but he gets results… the line is blurred a but when it comes to Jake but this gives him great depth and makes him believable. He’s flawed and it makes you like him.. I hope there’s more to come as I’d love to see his character develop further

One thing I really enjoyed was that this book shows you there are lots of things going on behind the scenes that we never know about. There’s must have been so much evidence to collect that it did become more of a hindrance than helping with the investigation. This book gives a well rounded view of an investigation not just a clear cut line that some novels do

The fact the author is former Police works well for him, the book flowed so well. Credit to the author his knowledge made this such a good tale you could believe this is actually what did happen.. Everything is spot on.. everything is explained perfectly.

Another great feature in the book is the super short chapters, packed full of info that build in intensity as the book progresses. You could argue that some chapters didn’t really need to be split up but it made the story such a fast flowing ride that you barely notice you’ve been reading for an hour

In the end the plot, although about a sensitive subject worked well and I didn’t see the twists coming that the author through in. David clearly had put a lot of time into this tale and it pays off big style

If you’re a fan of the genre you’ll love this and for anyone who has never ready a crime book before this would be the prefect intro.

My thanks go to the author for the chance to review the book. In complete honesty I will be adding David to my “authors to watch list” so I don’t miss when he releases a new book

To find out more head to Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

10 Questions With…… Nick H. Brown

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Ok folks so today Nick Brown released a new book containing 3 science fiction short stories called Dead Eyes (You can find my review here)

After reading the book i had a few questions on my mind which Nick very kindly offered to answer.. take a look

 

Q1 – So Nick, you have a new book out and it’s not a Historical Fiction book like we might have expected… What made you decide to write a Science Fiction book?

I’ve always written sci fi – in fact I wrote two novels before I even considered historical fiction. I enjoy having a blank slate to start with and the freedom that the genre gives you. This is just a short ebook but I might look to write a full novel in the near future.

Q2 – The book is made up of three short stories, all of which I thought were brilliant. You have a talent for writing short stories, you give enough of a story to make the reader happy and feel they take something away with them but hold back enough to encourage your readers to come back to you for more. Where do your ideas come from? Are they simply bigger ideas that don’t really come to full fruition?

Thank you. I try my best to resolve the stories in a compelling way. That doesn’t always mean a twist but really it’s not so different to a novel – the story just has to move a little more swiftly and reach a satisfying conclusion. The ideas come at different times. ‘Four Numbers’, for example, I wrote specifically for the collection. Whenever I have an idea for something, I note it down – I might come back to it the following week or five years later.

Q3 –Are there any particular books or authors you’ve enjoyed within the Sci Fi genre?

I’ve always been a big fan of Iain M. Banks and Douglas Hill, a Canadian author.

Q4 – Are there any other genres you might try your hand at one day?

Possibly fantasy; and I’d like to try something contemporary at some point.

Q5 – Who have been your biggest influences/supporters within the writing community?

Writers are very supportive of each in general and we can add to that bloggers and reviewers like yourself who are now a crucial part of the writing world. I also belong to the Historical Writers Association and have many friends in the industry who I keep in touch with via social media. When meeting in ‘the real world’, a few beers are usually involved.

Q6 – How important to you is the feedback from your readers?

I’m always very interested in what readers have to say and I can’t help reading every review. Fortunately most are positive! I don’t think I would ever alter anything because of feedback unless there was an obvious theme. Everyone has an opinion – including editors and agents. Of course I always listen to them but it’s very important as a writer to know your own mind.

Q7 – How do you deal with negative feedback?

Violence! No, honestly, if I read something that strikes a chord then it could be something to learn from. But usually I just disagree and swear about it! Over time you get used to it but unfortunately they tend to stick in your mind more than the positive comments.

Q8 – For anyone who is not familiar with Agent of Rome books how you would describe the series to them?

The series follows Roman ‘security service’ officer Cassius Corbulo – plus his ex-gladiator bodyguard Indavara and Christian servant Simo. Their adventures have taken them all over the eastern Empire and – hopefully – combine mystery, action and intrigue.

Q9 – If you had to pick, which of your books would you say you’ve most enjoyed writing or which are you most proud of and why?

I really enjoyed writing ‘The Far Shore’ – the third book of the Roman series. I suspect it was because I knew it was working out well. Like all novels, it turned out differently to the original conception but it was exciting to write and hopefully that translated for the reader.

As for ‘most proud’ – that probably goes to book two, ‘The Imperial Banner’. Second novels are traditionally difficult and this one took the series in a different direction. I was also working as a teacher and had less time due to the publishing deadline.

Q10 – Future plans? More Sci Fi? I’m sure we’d all like to know what you’ve got planned.

More sci fi, I hope; and some historical fiction too. Watch this space!

To connect with Nick head to his website, Twitter, Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Dead Eyes by Nick Brown – Review

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Title – Dead Eyes
Author – Nick Brown
Genre – Science Fiction
Length –   34 Pages
Publication – April 2016
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

Three futuristic short stories from ‘Agent of Rome’ author Nick Brown.

‘Dead Eyes’ – an explorer and his crew face a deadly threat upon a remote world.
‘Four Numbers’ – a female soldier finds herself trapped by a relentless force.
‘Afflict’ – a mysterious visitor has a singular offer for the people of Earth.

Review

First off I’m a fan of Nick’s work but if you’ve read any of his work like me you’ll know him as a historical fiction writer..so what a nice surprise to see him turn his hand to a different genre.

Nick is a brilliant writer of short stories and these three tales confirm that for me. I often feel what’s the point when reading short stories.. they’re too short or don’t hook you in..NOT SO WITH THIS ONE!

The author manages to make you feel like you’ve read more than you have, it feels complete.. but at the same time he leaves you wanting more from him.

I’m slightly biased since I enjoy Nick’s work but I honestly feel if you want to write a short story you should read his as a starter.. he’s not got in wrong yet for me.

This book consists of three tales, my favourite being “Four Eyes” although I liked them all. They were all well written to engage the reader and it’s amazing how the author can catch the imagination of someone like me within 30+ pages.. it’s not a lot of time to make the reader happy but I certainly was.

If you enjoy Nick’s books.. read this one, If you’ve never heard of Nick before…read this book. You’ll see just how good Nick’s short tales can be.

It’s a perfect quick read that delivers a science fiction nut like myself the enjoyment I’m after

To find out more head to Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

The Night I Danced with Rommel by Elisabeth Marrion – Review

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Title – The Night I Danced with Rommel
Author – Elisabeth Marrion
Genre – Historical Fiction
Length –   200 Pages
Publication – June 2013
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

‘May I have this dance, Hilde?’ asked Field Marshal

Rommel, opening the Grande Ball held in his honour.

Did this dance save the life of Hilde’s Polish friends?

Hilde had come a long way since her dream of becoming a singer was shattered when her father made arrangements for her to work as a housekeeper in Berlin at the tender age of fourteen.

Until then, although poor, Hilde led a happy and protected life with her family on their small-holding in East Prussia.

Hilde’s life is thrown into turmoil in Berlin during the late 1920’s, early 1930’s. Having Polish friends meant it was becoming increasingly unsafe for her to stay there and she finds a new life in the Harz Mountains. This taking her still further away from her home and her beloved younger sister, Erika.

In Goslar, Hilde meets her husband, Karl, a young officer in the German Army.

When he joins the 7th Panzer Brigade led by General Erwin Rommel at the beginning of WW II, Hilde is left to bring up their children in war-torn Germany.

After Rommel’s promotion to Field Marshal, Karl follows him to Africa, later Italy and ultimately Karl is posted to the Russian front. Hilde’s story is based on facts and is told by her youngest daughter, Elisabeth

Review

By the end of this book I was quite emotional to say the least. It’s a wonderful and interesting story to read. I was a bit conflicted with my feelings, finding the story so enjoyable when it’s based not such a horrible point in time for many…It show you the effects of war from a different perspective and leaves you contemplating what it must have been like for those innocents caught up in the war not to mention all those soldiers some of whom I’m sure felt forced into serving.. it must have been very hard on so many people.

The story follows Hilde, a very likable character and her life.. growing up, making friends, finding love..in the end I felt so much love for Hilde.

We all know what happened, we’ve all heard of Hitler or Anne Frank but there must be so many other tales out there.. untold. It’s really interesting and educational to have a story told the way this one is, reminds you that these things happened to real people.

The story was very well written, in short sharp bursts which made the book fast following and very easy to read. There were also great insights into German propaganda which I didn’t really know about until I read the book. It must have been so hard for the people not knowing who or what to believe.

Most people, including myself have a very 1 dimensional view of WWII. Germany bad.. plain and simple.. but it’s not that simple is it? The author has managed to make me think about what it must have been like not only for Jews but also German soldiers and citizens caught up in the war.

I couldn’t fault this book with anything.. all I know is I didn’t expect the emotional response it had with me as I read the last few pages. It really made me think how lucky I am to have my family to go home to every night.

This is a very emotional and thought provoking story which I highly recommend you read

My thanks go to the author for allowing me the chance to read/review her work. I have two more books from Elisabeth on the TBR list.. keep a look out for reviews on my blog in the near future!

To find out more head to Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

 

Crocodile Legion: A Roman Adventure by S.J.A. Turney – Review

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Title – Crocodile Legion: A Roman Adventure
Author – S.J.A. Turney (Author), Dave Slaney (Illustrator)
Genre –  Historical Fiction/Young Adult
Length –   133 Pages
Publication – March 2016
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis 

The prefect of Egypt needs money. And the men of the 22nd Legion must brave mazes and tombs and curses and crocodile gods to get to it.

Marcus and Callie, orphaned in ancient Alexandria and taken in by their uncle, the standard bearer in the legion, are about to travel up the great river Nile with the legionaries in a tense and funny adventure to grab the gold of the Pharaoh Amenemhat.

Join the legion and discover ancient Roman Egypt.

Review

S.J.A Turney is well known to me as a historical fiction writer. After reviewing some of his previous books I couldn’t wait to see how he would write a story aimed at a younger audience.

I couldn’t help but enjoy this tale, it had the historical edge Simon is known for but with the added fun that comes from being written for a young adult.

This story was enjoyable from the start; the young kids give a fun feel to the story as we see it through their eyes rather than the adults.

The storyline itself was great, I won’t spoil it but there’s a brilliant twist that I didn’t see coming

I know myself growing up when I struggled to read, because of my eyesight and through my own laziness that I found pages full of words a bit daunting.. My only comment I would make is that maybe I would have broken down the chapters into smaller chucks within the chapter so when you flick through there are plenty of places to pause..That’s just my preference though.. I can honestly say I loved the book.

The story was well written, everything made sense and I wasn’t left with any burning questions.. Exactly what I want from a book like this.

Added to Turney’s wonderful story telling we have the added Illustrations from Dave Slaney which brought a smile to my face whenever they popped up. More of these please.. they were brilliant!

One of the best things about the book is simply Turney’s writing. He’s managed to write a brilliantly fun story without removing what I know him best for, the descriptive details, the character development.. It’s all still there.. it’s an adult story but just told in a different manner..

Add this one to your TBR piles!

To find out more head to Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.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!

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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/

Tales of Ancient Rome by S.J.A. Turney – Review

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Title – Tales of Ancient Rome
Author – S.J.A. Turney
Genre –  Historical Fiction/Short Stories
Length –  99 Pages
Publication –  Nov 2011
My Rating –  5/5 Stars

Synopsis

A collection of bite-size stories of varying styles all based in the world of ancient Rome. 12 tales of the ancient world, plus a bonus tale to finish.

The second edition contains two new tales not told in the 1st. Laugh, cry and shudder at:

Hold The Wall – Hadrian’s wall in the last days of the western empire
Vigil – A comedic tale of firefighting in Rome
*NEW* Rudis – A champion gladiator fights his last fight
*NEW* The Discovery – A Roman trader makes a surprising find in distant China
The man who bought an Empire – The lowest point of Imperial succession
Trackside seats – A slave helps his blind master at the circus
How to run a latifundium – A cautionary tale of estate management
A Reading – What does the future hold in Judea?
Exploratores – Trajan’s scouts on the trail of Dacian warriors
With a pinch of salt – A comedic tale of food in Claudius’ Rome
The Palmyrene Prince – Rome’s eastern border tells grim tales
Temple Trouble – A tale of the early days of Fronto (of the Marius’ Mules series)
Bonus tale: Aftermath in the Ludus – A fun finish.

Review

Yes I’m late to the party on this one I know…

As a reader I promise myself to go back and read all the books an author has wrote if I enjoy their work. It’s not always easy to fit all these wonderful tales in though..This however was perfect. I’ve been meaning to read more of Simon’s work and this was a easy read to stick in between other reads

It’s a collect of short stories which show off the author’s skills. It’s perfect if like me you want a quick read or this would also suit anyone as a great introduction to the author if you’ve not read his work previously

Some short stories leave me deflated, not bored but sort of wondering what I got out of reading them.. not this one. On numerous occasions I found myself grinning, especially when I read the sentence “oh dear, I think I shat myself” . This really was a selection of well written shorts which at times were very humorous which I think is a hard thing to do in such short tales.

My favourites were Temple Trouble & The Discovery

The book is currently free so why not grab a copy like I did.. you’ve got nothing to lose but lots to gain 🙂

To find out more head to Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Indomitable by J. B. Garner – Review

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Title – Indomitable (The Push Chronicles Book 1)
Author – J. B. Garner
Genre –  Fantasy/Superhero/YA
Length –  154 pages
Publication – Aug 2014
My Rating – 4/5 Stars

Synopsis

Irene Roman never wanted to be a hero. She was a scientist living an otherwise normal life and that was enough. One fateful evening, though, Irene discovers a betrayal that undermines everything. One event that, in a literal blink of an eye, changes not only her life, but the future of the entire planet.

Now the world is inhabited by people with powers and abilities far above those of mortal men and women. The repercussions of superhuman battles on the Earth are great and terrible as lives are shattered, communities destroyed, and mankind’s destiny is plucked from its grasp. At the center of it all is Irene, who not only is one of two people on the planet who knows the cause of this unbelievable change, but is one of the few people who may be able to stop it. The only problem is the only other person who does know will do anything in his vast power to keep the world in its terrible altered state.

Who dares to claim the right to choose humanity’s fate? What price will Irene pay to be the hero she never wanted to be? In the end, will Earth return to the safety of the mundane or will it remain in the chaos of the superhuman and supernatural?

Indomitable is the first book in The Push Chronicles and the debut novel of J.B. Garner. The tale of this altered Earth will continue late in 2014 with Indefatigable.

Review

So this is a little out of my normal reading genre but I do like anything involving superheroes. I’m that guy who has liked every superhero movie made.. even the bad ones..i just love the genre in general.

Was I disappointed in the book? Not in the least.

This is a fast paced ride of good vs evil with a healthy dose of reality in the form of Irene.

I would say the writing style is well suited for YA or any adults like myself who enjoy the superhero genre. The style leaves it very easy to read and you don’t have to concentrate too much.. you can just enjoy the tale

The main character develops well, she turned from what came across to me as a little stuck up to showing her caring side fighting to change the world back to the way it was.

My 4* rating is because of two reasons. Mainly the FBI..they believed Irene’s story and agreed to help too quickly in my eyes. I would have like to see the struggle with not only the bad guys in the story but also the non-pushed..see Irene truly alone.

The other reason was her powers..although a good idea (I won’t spoil that for you) I felt the sequence that played out with her power draining became a little repetitive as they seemed to drain very quickly… but then again that’s due to the pace of the story. None of this took any enjoyment away from the tale

If you are looking for a nice easy and enjoyable read this is perfect. For me being a reviewer sometimes I need to change the style of book I read, refresh my eyes with a book that’s not too heavy going. This book was spot on for me in that respect and was more enjoyable then I first imagined

I’ve high hopes for the next book, I hope to see more detailed battles with the superheroes so you can really get to grips with the world J. B. Garner has created

I’ve got another book from the author on my TBR list so I’m looking forward to that and will most certainly read the others in this series further down the line

I thank the author for the chance to read his work.

To find out more head to Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

From One Sentence to a Full Manuscript: How Novels are Born – Annie Whitehead

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Today i open my blog to Annie Whitehead! author of the amazing To Be a Queen and Alvar the Kingmaker. Both books I’ve recently reviewed and enjoyed immensely  🙂

Thanks Annie.. myself and my readers appreciate you taking the time to be here with us.

My blog is all yours…

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Apart from the odd foray into fantasy fiction (Fattypuffs and Thinifers by André Maurois – although I notice now that apart from it being incredibly non-PC, it has historical costumes) I only ever read historical fiction when I was a child. I wasn’t a quick or voracious reader, so I really think it was the tales of history being brought to life which appealed to me, rather than the literature. But I also wrote my own stories (about Ferdinand the Hedgehog!) so I guess the desire to write was always there, and at some point the desire to write, and the desire to write history, coincided.

While history remained my first love, the literature thing continued to burgeon – I studied both subjects for ‘A’ level and was all set to read English at university when I switched and read history instead. My first two historical novels both came about because of a single sentence. In the case of To Be a Queen, the story of Alfred the Great’s daughter Aethelflaed, it was a sentence about her husband. My tutor said of Ethelred of Mercia that “Nobody knew exactly where he came from.” I suddenly had a vision of this guy riding onto the pages of history out of some unknown hinterland. I wanted to write his story and, in a way, I have. Although of course the real story was that of his wife: daughter of a king, wife of a man with the powers of a king (albeit a sub-king); a woman who led her army into battle against the Vikings.

Queen promo

My second novel was born when I read a paper written by that same tutor. It was about Aelfhere, earl of Mercia in the 10th century, and in a little footnote there was mention of a widow who had been deprived of her lands following his death. It’s the only known reference to this woman and the supposition is that she was Aelfhere’s wife. Hmm… Why did we not know more about her? This became part, although not the whole, of the story in Alvar the Kingmaker. A central theme, yes, but there was more which needed to be told. I wanted to write his story, but never as a thesis, or a non-fiction book. I suppose I wanted the element of ‘romance’, in its broadest term.

Alvarpromo

So how does one go about constructing an historical novel?

I had my ambition to write. I had my stories. And I knew my stuff. Ask me the names of any king between AD600 – 1066  and I could oblige. Ask me who invaded whose lands at any given period and why, and I could tell you.

Just one problem. I quickly discovered that I didn’t know how people lived; what they ate for breakfast, what they wore, how they built their houses and ships, which animals they reared and what type of crops they farmed.

It’s all very well having a chapter plan but not so great if you can’t actually describe what’s happening in every scene. I learned that knowing about history and having the information required to write an historical novel are not the same thing. Turns out that it was the literature, as well as the history, that had made those stories so interesting for me when I was young.

I also learned that it’s sometimes better to write the story and then only stop when you need to look up some historical detail – it keeps it human and personal if you concentrate on your characters and story. I know I’m not the only author who will draft sentences like this: ‘The table was laid with plates of check seasonal foods’ or ‘The children were waist-deep in the river, fishing for check types of freshwater fish later.’

Luckily for me, I had contacts within the ‘industry’ who were more than happy to help, or knew someone who could. I immersed myself in my early medieval world, finding out about looms, textiles, cooking methods, flour production, and I even learned how flammable flour dust can be (a fact which served me well in one particular passage in ‘Queen’.)

Debby

But research isn’t the only thing required: you have to decide your story. It can’t simply be a narrative of what is known to have happened, otherwise it will read like an essay. But stray too far from the facts and you might as well just write pure fiction. Do you tell the whole of a person’s life, and end when they die, or do you focus on a particular period of history? Yes, you have your timeline already worked out, but where along that line do you start and stop?

Sometimes there are gaps in that timeline, and that’s where the fun can be had. You wonder ‘What if?’ And if the answer is ‘Nobody knows’ then you’re free to let your imagination fly. Sometimes you then unearth a scrap of evidence that gives credence to your idea – what’s known in the trade as a  ‘Bingo’ moment.

You also need to make your characters out of the chronicles and mould them into people. Carefully. My characters are not the Anglo-Saxons of Middle Earth. They are not mystical, magical or mythical, but rather they are medieval. My stories don’t contain elves or monsters. The ‘Dark Ages’ covers a period of over 500 years. To lump all the Anglo-Saxons together would be like saying the Tudors were a lot like us.

Alvar lives in a period of relative peace. People have a breathing space between Viking attacks to find out who they are, what their values are. ‘England’ is a reality and yet still only a concept to many. It’s a Christian world where people cling to superstition, too. It’s important not to place modern values on your characters – they need to live and work in their own world. Aethelflaed is a strong-minded woman, yes, but in writing her, I needed to keep her firmly rooted in her early medieval environment. She’s a woman in a man’s world, but she’s not what we would recognise as a feminist.

A sense of place, a sense of time. For me, the art of writing an historical novel is a subtle blend, requiring equal measures of: the story, the characters, the history, and the details. When the blend is right, it should be possible to have the reader not just dip into it, but  become fully submerged without those precious parts separating at any point.

Thanks Annie!

To keep in touch with Annie check out her Blog, Twitter, Facebook, or Annie’s Author page on Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com 🙂

Murder In-Absentia by Assaph Mehr – Review

2 Replies

Title – Murder In-Absentia
Author – Assaph Mehr
Genre – Fantasy
Length – 306 Pages, Print Length
Publication – Oct 2015
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

A young man is found dead in his bed, with a look of extreme agony on his face and strange tattoos all over his body. His distraught senator father suspects foul play, and knows who to call on.

Enter Felix, a professional investigator. In the business of ferreting out dark information for his clients, Felix is neither a traditional detective nor a traditional magician – but something in between. Drawing on his experience of dealing with the shady elements of society and his aborted education in the magical arts, Felix dons his toga and sets out to discover the young man’s killers.

Murder in absentia is set in a fantasy world. The city of Egretia borrows elements from a thousand years of ancient Roman culture, from the founding of Rome to the late empire, mixed with a judicious amount of magic. This is a story of a cynical, hardboiled detective dealing with anything from daily life to the old forces roaming the world

This is a story of Togas, Daggers and Magic – it will appeal to lovers of urban fantasy, detective murder mysteries and ancient Rome.

Review

I thought this book was brilliant; it’s a murder/mystery book in a pure fantasy world drawing on themes from Roman culture and i have to thank the author for the chance to read/review the story.

I won’t lie.. I wasn’t sure if setting a murder mystery in a more historical time point would work.. but it did.

We follow Felix, he’s a private detective of sorts.. has his hands in a lot of things.. knows a lot of people.

His help has been requested to help find out what happened to a young boy who is found dead in some rather strange circumstances.

One of the best things about the book is that since it’s a fantasy novel the author has been able to had some magic into the mix.. so it’s not a clear cut murder as you might expect.

Throughout the book the author gives great insight into the character for Felix, how he knows what he does and why he’s involved in the business he is. The development of the main character definitely has me interested in future stories.

I won’t give away the plot but it’s well written and planned out. Lots of twists to keep you engaged and interested.

I’m a big fantasy fan and this book but a nice twist on the genre I’m used to reading and it was a very refreshing read that I must certainly want to follow up on.

Any fan of murder mysteries or detective novels should enjoy the historical twist on the usual tales.

Credit to the author, he’s left me with a need.. and he happily fills this need in his notes at the end of the book where he points out some other authors and tales a reader might be interested in reading. I will certainly be looking up these authors and will be adding Assaph Mehr to my “to watch” list.. eagerly awaiting the next Felix story.

Overall I couldn’t fault this book in any way, nothing felt wrong or out of place. The story flowed well and was highly intoxicating.. I was compelled to finish the story.. I had to find out how things played out.
The good news is that it looks like more tales are planned and being set in a fantasy world it leaves the door open to so many possibilities for stories… can’t wait.

To find out more head to Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com