Derek Barton's Blog, page 21
September 10, 2018
THE HIDDEN Double Feature — Chapters 19 & 20 — T.D. Barton & Derek Barton
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CHAPTER NINETEEN: D OWN FROM ABOVE
“What the hell is going on?” Nate mumbled to himself; flinching at the sound of his own voice. It occurred to him it was the only voice he’d actually heard all day. Nate had been holding extensive conversations with the pack leader for most of the afternoon.
What’s that bastard up to now? Why is he suddenly giving up after seeming so desperate just a few moments before? Is this a bluff? Does he expect me to come down and try to rescue Zelda? I’ll bet he and the rest of his pals are waiting out there in the woods for me, just hoping I will fall for the bait.
The endless debate rolled on and on within himself. He was exhausted and confused. His numbed mind refused to cooperate — to arrange his thoughts in a clear and concise manner so that he could deal with the situation rationally. He fought for control. Never before in his life had he felt so alone and so inadequate.
His tired legs ached and throbbed beneath him. He thought about how wonderful it would be to be back home in his recliner. He would sit back and relax, a cold can of beer in one hand and the television remote control in the other — a king in his castle, complete with throne and scepter.
He shifted around on the branch, trying to peer farther into the woods so that he might catch a glimpse of one of them hiding in the underbrush. He saw nothing. Holding his breath, he waited and listened to the sounds of the forest, straining to detect the slightest hint of movement. All he heard was the creaking of the trees in the stiffening breeze and the occasional pop and crack of branches dropping to the matted tangle on the forest floor.
At the edge of the clearing, the tangle of growth was so thick as to be impenetrable. Any number of the devilish beasts could be hunkered down there waiting for him to come within reach. The thought made him extremely uneasy, and he squatted there, nervously mulling the situation over in his mind.
The owl he’d heard hooting in the distance while sitting around his campfire the night before, suddenly erupted, in a flurry, from a neighboring tree. It flew so close to Nate he nearly toppled from his branch. He watched it swooping off on silent wings and cursed it under his breath. Impervious to his epithets, the owl made a slow, wide turn and disappeared. The silence of the deep forest rushed back in to wrap itself around him. The coolness of the shadows felt almost solid, as though he could reach out and grab a handful and splash it like water in his face.
Nate wondered how long the large bird had been crouching there in the trees, watching him while he remained blithely unaware of its presence. He remembered reading somewhere about the way an owl could hide amidst the branches and then glide silently in for the kill, catching unsuspecting mice and voles completely off-guard.
Were the Kophet-kur equally adept at camouflaging themselves? He remembered what Chirkah had said about their knack for hiding from human eyes. Nate was certain they must be masters at blending in perfectly with the surrounding forest. How hard would it be for one or, perhaps, several of them to crouch behind a tree or amidst the cover of undergrowth? And now that he was weaponless, how long would it take even one of them to catch him and tear him limb from limb? These were important things to consider before he left the safety of the branches.
After all, if he were dead, there would be no chance at all for Zelda. He was the only person alive who had the slightest idea of her whereabouts. He was her only hope for survival, and he could not chance wasting it. Something else about owls occurred to him: they swallow their victims whole, coughing up pellets later that contain the bones and other indigestible materials. The thought made him shudder.
The light was almost completely gone from the forest, but Nate could clearly see the bean field through the canopy of leaves. The last, filtered rays of twilight were illuminating it and it had taken on the color of burnished copper. It called to Nate to leave the claustrophobic confines of his leafy bower and stretch his atrophied muscles with a run through its luxurious foliage. He could see the breeze blowing in rippling waves upon its surface, turning the field miraculously into a living entity. It stood alone and aloof. Unconcerned with the drama unfolding here in the forest, it was content to whirl and play in the breeze, shaking its tousled mane in contrived apathy. The lush plants, ripe with the harvest crop, danced and tossed their leafy heads like colts on a spring morning.
Nate longed to be among them, running with the solid ground beneath his feet, cavorting and drinking in the freedom of the open skies which hovered above. Suddenly, the air of the forest began to press in upon him, and he seriously considered climbing down from the tree. He needed to be down again, to get on with this charade. Whatever Chirkah had in mind, it couldn’t possibly be any worse than remaining trapped and helpless in this tree.
Again his eyes swept the forest below with the frenzied determination of an individual obsessed with paranoid delusions. Although in his case, the paranoia was completely justified. His vision blurred with the strain, and he rubbed his eyes, while bolts of pain shot behind them and through his head. Still, he could see no sign of anything awry in the foliage around the clearing.
Maybe Chirkah was playing it straight. He’d said from the start that the only reason he was speaking to Nate was to satisfy his own curiosity. Nate offered no threat to the Kophet-kur. Who would believe him if he went for help? And, without weapons, he couldn’t launch much of an attack. So, since Nate would not readily surrender himself to them, perhaps they had lost interest in their game. He considered this possibility, turning it round and round in his mind, trying to examine it from every conceivable angle.
They had kept a constant vigil all night and again throughout this entire day. Even the Kophet-kur had to sleep sometime. Other than his bloody death, what did they have to gain by continuing to harass him there in the tree-tops? Nate began to think Chirkah had been telling it like it was — he could stay or he could go. Either way, Chirkah had definitely proven his strength. Maybe Nate could come down from the trees completely unmolested.
Or, maybe that was just what Chirkah wanted him to think; and they were really hiding in the bushes, waiting to spring the trap the moment he set foot on the ground. What was he to do? It was infuriating. He was just as effectively trapped now, by his own uncertainty, as he had been when Chirkah was camped out beneath the tree.
The effort required to solve this quandary was pulling Nate apart. He fidgeted restlessly on the branch. His palms, despite the cool air around him, were bathed in sweat. Occasionally, he would begin to rise up, only to change his mind and resume his perch. For what seemed like an eternity he wrestled with the perplexity of his situation. Each option his fevered mind dredged up would be countered by a dreadful possibility. Each avenue ended in a cul-de-sac that spelled death and destruction. Still, he continued to cudgel his brains, relentlessly seeking a way out and pounding out the possibilities in his mind.
At last one thought prevailed: Zelda needed him, and there was absolutely nothing he could do for her sitting up here in the branches of a tree. He would have to be like the squirrel he’d seen earlier. He would take his chances among the creatures, but be ready, at a moments notice, to run for shelter should danger present itself. At last Nate was resolved. He had observed the way the other creatures of the forest dealt with the Kophet-kur, and he had learned from them.
With that in mind, he began to put together a sketchy plan. Sticking close to the tree line, he would make his way back to the clearing where they had camped and retrieve what provisions were left. He remembered he had a camping knife and a flashlight in his backpack. Also, there was the canteen. His thirst was fast becoming a major consideration, and he didn’t know how much longer he could go on ignoring it.
Once he was properly provisioned, he would trek back to the forest and search for the creatures’ lair. If he could find it, he would try to remain hidden long enough to keep watch and discover where they were keeping Zelda. Then, if he was lucky, he might get a chance to make some sort of rescue attempt. As he ran it over in his mind, it didn’t sound like much of a plan, but more of a daydream. However, it was all he could do. At any rate, anything was better than sitting in this tree all night wondering what hell Chirkah was running Zelda through.
Nate realized he didn’t have the slightest chance of succeeding. The Kophet-kur were craftier, larger and fiercer and out-numbered him vastly. They had every advantage he could think of and he had none. But, it was a great relief to have finally made a decision. Though the way would be fraught with unbelievable danger, he looked forward to having solid ground beneath his feet once more. This thought brought with it a certain calming effect, and he felt his soul quieting. His mind, after wrestling for hours with possibility and perchance, was relieved to be at last resolved and steadfast. Dealing with the mechanics of a specific plan, no matter how vague and, perhaps ineffectual it may turn out to be was extremely taxing. A tight, grim determination overtook him and he pursed his lips in concentration.
As the final remaining glimmer of light faded from the sky, Nate took one long look around the gloomy depths of the forest and slid slowly down out of the tree.
CHAPTER TWENTY: UP FROM BELOW
Cold water, seeping through cracks in the limestone, dripped on Susie’s face. She slowly returned to consciousness to find herself lying, with her body jammed into a crevice in the side of a tunnel. Her head was lodged in a crack with her feet sticking straight up in the air.
When she fell into the well, she landed on the bottom of the “bottomless” pit, after a fall of about twelve feet. The floor sloped at an angle, and when she struck, her body rolled. Thus, the major force of the fall was diverted, saving her life but knocking her senseless for a time. It also served to prevent Tonrah from seeing her, as she rolled from sight and into this crevice where she now rested in her inverted position.
Feeling was mercifully slow in returning to her limbs, but when it did, Susie was racked with aching muscles and throbbing contusions. Nevertheless, she began pulling herself out of the crevice and feeling about in the darkness to re-orient herself. Soon she discovered she was in another tunnel similar to the one she and Zelda had attempted to make their escape in, only much smaller. This tube-like rift in the limestone ran at an angle from the well into where the floor funneled down to its opening.
Susie surmised she was in another tube which might serve as an escape route at best, or lead her back to the main chambers of the Kophet-kur at worst. In either event, she had no recourse but to follow it. Ignoring the urge to call out to Zelda, she groped her way up the tunnel as quietly as possible, so as not arouse any of the cruel beasts.
Susie was adept at finding her way around in the dark and able to move along at a pretty good rate. She ran her hands across the limestone floor of the tunnel ahead of her, so as to avoid any more wells. After falling now into two of them and was lucky enough to survive; she had no desire to drop into another.
The girl had no idea how long she had been unconscious, nor did it occur to her to worry about it. Battered, frightened and sore, she was driven by only one concept: she must escape. If she had to spend more time in this nightmarish dungeon, she was certain to lose her mind.
The creatures themselves no longer terrified her. They were gruesome and cruel with a smell disgusting enough to gag a maggot on a gut-pile, but she was accustomed to them. They liked to growl and threaten, but, in her heart, Susie knew they would not harm her unless she did something unconscionable by their standards, like the killing of one of their own. For some reason, they wanted her alive. She had picked up enough information from bits and pieces of conversation with other slaves to know they had some master plan to wipe out the human race; but she didn’t know the details. Frankly, though, their plans didn’t interest her. All she had been concerned with was staying alive, which was why she shunned the slave quarters, preferring instead to hole up in the darkness of the small cave where Zelda first found her.
In the weeks she spent with these animals, she felt something awakening within herself. Susie was coming in touch with a sense she had never used, but which had been there all along. Like an under-developed muscle, lying just beneath the skin, it waited to be exercised and strengthened. Perhaps, being plunged into darkness, this sense was being nurtured by her brain to make up for her loss of sight — the way a blind person learns to rely more on their other senses, strengthening and honing them to razor sharpness. Being young, she didn’t stop to analyze the budding of this strange new power; rather, she simply accepted and used it as it developed. A child, learning to read doesn’t stop to wonder at the miracle of it all, he simply reads. And if you were to ask him how he’d managed this amazing skill, he would calmly state that he had learned it. Thus it was with Susie. The Kophet-kur possessed the amazing power of telepathic communication, and Susie — at first by osmosis, and later by design — learned it as well.
She hadn’t set out to learn this form of communication, it had just sort of crept up on her. Her first experience had left her baffled and shocked the Kophet-kur. One of the women had chased her out of the slave quarters, screaming about snot-nosed human brats. As she crossed the floor of the main hall, she tripped over a sleeping beast. The creature leaped to its feet with astonishing speed, swiping its paw out to knock Susie to the floor. It stood over her snarling and menacing, its evil red eyes glowing in the dark above her. From experience, she knew what terrible tempers these beasts had.
At that point, she had no doubt this creature would rip her to pieces and she was horrified. Her voice stuck in her throat, terror froze her scream. She closed her eyes, and with all her might she concentrated on one single word and telepathically commanded, “STOP!” It was not even a conscious effort, but more a reflex action, like throwing up a hand in self-defense. She kept her eyes squeezed shut and repeated projecting the word, “STOP!”
Susie braced herself to die.
But death didn’t come. Instead, the creature paused in its attack and stood back, regarding the accused through a one-way mirror. She couldn’t see it, but it could see her very well.
The creature’s own voice sounded in Susie’s mind: Did the young Meat speak to me? it asked then answered. It DID! The man-child has the gift of speech!
Suddenly Susie became aware of others gathering around her in the darkness of the cavern. There was an excited debate, all of it running together in Susie’s mind as her inexperience failed to allow her to filter and sort the thoughts being projected toward her. All was a mass of voices, all babbling at once as in a crowded square. This was even worse because they were all of equal volume and she hadn’t the ability to focus.
The babbling continued, rattling around inside her head until she felt it bulging and threatening to explode. Abruptly, all fell silent and a hushed new tone filled their thoughts with one word: “Chirkah!”
The voices fell completely silent and Susie heard something large approaching through the darkness. The massive beast parted the crowd and stopped directly before her. There was a long pause while Chirkah regarded and studied her. Susie wondered if she had done the right thing. Had she perhaps broken some ancient taboo by using their means of communication? Maybe they would regard her as some kind of freak like humans would a talking cow. Maybe Chirkah would punish her for her impudence.
The voice of the first creature cut through the stillness, sounding excited and proud: The man-child can use The Speech! it said, obviously addressing Chirkah. I was… looking at it when it said ‘Stop’. Just like that.
Chirkah ignored the beast and addressed himself instead to Susie. Again, he said mildly.
Susie spoke aloud. “Wh-what?”
Again — do it again. It wasn’t a request.
Susie took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. Knitting her brows, she concentrated hard and sent the message, MY… NAME… IS SUSIE. Then she sat back on her elbows, panting slightly.
Laughter and excited chatter broke out around the chamber, filling the eerie darkness with echoes.
SILENCE! Chirkah’s telepathic voice roared above the others and the laughter died abruptly, as though someone had pulled the plug. She could feel the pack leader irritably glaring at her and even in the dark, she could sense his displeasure. We must hasten our efforts for the cause, he muttered, gloomily, as much to himself as to anyone. Without another word, he turned and strode away.
From that time on, Susie was treated differently. The slave women almost completely ignored her and the Kophet-kur gave her the run of the place. They no longer insisted she remain in the slave quarters but began allowing her to sleep wherever she wished. There was just one rule which they made abundantly clear to her: should she ever try to escape, she would be killed and eaten. Not necessarily in that order.
For that reason, she had not attempted an escape before this. But now, things had changed. She felt as though she owed it to Zelda to try and make good her escape. She had fallen into the well and passed out before finding out what had happened to her new friend, but she remembered the injunction of Tonrah and the Kophet-kur: punishment for attempted escape was death — undeniable and unequivocal. Also, she had seen what happened to women who remained slaves of the Kophet-kur for any length of time. So for these reasons, she was determined to escape and try to bring help for Zelda before it was too late.
As she progressed up the tunnel, she could feel it angling toward the surface. Also, it was becoming smaller and smaller until, eventually, she was forced to crawl on her belly, dragging herself along like a snake in a hole. This tunnel was obviously too small to be used by the creatures. Offering perhaps, shelter to the occasional groundhog or fox, it was pretty much abandoned at this point in time and Susie realized that for the first time in weeks she was safe from the Kopeth-kur. As she thought this, she smiled and squirmed ahead in the darkness.
Suddenly, something soft and filmy flapped across her face. She stopped, trying to figure out what it might be. It stretched across the diameter of the tunnel. When she brought her hand up to pull it from her face, she felt how sticky it was. At this point, she realized it was a spider web, the fuzzy little bodies of several arachnids scurrying over her face, scalp and hands. In spite of herself, she screamed.
She couldn’t bring both hands into play, due to the cramped space of the tunnel, but with one hand she slapped and swatted frantically at her face and neck. They slithered down the front of her sweat-shirt and across the back of her head. In the dark, she could only imagine how many of them there were, but it felt like dozens to her panicked mind. She continued slapping and swatting until her face and arms stung from it. At last she settled down and tried to gather herself together.
For some time, she waited to feel them moving upon her. Some of the itchy, crawly feelings were genuine spiders, but most were her overwrought imagination. Nevertheless, she slapped with equal fierceness at either one, as she was incapable of distinguishing the difference. When she could no longer feel any spiders crawling upon her skin, she pushed forward. Although she tried to blot it out of her mind, the feeling that they were squirming and burrowing in her hair would not go away. By now, she was fighting back claustrophobic panic and moaning quietly.
She kept one hand reaching out before her, scouting ahead for more spider webs. When her hand came upon a dry, crunchy leaf, Susie drew her hand back in surprise at first, and then, cautiously reached out again. There were several leaves scattered about the floor of the tunnel, she understood she was approaching the mouth. Sure enough, after just a few more feet, she could feel the air rushing in, cool and fragrant upon her face. Although it was dark outside, it was still lighter than the inky depths of the cave. Her heart leaped with joy at spotting a lighter patch in the darkness and recognized it as the mouth of the tunnel. With an excited little exhalation of breath, she crawled toward it.
Stars were shining in the night sky, and when she thrust her head from the opening, which had grown so small she could barely wedge her shoulders from it, she saw the full moon, shining brilliantly in the sky, illuminating a small clearing in the woods. A little whoop of delight escaped her as she struggled to drag herself up out of the ground.
Her exhilaration, however, was to be short-lived.
The hole emerged near to the center of the clearing, and as she squeezed her way out, like a corpse rising from its grave in the moonlight, the sight before her nearly stopped her heart and made her blood run cold in her veins.
The moon cast everything with silvery light, nearly as bright as day, but without the sun’s warmth. Cool shadows stood out starkly and pooled themselves at the feet of three ghastly tall figures gathered in the clearing.
They were Kophet-kur. Their faces lifted toward the moon, their mouths open and teeth bared.
And as she stared in utter horror, they began to howl.
September 7, 2018
First Elude Book Review! — Derek Barton
Customer Review
5.0 out of 5 stars
Dark thrilling crime horror story….
ByWilliam B on September 7, 2018
Format: Kindle Edition
Genre – Crime/Suspense/Horror
Pages – 109
Publication Info – CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (September 6, 2018)
Format – Digital
Stars –
Elude: Part One by Derek Barton, is a bit of a departure from the usual horror/fantasy books of his that I’ve read. He defined this to me as a dark crime/horror story. Part One most definitely touches on the dark and the crime. The horror element has yet to be established or explained. There is something afoot and unexplained happening in Phoenix and its suburbs, and the possibility of something nefarious and/or other worldly or evil is taking place but yet to be explained. Note that this is indeed only Part One – there’s is much more story to be told – if you’re expecting a full stop ending you may be disappointed, this is a continuing story (it’s in the title folks Part One). I am left wanting to know more and am anxious to keep following this intriguing story filled with some very interesting characters, some with very questionable motives. It’s a quick read with a steady pulse that keeps giving. Part Two should be lots of fun.Synopsis (from back cover): Stepping blindly into a horrific murder scene, a young ex-con, Vicente Vargas, must flee from the police while eluding the real killer who continues to pin more bodies on him in this intricate cat-and-mouse game.
Cut off from all friends and family, tried and convicted by the press, Vic must survive on his wits and cunning on the gritty streets of Phoenix, Arizona long enough to clear his name.
About the author: Derek Barton was born in northeast Indiana in 1970. The typical introvert kid; closer to books than people, but grew up with a fascination for horror novels (Stephen King, Dean Koontz) and medieval fantasy (Piers Anthony, R.A Salvatore).
In April of 1996, he moved out to Phoenix, Arizona to find his own path.
He has been married to his wonderful wife, Erika since October 5th, 2012. They have three children, Jenna, Johnny and a three-year-old baby girl, Jessiena!
Recently he has completed his first novel, Consequences Within Chaos, as well as the sequel, The Bleeding Crown. Also on Amazon & Kindle, In Four Days: A Horror Suspense Novella and Seyde In Blood: Consequences Within Consequences Prequel Short Story.
Please check out Bill Bitner’s Book Review Website — Book Review Village
Website: https://booksinmylibraryblog.wordpress.com/
He has assembled a vast collection of book reviews and will give you great insight into anything you are thinking of reading!
September 3, 2018
September & October 2018 Bi-monthly Goals — Derek Barton
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It’s that time again to hold my production record up to the spotlight and see how I did…
Complete the Audiobook for In Four Days. DONE! Now available for sale on Amazon & Audible.com for $4.86 (membership pricing)!!
Create/organize this year’s 2018 Indie Fantasy Book Giveaway with several other independent authors. DONE! I will be sending out another blog on this shortly, but I will be hosting the 2018 Indie Giveaway for the month of September.
Add a new page to the site showcasing associates and people I have worked with and what they can do for other writers. DONE — sort of. I did a blog shout-out as my show of appreciation for their help and efforts.
Find at least two places to do a book-signing appearance. PARTIAL FAIL. Got a book-signing with Bookmans in Phoenix for Oct 6th. Still looking for another location.
Schedule one or two more comic-cons or book festivals by the end of the year. FAIL. I just don’t have the finances yet for the extra costs to do the comic-cons yet, but this is a major goal of mine to accomplish for next year. I hope to have at least two or three appearances booked for 2019.
Finish editing for Elude #1 & #2. DONE — sort of… I have finished Elude #1 but Elude #2 is still being worked through. Elude #1’s editing took a bit longer than I hoped but at least I was still able to get the book produced by the end of August.
September 2, 2018
NEW RELEASES 2018!! — ELUDE: PART ONE & IN FOUR DAYS AUDIOBOOK — by Derek Barton
ELUDE: PART ONE IS NOW ON SALE at Amazon
ELUDE – AMAZON KINDLE — ONLY $2.99 !!!
Stepping blindly into a horrific murder scene, a young ex-con, Vicente Vargas, must flee from the police while eluding the real killer who continues to pin more bodies on him in this intricate cat-and-mouse game.
Cut off from all friends and family, tried and convicted by the press, Vic must survive on his wits and cunning on the gritty streets of Phoenix, Arizona long enough to clear his name.
ELUDE: PART TWO WILL BE RELEASED IN FALL OF 2018!
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IN FOUR DAYS: A HORROR-SUSPENSE NOVELLA IN AUDIOBOOK FORM On Audible.com & on Amazon!
$4.98 (Membership pricing) or 1 Credit !!!
Amazing narration done by Charles Pendleton
Mysterious disappearances suddenly plague the Philadelphia area. A demonic force with an unending appetite hunts its streets and collects lost souls as trophies.
A young accountant encounters an unrelenting stalker and details her terror on the internet…
A troubled youth finds that even with new surroundings your troubles can still burn you…
A cab driver with ties to European organized crime soon regrets his own violent actions…
And a pair of brothers with a deep secret plunge into an abyss that threatens to swallow them whole.
IN FOUR DAYS is a collection of chilling stories of intense dread, buried dirty secrets and twisted fates that will leave you guessing up to the very end!
September 1, 2018
2018 THE INDIE FANTASY BOOK GIVEAWAY!! — Derek Barton
For the month of September, we are offering a great book giveaway package of all eight of these indie fantasy novels for TWO WINNERS!!
To enter the giveaway for the eight ebooks, click HERE for quick entry!!
Want to know more about these books?
AUTHORS’ BOOKS & BIOS:
Torn from a life of childish innocence, fourteen-year-old Etain Rhys witnesses the brutal murder of her family. Running for her life, she inadvertently lands in the mystical realm of the Alamir, humans infused with powerful magic. No longer a child, she’s taken in by a small clan and learns their warrior ways. Moving up the ranks, the day comes when her chieftain tells her it’s time to move on.
After the death of his dark brother, Dar and Etain return to Laugharne, looking forward to a fresh start together. As the days pass, Dar’s mind seems to unravel, the past twisting into the present, nightmarish visions threatening to rip his sanity apart.
Unable to help in Dar’s recovery, Etain discovers her own brother she thought dead is alive. Her immediate reaction is to find him, visions of a happy reunion filling her head. Except, the boy she remembers has been under the tutelage of Dar’s dark brother for the past several years.
Despite warnings from close friends, she throws caution aside and goes in search of him. In doing so, she puts in motion a series of events from which they might not ever recover.
~~~
I’m just a girl in the world – of writing. Originally I hail from Texas and lived most of my life there, fell in love a few times, raised my kids, and generally had a great time. But, there was always something missing, well, I should say, someone. Who’d have thought he lived way across that big ole pond in a little place called England? Now I live in the motherland with my incredible dream man. It has been an adventure and has helped in the development of my Blood of Kaos series. Living in another country, even if it is English, gives you a new perspective on everything. I have learned that my family means a whole lot more to me than I thought. I miss my family – horribly – but – I have learned – I have seen – I have experienced – so much more by taking a chance and leaving the comfort of home. It’s been almost 4 years now and I’m still in an adjustment period. Don’t know if I’ll ever truly adjust to English ways. I think I’m just too Texan.
Legends are always based on some form of the truth.
Bloodlines: Exordium, Vol. 1, follows the saga of Logan Bennet left behind by the Earth Corps in the 13th century. By forming the Blood Knights—an organization of vampires sworn to defend the human race during a time England and Scotland are at war—Logan’s rash decisions lead to a chain of events that threaten the future.
With the Earth Corps’ defeat of Odin and Aries, the Blood Syndicate, led by Chancellor Logan, assumes the task of rebuilding international cities. His ‘Tolerance Act’ allows all Supernatural creatures to live together in harmony, but this is far from the truth.
The Dark Angels, forced to join the Syndicate, discover an army of the undead frozen in the hell dimension of Caceri. Meanwhile, Agent Parish and the Blood Knights, now employed as Syndicate time travel agents, use the Babylonian Stones to travel to the past to retrieve influential historical figures. Unless the Dark Angels and Agent Parish unravel the mystery behind the Syndicate’s darker purpose, the human race, which includes zombies cured by the Earth Corps, may once more be on the brink of total annihilation.
‘First comes the Dark, then Fire, Fang, and Flood.’
Bloodlines: Medius, book 2, finds Logan Bennet and his mother, Lenora, in Miami with the remnants of the Dark Angels. Shirkas—a species of super-zombies—are harassing the coastline. The Blood Syndicate and U.S. military defend the Wall of Liberty that surrounds the city, the only thing standing between the inhabitants and the horde. However, the Centauro rebels may have a solution—kill the High Council members, whom they believe control the zombies, and destroy the Babylonian Stones to prevent TTD agents from time-traveling. And they want the Dark Angels to help.
Dark mysteries and demonic rituals threaten the survivors of a war-torn world. Cadence and the Earth Corps are needed to prevent a hellish uprising, but where are they? And if Picasso, Logan, or Parish can find them, will they be able to stop the demons, or is this the beginning of Armageddon?
~~~
Susanne L. Lambdin (born 1962, Wichita, Kansas) is better known for her ‘based in part’ writing credit for Star Trek: The Next Generation Eps. 76 “Family” – remember when Wesley Crusher met his father on the holodeck when he turned 18 years of age? This was Susanne’s story sold to Star Trek in 1990. Since then she’s dedicated herself to writing fiction.
Having worked for Paramount Pictures from 1986 thru 1994, she beamed home to spend time with her family and to write fiction. Her genres include horror, supernatural, action/adventure, high fantasy, Gothic and historical romance, steampunk, and sci-fi (of course).
In a world filled with human-animal hybrids, Guards are bred to serve the Almightys until they’re no longer wanted.
Mutter waits for his execution. It’s inevitable. He was a fighter and he lost. No one wants an ex-fighter. He’s too big, mean and ugly. Death will be the only way he gets out of this cell, but then the unthinkable happens. An Almighty visits in the dead of night and offers him a chance to leave. A chance to live.
All he has to do is obey and Guards were bred to obey.
When Mutter is taken to his new home, something isn’t right. There’s food and a bed but there are sounds and smells from the other cages. Things that move like nothing he’s ever encountered.
For the first time in his life, he’s afraid. Afraid of the creatures that lurk nearby. Afraid of the shots his new master is giving him.
He knows he’s supposed to obey, to always follow their rules but if he doesn’t escape, he’ll become food for one of those things in the other cages. Or worse… turn into one of them.
The only way to leave Level Five is inside the belly of a beast.
McBrid understands the dangers of working on Level Five in Professor Conguise’s laboratory. Even the smallest mistake—a miscalculation, a momentary loss of focus or unsatisfactory results—can mean the end. Not the end of a job or a career but the end of his life.
The problem is he didn’t make a minor mistake. He killed the most important creature in the lab. Now, he must scramble to create a new Aranea.
He’s done it before and he can do it again. Only this time he must choose the right host because the new giant spider mutation must be smart, fast, deadly and willing to obey—if that’s even possible. He’ll soon find out if there is anything left of the person once the parasitic DNA takes over and if there’s not, he may just end up her dinner.
All the books in this series are standalone and may be read in any order.
~~~
L. S. O’Dea grew up the youngest of seven. She always wanted to do what her older siblings were doing, especially reading stories.
At a young age, she immersed herself in books. Her life changed when she read a short story written by her older brother and realized that normal (somewhat anyway, since her brother was a bit weird in her opinion) people created these amazing stories. From that day forward, she wanted to write.
However, as with all good stories, obstacles rose in her path (mostly self-created obstacles) and it took her many years to put finger to keyboard and write/type her first book.
With a devastating war looming on the horizon for Wyvernshield, can its people place their faith and fate in the hands of a ruler who cannot distinguish between reality and fantasy?
How far into the depths of insanity would you go to prove your sanity?
Abducted by her family’s bitter rivals, spirited Princess Letandra finds herself stranded in a foreign land. Alone but confident a rescue will come at the hands of her brother, King Taihven, she focuses all her energy on surviving the unexpected trials she now faces.
But before he can save Leandra, she is captured by the sadistic Ebon Queen of the Quietus Dominion. Now, the princess must risk everything to escape and warn Taihven. War is coming not only for him, but the future of all hangs in the balance.
~~~
Derek Barton was born in northeast Indiana in 1970. The typical introvert kid; closer to books than people, but grew up with a fascination for horror novels (Stephen King, Dean Koontz) and medieval fantasy (Piers Anthony, R.A Salvatore).
In April of 1996, he moved out to Phoenix, Arizona to find his own path.
He has been married to his wonderful wife, Erika since October 5th, 2012. They have three children, Jenna, Johnny and a three-year-old baby girl, Jessiena!
Don’t miss your opportunity to step into the unique and amazing worlds today!!
August 27, 2018
OCTOBER 6TH, 2018 BOOK-SIGNING! — Derek Barton
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BOOK-SIGNING EVENT
OCTOBER 6TH, 2018
BOOKMANS ENTERTAINMENT EXCHANGE
Address
8034 N. 19th Ave.
Phoenix, AZ 85021
(602) 433-0255
STARTING AT 3:00 PM
I will have the great honor of hosting a book-signing event and GIVEAWAYS in person at the Phoenix, Arizona location. If you are available or in the vicinity, please come by and see me at 3:00 PM.
There will be two Audiobook giveaways (No purchase necessary to win, just an email address to enter):
1 WINNER FOR: CONSEQUENCES WITHIN CHAOS &
1 WINNER FOR: IN FOUR DAYS
1 GRAND WINNER will get 2 FREE signed copies of any 2 of my paperbacks of their choice.
Bookmans is a great store and there are definitely books, games and unique items for everyone and every taste there!!
Would love to see everyone!
August 21, 2018
The Hidden — Chapter Eighteen: Slaves — T.D. Barton & Derek Barton
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CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: SLAVES
The slave chambers were filthy. The stench of unwashed human habitation hung in the air and clung to the sides of Zelda’s throat like syrup. She was far too exhausted at this point, however, to care. The only thing Zelda was vaguely aware of was the light. It drifted in from the edges of her consciousness, and her tortured mind could not distinguish whether it was real or imagined. The soft, unsteady glow filtered in past her lashes and through the half-closed lids of her eyes.
The she-beast, Tonrah, had half-way dragged, half-way driven her to this place after a long journey down the tunnel. The creature was exceptionally strong, and when she had tossed her like a pile of rags onto the floor of this room, Zelda had been only semi-conscious.
She was far beyond tears, as she shut her eyes and allowed her mind to drift away to another place. It was safe there and more pleasant. The sun was shining brightly and she strolled, waist-deep, through a field of brilliant yellow flowers. Above her, high in an unblemished sky of cool porcelain blue, a red-tailed hawk keened its high, piercing cry. Zelda lay back in this field and watched the hawk soaring in great, lazy circles as it road the thermal currents and hung effortlessly in the air. How wonderful it would be to sail away with the breeze that way – distancing herself from all the cares of life and the worries of the world! She gathered a deep breath, letting it out slowly in a long, luxurious sigh, feeling the summer sun on her skin and the cool breeze as it brushed her face.
When she opened her eyes, the sun had been replaced by a shimmering, yellow light that jumped and danced amidst a black void. The field beneath her was gone and what remained was hard cool stone, littered with dirt and gravel. The breeze had blown away and left in its stead the reek of human feces and rotting garbage. She felt something slither wetly across her cheek and reached up to pull a garden slug which balled up in her palm, leaving a slimy film in its wake. She grimaced and flung the creature to the floor with a shudder.
As she wiped her hand on her thigh, she looked about. Around the walls, at various intervals and heights, torches drove back the eternal night of this subterranean prison. They were placed haphazardly, with no apparent design in mind, simply wherever a rock jutted out to give purchase or a crack split the wall, offering a place to wedge the stock. They sputtered and danced, and they belched black, sooty smoke all over the ceiling wherever they were placed; but to Zelda, so long plunged into abysmal darkness, they gave off a lovely light, nonetheless. It was a luxury she could scarcely have hoped for. She was certain Susie would have loved to see them, if only she had lived.
It was somewhat warmer here, perhaps due to the torches, but she was still very cold. Zelda sat up, shivering, in the middle of the room and peered into the dark corners. Gradually, she became aware of the fact that she was being watched. She could make out sinister shapes huddling in the shadows and feel their eyes upon her. She drew back instinctively, but as she cast her frightened gaze about, she saw that she was surrounded on all sides by these forms. They lined the walls, peering out at her and sitting very still. In dark despair, she wondered what kind of hell had she been cast into now.
Since the discovery in the clearing of the severed head, she had encountered worse nightmares than she could ever have imagined. These new creatures were different than the wolf-like terrors that had devoured her husband and sent little Susie screaming to her death, but somehow they frightened her even more. Sitting quietly in the shadows, they cast a ghoulish persona. It made her think of horrid, nightmarish creatures, waiting to crawl into the grave with you. Then they would thrust their rotting, corpse faces into yours and grin their gap-toothed grins. Meanwhile, their black tongues slithered dryly across your cheek, making you scream and scream and scream in silent protest while your face remained frozen in the rictus of the dead.
While she cringed in horrified uncertainty, one of the watchers rose and slowly approached her. It stopped a few feet away and stood, silhouetted, against the light of the torch blazing behind it on the wall. Its features were lost in the dark, but its form showed clearly against the light. It was painfully thin, with long, stringy hair standing out in silvery puffs and curls about its head like an aura in a Curlean photograph. It wore a thin, shift-like garment which was translucent as the torchlight shone through it. Its scrawny arms hung at its sides until it raised them to reach, with bony fingers, toward her. With a start, Zelda realized it was speaking to her.
“Don’t be afraid.” Its voice cracked and grated like rusted gears in the throat of a machine. “You belong with us now. The struggle will only bring you grief. Better to accept your new life here.”
The apparition took a couple more shuffling steps toward Zelda which brought it out of the shadows and into the light of another torch on the opposite wall. Zelda could make out the features of its face and saw that, although she had a definite witch-like appearance, she was really just an old woman — dirty, unkempt and abused, but certainly human.
“Who –” her voice caught in her parched throat and she struggled for a moment to breathe as her windpipe threatened to collapse. At last, she was able to continue, but her voice was so harsh and raspy she scarcely recognized it as her own. “Who are you?” she managed.
“You must be terribly thirsty.” The creaky old voice sounded sympathetic. “Hungry too, I’ll bet. Here, let us help you!”
Another of the group came forward with a cup in her hand. The first one took it and kneeled beside Zelda. The water smelled of minerals. The tin cup was rusty where the porcelain covering had chipped but Zelda drank greedily from it. She relished the feeling of the water pouring down her throat and cooling the burning in her gut. Her hands trembled as she held it out to the old woman, begging silently for more. “Slowly, slowly,” the hag warned. “There will be more for you in a moment. Let’s get you warmed up.”
She took Zelda’s hand in hers, and she thought they felt like two frogs — soft, cold and clammy. The old woman pulled her to her feet and they worked their way across the cave to the edge of the room. There, she saw the others were stretched out or seated on mats of woven weeds and branches, which were placed paralleling the walls. Each of the mats had one or two occupants, and in the dim light of the torches, Zelda could see they were all women. Some of them were younger than others, but all of them looked misused and like refugees from a concentration camp.
As she and the old crone approached, one of the “refugees” scooted over on her mat, allowing room for Zelda to sit. Someone draped a heavy blanket about her shoulders and heavenly warmth enfolded her, making her feel human again. Another cup of water was handed to her and she drank, somewhat more slowly this time. Between sips, she gazed around the room.
It was a large chamber with a high, domed ceiling. In the dancing light, she could make out bats, hanging high up on the roof of the cave, shifting and jockeying for position, and sending out a chorus of high-pitched squeaks. Some of them swooped in low arcs back and forth across the cave, always returning to their roosts amidst the seething mass on the ceiling. Their guano carpeted the floor of the room, and Zelda could see worms and bugs feeding in its sticky depths. The door to the chamber was dark and a couple of natural steps led up to it. Apparently, this was the only lighted room, as the Kophet-kur did not require assistance to find their way about. There were perhaps twenty of the slave-women lounging about the room and most were in various stages of pregnancy.
The old woman had left for a moment and now she returned with a smelly rag in her hand. She held it out and motioned for Zelda to clothe herself with it. As she pulled it over her head, Zelda realized it was some type of sweater. The fabric was stiff and coarse, but it was better than sitting around in nothing but a bra. The woman sat down beside her and Zelda asked again, “Who are you?”
The witch’s leathery face cracked in a benevolent smile. “My name is Lynette,” she said and her hand came up to brush at her hair. “I am the vessel of Rihlkah, captain of the guards. I am also the oldest of the slaves, second only to Alice.” She looked apprehensively over her shoulder. “Alice is asleep right now. You would do better to keep your distance from her. She’s the leader of the slaves and very strong. She also has a bad temper.”
“How did you come to be here?” Zelda asked.
The old woman wrinkled her brow and thought for a moment. “It was in the spring… five or six years ago. My father and I were canoeing down the river. We lived in Michigan, and our favorite hobby was canoeing. Well, actually, it was HIS favorite hobby. MY favorite hobby was being with my father.”
She smiled in an impish, childish way that didn’t quite suit her features.
“Anyway, we were paddling down the river when a low-hanging branch caught him off-guard and we capsized. Ordinarily, this would have been no big deal — we knew what to do in a situation like that — but in the middle of everything, my father’s heart let go. I don’t know if he had a weak heart and just didn’t tell me about it. That would’ve been just like him. Or if it caught him as much by surprise as it did me. Whatever the case, by the time I pulled him up on the bank of the river he was already dead.”
She stared off into the darkness of the cave for a moment. Bringing the back of her hand across her eyes, she swiped away the tears that had gathered there and, after taking a breath continued. “I tried C.P.R. but it was no use. His lips were blue and cold… For a long time, I just sat by the river holding his head in my hands. Then I got up and began looking for the canoe. It must’ve been swept down-river by the current because I couldn’t find it anywhere. At last, I gave up searching and set off through the forest. I’d hoped to find my way back to a road and hitch a ride, but I never made it out of the woods. Rihlkah captured me and brought me back here to serve as a vessel for five children, all of whom are now serving the Kophet-kur.” Again she smiled, lifting her chin proudly, and throwing her shoulders back.
Zelda didn’t fully understand. “You have children… here?” she asked, hesitantly.
“I have five children.” Lynette boasted. Then, quickly, she added, “But they don’t live here with the slaves. No, no! They have been placed in several different cities, throughout the country. They will grow to be fine, strong assets to the cause, you’ll see. I have pictures, would you like to see them?”
Of course, Zelda nodded. What woman has ever refused to look at pictures of another woman’s children? Lynette reached beneath her shift, pulling out a bundle of cloth, tied with string, from which she produced a stack of photographs. They were dog-eared and cracked from excessive handling. She had trouble distinguishing much, the light being what it was, but, from what she could make out, there was something odd about them. Each photograph featured a different family, but the children of Lynette were easily recognizable. She had large, jug ears, and a peculiar, pinched look about the eyes and these features had been passed on to her offspring. But, as the old woman caressed and fussed over each picture, Zelda realized what had struck her as odd about them: There were no smiles. In all, there must have been a dozen pictures, but in none of them did the children smile. Each little facsimile of Lynette had the most serious, studied, maybe even tortured look in their face.
Zelda wondered what was wrong with these children. What had stolen away the exuberance of youth? And what kind of woman conceives in an environment like this? Suddenly it all became clear, and she nearly choked in response to the thought.
“Lynette, are you telling me–” She wasn’t sure she could finish the question. It was madness! But, then again, this whole place resided in madness. Insanity was the grease that lubricated its gears. nonsense had become reality and horror was the norm. She locked eyes with the old woman and plunged ahead.
“Did you conceive children with these… things?”
Lynette’s watery eyes held her gaze and she could see hurt there — and an insane pride in her accomplishment. She drew herself up and her lip trembled slightly as she spoke.
“I have no need to justify myself to you,” she said, her voice was scalding in its vehemence. “My children are the combination of two great races. The human race has accomplished many things over the centuries, and they carry the seed of The Fathers in their genes. Only in their abuse of the environment have they shown their incompetence. The Fathers will be returning someday to claim their prize, and humans have shown themselves to be poor caretakers of that prize. The Fathers will see that the Kophet-kur care for the earth and all of its creatures, and, once they have mastered human technology, the Kophet-kur will be the obvious choice to carry on the work of The Fathers. My children will not only be here to see that glorious day, they will be instrumental in bringing it about. For this reason, I am very proud to be the vessel of Rihlkah’s seed. He holds the esteem of all in the pack, and he has passed on his many strengths to my children.”
Zelda tried hard to make some sense of what Lynette was saying, but she wasn’t having much luck. It all sounded practiced, as though she were reciting it by rote. The words were not Lynette’s.
“Who are The Fathers?” Zelda asked.
Lynette’s voice returned to normal and took on a patient, understanding tone. “The Fathers are the ones who placed us, both humans and Kophet-kur, here on this earth. They endowed each race with intelligence and left us on our own to develop as we would. Soon they will return to reunite with the most successful of their children. The Kophet-kur use us to help them become the most successful. Do you understand?”
“I think I’m beginning to,” Zelda answered, but she wasn’t sure what to think. “Its a contest of some kind — us versus them — and for some reason, you want THEM to win!”
“The Kophet-kur send our children to be raised among humans so that they may learn their secrets and bring them back to be put to use here,” Lynette continued, ignoring the sarcasm in Zelda’s remark.
“Okay,” Zelda was getting a bead on it now. “So, after you have the children, how do they get delivered to these human families? Obviously, the creatures can’t just stroll into the city and ask someone directions to the nearest adoption agency…”
“Our children are raised by grown children of previous generations. There are contacts in your world who act as runners. They come here and take our children, delivering them to the families who are to raise them. When they, in turn, are grown, they will return to the Kophet-kur to help in educating, building, designing and in many other ways, to build the empire of the Kophet-kur.”
“Why don’t these half-breed children simply breed amongst themselves? Obviously, this has been going on for several generations, so why not cut out the slavery and breed your own spies?” Zelda had a very analytical mind and she couldn’t help finding the flaws in this incredible plan.
“Like all hybrids, werewolves cannot reproduce. Human vessels are needed to carry the seed of the Kophet-kur. You too will have the opportunity to serve, and once you have become pregnant with one of these beautiful children, you will begin to understand and appreciate how appropriate and right is the cause.”
“Werewolves! Is that what you call them? I’m sure I’ll want to pass up that opportunity if you don’t mind.” The two sat in silence for a moment. Zelda thought how ironic it would be if she, who had so wanted a family, were to be forced into serving as a baby-maker for little “werewolf” children. The faces of little Susie and her dead husband swam before her mind’s eye, and she ached from sadness.
Suddenly another thought occurred to her. “Lynette, I couldn’t help notice how young the children were in the photographs. If you’ve only been here five years, and you’ve had five children, those pictures couldn’t have been taken long ago. If you don’t mind my asking, just how old ARE you?” She waited quietly while Lynette did the math in her head.
“I’m thirty-two.”
As Lynette spoke, there was a commotion behind them and Zelda turned to see the coarsest-looking, wildest woman she’d ever seen crossing to the center of the room. While she watched aghast, the woman rubbed her eyes, sleepily, and scratched her protruding belly. Zelda was undecided whether she was pregnant or just inordinately fat. Her hair was dark and tangled, spilling in thick matted clumps down to her shoulders and she wore a loose dress of some unidentifiable, heavy fabric. The dress was sleeveless, and her thick arms bulged from it like fat sausages. Cellulite rippled the skin, which hung loosely, in great wattles of flesh alongside her body. Her forehead was wide and low, with bushy eyebrows concealing the tiny, dark little caverns of her eye sockets. She had a stupid, surly look about her that made Zelda immediately wary.
“Alice is awake,” Lynette whispered, and there was a definite note of dread in her creaky voice.
As Lynette spoke, the enormous woman turned her head and trained her bleary eyes on them. She appeared to be having some trouble focusing for a moment but then, with a slow, hulking motion, she started toward them.
“She’s Chirkah’s!” Lynette cried out quickly, draping a protective arm around Zelda’s shoulders. Alice stopped in front of them and leaned over to glare directly into Zelda’s face.
“Is that a fact?” she sneered, and Zelda thought her breath was worse than the creatures she had encountered. She noticed that the few remaining teeth showing in Alice’s mouth were black and rotting. “She carryin’ yet?” Alice straightened back up and regarded Zelda maliciously.
“Chirkah has been out hunting all day,” Lynette answered.
“Good. I wouldn’t want to hurt the baby.” With an evil smirk, Alice unleashed a beefy right hand, striking Zelda square in the mouth, knocking her backward into the wall and re-opening the cut on her lip. Dazed, she brought her hand up to feel blood spurting from her throbbing mouth and looked up into the broad face of her attacker.
“We gotta get one thing straight,” Alice shouted. “I run the roost around here. Shut up, Lynette!” Lynette was crying and wailing something about Alice not having to do that and how they should all try to get along for the good of the cause. She was waving one hand defensively in front of her and tugging on her hair with the other.
Alice continued introducing herself to Zelda. “You keep that in mind, girlie, and we’ll get along just fine. I don’t give two shits if you ARE Chirkah’s girlfriend. You get uppity with me and I’ll beat you like a red-headed stepchild, got it?”
“Got it,” Zelda replied, nodding meekly.
Alice turned on one heel and made her way back across the room without a backward glance. The fat between her legs made her waddle and her huge body swayed back and forth.
Weebles wobble, but they don’t fall down! Zelda thought crazily as she wiped at her broken mouth and scooted back over while Lynette offered apologies for Alice’s behavior and gave soothing assurances that everything would be all right.
“She’s had her fun. She’ll leave you alone now. You just be sure and stay out of her way.”
Zelda wanted to cry, but she fought it back blinking away the tears.
“That’s the way,” encouraged Lynette. “Don’t give her the satisfaction of seeing you cry. You’re tough! You will have strong children for Chirkah.”
Zelda had had just about enough of this two-bit Bolshevik and her party drivel. She’d had a rough day, to say the least, and her nerves were somewhat on edge. “Don’t you bet on it sister,” she snapped. “I don’t plan to be anybody’s vessel. First chance I get I’m getting the hell out of here and if I take a couple of these dog-faced creeps with me, then so much the better. Do you think I wanna wind up looking like Alice or you — old and worn out before my time?” She reached around and pulled the blanket back over her shoulders. When she looked at Lynette again, she felt sorry for what she’d said. The woman was smoothing down her gray hair, trying, unsuccessfully, to bring the tangled mass under control. She sat stiffly beside Zelda and looked shyly off into the center of the room. Zelda looked around at the others and saw that several of them were watching her curiously. She turned back to Lynette again and apologized.
“I didn’t mean what I said about your looking old and worn out. I was — well, you know. It’s been a really hard day and…”
Lynette turned around, cheerily tossing off her hurt attitude. “You’ll change your mind about leaving and the cause and all once you’re pregnant,” she prattled. “You just wait and see! In the meantime, let’s see about getting you something to eat.” She jumped up and hurried off, leaving Zelda to shake her head in wonder.
After Lynette disappeared, Zelda looked around at some of the others. The closest to her was a young black girl with the round belly of advanced pregnancy. She smiled as best she could with her swollen lips and said hello.
“Is she always like that?” she asked good-naturedly.
“Lynette’s a good woman. She mus’ like you or sumpin.” The girl spoke slowly, and Zelda thought she recognized a Chicago accent. Before she could ask more, however, the girl got up from her mat and walked away.
Apparently, everyone isn’t as friendly as Lynette! Zelda told herself, stretching out on the vacated mat to rest.
By the time Lynette returned with her food, Zelda was fast asleep. She decided to let her rest. It was just as well because Zelda would not have been impressed with the menu — it was still wiggling.
August 16, 2018
Audible Book Review of Robert Jordan’s “The Eye of the World” — Derek Barton
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The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan — an Epic Medieval Fantasy Novel
Released in January 1990 — 702 pages — Michael Kramer & Kate Reading
I have been for over a year now getting Audible books so I decided I would review and share my opinion on some of them with you. Enjoy!
This is the introduction novel into a vast and complex story told over fourteen novels (Yes, Fourteen!). The central theme of the books revolves around three young boys who are destined to battle the devil-like, Shai’tan, in the oncoming Tarmon Gai’don, the “end of the world”.
The Synopsis:
The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and go, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth returns again. In the Third Age, an Age of Prophecy, the World and Time themselves hang in the balance. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.
When The Two Rivers is attacked by Trollocs—a savage tribe of half-men, half-beasts— five villagers flee that night into a world they barely imagined, with new dangers waiting in the shadows and in the light.
The Review:
Jordan’s world is extremely well-defined and this book is considered “High Fantasy” — defined as fantasy set in an alternative, fictional (“secondary”) world, rather than “the real”, or “primary” world. Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien is considered one of the op High Fantasy works in literature.
The story starts out simple as it revolves around three farm boys: Rand al’Thor, Matrim Cauthon and Perrin Aybara. In a single night, their lives are torn apart and turned upside down by an attack on their village. The boys are forced to leave with an Aes Sedai, a female mage known as Moiraine and her warrior-protector, Lan.
I found the tale very intriguing and exciting. It kept me completely immersed in its world of dangers and unknowns. The characters are extremely well-defined with complex motives and background. At the end of the first book, The Eyes of the World, I bought the second novel because I was hooked and couldn’t wait to read more. I am on Book Six now and, unfortunately, my interests have waned.
My complaint would be that there are too many characters, too much information and too often the names that are unpronounceable which makes them even harder to remember. I don’t think I have the patience in me to get to Book Fourteen!
Now, I have fallen into the same trap in my own writing and have learned that readers simply do not want to work that hard to remember that much detail. I found that I had the same issue with George R.R. Martin’s Songs of Ice series which I had to make an Excel Spreadsheet just to remember who was where and doing what!
Great storyline, great characters and a fantastic tale that is soon to be made into a television series —
“Sony will produce along with Red Eagle Entertainment and Radar Pictures. Rafe Judkins is attached to write and executive produce. Judkins previously worked on shows such as ABC’s “Agents of SHIELD,” the Netflix series “Hemlock Grove,” and the NBC series “Chuck.” Red Eagle partners Rick Selvage and Larry Mondragon will executive produce along with Radar’s Ted Field and Mike Weber. Darren Lemke will also executive produce, with Jordan’s widow Harriet McDougal serving as consulting producer.” —Variety
The Narration:
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Michael Kramer and Kate Reading do an incredible job at narrating this tale with all of its intricate dialogs, multiple characters (both human and humanoid) and alternate narrative voices depending on the gender of the Point-of-View of the chapter. Kramer has received much praise for his narrations. Even the Library Journal stating that Kramer reads “clearly and intensely”.
Kramer lives in Washington, D.C. area with his wife, Jennifer Mendenhall (aka Kate Reading), and their two children. Kramer also works as an actor in the local theater.
The Rating:
Four Stars as the story is exceptional and embracing. You care what happens next to each of the characters. It has plenty of high-action scenes balanced with in-depth character development. RECOMMENDED!
By Derek Barton — Author of Dark Fantasy novels: Consequences Within Chaos and The Bleeding Crown. Also the author or In Four Days: a Horror-Suspense Novella and Elude: Part One (horror/crime thriller) will be on sale by the end of 2018!
July 31, 2018
AUGUST 2018 GRAND GIVEAWAY — Derek Barton
FOR AUGUST:
Enter the $500 Midsummer’s Dream Giveaway
Enter the $500 Midsummer’s Dream Giveaway
Summer’s flying by and it’s finally time to Enter the $500 Midsummer’s Dream Giveaway. With 6 amazing prizes, this giveaway is steaming hot.
So tell your reader friends to Enter the $500 Midsummer’s-Dream Giveaway and get bonus entry points, grab a copy of one or more of our sponsor’s highly rated books, free, or discounted deals.
Then follow your favorite new authors! The Midsummer’s Dream Giveaway is just another way The Kindle Book Review and Digital Book Today are bringing you great books, by talented authors in a fun and interactive giveaway! We are the No.1 site for reader giveaways, and the Midsummer’s Dream Giveaway is just another way we do it. Good luck, reader friends, and have a super duper spectacular summer!
What: $500 Midsummer’s Dream Giveaway
When: August 1 – 31.
Prizes: 1 – Kindle Paperwhite Travel Bundle ($200 value), 2 – Kindle eReaders ($160 value), 1 – 8″ Kindle Fire HD ($100 value), 1 – $25 Amazon eCard.
HOW: Scroll through the book covers below and make a note of the books that appeal to you. Then enter the Rafflecopter form below. You can get BONUS entry points every day for sharing and supporting our sponsoring authors.
HINT: There is no purchase necessary to win, but you get BONUS entry points every day you support our sponsors. And, YES, you can buy our sponsors’ books. In fact, please do; it’s the only way we can continue these awesome giveaways. So scroll through the book covers below and check out the books that appeal to you. Then follow the authors that write the kind of books you love in the Rafflecopter form below. Who knows, you just might find your next favorite author! Have a great summer, and good luck, readers!
GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!!!
JULY 2018 GIVEAWAY WINNERS ARE…
FOR THE AUDIOBOOK COPY OF CONSEQUENCES WITHIN CHAOS —
Shannon Tusler
FOR THE SIGNED COPIES OF THE BLEEDING CROWN —
Lisa Nelson
Marla Bell
Debbie D
Congrats to the winners!!!
Thank you all for your interests and participation in the Giveaways! Hope you enjoy it!! Keep an eye out for an email from me getting your mailing information.
