Nick Bastin's Blog, page 3
November 14, 2021
BloodBond - the Podcast
This is Episode One of the audio podcast of BloodBond, the first book in the Black Tower trilogy.
September 26, 2021
My first formal review of BloodLine
I am delighted to say that the first formal review of my latest book BloodLine has been published by The Ileach, the independent newspaper for Islay and Jura. Those that have read my books will know that Islay features heavily – and especially in the latest book - so for the local paper to give it a positive review means a lot.
Many thanks to Brian Palmer and The Ileach!
BLOODLINE
Nick Bastin.
Chiselbury Publishing paperback. 382pp £8.99
BloodLine is the third and final part of Nick Bastin’s ‘Book of the Black Tower' trilogy, three compulsive novels that follow the fortunes and misfortunes of Clan MacNachtan and in particular, Gillespie MacNachtan. In the first book, ‘BloodBond', Gillespie was abducted from his home in Antrim and brought to Dunderave to participate in the election of a new clan chief of the MacNachtans.
But if the above implies that Bastin's trilogy is set in mediaeval times, nothing could be further from the truth.
The author’s premise that lies behind his trilogy, is that Bonnie Prince Charlie was victorious at Culloden, subsequently forming the 'Free Republic of the Gaels' that occupies all of west and northwest Scotland, as far south as Campbeltown, now under the jurisdiction of President Lamont. The remaining part of Scotland, the Kingdom, is governed by First Minister Balfour, and is a region of the country with close ties to Westminster.
In the Republic, the clan system still exists, with clan chiefs who still do battle with each other, but employ modern technology to do so. At the end of part two, 'BloodFeud', Catriona MacLean has taken Islay from the Campbells in a move engineered by President Lamont to keep the clans at each others' throats, leaving the way clear for him to pursue his own, less than acceptable purposes.
“Finally, but most critically, I want to make English the official language. It is ludicrous that we still rely on such a minority language, it is a barrier to trade and globalisation.”
Gillespie had, at the end of Book Two, found himself the hero of the day, having despatched Lamont's henchman, Allan Stewart. Not unnaturally, this affront to the President's hegemony could not be allowed to go unpunished, despite the knowledge that Stewart was little more than a thug employed by Lamont.
Bastin has all but perfected the art of carrying several narrative threads simultaneously, gently increasing the need to read ‘just one more chapter' by grasping the reader’s attention over a series of commendably short chapters.
The Republic has an Alcatraz-type prison on the island of St. Kilda, one from which it's not an easy task to escape, if not actually impossible.
Who is the mysterious woman who lives on the island, unable to leave but apparently unrestricted by the prison guards?
Clan chief of the Campbells, MacCailean Mòr, attempts to rescue the love of his life from an Islay under the illegal military jurisdiction of Catriona MacLean.
And will David Brown, President Lamont's lackey, carry out his employer’s every last wish, or will he see the writing on the wall before it's too late?
It would be imprudent of me to answer any of the above queries, for so doing would take the form of an undesired 'spoiler alert'. Far better that you acquire a copy and find out for yourself. I guarantee that you will not be disappointed.
And for those who have not read the first two books in the trilogy, though I would highly recommend getting hold of them first, it is possible to enjoy every last twist and turn of BloodLine as a novel in its own right.
BP
BloodLine
Bloodline is available from C&E Roy, Shore Street, Bowmore and Amazon
September 1, 2021
First BloodLine Review in The Ileach
Dear all
I am delighted to say that the first formal review of my latest book BloodLine has been published by The Ileach, the independent newspaper for Islay and Jura. Those that have read my books will know that Islay features heavily – and especially in the latest book - so for the local paper to give it a positive review means a lot.
A short excerpt below:
“Bastin has all but perfected the art of carrying several narrative threads simultaneously, gently increasing the need to read ‘just one more chapter' by grasping the reader’s attention over a series of commendably short chapters…… It would be imprudent of me to answer any of the above queries, for so doing would take the form of an undesired 'spoiler alert'. Far better that you acquire a copy and find out for yourself. I guarantee that you will not be disappointed.”
Brian Palmer also kindly interviewed me and you can read a little more about the genesis of the series in the attached interview.
Many thanks to Brian Palmer and The Ileach!
August 29, 2021
BloodLine profiled in Oban Times
Many thanks to the Oban Times and Sandy Neil for their story on the publication of Bloodline.
But a few of my favourite parts include:
Explaining the inspiration behind his trilogy of thrillers, Nick told The Oban Times: ‘I have a deep respect for what the people of the Gàidhealtachd were doing.
‘It was a different country to the rest of Britain. It had no roads, nowhere to stay, and an unknown people speaking another language, but there was a strong culture.
‘All that changed after the Battle of Culloden.’
He wondered what the Gàidhealtachd would look like today if the clan system was updated to the 21st century.
What would they be doing now?
‘I started writing the first one in 2018,’ he said: ‘When you have the arc, the characters, what they are going to say, it comes very quickly. The Gaelic Republic was a play on the Lords of the Isles,’ he said. ‘Oban has a great location at the centre of the country, and a harbour.
‘What I enjoy most is people with no connection to Gaelic getting an exposure.
It is really rewarding to have complete strangers getting in touch saying: ‘That was great! When’s the next one?”
Read the full article (behind paywall) here: https://www.obantimes.co.uk/2021/08/29/what-if-bonnie-prince-charlie-had-won-the-battle-of-culloden/
Profile of BloodLine in the Oban Times
But a few of my favourite parts include:
Explaining the inspiration behind his trilogy of thrillers, Nick told The Oban Times: ‘I have a deep respect for what the people of the Gàidhealtachd were doing.
‘It was a different country to the rest of Britain. It had no roads, nowhere to stay, and an unknown people speaking another language, but there was a strong culture.
‘All that changed after the Battle of Culloden.’
He wondered what the Gàidhealtachd would look like today if the clan system was updated to the 21st century.
What would they be doing now?
‘I started writing the first one in 2018,’ he said: ‘When you have the arc, the characters, what they are going to say, it comes very quickly. The Gaelic Republic was a play on the Lords of the Isles,’ he said. ‘Oban has a great location at the centre of the country, and a harbour.
‘What I enjoy most is people with no connection to Gaelic getting an exposure.
It is really rewarding to have complete strangers getting in touch saying: ‘That was great! When’s the next one?”
Read the full article (behind paywall) here:
https://www.obantimes.co.uk/2021/08/2...
BloodLine
August 26, 2021
BloodLine Published!
I am so excited to let you know that BloodLine, the concluding novel in the Book of the Black Tower series, has been published today by the wonderful @Chiselbury Publishing – many thanks to @Stuart Leasor for his support.
It has been a great pleasure to write BloodLine and draw together all the story lines that have been capturing readers’ imagination in the previous books. Inevitably, some difficult choices have had to be made on the fate of certain characters but I hope you will enjoy the ride as much as I have writing it!
BloodLine’s story arcs are bound in high politics and low violence as the cast of characters try to navigate their way through their turbulent times. The story ranges across the Highlands and Islands, from the Republic’s capital in Oban and the mountain peaks of Argyll to St Kilda and the Isle of Islay.
In it you can also find the notation for The Reel of the Red Banner, a great tune written especially for the series by Ewen Henderson, one of Scotland’s leading traditional musicians (Mànran, Battlefield Band, Afro-Celt Sound System). The notation is also available on my website (and I will be making a recording available in a little while too!) – www.nick-bastin.com - I encourage you to check out his great music at www.ewen-henderson.com
BloodLine is available now on Kindle, hardback and paperback from Amazon (exclusively).
As for all aspiring writers, I cannot tell you how much your shares and reviews mean and how important they are for spreading the word and giving others the confidence to try something a bit different. If there is anyone you know that would enjoy a ripping yarn please spread the word!
Thank you so much for your support.
BloodLine
“The Republic is dead, let’s burn the corpse….”
President Lamont has total control of the Gaelic Republic and is ruthlessly eliminating his opponents one by one; no one is safe.
The Clan MacNachtan is battered and friendless, can it survive the assault of its many enemies?
Gillespie is in love but must now face his greatest test.
November 6, 2020
BloodFeud's first review - in the Ileach, the Independent Newspaper for Islay and Jura
My favourite parts include:
There are few opportunities to catch your breath…..
The premise behind the Black Tower series is superb, as is the writing…..
Compulsive doesn’t begin to describe it……
The sooner the third part arrives at the Ileach office, the better.
Thank you Ileach! http://www.ileach.co.uk/
You can read the full review below:
Bloodfeud. The Book of the Black Tower, volume 2 Nick Bastin. Paperback £6.99
In March this year, the Ileach reviewed the first instalment of a promised trilogy from author Nick Bastin. That first novel, ‘Bloodbond’ has now been quickly followed by the second instalment, entitled ‘Bloodfeud’, pretty much continuing where the first one left off. Nick told me that he’d not commenced writing Bloodfeud until the early part of this year. “It went quite quickly as the story just came out.”
The premise behind this ‘Black Tower’ series is that, rather than having been defeated at the Battle of Culloden in April 1746, the Duke of Cumberland was, in fact, felled by a pistol shot, subsequently changing the course of history
as we know it, and engendering a Scotland entirely different from the present day.
The western isles, including Islay and most of northern Scotland is now constituted as the Gaelic Republic, leaving only the eastern fringes of the country under the command of Scotland’s First Minister. The rest is still ruled by Scotland’s various clans, and they’re still every bit as unruly and belligerent as ever they were.
The clan central to Nick Bastin’s narrative, is that of the MacNachtan’s of Dunderave, which is now a burned-out castle near Inveraray. As a small clan, they ought to be a mere bit player in the various schemes and strategies,
but they seek revenge against Allan Stewart who, at the opening of ‘Bloodfeud’, still occupies their ancestral home.
But, just to throw a spanner in the narrative works, ‘Bloodfeud’ opens in Surrey County, Jamaica, on 30 June 1763, where Gilchrist MacNachtan has been held as a slave, but following his period of penitent hard-labour, he is about to be set free.
“With the setting of the sun, you have paid for your crime of rebellion against the King. […] You had the fortune to be captured alive, many of your fellow Gaels were not so lucky.” I doubt that it’s giving too much away to say that his captors then change the goalposts and rescind his freedom, forcing him to escape, killing but a few of those who stood in his way.
We then return to the present day, when a descendent of Gilchrist MacNachtan arrives at Scotland’s Gaelic Republic, a man who will play his part much later in the book, by challenging the Stewart occupiers of Dunderave Castle.
But, still the most important and ostensibly powerful man in the Republic is the head of the Clan Lamont. It is essentially he who has ‘allowed’ Allan Stewart to remain in Dunderave Castle, following his killing of the MacNachtan
clan chief in ‘Bloodbond’.
John Lamont is also a man who knows how to have others carry out his scheming, while concealing his involvement. He’s the man in charge of the Black Watch, supposedly the Republic’s peace-keepers, but with a rather brusque manner.
“Lamont knew he had to break a few eggs to make the omelette he had in mind. To do that, he had to play on the mutual enmity and rivalry of the other magnates, to keep them occupied and their eyes off the main game.”
The first chapter in Lamont’s strategy involves having Catriona Maclean of Duart invade and capture Islay. Though this act subsequently leaves her strategically weakened near her homeland, it also keeps her rivals occupied
while Lamont continues with his master plan.
There follows an attempt by Brighid and Nin MacNachtan to persuade MacLeod of Dunvegan to intervene in matters, but with more than just a few plot twists, including the Stewarts’ kidnapping of children as hostages, to have the reader really need to pay close attention. There are few opportunities to catch your breath.
The premise behind the Black Tower series is superb, as is the writing, greatly enhanced by the shortness of each chapter (there are a total of 53 in ‘Bloodfeud’). Compulsive doesn’t begin to describe it.
And in cheering news, Nick told me, “I am busy working on the third in the trilogy which I think could be the most exciting of all and in which Islay features a lot.” The sooner the third part arrives at the Ileach office, the better.
Bloodfeud is available from Amazon.
BloodFeud - the first review
Just had my first formal review of BloodFeud by the wonderful Ileach, the independent Newspaper for Islay and Jura.
My favourite parts include:
There are few opportunities to catch your breath…..
The premise behind the Black Tower series is superb, as is the writing…..
Compulsive doesn’t begin to describe it……
The sooner the third part arrives at the Ileach office, the better.
Thank you Ileach! http://www.ileach.co.uk/
You can read the full review below:
BloodFeud. The Book of the Black Tower, volume 2 Nick Bastin. Paperback £6.99
In March this year, the Ileach reviewed the first instalment of a promised trilogy from author Nick Bastin. That first novel, ‘BloodBond’ has now been quickly followed by the second instalment, entitled ‘BloodFeud’, pretty much continuing where the first one left off. Nick told me that he’d not commenced writing BloodFeud until the early part of this year. “It went quite quickly as the story just came out.”
The premise behind this ‘Black Tower’ series is that, rather than having been defeated at the Battle of Culloden in April 1746, the Duke of Cumberland was, in fact, felled by a pistol shot, subsequently changing the course of history
as we know it, and engendering a Scotland entirely different from the present day.
The western isles, including Islay and most of northern Scotland is now constituted as the Gaelic Republic, leaving only the eastern fringes of the country under the command of Scotland’s First Minister. The rest is still ruled by Scotland’s various clans, and they’re still every bit as unruly and belligerent as ever they were.
The clan central to Nick Bastin’s narrative, is that of the MacNachtan’s of Dunderave, which is now a burned-out castle near Inveraray. As a small clan, they ought to be a mere bit player in the various schemes and strategies,
but they seek revenge against Allan Stewart who, at the opening of ‘Bloodfeud’, still occupies their ancestral home.
But, just to throw a spanner in the narrative works, ‘BloodFeud’ opens in Surrey County, Jamaica, on 30 June 1763, where Gilchrist MacNachtan has been held as a slave, but following his period of penitent hard-labour, he is about to be set free.
“With the setting of the sun, you have paid for your crime of rebellion against the King. […] You had the fortune to be captured alive, many of your fellow Gaels were not so lucky.” I doubt that it’s giving too much away to say that his captors then change the goalposts and rescind his freedom, forcing him to escape, killing but a few of those who stood in his way.
We then return to the present day, when a descendent of Gilchrist MacNachtan arrives at Scotland’s Gaelic Republic, a man who will play his part much later in the book, by challenging the Stewart occupiers of Dunderave Castle.
But, still the most important and ostensibly powerful man in the Republic is the head of the Clan Lamont. It is essentially he who has ‘allowed’ Allan Stewart to remain in Dunderave Castle, following his killing of the MacNachtan clan chief in ‘BloodBond’.
John Lamont is also a man who knows how to have others carry out his scheming, while concealing his involvement. He’s the man in charge of the Black Watch, supposedly the Republic’s peace-keepers, but with a rather brusque manner.
“Lamont knew he had to break a few eggs to make the omelette he had in mind. To do that, he had to play on the mutual enmity and rivalry of the other magnates, to keep them occupied and their eyes off the main game.”
The first chapter in Lamont’s strategy involves having Catriona Maclean of Duart invade and capture Islay. Though this act subsequently leaves her strategically weakened near her homeland, it also keeps her rivals occupied while Lamont continues with his master plan.
There follows an attempt by Brighid and Nin MacNachtan to persuade MacLeod of Dunvegan to intervene in matters, but with more than just a few plot twists, including the Stewarts’ kidnapping of children as hostages, to have the reader really need to pay close attention. There are few opportunities to catch your breath.
The premise behind the Black Tower series is superb, as is the writing, greatly enhanced by the shortness of each chapter (there are a total of 53 in ‘BloodFeud’). Compulsive doesn’t begin to describe it.
And in cheering news, Nick told me, “I am busy working on the third in the trilogy which I think could be the most exciting of all and in which Islay features a lot.” The sooner the third part arrives at the Ileach office, the better.
BloodFeud is available from Amazon.
September 20, 2020
BloodFeud - my new book
I am very excited to say that I have finished my second novel, a sequel to BloodBond.
Called BloodFeud, it continues the journey of the cast of characters and has plenty of tense and exciting moments – well I would say that wouldn’t I!
I am also very excited to be able to reveal that Ewen Henderson, one of Scotland’s leading traditional musicians (Mànran, Battlefield Band, Afro-Celt Sound System), has written a great tune for Strong Stands the Black Tower and the notation is included in the book, so you can play along should you wish to.
Due for publication on the 17 September – the date that Bonnie Prince Charlie entered Edinburgh in triumph in 1745 – it is available now for pre-order on Kindle and will also be available in paperback (only available to order in paperback from the 17th though).
I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
To the Last Drop…..
BloodFeud is the sequel to BloodBond, the fast-paced thriller set in an alternate contemporary Britain, where the Highlands and Islands of Scotland have become the Gaelic Republic following Bonnie Prince Charlie’s unexpected victory at the Battle of Culloden.
The Gaelic Republic is in turmoil; John Lamont’s schemes have triggered unrest all along the west coast as rival magnates vie with each other for power. Will his plans to seize control come to fruition or will the Republic’s institutions be able to contain his ambition?
The Clan MacNachtan’s fortunes are at a low ebb; with the evil Allan Stewart occupying Dunderave, their future looks bleak. Will they be consumed by the growing chaos around them?
Gillespie wants to return home, to continue the life he once knew, but he finds that leaving the Republic and its dangers behind is not so easy.
BloodFeud builds on the tension and momentum of BloodBond, revisiting the cast of characters and their struggles to survive, from the jagged precipices of the Cuillin Hills in Skye to the nefarious politics of the capital.
September 4, 2020
My new book - BloodFeud
Called BloodFeud, it continues the journey of the cast of characters and has plenty of tense and exciting moments – well I would say that wouldn’t I!
I am also very excited to be able to reveal that Ewen Henderson, one of Scotland’s leading traditional musicians (Mànran, Battlefield Band, Afro-Celt Sound System), has written a great tune for Strong Stands the Black Tower and the notation is included in the book, so you can play along should you wish to.
Due for publication on the 17 September – the date that Bonnie Prince Charlie entered Edinburgh in triumph in 1745 – it is available now for pre-order on Kindle and will also be available in paperback (only available to order in paperback from the 17th though).
I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
To the Last Drop…..
BloodFeud is the sequel to BloodBond, the fast-paced thriller set in an alternate contemporary Britain, where the Highlands and Islands of Scotland have become the Gaelic Republic following Bonnie Prince Charlie’s unexpected victory at the Battle of Culloden.
The Gaelic Republic is in turmoil; John Lamont’s schemes have triggered unrest all along the west coast as rival magnates vie with each other for power. Will his plans to seize control come to fruition or will the Republic’s institutions be able to contain his ambition?
The Clan MacNachtan’s fortunes are at a low ebb; with the evil Allan Stewart occupying Dunderave, their future looks bleak. Will they be consumed by the growing chaos around them?
Gillespie wants to return home, to continue the life he once knew, but he finds that leaving the Republic and its dangers behind is not so easy.
BloodFeud builds on the tension and momentum of BloodBond, revisiting the cast of characters and their struggles to survive, from the jagged precipices of the Cuillin Hills in Skye to the nefarious politics of the capital.
