Wesley Britton's Blog, page 30
September 20, 2017
Author Preston Fleming announces new alternative historical novel, Maid of Baikal
After a three-year hiatus, author Preston Fleming is excited to announce that his
new novel, MAID OF BAIKAL, will be released via Amazon.com on October 15.
Promotional material for the book has already gone live on Amazon, at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075RRR682/
Preston considers MAID OF BAIKAL his best work yet and hopes you will give some thought to pre-ordering the eBook on Amazon for delivery to your computer, tablet or eReader.
KIRKUS REVIEWS calls MAID OF BAIKAL: "A Russian war story that lives and breathes from a writer at the peak of his powers.”
Here is what MAID OF BAIKAL is all about:
What if a Siberian Joan of Arc had rescued the White Armies at a critical point of the Russian Civil War in 1919?
MAID OF BAIKAL offers an alternative outcome to that war through the intervention of Zhanna Dorokhina, a young woman from the shores of Siberia’s Lake Baikal.
Like the historical Maid of Orleans in medieval France, better known as Joan of Arc, Zhanna displays a charisma and military prowess that win her command of a Siberian army to defend her homeland against the Bolshevik Terror.
MAID OF BAIKAL is a richly imagined speculation on the Russian Civil War that vividly portrays its violence, bitterness, and hardship, while telling the inspirational story of a determined young woman who perseveres in the face of overwhelming obstacles and who dies for her beliefs, not knowing whether her dreams will ever be realized.
new novel, MAID OF BAIKAL, will be released via Amazon.com on October 15.
Promotional material for the book has already gone live on Amazon, at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075RRR682/
Preston considers MAID OF BAIKAL his best work yet and hopes you will give some thought to pre-ordering the eBook on Amazon for delivery to your computer, tablet or eReader.
KIRKUS REVIEWS calls MAID OF BAIKAL: "A Russian war story that lives and breathes from a writer at the peak of his powers.”
Here is what MAID OF BAIKAL is all about:
What if a Siberian Joan of Arc had rescued the White Armies at a critical point of the Russian Civil War in 1919?
MAID OF BAIKAL offers an alternative outcome to that war through the intervention of Zhanna Dorokhina, a young woman from the shores of Siberia’s Lake Baikal.
Like the historical Maid of Orleans in medieval France, better known as Joan of Arc, Zhanna displays a charisma and military prowess that win her command of a Siberian army to defend her homeland against the Bolshevik Terror.
MAID OF BAIKAL is a richly imagined speculation on the Russian Civil War that vividly portrays its violence, bitterness, and hardship, while telling the inspirational story of a determined young woman who perseveres in the face of overwhelming obstacles and who dies for her beliefs, not knowing whether her dreams will ever be realized.
September 19, 2017
Book Review: Bright Eyes, Ape City: Examining the Planet of the Apes Mythos edited by Rich Handley and Joseph F. Berenato
Bright Eyes, Ape City: Examining the Planet of the Apes Mythos
Edited by Rich Handley and Joseph F. Berenato
Paperback:306 pages
Publisher:Sequart Research & Literacy Organization (March 13, 2017)
ISBN-10:1940589150
ISBN-13:978-1940589152
https://www.amazon.com/Bright-Eyes-Ap...
Reviewed by Dr. Wesley Britton
Many times over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of reading and reviewing a number of essay collections published by the Sequart Research & Literacy Organization. Sequart specializes in analytical explorations of popular culture figures, especially characters like Batman and the X-men who have roles in both comics and on screen as well as sci fi phenomena like Star Trek in their comic incarnations.
Naturally, the publisher’s first look into Planet of the Apes lore began with 2015’s The Sacred Scrolls: Comics on the Planet of the Apes edited by the same team responsible for this year’s comprehensive look into, well, pretty much every other incarnation of Apes projects. This includes analyses of Ape films, books, TV shows, even British rodeos. British ape rodeos?
In fact, nearly every page of Bright Eyes, Ape City is filled to the brim with surprising historical tidbits and well-considered perspectives from Ape experts and self-admitted Ape geeks. Appropriately, the essays begin with Robert Greenberger’s “Welcome to the Monkey Planet,” an appreciation of author Pierre Boulle’s 1963 novel where it all began.
I suspect most serious Ape geeks will want to compare their own perceptions with the essays that discuss the first five films, including “Love Conquerors All: Sci-Fi's Greatest - and Most Feminist – Couple” by Ian Brill, “Nothing Ape is Strange to Me: Looking at Escape and Conquest Through the Eyes of a Zoo Professional” by Corinna Bechko, “The Second American Revolution: Did Another Coup on U.S. Soil Precede the
Apes' Own Conquest?”by Jim Johnson and “The Mis-Shape of Things to Come: Paul Dehn's Planet of the Apes” by Neil Moxham. Throughout this section of the book, the critics explore the social commentary and religious imagery on the large screen, and we are teased with speculations about some of the series unconnected plot points.
But if you want to prove just how serious an Ape geek you are, you gotta know about and care about the short-lived live and animated TV shows as explored in “It's a Madhouse Every Week!” by Dayton Ward, “Escaping to Tomorrow: The TV Series Novelizations” by John Roche, and “Saturday-Morning Simians: Animating the Planet of the Apes” by Zaki Hasan. No, if you want to earn your Ape geek merit badge, you gotta know about and certainly care about the live arena shows and British rodeos as recalled by Dave Ballard.
Most general readers will be interested in the analyses of the more recent ape films, beginning with editor Rich Handley’s “800-Pound Gorilla in the Room,” his re-evaluation of the much-maliegned Tim Burton reboot. Then, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and this year’s War for the Planet of the Apes are compared and contrasted with the first five ape films in Edward Gross’s “Caesar: A Tale of Two Kings.”
But the real diving into Ape ephemera can be found in Steven J. Roby’s examination of the film novelizations, Paul Simpson’s review of the film scores, and everything else you can possibly imagine in “Before, Beneath, Beyond, and Between the Covers of the Planet of the Apes: A Meditation on Precursors, Predecessors, Ripples, and Rip-offs” by Stephen R. Bissette and “Ape Shall Never Spoof Ape: Skits, Parodies, and Piss-Takes” by Matthew J. Elliott .
Clearly, most readers of this collection will be die-hard ape aficionados. Other sci fi geeks will likely want to explore some, if not all, of the offerings. All film and popular culture libraries should shelf this entry, as well as the rest of the catalogue of the Sequart Research & Literacy Organization. Looking at the article titles alone should signal these are intellectual and scholarly critiques, not simple, affectionate fan blog pieces.
This review first appeared at BookPleasures.com on Sept. 19, 2017 at:
http://dpli.ir/faXjyn
Edited by Rich Handley and Joseph F. Berenato
Paperback:306 pages
Publisher:Sequart Research & Literacy Organization (March 13, 2017)
ISBN-10:1940589150
ISBN-13:978-1940589152
https://www.amazon.com/Bright-Eyes-Ap...
Reviewed by Dr. Wesley Britton
Many times over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of reading and reviewing a number of essay collections published by the Sequart Research & Literacy Organization. Sequart specializes in analytical explorations of popular culture figures, especially characters like Batman and the X-men who have roles in both comics and on screen as well as sci fi phenomena like Star Trek in their comic incarnations.
Naturally, the publisher’s first look into Planet of the Apes lore began with 2015’s The Sacred Scrolls: Comics on the Planet of the Apes edited by the same team responsible for this year’s comprehensive look into, well, pretty much every other incarnation of Apes projects. This includes analyses of Ape films, books, TV shows, even British rodeos. British ape rodeos?
In fact, nearly every page of Bright Eyes, Ape City is filled to the brim with surprising historical tidbits and well-considered perspectives from Ape experts and self-admitted Ape geeks. Appropriately, the essays begin with Robert Greenberger’s “Welcome to the Monkey Planet,” an appreciation of author Pierre Boulle’s 1963 novel where it all began.
I suspect most serious Ape geeks will want to compare their own perceptions with the essays that discuss the first five films, including “Love Conquerors All: Sci-Fi's Greatest - and Most Feminist – Couple” by Ian Brill, “Nothing Ape is Strange to Me: Looking at Escape and Conquest Through the Eyes of a Zoo Professional” by Corinna Bechko, “The Second American Revolution: Did Another Coup on U.S. Soil Precede the
Apes' Own Conquest?”by Jim Johnson and “The Mis-Shape of Things to Come: Paul Dehn's Planet of the Apes” by Neil Moxham. Throughout this section of the book, the critics explore the social commentary and religious imagery on the large screen, and we are teased with speculations about some of the series unconnected plot points.
But if you want to prove just how serious an Ape geek you are, you gotta know about and care about the short-lived live and animated TV shows as explored in “It's a Madhouse Every Week!” by Dayton Ward, “Escaping to Tomorrow: The TV Series Novelizations” by John Roche, and “Saturday-Morning Simians: Animating the Planet of the Apes” by Zaki Hasan. No, if you want to earn your Ape geek merit badge, you gotta know about and certainly care about the live arena shows and British rodeos as recalled by Dave Ballard.
Most general readers will be interested in the analyses of the more recent ape films, beginning with editor Rich Handley’s “800-Pound Gorilla in the Room,” his re-evaluation of the much-maliegned Tim Burton reboot. Then, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and this year’s War for the Planet of the Apes are compared and contrasted with the first five ape films in Edward Gross’s “Caesar: A Tale of Two Kings.”
But the real diving into Ape ephemera can be found in Steven J. Roby’s examination of the film novelizations, Paul Simpson’s review of the film scores, and everything else you can possibly imagine in “Before, Beneath, Beyond, and Between the Covers of the Planet of the Apes: A Meditation on Precursors, Predecessors, Ripples, and Rip-offs” by Stephen R. Bissette and “Ape Shall Never Spoof Ape: Skits, Parodies, and Piss-Takes” by Matthew J. Elliott .
Clearly, most readers of this collection will be die-hard ape aficionados. Other sci fi geeks will likely want to explore some, if not all, of the offerings. All film and popular culture libraries should shelf this entry, as well as the rest of the catalogue of the Sequart Research & Literacy Organization. Looking at the article titles alone should signal these are intellectual and scholarly critiques, not simple, affectionate fan blog pieces.
This review first appeared at BookPleasures.com on Sept. 19, 2017 at:
http://dpli.ir/faXjyn
September 18, 2017
15% off all Beta-Earth books until December 31!
Through December 31, 2017, 12:00 p.m. (EST), all of BearManor Media’s e-books are 15% off! That includes all of the Beta-Earth Chronicles, books 1-5!
Visit BearManor Media’s ebook store on Selz.com at:
https://bearmanormedia.selz.com/
Fill out your shopping cart, and then
enter the discount code:
X05RCWUZ
What a great opportunity to collect the entire Beta-Earth series at a discount price!
Visit BearManor Media’s ebook store on Selz.com at:
https://bearmanormedia.selz.com/
Fill out your shopping cart, and then
enter the discount code:
X05RCWUZ
What a great opportunity to collect the entire Beta-Earth series at a discount price!
September 16, 2017
Book Review: Pigs by John Henry Bennet
Pigs
John Henry Bennet
Paperback: 392 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (August 5, 2012)
ISBN-10: 1478360429
ISBN-13: 978-1478360421
https://www.amazon.com/Pigs-John-Henr...
Reviewed by Dr. Wesley Britton
I’m perhaps coining a somewhat inaccurate term, but while reading Pigs I felt like I was experiencing my first espionage procedural. That’s because, page after unfolding page, I really felt like I was witnessing a layered series of events in a very realistic “you are there” documentary style.
It all begins with the actual Buncefield Oil Terminal disaster of Sunday, December 11, 2005. It was the largest explosion on mainland Britain since WWII. In reality, it took years for any causes to be identified—it was finally determined that likely a failure with a switch or alarm attached to one tank resulted in an oil overflow that night.
But in Benet’s imagination, while investigators weren’t initially sure if the disaster was an accident or a terrorist act, readers are quickly notified it was a bomb planted by an Islamic agent in a “pig,” a device used to clean oil pipes. In the story, investigators were hampered by having no one taking credit for the strike. That was and is unusual behavior for Jihadists who usually want very public recognition for their blows against the West.
In the aftermath of the explosion, we are taken to the offices of important government ministers, the offices of intelligence officers who are British, French, and Israeli, observe camera clicking surveillance teams, and go into meetings of a multi-national terrorist cell. We meet a wide cast of well-drawn characters and follow them around, step by step, day by day, as they methodically determine just who was responsible for the explosion. And, as the story progresses, we watch the terrorists hatch their next scheme to blow up an oil platform in Qatar, a country they consider too cozy with the West. That’s just the next item on their vicious wish list before a serious attempt to plant a dirty bomb in London.
With his background, it shouldn’t be surprising that Bennet was able to fill his yarn with so much international verisimilitude. While serving in the British army, he spent time in the Middle East before he had a commercial career in the UK, France, the Middle East and Gulf. His travels included London, Paris, Doha Qatar, Dubai UAE, Jeddah Saudi Arabia, Eastern Europe, Hungary, Russia, Asia, North America, and Africa. His publicity doesn’t indicate any background in intelligence, so we don’t know if experience or research lead to all those operational details and personal interactions he provides.
Before the increasingly exciting final 100 pages or so, there is little glamour in the investigations, very minimal violence, little high drama or pyrotechnics, many interagency turf wars, and the obligatory politicos working to make sure no blame falls on them. In addition, we see much simple low-tech legwork in various settings before it all comes together in a London showdown where another pig is employed in the heart of the city’s sewer system.
So Bennet’s Mi-6 operative Harry Baxter, head of a three person team looking into the possibility of terrorism in the Buncefield disaster, is a very believable globe trotter in the trilogy that began with Pigs and continued in Porkies (2015) and Lies, Damn Lies (May 2017). You can be sure—this reviewer plans to read the other two volumes this year. For those who like their spy adventures down-to-earth, topical, and down-and-dirty without the exaggerated elements of the likes of Fleming, Ludlum, or Higgins, give Pigs a try. It’s an engrossing ride even without the over-the-top aspects of other thriller writers.
This review first appeared at BookPleasures.com on Sept. 16, 2017 at:
http://dpli.ir/4zCg4C
John Henry Bennet
Paperback: 392 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (August 5, 2012)
ISBN-10: 1478360429
ISBN-13: 978-1478360421
https://www.amazon.com/Pigs-John-Henr...
Reviewed by Dr. Wesley Britton
I’m perhaps coining a somewhat inaccurate term, but while reading Pigs I felt like I was experiencing my first espionage procedural. That’s because, page after unfolding page, I really felt like I was witnessing a layered series of events in a very realistic “you are there” documentary style.
It all begins with the actual Buncefield Oil Terminal disaster of Sunday, December 11, 2005. It was the largest explosion on mainland Britain since WWII. In reality, it took years for any causes to be identified—it was finally determined that likely a failure with a switch or alarm attached to one tank resulted in an oil overflow that night.
But in Benet’s imagination, while investigators weren’t initially sure if the disaster was an accident or a terrorist act, readers are quickly notified it was a bomb planted by an Islamic agent in a “pig,” a device used to clean oil pipes. In the story, investigators were hampered by having no one taking credit for the strike. That was and is unusual behavior for Jihadists who usually want very public recognition for their blows against the West.
In the aftermath of the explosion, we are taken to the offices of important government ministers, the offices of intelligence officers who are British, French, and Israeli, observe camera clicking surveillance teams, and go into meetings of a multi-national terrorist cell. We meet a wide cast of well-drawn characters and follow them around, step by step, day by day, as they methodically determine just who was responsible for the explosion. And, as the story progresses, we watch the terrorists hatch their next scheme to blow up an oil platform in Qatar, a country they consider too cozy with the West. That’s just the next item on their vicious wish list before a serious attempt to plant a dirty bomb in London.
With his background, it shouldn’t be surprising that Bennet was able to fill his yarn with so much international verisimilitude. While serving in the British army, he spent time in the Middle East before he had a commercial career in the UK, France, the Middle East and Gulf. His travels included London, Paris, Doha Qatar, Dubai UAE, Jeddah Saudi Arabia, Eastern Europe, Hungary, Russia, Asia, North America, and Africa. His publicity doesn’t indicate any background in intelligence, so we don’t know if experience or research lead to all those operational details and personal interactions he provides.
Before the increasingly exciting final 100 pages or so, there is little glamour in the investigations, very minimal violence, little high drama or pyrotechnics, many interagency turf wars, and the obligatory politicos working to make sure no blame falls on them. In addition, we see much simple low-tech legwork in various settings before it all comes together in a London showdown where another pig is employed in the heart of the city’s sewer system.
So Bennet’s Mi-6 operative Harry Baxter, head of a three person team looking into the possibility of terrorism in the Buncefield disaster, is a very believable globe trotter in the trilogy that began with Pigs and continued in Porkies (2015) and Lies, Damn Lies (May 2017). You can be sure—this reviewer plans to read the other two volumes this year. For those who like their spy adventures down-to-earth, topical, and down-and-dirty without the exaggerated elements of the likes of Fleming, Ludlum, or Higgins, give Pigs a try. It’s an engrossing ride even without the over-the-top aspects of other thriller writers.
This review first appeared at BookPleasures.com on Sept. 16, 2017 at:
http://dpli.ir/4zCg4C
September 15, 2017
Check out the brand-new covers for the Beta-Earth Chronicles!
At long last, you can now see all the new Sharon Lipman replacement covers for books 2-5 of the Beta-Earth Chronicles at the series’ official website. (More new material to come--)
https://drwesleybritton.com/
https://drwesleybritton.com/
September 12, 2017
Announcing: In Times of Violence by Karina Kandas
Announcing: In Times of Violence
By Karina Kandas
MC Romance Young Adult Edition
"In Times of Violence had an addictive storyline. I actually got up in the middle of the night to finish reading it. I loved Jade, although I don't fully understand her or her motives."
"Do not miss this book. Jade, Marcus and Dylan will bring out the feels."
"Remember it's not always blood relatives that make a family!"
˃˃˃ From the Author
In Times of Violence is very special to me. Some parts of the book are taken from my own experiences as a young adult. This coming of age story needed to be told. It was thanks to S.E.Hinton's The Outsiders, that In Times Of Violence was written.
I hope you enjoy the book.
Order and start reading now
http://bit.ly/ITOVYAE
About the author
Karina Kantas is not a stranger when it comes to motorbikes and MCs. Since a young age, Karina has had bikers involved in her life. Rock music and motorbikes go hand in hand as she used to sing lead in a rock band and rides a Virago 250.
In Times of Violence was originally written as a YA as Karina was 19 when she broke up with her first love, a biker she had been seeing for four years.
Then there were three more Outlaw MC novels; Huntress, Lawless Justice and Road Rage. In between writing those books, she published a YA supernatural thriller - Stone Cold, and two collections of short stories - Heads & Tales and Undressed.
Now it didn’t seem right to have a YA in a collection of 18+ novels. So, Karina listened to her readers when they told her to have two versions of In Times of Violence. An 18+ to remain in the Outlaw series and then a YA Edition.
After putting the four MC books together into the OUTLAW series, Karina then turned her hand to fantasy and has won many awards for her romantic paranormal fantasy, Illusional Reality and it has since become her best seller. Illusional Reality, The Quest, the concluding part of this duology will be released 12/2017 2017
If being an author of nine books, and singing in a bar in the summer, isn’t enough to keep her busy, Karina single handedly runs Author Assist, services for new and established authors. She has an excellent reputation within the indie community and has worked with many award winning, bestselling authors. Karina is also a radio show host on one of the largest independent radio networks.
You can be part of this special show that highlights unknown and best-selling authors, and gives those that are lost a clear path to follow. Author Assist with Karina Kantas needs your help to continue. Please take a moment to look.
https://www.patreon.com/AuthorAssist
Thank you.
KK
OUTLAW series FaceBook page: http://bit.ly/AOMCA
Amazon: http://bit.ly/KarinaKantas
Sign up to my mailing list and get the latest news, updates and learn about some bargain books and special offers, and I will send you a free gift with your first email.
http://bit.ly/KKAML
Website: http://bit.ly/BLOGKK
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/KKGRE
Google +: http://bit.ly/KKGOO
Instagram: http://bit.ly/INSTKK
FaceBook: http://bit.ly/FBFPKK
Twitter: http://bit.ly/TwittKK
By Karina Kandas
MC Romance Young Adult Edition
"In Times of Violence had an addictive storyline. I actually got up in the middle of the night to finish reading it. I loved Jade, although I don't fully understand her or her motives."
"Do not miss this book. Jade, Marcus and Dylan will bring out the feels."
"Remember it's not always blood relatives that make a family!"
˃˃˃ From the Author
In Times of Violence is very special to me. Some parts of the book are taken from my own experiences as a young adult. This coming of age story needed to be told. It was thanks to S.E.Hinton's The Outsiders, that In Times Of Violence was written.
I hope you enjoy the book.
Order and start reading now
http://bit.ly/ITOVYAE
About the author
Karina Kantas is not a stranger when it comes to motorbikes and MCs. Since a young age, Karina has had bikers involved in her life. Rock music and motorbikes go hand in hand as she used to sing lead in a rock band and rides a Virago 250.
In Times of Violence was originally written as a YA as Karina was 19 when she broke up with her first love, a biker she had been seeing for four years.
Then there were three more Outlaw MC novels; Huntress, Lawless Justice and Road Rage. In between writing those books, she published a YA supernatural thriller - Stone Cold, and two collections of short stories - Heads & Tales and Undressed.
Now it didn’t seem right to have a YA in a collection of 18+ novels. So, Karina listened to her readers when they told her to have two versions of In Times of Violence. An 18+ to remain in the Outlaw series and then a YA Edition.
After putting the four MC books together into the OUTLAW series, Karina then turned her hand to fantasy and has won many awards for her romantic paranormal fantasy, Illusional Reality and it has since become her best seller. Illusional Reality, The Quest, the concluding part of this duology will be released 12/2017 2017
If being an author of nine books, and singing in a bar in the summer, isn’t enough to keep her busy, Karina single handedly runs Author Assist, services for new and established authors. She has an excellent reputation within the indie community and has worked with many award winning, bestselling authors. Karina is also a radio show host on one of the largest independent radio networks.
You can be part of this special show that highlights unknown and best-selling authors, and gives those that are lost a clear path to follow. Author Assist with Karina Kantas needs your help to continue. Please take a moment to look.
https://www.patreon.com/AuthorAssist
Thank you.
KK
OUTLAW series FaceBook page: http://bit.ly/AOMCA
Amazon: http://bit.ly/KarinaKantas
Sign up to my mailing list and get the latest news, updates and learn about some bargain books and special offers, and I will send you a free gift with your first email.
http://bit.ly/KKAML
Website: http://bit.ly/BLOGKK
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/KKGRE
Google +: http://bit.ly/KKGOO
Instagram: http://bit.ly/INSTKK
FaceBook: http://bit.ly/FBFPKK
Twitter: http://bit.ly/TwittKK
Announcing: The Tercentennial Baron By Will Damron
Press Release:
The Tercentennial Baron
By Will Damron
Narrated by Tim Gerard Reynolds
Coming October 20th in print and ebook and October 27th in audiobook from major retailers everywhere.
Will Damron has narrated over 200 audiobooks, all with his own idea for a novel brewing in his head: a young boy in Scotland meets 300-year-old supernatural being, who introduces him to a secret and deadly paranormal world.
After extensive research into Scottish culture and history, as well as Celtic mythology, the bones of the novel began to take shape. What began as a spooky encounter between Percival, a boy of 13, and the Tercentennial Baron, an ageless warrior who fought his way through famous battles, evolved into a sweeping historical fantasy, built from actual defining moments in Scottish history.
At its heart, it is simply a tale of two very different young men trying to find their way in a dangerous world. And Percival happens to be armed with a secret stash of books on the supernatural. With these books, and the Baron’s help, he fights to save his home of Bonnybield from an ancient, demonic evil.
Will became aware of Tim’s work as a fellow voice artist, and after hearing him perform fantasy-adventures like Jonathan Renshaw’s Dawn of Wonder, decided he was the man to narrate The Tercentennial Baron. Tim brought the authenticity of his upbringing in the Celtic isles, as well as his formidable knowledge of the French and Italian the book required, to his performance. Together, Tim and Will collaborated to create a true sense of the historical setting for the fantasy world of the audiobook.
Tim remarked about narrating the book: “The paths of both these protagonists come together in a spectacular and thrilling fashion that practically leapt off the page for me. There's nothing quite so satisfying than narrating a tautly written story such as this — the ending floored me!”
About the author:
Will Damron is an award-winning audiobook narrator who has recorded books in virtually every genre, from fantasy to sci-fi, YA, romance, thriller, nonfiction, and literary fiction. He was raised on a 350-year-old farm in southern Virginia, where reading was just about the only reliable pastime. His narration work has earned him multiple AudioFile Magazine Earphones Awards, two Voice Arts Awards, and an Audie Award.
About the narrator:
Tim Gerard Reynolds has received multiple AudioFile Magazine Earphones Awards, and has been named as one of best narrators of the year in 2014, 2015 and 2016. In 2016, three books he narrated were among the highest grossing audiobooks in the country. Tim has been nominated for both Audie and Voice Arts Awards. A native of Ireland, he has performed onstage Off-Broadway and throughout the US and Europe.
Press Release:
The Tercentennial Baron
By Will Damron
Narrated by Tim Gerard Reynolds
Coming October 20th in print and ebook and October 27th in audiobook from major retailers everywhere.
Will Damron has narrated over 200 audiobooks, all with his own idea for a novel brewing in his head: a young boy in Scotland meets 300-year-old supernatural being, who introduces him to a secret and deadly paranormal world.
After extensive research into Scottish culture and history, as well as Celtic mythology, the bones of the novel began to take shape. What began as a spooky encounter between Percival, a boy of 13, and the Tercentennial Baron, an ageless warrior who fought his way through famous battles, evolved into a sweeping historical fantasy, built from actual defining moments in Scottish history.
At its heart, it is simply a tale of two very different young men trying to find their way in a dangerous world. And Percival happens to be armed with a secret stash of books on the supernatural. With these books, and the Baron’s help, he fights to save his home of Bonnybield from an ancient, demonic evil.
Will became aware of Tim’s work as a fellow voice artist, and after hearing him perform fantasy-adventures like Jonathan Renshaw’s Dawn of Wonder, decided he was the man to narrate The Tercentennial Baron. Tim brought the authenticity of his upbringing in the Celtic isles, as well as his formidable knowledge of the French and Italian the book required, to his performance. Together, Tim and Will collaborated to create a true sense of the historical setting for the fantasy world of the audiobook.
Tim remarked about narrating the book: “The paths of both these protagonists come together in a spectacular and thrilling fashion that practically leapt off the page for me. There's nothing quite so satisfying than narrating a tautly written story such as this — the ending floored me!”
About the author:
Will Damron is an award-winning audiobook narrator who has recorded books in virtually every genre, from fantasy to sci-fi, YA, romance, thriller, nonfiction, and literary fiction. He was raised on a 350-year-old farm in southern Virginia, where reading was just about the only reliable pastime. His narration work has earned him multiple AudioFile Magazine Earphones Awards, two Voice Arts Awards, and an Audie Award.
About the narrator:
Tim Gerard Reynolds has received multiple AudioFile Magazine Earphones Awards, and has been named as one of best narrators of the year in 2014, 2015 and 2016. In 2016, three books he narrated were among the highest grossing audiobooks in the country. Tim has been nominated for both Audie and Voice Arts Awards. A native of Ireland, he has performed onstage Off-Broadway and throughout the US and Europe.
The Tercentennial Baron
By Will Damron
Narrated by Tim Gerard Reynolds
Coming October 20th in print and ebook and October 27th in audiobook from major retailers everywhere.
Will Damron has narrated over 200 audiobooks, all with his own idea for a novel brewing in his head: a young boy in Scotland meets 300-year-old supernatural being, who introduces him to a secret and deadly paranormal world.
After extensive research into Scottish culture and history, as well as Celtic mythology, the bones of the novel began to take shape. What began as a spooky encounter between Percival, a boy of 13, and the Tercentennial Baron, an ageless warrior who fought his way through famous battles, evolved into a sweeping historical fantasy, built from actual defining moments in Scottish history.
At its heart, it is simply a tale of two very different young men trying to find their way in a dangerous world. And Percival happens to be armed with a secret stash of books on the supernatural. With these books, and the Baron’s help, he fights to save his home of Bonnybield from an ancient, demonic evil.
Will became aware of Tim’s work as a fellow voice artist, and after hearing him perform fantasy-adventures like Jonathan Renshaw’s Dawn of Wonder, decided he was the man to narrate The Tercentennial Baron. Tim brought the authenticity of his upbringing in the Celtic isles, as well as his formidable knowledge of the French and Italian the book required, to his performance. Together, Tim and Will collaborated to create a true sense of the historical setting for the fantasy world of the audiobook.
Tim remarked about narrating the book: “The paths of both these protagonists come together in a spectacular and thrilling fashion that practically leapt off the page for me. There's nothing quite so satisfying than narrating a tautly written story such as this — the ending floored me!”
About the author:
Will Damron is an award-winning audiobook narrator who has recorded books in virtually every genre, from fantasy to sci-fi, YA, romance, thriller, nonfiction, and literary fiction. He was raised on a 350-year-old farm in southern Virginia, where reading was just about the only reliable pastime. His narration work has earned him multiple AudioFile Magazine Earphones Awards, two Voice Arts Awards, and an Audie Award.
About the narrator:
Tim Gerard Reynolds has received multiple AudioFile Magazine Earphones Awards, and has been named as one of best narrators of the year in 2014, 2015 and 2016. In 2016, three books he narrated were among the highest grossing audiobooks in the country. Tim has been nominated for both Audie and Voice Arts Awards. A native of Ireland, he has performed onstage Off-Broadway and throughout the US and Europe.
Press Release:
The Tercentennial Baron
By Will Damron
Narrated by Tim Gerard Reynolds
Coming October 20th in print and ebook and October 27th in audiobook from major retailers everywhere.
Will Damron has narrated over 200 audiobooks, all with his own idea for a novel brewing in his head: a young boy in Scotland meets 300-year-old supernatural being, who introduces him to a secret and deadly paranormal world.
After extensive research into Scottish culture and history, as well as Celtic mythology, the bones of the novel began to take shape. What began as a spooky encounter between Percival, a boy of 13, and the Tercentennial Baron, an ageless warrior who fought his way through famous battles, evolved into a sweeping historical fantasy, built from actual defining moments in Scottish history.
At its heart, it is simply a tale of two very different young men trying to find their way in a dangerous world. And Percival happens to be armed with a secret stash of books on the supernatural. With these books, and the Baron’s help, he fights to save his home of Bonnybield from an ancient, demonic evil.
Will became aware of Tim’s work as a fellow voice artist, and after hearing him perform fantasy-adventures like Jonathan Renshaw’s Dawn of Wonder, decided he was the man to narrate The Tercentennial Baron. Tim brought the authenticity of his upbringing in the Celtic isles, as well as his formidable knowledge of the French and Italian the book required, to his performance. Together, Tim and Will collaborated to create a true sense of the historical setting for the fantasy world of the audiobook.
Tim remarked about narrating the book: “The paths of both these protagonists come together in a spectacular and thrilling fashion that practically leapt off the page for me. There's nothing quite so satisfying than narrating a tautly written story such as this — the ending floored me!”
About the author:
Will Damron is an award-winning audiobook narrator who has recorded books in virtually every genre, from fantasy to sci-fi, YA, romance, thriller, nonfiction, and literary fiction. He was raised on a 350-year-old farm in southern Virginia, where reading was just about the only reliable pastime. His narration work has earned him multiple AudioFile Magazine Earphones Awards, two Voice Arts Awards, and an Audie Award.
About the narrator:
Tim Gerard Reynolds has received multiple AudioFile Magazine Earphones Awards, and has been named as one of best narrators of the year in 2014, 2015 and 2016. In 2016, three books he narrated were among the highest grossing audiobooks in the country. Tim has been nominated for both Audie and Voice Arts Awards. A native of Ireland, he has performed onstage Off-Broadway and throughout the US and Europe.
Book Review: Brain Child by Isobel Kelly
Brain Child
Isobel Kelly
Print Length: 242 pages
Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
ASIN: B0756CTGDJ
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Brain-Child-...
Reviewed by Dr. Wesley Britton
The rudder of Isobel Kelly’s Brain Child is the unfolding relationship between 25 year old accountant Kate Adair and British agent Ross McKinley. Before the couple meets on a trans-Atlantic flight from England to Boston, Kate was a normal girl forced to live with her mother’s alcoholic second husband before he beat her and gave her a fractured skull and concussion which resulted in Kate gaining a photographic memory.
Keeping her condition a secret, eleven years later Kate acquired money from the sale of her old home. Threatened by a blackmailer who, Kate thinks, wants payback for loans made to the abusive stepfather, Kate decided to start over in America and seek out a brain specialist who might help her understand what has happened to her mind.
For his part, McKinley is reluctantly traveling to the states under the orders of Desmond Crawford, head of Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service, the SIS. While McKinley is trying to extricate himself from being a professional killer for SIS, because of convoluted reasoning, Crawford wants McKinley to assassinate a popular and innocent U.S. Senator whose aid for the poor has run afoul of billionaire villain, Thomas Carlow. Carlow wants the dead Senator, revenge against McKinley and Crawford, and to create a devastating radiation attack along the coastline of Boston before he dies himself.
At first, McKinley finds Kate useful camouflage in his investigation of the Senator before the two become a team slowly, very slowly making a romantic connection. The partnership expands to include Colin Bradley, a former colleague of McKinley who is now living in Boston. This trio decides to protect the Senator and do battle with Carlow instead.
More than once, I was reminded of Perhaps the most successful, and most critiqued woman spy writer of the 1950s and 1960s, Helen MacInnes. Described by some as the "Queen of Spy Writers" for best-sellers like The Venetian Affair (1963) and The Double Image (1966), critics said MacInnes's characters were "embarrassingly domestic" in their Manhattan middle-class apartments and Long Island summer homes. Likewise, the first half of Brain Child is mostly set in rather comfortable and cozy settings. MacInnes was also known for characters drawn either as pretty much all good or all bad, and so too Kelly. McKinley might be a government assassin, but one with a very strong moral code. Very few espionage adventures feature two protagonists who are adult virgins. In addition, MacInnes wasn’t known for intricate, topical plots. So too Kelly. Like MacInnes, Kelly’s forte is also personal relationships.
I was also reminded of the formula of Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps, Three Days of the Condor, and The Bourne Identity. By this I mean the pairing of an experienced male professional with an innocent female accomplice. Usually, these couples are on the run. In Brain Child, Ross and Kate are as much on a hunt as on the run. Then comes the fourth act and Kelly really turns the screw. And then turns it again. All the resolutions are surprising twists few readers are likely to have anticipated.
I can’t say Brain Child is likely to appeal to many espionage fans. Much of the book seems more like a low-key murder mystery without a murder mystery. I do think it will appeal mostly to female readers who like a large dose of romance in their adventure tales. It’s hard to imagine many readers who won’t like Kate, Ross, and Bradley.
This review first appeared at BookPleasures.com on Sept. 12, 2017:
http://dpli.ir/OjIVgs
Isobel Kelly
Print Length: 242 pages
Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
ASIN: B0756CTGDJ
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Brain-Child-...
Reviewed by Dr. Wesley Britton
The rudder of Isobel Kelly’s Brain Child is the unfolding relationship between 25 year old accountant Kate Adair and British agent Ross McKinley. Before the couple meets on a trans-Atlantic flight from England to Boston, Kate was a normal girl forced to live with her mother’s alcoholic second husband before he beat her and gave her a fractured skull and concussion which resulted in Kate gaining a photographic memory.
Keeping her condition a secret, eleven years later Kate acquired money from the sale of her old home. Threatened by a blackmailer who, Kate thinks, wants payback for loans made to the abusive stepfather, Kate decided to start over in America and seek out a brain specialist who might help her understand what has happened to her mind.
For his part, McKinley is reluctantly traveling to the states under the orders of Desmond Crawford, head of Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service, the SIS. While McKinley is trying to extricate himself from being a professional killer for SIS, because of convoluted reasoning, Crawford wants McKinley to assassinate a popular and innocent U.S. Senator whose aid for the poor has run afoul of billionaire villain, Thomas Carlow. Carlow wants the dead Senator, revenge against McKinley and Crawford, and to create a devastating radiation attack along the coastline of Boston before he dies himself.
At first, McKinley finds Kate useful camouflage in his investigation of the Senator before the two become a team slowly, very slowly making a romantic connection. The partnership expands to include Colin Bradley, a former colleague of McKinley who is now living in Boston. This trio decides to protect the Senator and do battle with Carlow instead.
More than once, I was reminded of Perhaps the most successful, and most critiqued woman spy writer of the 1950s and 1960s, Helen MacInnes. Described by some as the "Queen of Spy Writers" for best-sellers like The Venetian Affair (1963) and The Double Image (1966), critics said MacInnes's characters were "embarrassingly domestic" in their Manhattan middle-class apartments and Long Island summer homes. Likewise, the first half of Brain Child is mostly set in rather comfortable and cozy settings. MacInnes was also known for characters drawn either as pretty much all good or all bad, and so too Kelly. McKinley might be a government assassin, but one with a very strong moral code. Very few espionage adventures feature two protagonists who are adult virgins. In addition, MacInnes wasn’t known for intricate, topical plots. So too Kelly. Like MacInnes, Kelly’s forte is also personal relationships.
I was also reminded of the formula of Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps, Three Days of the Condor, and The Bourne Identity. By this I mean the pairing of an experienced male professional with an innocent female accomplice. Usually, these couples are on the run. In Brain Child, Ross and Kate are as much on a hunt as on the run. Then comes the fourth act and Kelly really turns the screw. And then turns it again. All the resolutions are surprising twists few readers are likely to have anticipated.
I can’t say Brain Child is likely to appeal to many espionage fans. Much of the book seems more like a low-key murder mystery without a murder mystery. I do think it will appeal mostly to female readers who like a large dose of romance in their adventure tales. It’s hard to imagine many readers who won’t like Kate, Ross, and Bradley.
This review first appeared at BookPleasures.com on Sept. 12, 2017:
http://dpli.ir/OjIVgs
September 9, 2017
Paperback edition of The Blind Alien on sale for 3 days!
For the next 3 days, get 30% off the paperback edition of The Blind Alien! Actually, you can get 30% Off any paperback or hardback on
www.bearmanormedia.com
(ebooks and audio books excluded).
Fill out your shopping cart, click on the "USE DISCOUNT CODE" panel
to pull up the field where you enter the discount code which is:
3daysale
Pretty cool, huh?
www.bearmanormedia.com
(ebooks and audio books excluded).
Fill out your shopping cart, click on the "USE DISCOUNT CODE" panel
to pull up the field where you enter the discount code which is:
3daysale
Pretty cool, huh?
September 8, 2017
New book analyzes the Planet of the Apes on the large and small screens!
Sequart Organization is proud to announce the publication of Bright Eyes, Ape City: Examining the Planet of the Apes Mythos, edited by Rich Handley and Joseph F. Berenato.
“A planet where apes evolved from men?”
With those horrified words, Charlton Heston’s Colonel George Taylor summed up exactly what viewers were thinking in 1968 the first time they saw Planet of the Apes in theaters. Loincloth-clad humans reduced to mute savages, living in cages or in the wild? Xenophobic orangutans, militaristic gorillas, and curious chimpanzees with a rigid class structure, Greco-Roman names, religious dogma, and the ability to speak and reason? What goes on here? It’s a madhouse!
Audiences were hooked — and they remain hooked almost five decades later. Planet of the Apes (based on Pierre Boulle’s French novel Monkey Planet) has spawned eight films, with a ninth currently in the works, as well as two television series and several novels. It’s one of the most respected franchises in pop-culture history, thanks to the talents of writers Rod Serling, Michael Wilson, Paul Dehn, John and Joyce Corrington, William Broyles Jr., Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, and Mark Bomback; directors Franklin J. Schaffner, Ted Post, Don Taylor, J. Lee Thompson, Tim Burton, Rupert Wyatt, and Matt Reeves; makeup artists John Chambers and Rick Baker; and a long list of beloved actors who have breathed life into some of the most memorable science-fiction characters ever to grace the large or small screen.
Bright Eyes, Ape City: Examining the Planet of the Apes Mythos, edited by the same team behind Sequart’s Sacred Scrolls: Comics on the Planet of the Apes, examines every Apes film, TV show, and novel, from 1968 to present. This anthology features insightful, analytical essays about the franchise’s long history, from popular film historians, novelists, bloggers, and subject-matter experts. If you’re eager to learn more about Apes lore, then you’ll need to get your stinkin’ paws on this book.
The book runs 308 pages and features a foreword by David Gerrold.
Bright Eyes, Ape City: Examining the Planet of the Apes Mythos is available in print and on Kindle. (Just a reminder: you don’t need a Kindle device to read Kindle-formatted books; you can download a free Kindle reader for most computers, phones, and tablets.) Find out more on the book’s official page or its Facebook page.
Reviewers may request a PDF of the book for review, and the book's editors are available for interviews. If interested, please send inquiries to sequart.mike@gmail.com
Sequart Organization is devoted to the study of popular culture and the promotion of comic books as a legitimate art form. Sequart has released dozens of books, 7 documentaries, and thousands of online articles.
ALSO FROM SEQUART
The Sacred Scrolls: Comics on the Planet of the Apes, also edited by Rich Handley and Joseph F. Berenato, looks at Planet of the Apes comic books.
A Long Time Ago: Exploring the Star Wars Cinematic Universe, also edited by Rich Handley and Joseph F. Berenato, studies the Star Wars movies and TV shows.
New Life and New Civilizations: Exploring Star Trek Comics, edited by Joseph F. Berenato, looks at the long history of Star Trek comic books.
Copyright © 2017 Sequart, All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
Sequart
7025 Hickory Lane
Moro, IL 62067
“A planet where apes evolved from men?”
With those horrified words, Charlton Heston’s Colonel George Taylor summed up exactly what viewers were thinking in 1968 the first time they saw Planet of the Apes in theaters. Loincloth-clad humans reduced to mute savages, living in cages or in the wild? Xenophobic orangutans, militaristic gorillas, and curious chimpanzees with a rigid class structure, Greco-Roman names, religious dogma, and the ability to speak and reason? What goes on here? It’s a madhouse!
Audiences were hooked — and they remain hooked almost five decades later. Planet of the Apes (based on Pierre Boulle’s French novel Monkey Planet) has spawned eight films, with a ninth currently in the works, as well as two television series and several novels. It’s one of the most respected franchises in pop-culture history, thanks to the talents of writers Rod Serling, Michael Wilson, Paul Dehn, John and Joyce Corrington, William Broyles Jr., Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, and Mark Bomback; directors Franklin J. Schaffner, Ted Post, Don Taylor, J. Lee Thompson, Tim Burton, Rupert Wyatt, and Matt Reeves; makeup artists John Chambers and Rick Baker; and a long list of beloved actors who have breathed life into some of the most memorable science-fiction characters ever to grace the large or small screen.
Bright Eyes, Ape City: Examining the Planet of the Apes Mythos, edited by the same team behind Sequart’s Sacred Scrolls: Comics on the Planet of the Apes, examines every Apes film, TV show, and novel, from 1968 to present. This anthology features insightful, analytical essays about the franchise’s long history, from popular film historians, novelists, bloggers, and subject-matter experts. If you’re eager to learn more about Apes lore, then you’ll need to get your stinkin’ paws on this book.
The book runs 308 pages and features a foreword by David Gerrold.
Bright Eyes, Ape City: Examining the Planet of the Apes Mythos is available in print and on Kindle. (Just a reminder: you don’t need a Kindle device to read Kindle-formatted books; you can download a free Kindle reader for most computers, phones, and tablets.) Find out more on the book’s official page or its Facebook page.
Reviewers may request a PDF of the book for review, and the book's editors are available for interviews. If interested, please send inquiries to sequart.mike@gmail.com
Sequart Organization is devoted to the study of popular culture and the promotion of comic books as a legitimate art form. Sequart has released dozens of books, 7 documentaries, and thousands of online articles.
ALSO FROM SEQUART
The Sacred Scrolls: Comics on the Planet of the Apes, also edited by Rich Handley and Joseph F. Berenato, looks at Planet of the Apes comic books.
A Long Time Ago: Exploring the Star Wars Cinematic Universe, also edited by Rich Handley and Joseph F. Berenato, studies the Star Wars movies and TV shows.
New Life and New Civilizations: Exploring Star Trek Comics, edited by Joseph F. Berenato, looks at the long history of Star Trek comic books.
Copyright © 2017 Sequart, All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
Sequart
7025 Hickory Lane
Moro, IL 62067
Wesley Britton's Blog
This just came in. My favorite two sentences of all time!
“The Blind Alien is a story with a highly original concept, fascinating characters, and not-too-subtle but truthful allegories. Don’t let the ...more
“The Blind Alien is a story with a highly original concept, fascinating characters, and not-too-subtle but truthful allegories. Don’t let the ...more
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