Aiden James's Blog - Posts Tagged "action-and-adventure"

Greetings, my friends!

Initial work has begun on the new book, and there are four new ones planned for release from early 2019 to the summer of 2021.... More will follow, as the Judas Chronicles are once again my main focus.... To that end, Immortal Plague is now priced at 0.99 for the foreseeable future. And, from now until August 8th, Immortal Reign is also just 0.99... ***Much more to come, as we wind down 2018. KEEP AN EYE OUT for Kindle discounts in the US and UK for all eight existing installments in the series. :-)

Peace to you all! ~ Aiden

Immortal Plague:
US Kindle: https://amzn.to/2vvpATq
UK Kindle: https://amzn.to/2O866vQ

Immortal Reign:
US Kindle: https://amzn.to/2AC6iBn
UK Kindle: https://amzn.to/2n7hdK1

Immortal Destiny is just 0.99 from now through this coming Saturday, August 18th for Kindle US and UK! :-)

US Kindle: https://amzn.to/2MrxM1n

UK Kindle: https://amzn.to/2Me8XXn

As we steadily build for the release of Book 9 at year's end (either in December or January), the prior 8 books will be on sale. Immortal Dragon is the latest book to be offered at 0.99 in the US and UK, and the sale will last through September 1st. :-) Follow the links below to learn more, my friends! ~ Aiden

Kindle US: https://amzn.to/2wC4zqP

Kindle UK: https://amzn.to/2wujYcA

By now, many of you know that the Judas Chronicles are set to resume, with Immortal Storm (Book 9) planned for release sometime in the next four to five months. :-) The research is now complete for the story that not only will deal with a blood coin that was missed by Judas/William in his efforts to collect all thirty, but also will set the stage for a three-book mini series (Books 10 through 12). Those boos will deal with an even greater menace (based on a Sci-Fi trilogy idea that Fiona and I had originally planned as a separate entity, and that fits in very well with Roderick's continuation of the immortal storyline).

The plotting for the story has officially begun today, and while some authors can fly through that aspect, for me it is a slower process--much like interior design work or a complete makeover for one's home.... Lots of trying out different ideas in various places, before coming up with a unified scheme that works well--which has been my method for plot creation since Fiona and I began work on "Toxicity" three years ago. Since it seemed to work well for "Immortal Supremacy", too, I will stick with it for this latest chapter in The Judas Chronicles.

I can tell you that the ideas are rolling in, and I am truly excited about this new adventure. More to come in the months that follow, and with any luck, Immortal Storm might well be ready before Christmas. :-)

All the best, my friends! ~ Aiden

IMMORTAL TYRANNY-Book 5 of the Judas Chronicles--is just 99 cents now through Saturday, for Kindle US and UK. :-) For those who have yet to read about the Blood Coin's curse associated with the Third Reich, here's a great opportunity to do so! :-)

All the best, my friends! ~ Aiden

US Kindle: https://amzn.to/2NOP1qK

UK Kindle: https://amzn.to/2MQHifK

Now through Saturday, Book 6 of the Judas Chronicles is just ninety-nine cents for Kindle US and UK. :-) Be safe out there, my friends! ~ Aiden


US Kindle: https://amzn.to/2MkZYyU

UK Kindle: https://amzn.to/2xaHiMW

Greetings, my friends! :-)

As many of you know, the writing of Immortal Storm is under way, and I have finished the first draft of the Prologue. Since, as usual, I will be keeping much of the story close to the vest--and it will be action packed once things get rolling in the story, I have decided to share an early draft of the Prologue with you. This will be the only excerpt shared until the book is done (hopefully by mid-January, and perhaps sooner).

Once again, this latest story comes to us from Roderick, and will be a launching pad, so to speak, for the three-book mini series that will comprise books 10 through 12 (filling up my writing schedule through the middle of summer, 2020. It feels good to be writing from Rod's perspective after a two year hiatus to pursue historical fiction. This story, of course, is nothing of the sort....

Anyway, for those interested in getting a taste of what Immortal Storm will entail, here it is. Much peace to all of you! ~ Aiden

Immortal Storm

Prologue

Hello, again.

Admittedly, it has been quite a while since you last heard from me… and I apologize for not writing sooner.

Perhaps many of you, if not all, had given up on hearing from me. But, I am back… and finally ready to resume the journal updates first started nearly a decade ago by my dear brother, Judas Iscariot.

Although it might seem insincere to say this, my two-year absence—which began shortly before the latest presidential election in America took place—was completely unexpected. In fact, I had intended to provide an update within weeks of where we left off, following the discovery of an infestation of dragon vampires hiding within a cave system near Hoover Dam in Arizona. …. Yet, mere hours before our scheduled arrival at Lake Mead, my vampire companions, Gustav Domnul-dalael and Kazikli, informed me that someone had intervened, though not on our behalf. The command for the dragon menace to retreat and disperse, along with Ralu Izxacus and his enormous army of mongrel vampires, had come from an ancient society—one much older than Gustav’s five-thousand-year tenure on planet Earth.

Despite my skepticism that the directive would be obeyed by Ralu and the dragon vampire ruler, Huangtian Dadi, Gustav assured me that there would be no choice other than to comply… or be destroyed. “The Armentians are far too powerful to resist,” he had told me, and to which Kazikli added a solemn nod.

“Armentians?” I remember mumbling in response. “The descendants from Atlantis… they’re real?”

“Yes.”

At the time, neither Gustav nor Kaxikli would elaborate. Perhaps they assumed that the immediate disappearance of a horde of rabid nocturnal beasts from the upper cave systems, stretching across both North America and Europe, would be enough. Their steadfast refusal to verbally address the matter wasn’t only frustrating for me, it was just as aggravating for our other companions who had joined us for this trip. All of them were equally put off. Except, perhaps, Nora Sterling—Kazikli’s long-time companion. Nora seemed to gain some sort of reassuring insight from her beau’s thoughts, that remained hidden from the rest of us. At least it was my assumption back then, largely based upon a slight smile that tugged at the corners of her mouth. Unfortunately, her thoughts quickly became subservient to an unpliable iron lock as well, and she refused to engage any of my inquiries as to what she might have gathered.

“I can’t invade their thoughts, either,” Rachel Bashemath concurred, upon our return to Abingdon, Virginia, later that night. “You know how it is with the vampires, my love. But whoever these Armentians are… well, my instincts tell me it might be best to drop the matter. At least for now.”

For those unaware, and who might’ve missed my debut journal following Judas’ departure from our physical plane of existence, Rachel and I have developed an enduring fondness for each other. I can truly say that our love has transcended anything I’ve known since the loss of my beloved wife, Claudia, nearly two millennia ago.

“What if I’m not ready to drop it?”

One might’ve expected these words to come from me… but they were uttered angrily by our dear friend, and former CIA boss, Cedric Tomlinson. Often cynical, his brooding had worsened after a recent visit with his oldest son that hadn’t gone well. An unspoken irritation with Cedric’s return to youth, to where he now was a good fifteen years younger than Ahmad Tomlinson, finally boiled over… To this day, the two have only spoken once, this past Christmas.

In truth, I did share Cedric’s desire to learn more about this ancient society—one supposedly involved in much of what has befallen mankind since the dawn of recorded history. This includes such things as political upheavals and subsequent wars; and in modern times, the weather and where drought and famine will suddenly appear in regions that had thrived previously for centuries. A legion of boogeymen, if you will, and regardless of my being mindful that almost anything can exist, until proven otherwise, I have long held the view that the Armentians were just a myth. In my mind, they were merely a convenient means to explain both the absurd and otherwise ‘normal’ events that have pushed and pulled against mankind’s course since stepping out from the caves long ago.

As many of you assuredly would suspect, Cedric’s desire for an immediate answer went unheeded; and it remained that way until all of us travelled to Europe the following spring. By then, the world of ‘police states’ had largely disbanded, giving way to a surge of optimism. A great way to start a new decade, where even the jaded outlook in America had swung one-hundred and eighty degrees. The political circus that had dominated the airwaves and Internet for the past several years was now absent, and daily life has since become almost boring in comparison.

That, too, according to Kazikli, came courtesy of the Armentian leadership’s directives. At long-last, he was willing to share something of value about this reclusive order. Kazikli told us how this elite society had trickled down their latest commands to a so-called ‘Council of Thirteen’. From there, those orders drifted further to the ‘Committee of Three Hundred’, and finally to the rest of the legendary four-hundred-and-fifty families that have long been rumored to control all that is humanly manageable in our modern world—same as they always had done. Everything—including the entire network of governments and economies throughout our planet—began changing overnight, and didn’t stop morphing until the Armentians’ ‘Crown Monarchy’ was satisfied with the results.

The revelation from Kazikli, accompanied by Gustav and Nora as they stood nearby, came with some nervousness from our vampire triumvirate. Honestly, had it taken place anywhere other than an underground castle hidden deep within the French Pyrenees, I daresay that most of us would still be in the dark about it all. Even our sorcerer friends, Racco St. Germaine and Damien Toulouse, were unaware of the details presented that day, although neither one has ever shared my mythical view of the Armentians’ existence.

From that moment forward, our group—which often includes the Chinese dragon vampire, Xuanxang—has been on the move. Surely, most of you would assume this means there’s been enough going on to warrant a journal or two, given this status we’ve enjoyed—or endured—for the past two years… and perhaps that is true. But, for whatever reason, I haven’t been able to get started on one again. It was daunting enough to finish editing my first full journal and then finding time to get it published. And with things moving toward a much more peaceful state than what I’ve previously experienced since re-entering Judas’ life in Hong Kong eight years ago, I’ve worried about rocking the boat.

Why invite a dangerous adventure needlessly?

Call it my superstitious side. Still, it proved to be quite effective in subduing the urge to jot down anything. That is, until a few weeks ago.

It is now spring again, but two years after things became placid around the world. Other than the volatile weather patterns, and the beginning rumblings from Earth changes long overdue, the better nations of the world are holding the usual menaces in check—successfully, I might add. Even so, there is a palpable worrisome feeling everywhere… things are not peaceful beneath the surface.

Our vampires have picked up on the Armerntians’ uneasiness as well, and according to them, the world’s so-called ‘benefactors’ intend to vehemently deny any and all responsibility for what is presently brewing uncontrolled.
Apparently, there exists a persistent signal from outer space that has been transmitted intermittently to Earth during the past several decades. No one thought much about it until very recently, and certainly none of it was considered hostile until now. That’s because the signal had always been a mundane pattern that never veered from that status…. However, roughly two months ago the signal pattern changed… dramatically. As it changed, the signal grew stronger.

Even though there remains no definitive proof that the signal is actually hostile, the Armentians’ are not taking it well—according to Gustav.

“They are prepared to tighten their hold on all nations, and are ready to strike at a moment’s notice,” Gustav advised. “We immortals could easily find ourselves in the crosshairs of the newest weaponry…. Guns that can vaporize us, and alter our DNA sequences to where regeneration of any kind is impossible.”

Not that any of us at present can fully regenerate ourselves at a moment’s notice—other than unique vampires such as Xuanxang. It was one of Judas’ notable party tricks, and a rare gift, indeed.

So, this is a new danger for us all, and the first that isn’t terrestrial in origin. It’s a subject that will be touched upon again before this latest chronicle closes. Meanwhile, there is another new menace that has consumed our full attention at present, and I believe that all of you should find it especially intriguing.

It involves a coin. Yes, one of those... a genuine blood coin.

I can already envision the whispered gasps out there. How did it get missed? Am I justified in assuming that reaction? After all, the supposed reason for Judas’ admission into Eternity, finally, was that he had collected all of his accursed silver shekels.

But, then I remembered the bushel full of glowing blue shekels when we encountered Jesus Christ disguised as the obnoxious and smelly merchant in Damascus—just before Judas dissolved into his personal portal into Paradise. There were literally hundreds of these coins, and each glowing shekel looked identical to the ones Judas and I had tracked down for centuries.

Well, without getting too far ahead of ourselves, let’s just say that at least one of the ‘real’ coins has recently resurfaced—and surely it is one that Judas and I likely crossed paths with, unaware of its origin since modified into an amulet. An amulet, or talisman, that was long used by a powerful sorcerer, who died in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1923, after a career in spreading sorrow and wickedness for more than seventeen hundred years.

I remember learning of this miscreant’s death soon after it was confirmed by friends of mine in Canada, and that it was indeed the Matija Badnjak who had passed away of old age. What surprised me most, other than the fact this Serbian wizard had migrated to North America, was that he was old at all. The last time Judas and I had crossed paths with Badnjak was during our Whitechapel episode, on a train from London to Edinburgh. How this ‘thirty-ish’ looking immortal had changed that much in just over thirty years seemed impossible, and a maddening mystery until a little-known discovery was made a few years ago. A discovery unknown to me until early last month.

A small wooden chest enwrapped in gold was recovered roughly six miles from the famed Titanic wreckage’s final resting place. Carried over time by the shifting currents within the Atlantic’s darkest depths, the chest ended up on a ledge that was accessible enough for a small recovery outfit to lay claim to it. The outfit—officially known as SCA Diving & Recovery Services—is based out of Beaufort, South Carolina. Treasure hunters, basically…. Anyway, the Scientific American article’s focus, from the 2019 fall issue, was mostly about the chest’s surprisingly pristine condition, given how so many artifacts recovered from such depths show varying degrees of deterioration. The ancient acacia wood within the chest would especially be vulnerable, and yet, seemed largely unaffected by a century’s stay upon the bottom of the Atlantc.

Perhaps if I had read more of the article, or at least studied the photographs of the chest’s gilded panels, I might’ve noticed the lion insignia favored by Matija Badnjak. It would’ve been immediately clear—at least to me and others who recalled the wizard’s favored wardrobe accoutrements—that perhaps this was why he had aged so suddenly, in immortal terms, and then died… just eleven years after the great ship sank.

It would also explain why after nearly a century of dormancy, certain kinds of weather related catastrophes were on the upswing, along with the sudden reemergence of heretofore forgotten diseases, such as bubonic plague.
Was it just by chance? Or, could a certain silver shekel, that was allowed to tarnish and corrode until it had blackened beyond recognition many centuries ago, instead be the culprit?

If not for a series of dream visitations from Judas himself, coming nearly two years after his last nocturnal contact with me, the answer to the above questions would remain unanswered, leaving only a maddening mystery.

The mystery is now less hazy, and its resolution has become our mission. One that possibly holds the fate of thousands of unsuspecting human beings. The old sorcerer is dead…. Yet a new one has usurped his place, taken hostage by a legion of entities fed by the power of a blood coin hiding under Judas’ and my noses for eons.

And now, as they say, time is of the essence.

At present, we are in a chase to track down our 'youngster' sorcerer, and to apprehend him before he strikes again. Much more about this crisis at hand will come in the pages that follow, my friends.

As our beloved William Barrow—Judas—penned in one of his last earthly journals, I implore you once again to ‘lend me your attention’ and to keep safe those you hold dear.

Here at last… away we go!

Roderick

From now through Saturday, Immortal Victory is just 99 cents!... Check out the links below, my friends! :-)

Aiden James
US Kindle: https://amzn.to/2NPwApr
UK Kindle: https://amzn.to/2MJFS1E

Immortal Supremacy-- THE book that precedes the brand new Book Nine of The Judas Chronicles, Immortal Storm--is just 99 cents, now through Saturday, September 29th, for Kindle US and UK! :-) Follow the links below to learn more!

US Kindle: https://amzn.to/2O82fm9
UK Kindle: https://amzn.to/2O4N3pV

Well, here is something you don't see everyday. The collection that features the first three books of The Judas Chronicles is just $2.99, now through November 1st! :-) Here's a chance to corral Immortal Plague, Immortal Reign, and Immortal Destiny for less than a burger. Check out the links below, my friends! ~ Aiden

US Kindle: https://amzn.to/2CPcEga UK Kindle: https://amzn.to/2Ri1Yef