Stuart Aken's Blog, page 230

Unknown Unknowns, by Adam Bromley, Reviewed.

Adam Bromley’s Unknown Unknowns is a spy thriller set in a non-existent land and featuring a feisty female protagonist. It has the usual cast of educated gentlemanly service head, fanatically loyal killing machine sidekick and a clutch of suitably villainous baddies.
But, it is written with humour and doesn’t take itself seriously. The story is well structured and carries enough detail for credibility without boring the reader with the usual fine points about guns, plots etc. It is different. The pacing is good and much of the story believable. The barriers placed in the way of success are difficult and challenging without being impossible.
Unusually, for a spy thriller, the characters, in spite of fitting the usual profiles, are drawn with care and given depth so that the reader actually cares about what happens.
The plot, involving a secret weapon of immense danger to the world in general, a soviet-based antihero and those who wish to illuminate him, and a rogue CIA man on a mission to save the world, is entertaining and gripping. I read the book in a couple of sittings. The final half holding my attention so well that I completed that in one go. The denouement is satisfying but leaves the reader wondering just enough.

For lovers of thrillers, this is a must read. For those who generally find such works uninviting, I suggest you give this one a try; you might be pleasantly surprised. I was. As a reader who tends to avoid thrillers, I was entertained, surprised and amused by this one.

Cave & Julia, by M. John Harrison, Reviewed.

A book that is small in page numbers, but larger by far in content, Cave & Julia is set in Autotelia and London. I’ve not come across the author’s work before and was intrigued enough by the story to do some research. Autotelia is the name given to an imaginary place in which other stories are set. The word itself struck me as real rather than imagined, so I looked further. I found a Portuguese dictionary that told me it means: the doctrine that a work of art, especially a work of literature, is an end in itself or provides its own justification. I found no other entries in English dictionaries.
Enough. The story, if that’s what it can be called, is about relationships and, possibly, dreams. But, oddly, that doesn’t seem to matter. It’s a work that recalled to mind D.H. Lawrence’s The Trespasser in tone. It’s a piece of narrative without the usual hooks on which to hang a story. We are introduced to the narrative character, Cave, a journalist, and to Julia, much married and partially destroyed by an unclear event in her childhood. Some attempt is made by Cave to investigate the event, but it is left a question, with insufficient detail to determine what really happened.
The language is fine and always appropriate. An air of mystery and uncertainty pervades the whole tale. Nothing is as it seems, or, perhaps it is. This is a piece of writing that leaves the reader full of questions; impressed but uncertain why that should be.
It’s one of the Amazon Kindle Singles, and is tagged as a fantasy short. At 15 pages it is short, and, existing, as it does, in a space difficult to identify or even in some senses understand, it is fantasy, but fantasy of a literary sort.

I found myself intrigued, curious, disturbed and entertained. But be aware, this is not a story for those looking for a beginning, middle and end, with a denouement or indeed any formal structure. This is more an evocation, an illustration, an account. I enjoyed it, as, I suspect, will those who like things that are not spelled out for them.

Exploring Character and Place in A Seared Sky #11

Pampahn:

This is the 11th in a series of pieces on characters and places featured in Joinings: A Seared Sky.This background information, isn’t covered in the book, but should enhance the reading experience. For some of my people, there’ll be a character drawing, supplied by Alice Taylor, maybe a video interview, and accompanying script. I may do short pieces of fiction, deepening knowledge of certain minor characters as well. For the places, I may use sections of the map, to indicate location, along with a description of the place, as I see it, and, where appropriate, links with characters. Perhaps I’ll indicate the way of life there with a short anecdote or story. I won’t reveal any of the main story, either as already published or as written in the series, merely enhance readers’ enjoyment of the trilogy by providing more information. I hope this will give pleasure to those who’ve bought the book and, perhaps, persuade others to take that step.
Pronunciation hints:Pampahn – pam-parn.Muhnilahm – murn-ill-arm.Aklon-Dji – ak-lon-djy (think of the Dj sound in the name of tennis player, Djokovic.Phildrad – fill-drad.Lasdilyss – lass-dill-iss.Kaz-Ca-Porlesah – kazz-ka-por-laze-ar.Names are pronounced phonetically. But this is my take on them; how I hear them in my head. You may pronounce them as you wish, of course; reading is, after all, active rather than passive.
Pampahn, a little isolated and a bit backward, is one of the Followers’ settlements on the island of Muhnilahm. It’s home to Phildrad, Lasdilyss and Kaz-Ca-Porlesah, amongst others in the trilogy. Lying toward the south of the island, it’s bordered by a shallow lake to the west, extensive marshland to the north and mountains to the south. Due east, some leagues distant, lies the Southern Ocean. The nearest settlement to the infamous Point, it’s home to a Village Priestess with a soft spot for the island’s most wanted criminal, the Renegade, Aklon-Dji. Kaz-Ca-Porlesah risks a great deal to befriend this handsome folk hero, but he’s even more at risk in this dangerous relationship.
Phildrad fishes from a coracle on the lake and has developed some pretty unusual recipes to make the food as tasty as he can. In fact, he has a reputation as something of a wonder as far as food preparation is concerned, though he is otherwise considered a rather dull chap. His wife, Lasdilyss, is a pretty woman who devotes far too much of her time to Phildrad’s ungrateful bedridden parents. She is also a sometime lover of Aklon-Dji and a member of his Few.
The houses, in common with most on the island, are built with wooden frames filled in with mud baked and hardened by the sun. They’re painted with oil-based pigments of various colours (mostly natural browns, ochres, and dull yellows), which help keep the rain off. Thatched with reed or with long leaves from the many trees, they generally consist of sleeping areas for the adult couple, separate quarters for any children, and a living area that serves as kitchen, dining and relaxing area. This is a tropical environment, so the windows are open but often shaded by woven blinds. Internal walls are made of woven pliant branches, so light and movement tends to seep through from one room to another. External doors tend to be made of rough wooden planks hinged and fastened with metal parts. Internal doors are wicker, like the internal walls. Floors are bare earth, trodden flat and hard by occupation.
Furniture is basic, wooden framed and undecorated in the main. Beds consist of fabric (usually linen) bags filled with down, dry moss, straw or any combination of these, often confined in a wooden frame on the floor. A blanket or covering is rarely actually needed but these are usually made from woven cotton of the spun yarn made from the fleece of a sheep-like wild goat that roams the island.

Household utensils include such items as canvas buckets, cups made from horn and earthenware crockery made by specialist potters. Eating implements are metal, again forged by specialist smiths. Tallow candles and vegetable oil lamps provide illumination after dark.Related articles Exploring Character and Place in A Seared Sky #7 Joinings: A Seared Sky. Couldn't put it down The Full Reveal and 5 Stars Launching a Novel: How it *should* be done!

Are You Very Very Sure of This? #5

KEIRA KNIGHTLEY by Royo (my artistic fake!) (Photo credit: The PIX-JOCKEY (visual fantasist))For these few weeks, I’ve been looking at how writers very often use ‘very’, which, as you know very well, is very bad.
Okay; that may be very silly, but we all do it: use ‘very’ to modify verbs or adjectives rather than search for something stronger to say the same thing better. So, here are a few examples to make it easier for you to overcome the easy option. Choose with care; synonyms aren’t always exact matches, so consider context. And bear in mind that I have my prejudices, and I’m male; hence the (sometimes) jokey suggestions at the end of each sample.
Very clean – spotless, scrubbed, spruce, sterile, stainless, immaculate, unsoiled, unsullied, pure, Mountain Air.Very rude – vulgar, gross, crass, coarse, yobbish, disreputable, improper, sordid, ribald, obscene, Mel Smith.Very dry – parched, arid, waterless, desiccated, desert, seared, wrung out, xerophilous, drained, Sauvignon Blanc.Very tasty – delicious, mouth-watering, appetising, rich, palatable, tangy, spicy,
This is the fifth lot; last batch next week.Related articles Increase in yobbish behaviour in Jesmond area of Hartlepool Listen to Keira Knightley Sing 'Lost Stars' From 'Begin Again'!

Amazon V Publishers: The Book Wars?

Books (Photo credit: henry…)Almost daily, we’re bombarded with attacks on Amazon by publishers and attacks on Publishers by Amazon and writers. Many can see that neither Amazon nor the major publishers are doing the book world a lot of good. In fact, it’s been suggested that the current war on books, and its major antagonists, will soon effectively destroy literature as we know it.
Amazon has other interests as a retail outlet, but it’s the book side that engages writers and readers. Major publishers long ago stopped pretending they had any concern for authors other than those who are already celebrities. The bean counters took control of reading choice decades ago.
Whilst these two large parties slog it out to the detriment of both creators and consumers, the world of books slowly drowns in the conflict.
It seems to me there must be another way. Self-publishing appeared a likely alternative for many authors, but Amazon took control there as well, devouring or disabling all major opposition in its rush to rule the game and satisfy its investors.
The major publishers, of course, continue to refuse to come to terms with the modern world and, in spite of the very clear example of inaction in the music industry, take a wait and see approach, which has left them floundering and at the mercy of the giant in the field.
Another way?
Seems obvious to me, but then I’m neither businessman nor accountant; I’m just someone who loves reading, books, and writing, so what do I know?
Obvious?
If the major publishers, together with the multitude of small independents, could get around the table, bury their idiotic jealousies and petty squabbling for celebrity crap, and set up their own online sales and retail-based distribution company, they could out-Amazon Amazon. The current situation is dangerous for books and readers: any industry in which an effective monopoly governs the market is doomed to dictatorship by that giant. But a co-operative of publishers, acting in concert, could act as an effective modifier in the marketplace and undo the damage currently being done to the world of books.Of course, I realise this is a pipe dream: the publishers have demonstrated their idiocy, their ‘head-in-the-sand’ attitude, their total lack of concern for developing the very talent that supplies them with new products, and their petty rivalries over shelf-space etc.

But this is a war unlike any other. This is a battle for the very survival of literature. Do we want to lose a whole generation to games and social networks, or will publishers actually do something to stop the rot and return to doing what they once did so well? Are they going to get back into the business of developing and selling books, or will they allow inaction and misplaced self-interest to destroy a world so many of us hold dear?Related articles Amazon Won't Sell You The Paperback Version Of The Anti-Amazon Book To Save the Kindle, Should Amazon Make it Free? How Hachette made the rope that Amazon is hanging it with German trade body files Amazon complaint Author James Patterson Calls For Action Against Amazon Amazon's scorched-earth campaign: Why the Internet giant started a war Amazon's war on books, writers and publishers Amazon Living Wage campaigners place dummy book on site as protest Amazon is not a bookseller, and why that matters for writers Stephen Colbert likens Jeff Bezos to Voldemort, declares 'war' on Amazon over Hachette dispute

Exploring Character and Place in A Seared Sky #10

The tabard.
This is the 10th in a series of pieces on characters and places featured in Joinings: A Seared Sky . This background information, isn’t covered in the book, but should enhance the reading experience. For some of my people, there’ll be a character drawing, supplied by Alice Taylor, maybe a video interview, and accompanying script. I may do short pieces of fiction, deepening knowledge of certain minor characters as well. For the places, I may use sections of the map, to indicate location, along with a description of the place, as I see it, and, where appropriate, links with characters. Perhaps I’ll indicate the way of life there with a short anecdote or story. This week, I’m diverting from the usual post about location or character and letting you see how some of the people dress.I won’t reveal any of the main story, either as already published or as written in the series, merely enhance readers’ enjoyment of the trilogy by providing more information. I hope this will give pleasure to those who’ve bought the book and, perhaps, persuade others to take that step.
Pronunciation hints:Names are pronounced phonetically. But this is my take on them; how I hear them in my head. You may pronounce them as you wish, of course; reading is, after all, active rather than passive.
How Followers dress.
The population of Muhnilahm, known collectively as Followers, all dress in a standard item: the tabard. This is fashioned from a single piece of fabric, which can be anything from jute sacking to the sheerest silk, with linen being the choice of most. That choice depends more on wealth and status than on piety. It’s the only garment worn by men and women on this tropical island and is intended to be easily removed for prayer: naked is sacred here. The tabard accommodates the head through a central hole, which can be round, diamond shaped (to give a V opening front and back) or square. The degree of upper body exposure is up to the wearer, but excessive display is frowned upon. The garment is fastened by tags through loops at each side and these can number from two to five, again depending on the wearer’s attitudes to modesty. Tags can be bone, wood, worked stone or metal.A belt or cord cinches the tabard at the waist. This fastening can be anything from plain cord to the finest and softest leather or even woven gold thread. Many married women wear a cord woven from the cut locks of their own hair entwined with that of their buck taken at their first public joining ceremony.According to taste, status and wealth, the item can be completely plain, dyed with a pattern, or adorned with embroidered designs of any sort. And the hem of the garment generally falls from a length that’s barely decent to one that reaches the knee.
Accompanying this piece are a couple of sketches to show how the garment looks as an item of clothing and as worn. Please bear in mind I’m no artist, so these are pretty rough illustrations, but I hope they give an indication of the design of the tabard.
Related articles Exploring Character and Place in A Seared Sky #7 Exploring Character and Place in A Seared Sky #9 Exploring Character and Place in A Seared Sky #8 Joinings: A Seared Sky. Couldn't put it down Romancing the Fantasy - Stuart Aken

Are You Very Very Sure of This? #4

English: Kaley Cuoco (Photo credit: Wikipedia)For these few weeks, I’m looking at how writers very often use ‘very’, which is very bad, as you know very well.
Okay; very silly, but you know we all do it: use ‘very’ to modify a verb or an adjective rather than search for something stronger that will say the same thing, but better. So, here are a few examples to make it easier for you to reject the easy option. Choose with care; synonyms aren’t always exact matches, so consider context. And bear in mind that, like you, I have my prejudices.
Very capable – skilled, accomplished, dexterous, efficient, masterful, competent, smart, resourceful, Jeeves.Very roomy – commodious, spacious, expansive, capacious, cavernous, voluminous, vast, Baggy Trousers.Very hot – fiery, scalding, fervent, white-hot, smouldering, blazing, incandescent, ardent, molten, Kaley Cuoco.Very wet – dripping, soaked, drenched, saturated, deluged, sopping, waterlogged, swamped, drowned, David Cameron.Very conventional – conforming, conservative, orthodox, ingrained, unoriginal, traditional, customary, Republican.Very strong – vigorous, unyielding, lusty, irresistible, omnipotent, powerful, overwhelming, overpowering, Popeye.Very dirty – filthy, squalid, grimy, befouled, polluted, slovenly, unwashed, mucky, sleazy, soiled, Professional Footballer.Very stupid – asinine, idiotic, senseless, fatuous, inane, foolish, risible, ludicrous, simple, apish, Religious Extremist.

This is the fourth lot; there’ll be a few more next week.Related articles Eye on Emmy: Kaley Cuoco Dishes on One of The Big Bang Theory's Biggest Moments Ever: 'I Had Chills!'

Joinings: A Seared Sky; All You Need Know.

It occurred to me yesterday, whilst writing a guest post for another blog, that I hadn’t actually placed a piece on here to describe my latest release. I’ve done lots of posts regarding character and place, lots of mentions running up to the launch in March, but I haven’t actually described the book!Most remiss of me.
So, to coincide with its availability in the publisher’s new online store, here’s the basic information.
Joinings, the first book of epic fantasy trilogy, A Seared Sky, is published in digital and print formats by Fantastic Books Publishing and was released on 30 March 2014.
This is what the book is about:
In one sentence:An ill-timed omen sends a malicious leader on a hazardous quest that will alter everyone it touches.
With a little more detail:When celestial portent, the Skyfire, arrives earlier than expected, the autocratic and corrupt High Priest, Dagla Kaz, must set out for the ancient homeland to harvest a new Godwood and exchange Virgin Gifts. He must lead his reluctant pilgrims hundreds of leagues across pirate-infested seas and over hostile lands, to return triumphant before the seared sky dies back to normality.
In his father’s absence, the Renegade, Aklon, risks torture and death to bring justice to his subjugated people. Mindtalk with a wise woman on the distant mainland has opened his eyes to the evils underlying the society he inhabits. And, whilst seeking truth, he finds a soulmate and lover in the most unexpected circumstances.
Witnessing his beautiful and clever daughter, Tumalind, wrongly chosen as a Virgin Gift, religious fanatic Aglydron follows the mission in order to right the wrong. Okkyntalah, Tumalind’s young and handsome betrothed, helps Aglydron kidnap the rightful Virgin Gift to take her over unknown seas and lands, risking violent death at the end of their epic journey.
Here are some review quotes, to heighten your interest and inform you of other readers’ impressions:
‘It is hard to imagine anyone getting to the end of this and not thirsting for more. The opening scene is gripping. It hooked me in and then I was compelled to read the rest.’ Dr P. Grubb
‘Stuart Aken does a tremendous job of world-building, and the beliefs and mythologies of the world are well integrated into his characters who speak and act with references to their existing mythology.’ Walter Rhein
‘The beautiful prose, delectable style of writing and the sharpness of the story is enough to keep one absorbed to the last page.’ Khamneithang Vaiphei (one of Amazon’s top reviewers)
‘The author has created a well-realised world with differing societies, full of many small details that serve to highlight cultural mores, and of course a host of interesting characters.’ N. Lilley
‘I've rarely read an epic novel of such power and I write as a PhD in creative writing!’  Nigel J. Robinson
And, of course, you need to know where to buy the book. Simply click on the supplier’s name and you’ll be whizzed over the ether to the appropriate place. Enjoy the read.
Amazon.co.uk: Amazon.com: Any Amazon outlet,wherever in the world you live: ForUK readers, direct from Fantastic Books Publishing, post free: BookDepository, post free, worldwide:  
And, for those who prefer to order from a local bookshop, use these details so they can get it for you: Title: Joinings, A Seared Sky. ISBN 13: 978-1-909-163-300 or ISBN 10: 1909163309, published 30 March 2014 by Fantastic Books Publishing.

If you’d like a PDF copy (for review purposes only) please contact me via the ‘Contact me’ link at the head of the page.Related articles Joinings: A Seared Sky. Couldn't put it down Launching a Novel: How it *should* be done! The Full Reveal and 5 Stars Exploring Character and Place in A Seared Sky #9 Exploring Character and Place in A Seared Sky #6

The Poet and His Valentine, by Ananya Chatterjee, Reviewed.

Poetry, in any tongue, is a demanding art form for both creator and reader. The best poetry combines an exquisite appreciation for the subtlety of language with an ability to convey mood, emotion and content, and a gift for evocation.
In Ananya Chatterjee’s The Poet and His Valentine we have an Indian software professional and translator conveying all that the poet should. This is largely a collection of what might loosely be termed ‘love poetry’, but that’s by no means the whole tale. Ananya includes some darker, more disturbing subjects in this anthology. I found myself moved, amused, outraged and transported to other times and places as I read her work.
The prevailing mood is one of optimism, often against the tide of events. This is a brave and questing spirit, a voice many will empathise with easily. But the poems of love found, love lost, love sought are interspersed with pieces of observation on life, art, social injustice, and environment.
There’s inspiration to be found in these verses. Indeed, in her introduction, Ananya says, ‘If it succeeds in touching a few chords, and in inspiring more people to read and write poetry, I would know my purpose was served.’ I can say that, for this reader, that success is complete. I’ve long considered setting down my thoughts in verse, and have trodden that road with faltering steps. Ananya’s example has made it much more likely that I’ll continue on that journey.

This is an enjoyable, amusing and thought-provoking read. I recommend it to all who love, or wish to, and to all who have a taste for comprehensible language used to great effect. Related articles Consider Writing Poetry Even if You're Not a Poet Poetess Ananya Chatterjee Speaks Her Mind

Mageborn, by Michael DeAngelo, Reviewed.

Michael DeAngelo’s Magebornis a slim volume from his Tellest series. The fantasy tale introduces readers to new characters and gives a taste of the invented world in which they live. Gaston, the aged wizard, and Adelia, his new pupil, are well drawn and it’s refreshing to see a young woman as a lead character. Her pairing with the ancient and slightly eccentric male lead adds a good deal of charm to the story.
Whilst I question some word choices, I found the overall style of writing in tune with the tale. The vaguely ancient and sometimes obtuse language fits well with an arcane world, lending veracity to the fantasy elements. The world itself will be familiar to readers of the earlier books in the series, but it was slowly and subtly revealed as the story progressed, adding layers of mystery designed to enhance the reading experience.
I enjoy reading about people I can empathise with, and had no difficulty seeing through the eyes of both main characters. The switch of viewpoints was a little confusing on occasion, but this seems a fairly common feature of contemporary writing and I’ve no doubt many readers would be undisturbed by it.
There is adventure and tension mingled with the charm of this introductory tale. The descriptive passages paint pictures that bring the world alive and some of the incidents, cleverly crafted for surprise, do cause the reader to gasp. The story slowly builds and the denouement flows naturally from events, leading to an ending that is satisfying and promises more to come from this unlikely but well-matched pair of protagonists.

Readers of the genre will find this a delightful read and it serves well as an introduction to the world of Tellest for those unfamiliar with it. A good read.