David M. Brown's Blog, page 84

Tweedlers’ Jukebox Song of the Week: How Bizarre

OMC: How Bizarre (1995)

There are some songs that you listen to and it seems like only days/weeks since you first heard them. Then you reflect that no, it’s actually 17 years! The Tweedlers were just teenagers when this first hit the charts (so life and all its hormones probably did seem pretty bizarre!) but 17 years on it remains just as appealing. It’s pretty difficult to be glum when listening to this boppy tune and if you’re already cheery, just wait for your smile to get bigger. The Tweedlers are a happy duo this week.

However, there’s a sad side to this amazing single as the lead singer, Pauly Fuemana, died “following a protracted battle with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy” (Wikipedia), aged just 40 (also see The Guardian’s obituary). Having loved this song for over half of my life now, it seems all the more shocking that he died just 8 years older than I am now.

Tweedlers’ Jukebox Song of the Week: How Bizarre | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave

Book Review: Say Not What If – Andrew Friedman

About Say Not What If (2011)
[image error] “Say Not What If” is a nearly 10,000 word story written as a long rhyming poem. It is about a man on death row, and has as its theme the concept that time is our most valuable commodity. The story has characters and dialogue, and is extremely easy to read and understand, regardless of whether you have a GED or a PHD. No special knowledge of or ability to read poetry is required. You can read the first few pages on my website, ascensionenterprise.com. Many reviewers agreed that the story is easy to follow, and have also described it as “exceptional,” “amazing,” “incredibly special,” “borderline genius,” “a lyrical masterpiece,” “gripping and compelling,” “thought provoking,” and a “beautifully written piece of literature.” The story has a better than average rating of 4/5 stars on Goodreads and Amazon. There are at least sixty ratings and forty-two written reviews on Goodreads, and more than a dozen ratings and reviews on Amazon. This story will tear at your soul. As many of the reviewers said, it only requires an hour or so to read, but will keep you thinking about its message long after you are finished. Time is quintessentially important and valuable. How much time do you have? Life is tenacious, but also tenuous. It is fleeting, not forever. The story can be purchased from many booksellers, including Amazon and Barnes & Noble. It can also be purchased for only 0.99 as an ebook for Kindle. Best wishes and good luck in all your reading endeavors.

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Review: Say Not What If 

Though I love reading I have never been the biggest fan of poetry. I do appreciate it as an art form but I’m one of these people that struggles to understand some of the meaning to a poem. When faced with Andrew Friedman’s Say Not What If I had not just a poem but a 10,000 word one to negotiate but one that is said to be easy to follow.

Say Not What If tells the story of a man on Death Row. Facing execution we are taken back through the key moments in his life leading up to the reason he has been tried and sentenced to death. He begins as a married man that works hard for his living, so hard it’s to the detriment of his marriage. One day he finds he is terminally ill and curses his ill fortune but there is an opportunity to save himself. Doing a deal with the fates the man is able to cure himself of his illness but at a heavy price.

Andrew Friedman’s poem can be read as a short story and, as promised, is very easy to follow. I’m one of these people that enjoys rhyme in poems and Friedman deploys this tactic well. The man at the centre of the story is somewhat unfortunate in that a life of hard work is rewarded with a failed marriage and a terminal illness. The depths he will plunge to though are appalling to say the least and the crime he later commits is not a pleasant one.

Say Not What If is a quick read and at around 50 pages you’ll be left lamenting that there isn’t more but what Friedman has given us is a well crafted and thought-provoking story/poem. The underlying message is of the value of our time in this world and we hear from different characters on this brief but eventful journey. One of the most striking moments was hear from one character whose life is cut short and they reflect on all the people they would have known, the love they would have shared and the children they would have had, all those things that will now never be.

Say Not What If offers an absorbing but tragic story that will stay with you after you’ve turned that final page. The narrator is both a hero and anti-hero given his actions but his voice is one you will want to hear right up until the end. Is there a last minute reprieve for our Death Row inmate? You’ll have to read the book yourself to find out.

Verdict: 4/5

(Book source: reviewer received a copy in exchange for a fair and honest review)

Book Review: Say Not What If – Andrew Friedman | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave

Book Review: There Goes the Bride – Holly McQueen

About There Goes the Bride (2012)
[image error] Happily ever after isn’t always what you expect…”Polly Atkins, a Londoner living in New York City, is headed back across the pond for her wedding, a grand affair that has her older sister, Bella, in a whirlwind of excitement. Bella can’t wait to take over the wedding plans–and neither can Polly’s best friend, Grace, whose life as a wife, housekeeper, and mother is making her feel older than her twenty-eight years. She’s desperate to see Polly settle down in the same city–and the same life.

The only one who isn’t bursting with enthusiasm is Polly. Which is why, before things can get any more chaotic, she calls the whole thing off and lets go of the most perfect man on the planet. There’s no way that Polly is going to tell anyone why she’s changed her mind. Some secrets are best kept hidden. But Grace and Bella are determined to get Polly and her fiance back together if it’s the last thing they do. After all, solving someone else’s problems has got to be better than dealing with your own. 

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Review: There Goes the Bride

Polly’s flying home and she’s getting married! Except, she’s not. The wedding’s off and nobody can figure out why. After all, Polly seemed head over heels with her fiance Dev and the wedding is just around the corner. Polly’s friend Grace and her sister Bella both have enough problems of their own but with Christmas and a wedding just around the corner, they need to figure out how to get Polly down the aisle.

I really enjoyed There Goes the Bride. Although the main aspect of the story is Polly’s refusal to wed Dev – and refusal to confirm why – Bella and Grace also have their own share of pretty heavy going problems. Bella has a successful catering business but she’s looking to adopt and having a waster of a boyfriend lolling around the house, bringing his mates home and missing every social worker’s visit is proving to be a bit much to handle. Grace has lovely children but a less than lovely husband. Despite being a talented artist, she’s become little more to her husband than a fetcher, carrier and babysitting service.

The book is fun and funny with a smattering of arguments, romance, sex, snobbery and Christmas mayhem. At times it’s a little predictable but there’s some charm in that and a kind of reassurance that there’s nothing too tragic or overwhelming to face. This is feel good and enjoyable, with laughs, smiles and contented sighs along the way.

I haven’t read any of McQueen’s previous work but having enjoyed this so thoroughly I would definitely recommend her and wouldn’t hesitate to pick up other work by her. A fantastic pick about real women with real issues!

Verdict: 4/5

(Book source: reviewer received a copy from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review)

Book Review: There Goes the Bride – Holly McQueen | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave

#FlashFiveFriday – Turmoil

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This month Mr B and I are taking part in #FlashFiveFriday run by The Indie Exchange.

#FlashFiveFriday is a weekly flash fiction / flash blogging prompt.

The rules are very simple if you’d like to take part:

1) Write for no longer than five minutes

2) No upper or lower word limits

3) You must write something new

4) You can prepare your post ahead of time but the 5 minute limit still applies

5) If you add your blog post to the weekly linky you must visit five other blogs that week too to show your support

This week’s #FlashFiveFriday post

 

#FlashFiveFriday – Turmoil

Dave

This is such a generic prompt that it’s hard to know what to write about. Do I go for some personal turmoil that has affected me in the past? Or do I look to global issues instead? I imagine that the vast majority of us are in the midst of some kind of turmoil at the moment. Wherever we go confusion and uncertainty reigns. It’s hard to feel fully secure in life and to be certain of where you’re heading.

I suppose I’m more sure of where I’m going and where I want to be now. Leaving university I had no comprehension of where I wanted to be or what I wanted to do. Sure, I was writing but I knew that was a career that could only happen with a great degree of luck. I headed for the office environment to find somewhere to settle. First job after university I stayed for four years before finally caving in to maladjustment and leaving to go travelling.

A month travelling the world eased the turmoil in my life somewhat but as the days went by that sense of unease and uncertainty soon came crawling back. I returned to England and to the office jobs once again. This time I met Donna and found a new path and purpose, a change of direction that grounded me and helped to give a lot more perspective. It took some time before Donna gave me the belief to pursue my writing path but now I’m on it I at least feel the many moments of turmoil in the past beginning to abate. I’ll never be fully rid of turmoil but for now it’s in the midst of a deep sleep.

 

 

 

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Donna

Whenever we visit my parents and they ask if we have news, I don’t feel bad about saying no. Instead, I feel glad for the lack of turmoil. What’s that curse? May you live in interesting times? I’ve realised our lives can be interesting, fun and fulfiling without the drama!

Of course, I wish someone would tell the cats that! They are constantly trying to create turmoil. Spills, tears, trying (and sometimes succeeding) to knock one of us downstairs – they’ve had me in A&E before now. But still, it’s not proper turmoil. It’s the tame, very manageable stuff that keeps life ticking over and prevents every day from being the same.

I know how lucky we are to have the life we do and for our ‘turmoil’ to be such a banal kind. I’m not saying life is easy but I know it’s easier than for some. And we have one another. And we have our cats (and yes, Dave, that is a bonus!). Perhaps we don’t live in times interesting enough to tell stories about at cocktail parties but I’ll let you into a little secret… we don’t seem to have a big cocktail party thing going on here in our neck of the woods.

Besides… have you tried getting a babysitter for six cats? No, nor have we. For a very good reason!

Related articles (external)

#FlashFiveFriday on The Indie Exchange: House and Home
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FlashFiveFriday: House

#FlashFiveFriday – Turmoil | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave

Guest Post and Giveaway: The Holiday for Scary Things – Coral Russell

We’re delighted to welcome Coral Russell, author of Amador Lockdown, to the blog today. Coral and her family are clearly getting into the spirit of Halloween as her post reveals.

The Holiday for Scary Things – Coral Russell

Why is the subject of ghosts or spirits so popular? I’m not sure but interest has waxed and waned over the centuries, at least according to the number of times it’s the subject of books. Life after death is interesting since there are a lot of beliefs but not much concrete evidence as to what exactly happens afterwards. Which is probably a good thing. Makes people more inclined to stick around among the living.

But maybe the spirits stick around for the same reason. Life can be interesting. I’ve always been curious about ghosts and scary things. While other girls were reading romance novels, I was reading the latest horror novel. My father told a date once to ‘go check out my closet’ when she remarked how ‘nice’ I was. He wasn’t implying I wasn’t nice, just that for being such a nice girl I had an unusual reading habit. She checked out my closet filled to the brim with horror novels and come to think of it, she never came back. I’m sure it was my dad’s fault, not my taste for horror novels.

Halloween is my favorite holiday because it is okay to like scary stuff and play dress up and gorge yourself on candy. I don’t dress up anymore. Instead I watch scary movies or read while I ‘ohhh’ and ‘ahhh’ over the kids in cute costumes that drop by for candy. This year my daughter has embraced anime so is going as Death the Kid. My husband who never expressed any interest in dressing up completely surprised me by deciding to go as Ezio from Assassin’s Creed. Both costumes were not cheap so I’ve insisted they re-use them for many years to come!

About Amador Lockdown (2011)
[image error] Something has moved into the Amador Hotel. Hector, Marcos, Bev, and Tony of the Paranormal Posse are called in to either debunk the haunting or get rid of whatever is causing the problems. With the surprise arrival of Hector’s son, he tries to keep his professional and personal lives separate, but whatever is haunting the Amador Hotel has other plans.

 

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About Coral Russell
[image error]Coral Russell won the 2003 McCaleb Peace Initiative which produced the non-fiction articles Peace on the Peninsula about South Korean’s view on reunification. You can also find various articles written by her on Technoratiand BlogCritics. After winning a fiction writing contest (a fluke), she caught the fiction bug. An encounter with something paranormal on a local ghost tour inspired her to start writing the ghost hunter series.

Her titles include Peace on the Peninsula, Twelve Worlds, Playing with Fire, The DIY Guide to Social Media Marketing and eBook Publishing, and Amador Lockdown.

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Giveaway: Amador Lockdown
Coral says: “In the spirit of the holiday for scary things, I’m giving away 3 copies each of Amador Lockdown and Playing with Fire. I hope they scare you, just a little! If you like Amador Lockdown you can get a autographed book cover on Kindlegraph.”

Please note this giveaway is being run by Coral Russell, not Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave.

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Related articles (external)

Celebrating Bloggers: Author Coral Russell Joins the Celebration!
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Guest Post and Giveaway: The Holiday for Scary Things – Coral Russell | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave

Book Review: Amador Lockdown – Coral Russell

About Amador Lockdown (2011)
[image error] Something has moved into the Amador Hotel. Hector, Marcos, Bev, and Tony of the Paranormal Posse are called in to either debunk the haunting or get rid of whatever is causing the problems. With the surprise arrival of Hector’s son, he tries to keep his professional and personal lives separate, but whatever is haunting the Amador Hotel has other plans.

 

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Review: Amador Lockdown

I don’t find American horror films particularly scary and haven’t done for many years now. Whenever I have the inclination to be terrified I turn to South Korean and Japanese horror films which always leave me unnerved. It’s a while since I read horror and I don’t recall the last time I read a ghost story so I was intrigued by Amador Lockdown. The novel focuses on the Paranormal Posse – a quartet of friends that investigate the spooky and paranormal. At the outset they are giving a tour in an eerie graveyard but they go further afield when they are given an assignment at the Amador Hotel, full of history and supposedly haunted. The Posse head for the hotel for a lockdown to begin the hunt for ghosts.

This is a fast-paced and short novel with little time to catch one’s breath. Hector, Marcos, Bev and Tony make up the Paranormal Posse and they are a good bunch of characters to take our hand as we enter the Amador Hotel. There are numerous viewpoints including some fascinating interviews from people who have been to the hotel and witnessed strange events including a wedding celebration being disrupted. Something is lurking in the shadows of the hotel and it doesn’t seem to suffer guests gladly. We soon get to the lockdown itself where the book’s biggest chills can be found. Posse member Hector has had his plans somewhat disrupted by the arrival of his son, Darren, who he brings to the hotel in an attempt to re-establish a relationship. The question is do the Posse discover ghosts in the Amador Hotel or is it all a complete hoax?

I enjoyed Amador Lockdown. It never stops to waste time in pondering insignificant things. Instead the story moves along at an electrifying pace and is hard to put down. I read 80% of this book in one day and would have finished it had I not started late in the day. There are few books I can say that about. The different viewpoints are fascinating including perspective of whatever is haunting the hotel. Russell builds the narrative up well to a very surprising conclusion. You’ll think you’ve got it sussed but then that final segment hits you and it hits hard. Completely unexpected. My only complaint is that the book is too short. It was over too quickly and I was left wanting more but that’s the sign of a good writer though, right?

Amador Lockdown is a quick but exciting ghost story. Although it won’t take you long to get through the experience is a worthwhile one and the ending is well worth the wait.

Verdict: 4/5

(Book source: reviewer received a copy in exchange for a fair and honest review)

Book Review: Amador Lockdown – Coral Russell | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave

Game News: Bioshock Infinite – Beast of America Trailer and Screenshots

2k Games have unveiled a new ”Beast of America’ trailer for upcoming title Bioshock Infinite.

Trailer: Bioshock Infinite

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About Bioshock Infinite (2013)

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Developed by Irrational Games, BioShock Infinite won more than 75 editorial awards at E3 in 2011, including the Game Critics Awards’ Best of Show. The title has been named one of the most anticipated games of 2012 by more than 50 media outlets, including WIRED, USA Today, TIME, GameSpot, and GameTrailers. The BioShock franchise is one of the interactive entertainment industry’s most successful and critically acclaimed series, which has sold-in over 9 million units worldwide.

BioShock Infinite puts players in the role of Booker DeWitt, a hard-bitten former Pinkerton agent, together with the revolutionary AI companion, Elizabeth. The two struggle to escape the sky-city of Columbia, in a 1912 America that might have been. Armed with an arsenal of new weapons and abilities, they face menacing enemies, in unique expansive environments. Classic BioShock gameplay joins innovations such as aerial combat on high-speed Sky-Lines in the service of an immersive storyline – an Irrational Games signature.

Format: PC, PS3, Xbox 360

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Related articles (external)

Bioshock Infinite – what does that new trailer mean?
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Game News: Bioshock Infinite – Beast of America Trailer and Screenshots | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave

Game Review: Manhunt 2

Manhunt 2 (1997)
[image error] An experiment at a secret research facility has gone wrong, leaving Daniel Lamb and Leo Kasper as the only surviving subjects. The Pickman Project will not rest until they are hunted down, stopping the truth from being revealed. The door to your cell is open leaving you one choice and one chance. They took your life and now you have to take it back.

 

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Review: Manhunt 2 (Playstation 2)

I never played the original Manhunt but remember hearing snippets about it when it was first released. The sequel slipped me by when it was first released but I happened upon a copy in a bargain games shop and thought it was about time I gave it a whirl. My initial concern was that I’m not normally good at these kind of games where you have to react quickly and fight lots of enemies, especially with guns, but that didn’t stop me.

The game begins at the Dixmor Asylum where insane patients are kept in cells in appalling conditions which leave nothing to the imagination. At the outset two men, Daniel Lamb and Leo Kasper, manage to escape from their confines. While Leo acts as the guide you take control of Daniel who is hampered by severe head pains and disorientation. The two men soon escape and go on the run, eluding an organisation known as the Project as they unlock the secrets of Daniel’s past and look to earn the ultimate prize – freedom.

The opening to Manhunt 2 is a testament to how brutal the remainder of the game will be. Guards urinating on prisoners are just one awful sight you’ll have to contend with while later in the game you’ll engage in a gun battle while a porn film is playing out on a big screen behind you. Yes, this game warrants that 18 certificate! At the outset you get to grips with the game and have some valuable lessons to learn. While Leo is with you at the start of missions, he soon disappears and leaves you to fend for yourself. In the early missions you’ll be armed with objects such as shards of glass and clubs which are vital to your survival. As you traverse the corridors of buildings or the streets the key to Daniel’s success is a pendulum swing between stealth and coercion. When enemies are in close proximity, they become visible via a helpful radar and you can duck into shadows where you’re very difficult to see. In fact the only time you are spotted is on the odd occasion enemies peer into the shadows and you are given a few seconds to hit a combination of buttons to avoid detection. Get your timing wrong and enemies will drag you out of the darkness and into the danger zone.

While hiding in the shadows is integral to your safe negotiation of each mission, combat is even more important. Combining stealth and attack is key as Daniel can execute enemies if he sneaks up on them and remains unsighted. If you are spotted then there’s no choice but to fight with clubs, swords, axes, saws, pistols, shotguns, bows, Uzis, you name it, you’ll probably find it in Manhunt 2. When Daniel starts wielding guns the difficulty of the game increases significantly, even though you’ll have an auto aim function. The objectives of the missions are fairly straightforward, it’s the combat that is the most difficult. You will find yourself on the streets with dozens of enemies all firing at you and you’ll have to fight the lot of them! Worse is to come when the police are involved and you have not only the armed officers put a helicopter with a searchlight scouring the area! Through all this action a very intriguing storyline plays out.

It’s difficult to go into too much detail with the plot without spoiling it. Let’s just say there is a very good twist in the latter stages of the game and after you’ve cleared the game’s fourteen missions, you’ll have the pleasure of two tense bonus missions, which offer alternative endings to the game, one happy, and one where evil prevails. Manhunt 2 is great fun and although the battles can be frustrating at times they’re always exciting. Checkpoints split up the missions but sometimes you’ll find these are not as generous as they could be. If you die, you’re forced to start from the last checkpoint. This became frustrating at the end of one mission when I fought a corridor and room full of enemies, took a lift to a parking lot and had to face off against a load more before the mission ended. Every time I died I was forced to start again! The story is worth playing through, the graphics are quite good but not spectacular, but the game is very violent and is strictly for adults only.

Manhunt 2 is a decent action/adventure game in the vein of Metal Gear Solid where stealth is just as important as fighting. The game suffers with the lack of checkpoints in places, some difficult set pieces and average graphics but the storyline is worth seeing through, especially the two dramatic bonus missions that will decide the game’s ending.

Verdict: 3/5 

(Game source: reviewer’s own copy)

Game Review: Manhunt 2 | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave

Guest Post: Leaving Your Comfort Zone Can Pay – Huw Thomas

We’re delighted to welcome Huw Thomas, author of The Vault. Huw joins us today to share his thoughts on how a change of setting helped him to complete his second novel. 

Leaving your comfort zone can pay

Think of a famous author, any successful, traditional author. The people whose names you see on your bookshelves – you know, those things on the wall holding all those paper objects that ruled the roost before e-books came along.

Chances are you associate authors with a particular genre – Arthur C Clarke for sci-fi, Patricia Cornwell for crime thrillers, Barbara Cartland for romance, etc, etc.

There are a couple of reasons for this. One is that traditional publishers like to keep writers pigeonholed – it’s supposed to make them much easier to market. Another explanation is that we, as writers, often tend to find something we’re good at and then stick with it.

It’s the same with form. We tend to be novelists, playwrights, short story writers, poets… or bloggers.

Of course, there are some writers versatile enough to mix and match. Newer authors also often hop around trying out different styles and genres – generally while still trying to find their particular, unique ‘voice’.

But even with the advent of indie publishing the majority of us still find our niche with a particular form and a specific genre and then stay there – whether that’s diesel punk poetry, femslash comedy novellas or advanced tweeting.

Sometimes though leaving your comfort zone can pay huge dividends. I’m a novelist and occasional short story writer (although I have dabbled in a few different genres).

A few years ago, I started work on a mystery novel called The Vault. The concept, involving some bodies found in a lake and some schoolboys who come across something nasty in the woods, seemed good to me and the writing was going well… until I got about half way into the book.

Then everything just stuck. The story was grinding to a halt. I wasn’t sure what was wrong but somehow I knew that it had lost its spark – something that’s always such a depressing realisation for any writer – and, reluctantly, I shelved the project.

Some months later, the opportunity came up to try something new. A film company had got some funding to run a weekend screenwriting course.

It wasn’t something I’d ever tried before but I knew some of the organisers and went along. It was a fascinating and informative two days. What was even better was that the experience encouraged me to get The Vault off the shelf and try reworking it as a film script.

And suddenly the story began to make sense again. I started to visualise the scenes and think about how they would work on a screen. I concentrated on the action and the dialogue (my weaknesses at the time) and slashed some of my more rambling descriptive passages.

After a while, I stopped work on the screenplay. But by then it had done its job. I was able to pick up the novel version of The Vault again – this time knowing not just which bits weren’t working but also understanding why they weren’t right.

I set off again with a new lease of life and in the space of a few months completed the first draft of the novel (published in March this year).

For me, putting my novel writing aside and trying out a completely new form was a fairly radical experiment. But, not only was it a surprisingly enjoyable experiment, I also believe it really helped me as a writer, both with a specific project and – more importantly – developing my skills in general and my confidence in dealing with dialogue in particular.

So, go on, get out of your comfort zone. It might go pear-shaped but on the other hand it might just provide a brilliant solution.

About The Vault (2012)
[image error] Adam Strong has two main problems in life: how to keep the gang from the local council estate out of the woods where he has his den and how to get the new girl at school to notice that he exists.

But the ancient woods next to Compton Fosse contain more dangers than just the risk of a beating from the town’s teenage psycho. 

Hidden in Hobthrush Wood is the key to a mystery that weaves four disparate stories into a single web.

* The mansion: A gang of professional robbers mount a night raid on the secluded country home of a reclusive billionaire.

* The dead: Three decaying bodies, wrapped in plastic and chains, are found lying at the bottom of an ornamental lake.

* The convict: A sex offender is released from prison but breaks his parole and goes on the run after giving into temptation once again.

* The friends: Two boys stumble across an eerie secret…

 

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About Huw Thomas
[image error]Writer, traveller, cyclist and gardener: I’ve always been a dreamer – I wrote my first ‘book’ while at primary school and making up stories has long been one of my favourite occupations.

I was born in Southampton, England, in 1965 and grew up in a small market town called Romsey.

Over the years that followed I worked as a journalist, PR consultant, gardener and, most recently, teaching English in Portugal.

My first novel – The Tale Of Findo Gask – was published in 2006 after winning the national final of a UK competition to discover new authors. I’ve also written several other books and published a collection of short stories.

My latest novel – murder mystery The Vault – was published in March in aid of the disaster relief charity ShelterBox http://www.shelterbox.org (I’ve been involved with this charity for a few years – I was previously in charge of PR & Fundraising at its UK HQ and in 2010-11 my wife and I undertook a 10,000-mile tandem bike ride in aid of ShelterBox!)

My next novel – Pagan’s Sphinx – should be released late in 2012. This one’s being published under the pen name William Webster as it’s a bit different from my other books. Pagan’s Sphinx is an adventure story set in North Africa involving the hunt for a lost statue that may be connected with the lost civilisation of Atlantis.

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Guest Post: Leaving Your Comfort Zone Can Pay – Huw Thomas | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave

Book Review: The Vault – Huw Thomas

About The Vault (2012)
[image error] Adam Strong has two main problems in life: how to keep the gang from the local council estate out of the woods where he has his den and how to get the new girl at school to notice that he exists.

But the ancient woods next to Compton Fosse contain more dangers than just the risk of a beating from the town’s teenage psycho. 

Hidden in Hobthrush Wood is the key to a mystery that weaves four disparate stories into a single web.

* The mansion: A gang of professional robbers mount a night raid on the secluded country home of a reclusive billionaire.

* The dead: Three decaying bodies, wrapped in plastic and chains, are found lying at the bottom of an ornamental lake.

* The convict: A sex offender is released from prison but breaks his parole and goes on the run after giving into temptation once again.

* The friends: Two boys stumble across an eerie secret…

 

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Review: The Vault 

Huw Thomas’ novel combines four threads and weaves them into a mysterious and complex tale set in and around Compton Fosse. At the heart of the story is Adam Strong, a schoolboy with many problems. He fancies the sister of one of his friends and also has the problem of a notorious gang on the council estate. Adam has found refuge in the Hobthrush woodland but his tormentors have begun infiltrating his sanctuary intent on harming him. Adam isn’t the only one with problems though. Three bodies have been found at the bottom of a lake and have the police scratching their heads; a paroled sex offender has gone on the run; and a group of robbers have targeted the mansion of a billionaire for their latest score. Four different tales, somehow related but how?

With four stories to negotiate the novel inevitably jumps around a lot and it isn’t always easy to keep track of everything, especially at the start. Thankfully, the best moments which involve Adam are regular occurrences. He isn’t physically strong is Adam but he is brave, especially when taking on the school bullies but less so with girls. You’ll be both concerned for him and amused by some of his antics. Adam’s crush on his friend’s sister will also make you smile. Some elements of Adam’s story resonated with me from my own childhood where I grew up in Yorkshire though thankfully I wasn’t as curious as Adam. Not that Adam hogs all of the spotlight here. The other stories are each of interest and will keep you intrigued as you try and piece together the connections. It all culminates in Adam discovering something out in the woods, something secret and seemingly sinister.

I enjoyed The Vault. I found it slow-going initially as I got to grips with the storyline but once I was immersed in Compton Fosse I had no desire to leave until I had answers. Of the four storylines, I felt the one with the sex offender to be the weakest though all four segments are good. The sections devoted to Adam were my favourite but the raid against the mansion was compelling and mysterious. You may work out the mystery before the end but whether you do or not, it is fun guessing what is going on.

The Vault is a well-written mystery with four very different storylines seemingly unrelated but all coming together by the end. Adam is a great character, young and seemingly weak, but wise beyond his years when it comes to doing the right thing. This a really good read.

Verdict: 4/5

(Book source: reviewer received a copy in exchange for a fair and honest review)

Book Review: The Vault – Huw Thomas | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave