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The Strain
by Guillermo del Toro
Description
They have always been here. Vampires. In secret and in darkness. Waiting. Now their time has come.
In one week, Manhattan will be gone. In one month, the country.
In two months - the world.
A Boeing 777 arrives at JFK and is on its way across the tarmac, when it suddenly stops dead. All window shades are pulled down. All lights are out. All communication channels have gone quiet. Crews on the ground are lost for answers, but an alert goes out to the CDC. Dr. Eph Goodweather, head of their Canary project, a rapid-response team that investigates biological threats, gets the call and boards the plane. What he finds makes his blood run cold.
In a pawnshop in Spanish Harlem, a former professor and survivor of the Holocaust named Abraham Setrakian knows something is happening. And he knows the time has come, that a war is brewing . . .
So begins a battle of mammoth proportions as the vampiric virus that has infected New York begins to spill out into the streets. Eph, who is joined by Setrakian and a motley crew of fighters, must now find a way to stop the contagion and save his city - a city that includes his wife and son - before it is too late.
Review
I was asked to test read this by the publishers, and as usual i was happy to do so, always a pleasure to get a free book, and often a rewarding experience.
Stop.
Not in this case...this book was utter bilge.
First the cover put me off...ok its a different cover to the one that is on amazon, the one i got was a naff bridge with some bad font title and author name. I was already put off, but...dont judge a book by its cover.
So i read the blurb...not great...i felt i knew where this was going.
4 chapters into the book and i wanted to hurl the book out the window, its contrived, obvious, attempts to be mysterious when the plot is there for a child to see.
This book should sit in the YA section at best and to be honest a lot of YA has become fairly sophisticated recently so im doing that genre a diservice.
There is nothing redeeming in this book, it has poor plot, poor characters, poor pace, poor imagination, signposted with neon lights plot lines...aaggghhh its so bad my teeth hurt thinking about it again.
Henry VIII: Wolfman
(2010)
A novel by
A E Moorat
Description
Henry VIII was the best and bloodiest King ever to have sat on the throne of England. This fast-paced, exciting, gory, inventive and just plain gross retelling of his reign will bring to light the real man behind the myth. When it came to his size, Henry VIII was known for being larger-than-life, with a fearsome temper and bloodthirsty reputation to match; more beast than human, some might say...Be dragged kicking and screaming back 500 years into Tudor England...
Review
Maybe its me, i don't like Terry Pratchett or similar novels, but this book was dropped in my lap so i thought i would give it a go.
I was utterly underwhelmed, the writing feels clunky, the characters a bit rigid and forced, there is no historical depth to the book
despite the indication of the cover (yes i know there is a wold head...but you expect a decent blending). If this book had the depth of a writer like scarrow or iggulden and the flow and pace of their writing skill and then you added the fun/ humour, then it would work.
Unfortunately it does not. Andrew Holmes / A E Moorat should stick to journalism be cause IMHO he is not a storyteller
Angelology
Product Description
The Nephilim were on the earth in those days Genesis 6:4 When Sister Evangeline finds mysterious correspondence between Mother Innocenta of the Saint Rose Convent and legendary philanthropist Abigail Rockefeller, it confirms Angels walked among us – and their descendants, the cruel Nephilim, still do. Indeed, the Nephilim are hunting for artefacts concealed by Abigail Rockefeller during the Second World War - objects that will ultimately allow them to enslave mankind - and have so far been prevented from reaching their apocalyptic goal by one, clandestine organisation: The Angelology Society. And if the Angelologists are to stand any chance of winning this new battle in the ages-old war, they must find the artefacts first. But their fate rests in the hands of innocent Sister Evangeline, who holds the key to unlocking Abigail Rockefeller’s hiding places … and whose own destiny may yet find her prey to the terrifying Nephilim army, with horrifying consequences for humanity.
Alter of Eden
(2009)
A novel by James
Synopsis
Following the fall of Baghdad, two Iraqi boys stumble upon armed men looting the city zoo. The floodgates have been opened for the smuggling of hundreds of exotic birds, mammals, and reptiles to Western nations, but this crime hides a deeper secret. Amid a hail of bullets, a concealed underground weapons lab is ransacked - and something even more horrific is set free.
Seven years later, Louisiana state veterinarian Lorna Polk stumbles upon a fishing trawler shipwrecked on a barrier island. The crew is missing or dead, but the boat holds a frightening cargo: a caged group of exotic animals, clearly part of a black market smuggling ring.
Yet, something is wrong with these beasts, disturbing deformities that make no sense: a parrot with no feathers, a pair of Capuchin monkeys conjoined at the hip, a jaguar cub with the dentition of a saber-toothed tiger. They also all share one uncanny trait - a disturbingly heightened intelligence.
To uncover the truth about the origin of this strange cargo and the terrorist threat it poses, Lorna must team up with a man who shares a dark and bloody past with her and is now an agent with the U.S. Border Patrol, Jack Menard.
Together, the two must hunt for a beast that escaped the shipwreck while uncovering a mystery tied to fractal science and genetic engineering, all to expose a horrifying secret that traces back to humankind's earliest roots.
But can Lorna stop what is about to be born upon the altar of Eden before it threatens not only the world but also the very foundation of what it means to be human?
Review
Not the best book i have read from James, the premise is interesting, and his execution is ok, but it just does not gel. It was not up to the standard of his sigma force books. 6/10 for me on this one. Worth a read while on holiday.
Cobras of Calcutta: The Decipherer's Chronicles
Author: Grant Sutherland
Published by Macmillan
Date Available: 2 April 2010
Synopsis
In the fifty years between 1757 and 1815, Britain lost an empire, won another and emerged from the epic Napoleonic wars as the greatest power the world had ever seen. But no empire comes about by accident. The spread of British power was fuelled by the ambition and zeal of a host of larger-than-life personalities. But while history records the actions of those who chose familiar public paths to make their mark, others who served under a necessary cloak of silence have left no memorials. There were men who gave their whole lives to these hidden struggles. At the centre of these machinations lay one secret institution: the Decipherers - the code breakers, the interceptors of letters and messages, the analysers of intelligence - constantly locked in silent deadly combat with the Cabinet Noir, the Black Chamber, the secret agency of Britain's greatest enemy, France. Working tirelessly with the Decipherers was a small number of trusted agents whose secet trade carried by neccessity into the deepest conflicts of empire and Alistair Douglas was one of them...
So whats this book like? and who is Grant Sutherland
GRANT SUTHERLAND is the author of two internationally published novels, DUE DILIGENCE and EAST OF THE CITY. A native Australian, he recently retired from his job as a stockbroker at the age of thirty-three and lives in Oxfordshire, England, where he now writes full-time
The Book, Its good, its not a drag you along rip roaring ride like an eagles book or an iggulden, but its an ineresting look at life during the early days of Calcutta, the Siege by the then nawab and what followed and the tensions with the French as war breaks out in europe.
It also gives a great look at how easily a young mans passions can range during times of strife and war. Honour bound to do his bit.
It for me was also very interesting to see how the main character slowly gets to see the local spy network and how it works.
7/10...well worth a read...the next book will be on my to buiy list
Centurion Parmenion
Will there be signed stock....Watch this space......
Matthew Reilly
Five Greatest Warriors
synopsis
This brilliant sequel to SIX SACRED STONES picks up the action at a terrifying juncture. Captain West and his small team of elite misfits are on the trail of the six ancient pillars that can prevent the arrival of the 'dark star' a deadly celestial event that could bathe the globe in lethal radiation. But not only have the Ancients have hidden their secrets well, but also the huge potential to whomever locates and uses the pillars has attracted the attentions of the powerful all around the world. Jack West must now fight off crack mercenaries and special forces soldiers whilst preserving his entire team to figure out the secrets of the past...
Review
If you are a fan of Reillys books then you will know what to expects. Lots of thrills, adventure, explosions, cliff hangers and tension. Matthew Reilly really is one of the masters of this adventure thriller genre, up there with clive cussler.
For those purists of Historical fiction who shun this type of work as inacurate trash, you should look at the amount of factual research put into this and all of MR's books, as he himself writes at the end of this title, there is 85% fact and 15% fiction he just does not tell you which is which, he just blends the 2 like a master, and thats what makes him so good at this type of writing.
in summary this book is great fun just dont take your history exam based on what you read. But if you want a great action movie in a book then look no further. If hollywood does not start snapping up the Jack west Jnr series soon then there is something very very wrong going on in tinsel town.
Siege of Khartoum John Wilcox Signed 1st HB £20
The eyes of the world are on the fate of General Gordon and the English-held Khartoum as it comes under siege, in this latest novel in the thrilling Fonthill series.
Simon Fonthill, one time subaltern and ex-Captain in the North West Frontier's Royal Corps of Guides, together with 352 Jenkins, ex-batman and servant, are called to Khartoum. They're on an urgent mission from Sir Garnet Wolseley to reach General Gordon, England's hero, who is being besieged by followers of Mahdi, the infamous religious leader who has declared a jihad against Egyptian authority in the Sudan. Their journey on camel-back through the Sudanese desert is treacherous. When they finally reach the General, an unexpected attack makes them realise that they have little time to make contact with Wolseley, who can dispatch troops to rescue General Gordon. As they leave in darkness to cross the Nile, they're set upon by a brutal Dervish patrol. Can Simon and Jenkins survive a Dervish interrogation and make it back to the General before Khartoum falls from British hands?
Diamond Frontier John Wilcox Signed 1st HB £50
The atmosphere is volatile in the South African province of the Transvaal at the start of 1880. The discovery of diamonds has bred greed; a strong anti-British feeling is taking hold amongst the Boer farmers; and the bePedi tribe continues to rampage after the defeat of their Zulu allies. Former captain Simon Fonthill and his servant "352" Jenkins receive a cry for help from an old friend who has been kidnapped on South Africa's new Diamond Frontier. The pair must go to her aid before redeeming a promise to act as army scouts in this increasingly turbulent region. When the acclaimed British hero General Wolseley decides to lead his column against the impenetrable stronghold of the bePedi, Fonthill and Jenkins once again find themselves marching to war...
Crusade Robyn Young Signed 1st HB £40
The second volume in Robyn Young's internationally bestselling Brethren trilogy, this is gripping historical fiction that reads like tomorrow's headlines--portraying a rising tide of political pressures that led East and West to war in the thirteenth century.
The year is 1274, and, after years of bloodshed, peace reigns in the Middle East, in part due to the efforts of a mysterious group known as the Brethren. However, one of their number, Will Campbell, suspects that the Brethren have been betrayed. Their enemies are numerous and powerful: A cabal of ruthless Western merchants aims to reignite war in the Holy Land, in the hope that they can turn a profit--by means of a plan so scandalous that should they succeed the entire Muslim world will rise against the Christians in retaliation. Prince Edward--once a trusted member of the Brethren--has made a promise to the pope: He will take the Cross to Jerusalem and lead a new Crusade. War has come.
Meanwhile, in Egypt, Sultan Baybars is caught in a power struggle. His eldest son, and heir to the kingdom, has become involved in the dangerous designs of the insidious soothsayer, Khadir. While Baybars wants to take on the mighty Mongol empire, Khadir and others in the sultan's court want to destroy the Christians once and for all. As the sultan's son schemes against his own family, old scars of the Crusades are quickly uncovered and new wounds appear. To survive the escalating conflict and protect his family, Will must harness all his knowledge and courage. In a world of reckless greed and violence, Campbell may become the people's last hope for peace.
Requiem Robyn Young signed 1st HB £40
1295 AD. The Christian empire in the Holy Land lies in ruins.
Returning to Paris, Templar Knight Will Campbell is at a crossroads. He has sworn to uphold the principles of the Anima Templi, a secret brotherhood within the Order whose aim is peace -�but peace seems ever more impossible.
The Temple has forged an alliance with Will's enemy, King Edward of England, vowing to help him wage war on Scotland. This pact against his homeland strikes at the core of Will's faith and allegiances, while his growing estrangement from his daughter, Rose, leads her into a dangerous affair.
Will now faces a bitter choice: to stay with the Temple and fight another war he doesn't believe in, or to break his vows and forge his own path to peace -�even if that too means fighting - for the Scots.
Soon caught up in bloody conflict, Will is unaware that an even more ominous threat is rising, for there is a warrior king on the throne of France whose desire for supremacy knows no bounds and who will stop at nothing to fulfil his twisted ambitions.
The fight for the Holy Land has ended. �The Temple's last battle has just begun.
Knights of the Black and White by Jack Whyte signed 1st HB £100
The first book in a trilogy about the most important events in the history of the Order of the Knights Templar. The Templars represent a widely popular period of history at the moment, but the roots of their fellowship have been shrouded in contemporary conspiracy theory and media glamour! This trilogy tells the true tales of the Knights Templar - beginning with why they formed after the First Crusade and why they continued to grow in power and influence. Immediately after the deliverance of Jerusalem, the Crusaders, considering their vow fulfilled, drifted back to their homes. But some considered that the defence of this precarious conquest, surrounded as it was by Mohammedan neighbours, still remained. In 1118, during the reign of Baldwin II, Hugues de Payens, a knight of Champagne, and eight of his companions bound themselves by a perpetual vow, taken in the presence of the Patriarch of Jerusalem, to defend the Christian kingdom and all god fearing pilgrims who wished to visit the Holy Land. Baldwin accepted their services and assigned them a portion of his palace, adjoining the temple of the city. Hence their title "pauvres chevaliers du temple" (Poor Knights of the Temple).
Gates of Fire: Stephen Pressfield 1st HB £25
Go tell the Spartans, stranger passing by, that here obedient to their laws we lie.
Thus reads an ancient stone at Thermopylae in northern Greece, the site of one of the world's greatest battles for freedom. Here, in 480 B.C., on a narrow mountain pass above the crystalline Aegean, 300 Spartan knights and their allies faced the massive forces of Xerxes, King of Persia. From the start, there was no question but that the Spartans would perish. In Gates of Fire, however, Steven Pressfield makes their courageous defense--and eventual extinction--unbearably suspenseful.
In the tradition of Mary Renault, this historical novel unfolds in flashback. Xeo, the sole Spartan survivor of Thermopylae, has been captured by the Persians, and Xerxes himself presses his young captive to reveal how his tiny cohort kept more than 100,000 Persians at bay for a week. Xeo, however, begins at the beginning, when his childhood home in northern Greece was overrun and he escaped to Sparta. There he is drafted into the elite Spartan guard and rigorously schooled in the art of war--an education brutal enough to destroy half the students, but (oddly enough) not without humor: "The more miserable the conditions, the more convulsing the jokes became, or at least that's how it seems," Xeo recalls. His companions in arms are Alexandros, a gentle boy who turns out to be the most courageous of all, and Rooster, an angry, half-Messenian youth.
Piper by Helen Mcabe PB 1st Signed rare £15
Legend has it that in medieval times the children of Hamelin were led East into Transylvania...
In bleak post Ceausescu Rumania, Dr Sacha Marcu a psychiatric researcher absorbed with the high incidence of mental illness among the women of Arva, a remote mountain village near the border with Russia, gradually uncovers a horrific history of ritual child murder. After the latest incident Marcu and police inspector Valentin almost succeed in cornering their prime suspect who appears to elude justice by dying in a plane crash.
Local cop Dave Durrant and his music teacher wife Diane seem to lead an idyllic life with their four children in the small lakeside town of Sunny Mead, New Hampshire. All that mars their contentment is the disability and muteness of their 13-year-old son Pip as the result of a car accident.
When Diane engages new arrival Diep Koppelberg as a therapist for her son, Diep's charm and exceptional musical talent captivates all who in the little community meet him and Diane and her daughter are gradually drawn to him to the point of infatuation.
Only Pip sees Diep differently. Where others see beauty he sees only ugliness and decay. Where they see benevolence, he sees malice and unspeakable evil. Either Pip must succeed in convincing his family of the danger before it is too late or find a way to confront the threat himself.
Soldier of Rome: the legionary James Mace PB 1st signed rare £20
Rome’s Vengeance
In the year A.D. 9, three Roman Legions under Quintilius Varus were betrayed by the Germanic war chief, Arminius, and then destroyed in the forest known as Teutoburger Wald. Six years later, Rome is finally ready to unleash Her vengeance on the barbarians. The Emperor Tiberius has sent Germanicus Caesar, his adopted son, into Germania with an army of 40,000 legionaries. They come not on a mission of conquest, but one of annihilation. With them is a young Legionary named Artorius. For him, the war is a personal vendetta—a chance to avenge his brother, who was killed in Teutoburger Wald.
In Germania, Arminius knows the Romans are coming. He realizes that the only way to fight the Romans is through deceit, cunning, and plenty of well-placed brute force. In truth, he is leery of Germanicus, knowing that he was trained to be a master of war by the Emperor himself.
The entire Roman Empire held its breath as Germanicus and Arminius faced each other in what would become the most brutal and savage campaign the world had seen in a generation; a campaign that could only end in a holocaust of fire and blood.
Sepulchre: Kate Mosse Signed 1st HB £25
An elderly priest brutally murdered. The body of a young man floating in the River Aude. A nervous woman sitting in a damask-draped room. A smiling man in the shadows. Four different people, scattered across France, scattered across the ages. The only link, the painted tarot cards they hold... SEPULCHRE is a spellbinding adventure that carries us back from the present day in the French spa-town of Rennes-les-Bains, first to the 19th century, and then further back into the stories of the ancient kings buried there with their treasure. For those who stumble upon the cards, unravelling the mystery of the painted deck will take them on a treacherous journey of forbidden knowledge, the power of the church and the pull of the occult. A tale of strange music, personal ruin, murderous greed and age-old secrets - prepare yourself to turn over the cards
The Column of Phocas by Sean Gabb (AKA richard Blake) signed 1st PB very very rare with quote and dated £100 this is the self published title also later published as Conspiracies of rome under the name richard blake
Synopsis
Rome in 609 AD. The empire has fallen. The city itself is rapidly falling into ruins. The streets are blocked with filth and rubble. Killers prowl by night. The barbarians outside await their moment. The Emperor, far off in Constantinople, has other concerns. The church is the one institution left intact, and is now flexing its own imperial muscles. Little did Aelric know, back in Canterbury, how getting someone's daughter with child would land him in this post-imperial snake pit. But "If I catch you in my realms" King Ethelbert had snarled at him, "I'll have your balls on a church plate, and fuck the priests." So off to Rome he must go - as secretary to Maximin, a priest sent back to gather books for the English mission. A chance encounter on the road outside Rome leads to a daring fraud. Its consequences follow them to Rome. They are followed. There is murder after murder. Soon, Aelric is involved in a race against time to find answers. Who is trying to kill him? Where are those letters and what do they contain? Who is the one-eyed man? What significance to all this has the Column of Phocas, the monument just put up in the Forum to celebrate a tyrant's generosity to Holy Mother Church? Proceeding via lechery, drunkenness, blasphemy, drug abuse, market rigging and pedantry, Aelric at last gets his answer. What he chooses to do with that answer will shape the future history of Europe and the world ...This novel blends historical detail with mystery, dark humour, and reflections on the decay of learning. Warning: it contains strong language, descriptions of extreme violence, and some sex, both straight and gay. Though conforming to the genre rules of historical detective fiction, it manages much else besides. A sequel is already in progress
Terror of Constantinople Richard Blake signed 1st HB £45
610AD The bloodthirsty Emperor Phocas is preparing for the greatest battle of his life. Enemy armies are racing closer to attack his fortress, the golden city of Constantinople, and traitors within plot his downfall. Clinging to power by masterminding a campaign of terror, he is running out of funds, allies and time ...but he has one card left to play. Aelric, a naive and ambitious young clerk from Britain, is sent to Constantinople ostensibly on a mission to copy old texts for the Church of Rome. On his arrival he discovers the terrible dangers lurking behind the shining streets and glittering facades. A pawn in a secret conspiracy that will change the course of history, he can only rely on his wits, charm and fighting skills to stay alive.
Attila (Trilogy) all 3 books by William Napier Attila scourge of god, Gathering of the storm & the judgement all signed 1st HB £100 for series
Scourge of god
406 AD, and the Roman Empire totters on the edge of the abyss. Already divided into two, the Imperium is looking dangerously vulnerable to her European rivals. The huge barbarian tribes of the Vandals and Visigoths sense that their time is upon them. But, unbeknownst to all these great players, a new power is rising in the East. A strange nation of primitive horse-warriors has been striking terror on border peoples for fifty years. But few realise what is about to happen. For these so called 'Huns' now have a new leader. And his name is Attila - 'the Scourge of God'.Thus begins a saga of warfare, lust and power, which brought the whole of the Christian world to its knees, and was only ended in blood on the fields of France. It is a story of two men - Attila the Hun and Aetius the Roman. One who wanted to destroy the world, and one who fought one final battle save it...
Gathering of the storm
The 5th century has dawned in blood. The young boy exiled thirty years ago has grown into a man. One stormy autumn day, a mysterious rider is seen out on the plains. Attila has returned, his sentence served, to claim his kingdom. He will ride out at the head of no more than one hundred chosen men, driven by the ambition to unite all the feuding Hunnish and Scythian tribes under single banner and a single king. An impossible ambition. For Attila and his chosen men must triumph over blizzards and deserts, bandit kings and hidden mountain kingdoms, and furious battle with the terrible Kutrigur Huns. But all will flock to his banner, answer his call. His power is mysterious and inexpressible, his strength of character and iron will cannot be opposed. And far to the west lies a promised empire both fabulously wealthy and tottering to its knees. An empire full of gold and silver and dark-eyed slavegirls ... the Empire of Rome. And this strange horde from out of the Scythian wilderness will bring a night to fall on that Empire like no other...
Judgement
The infamous leader of the Huns stills thirsts for blood and supremacy as he crosses the Danube and prepares to attack the Western Empire and face once more his boyhood friend-turned-foe: Aetius the Roman. For Attila is set on a plan that will take him right through the entire Italian peninsular and up to the gates of Rome. He must weigh up whether he should attack this, the greatest of cities, or whether the gamble is too high, even for the most battle-hardened of warlords. In this tumultuous conclusion to the life of the warrior, we see the biggest choices of his blood-soaked career played out, and travel with him right into the silken tent where Attila must ultimately face his destiny.
James Barclay: Ravensoul signed Ltd HB £15
The unknown warrior thought his days with the Raven were long behind him, until Hirad Coldheart, dead for ten years knocks on his door ...The dead are not at rest. Something has travelled from far beyond the dimension which has Balaia and Calaius at its heart. It feeds off Manna. And without Manna all of Balaia and the spirit realms that surround it will collapse into nothing taking the living and the spirits of the dead with it into the void. This new threat cannot be reasoned with, it is heedless to threats or entreaties. Ethereal and so advanced it barely registers its prey as sentient it is bringing doom with it. Balaia, barely recovered from the demon onslaught is thrown into chaos as the dead walk the streets and hope fails. It is left to the Raven, both dead and alive to take their courage and their faith in each other into the spirit realms for one last fight. James Barclayt has returned to the landmark series that made his name - this is the book that all his fans will have been waiting for.
Julian Stockwin Treachery Signed 1st HG Limited with leather bookmark £50
Following the loss of his fianc�e, Lieutenant Thomas Kydd descends into depression in the latest installment of this riveting nautical-adventure series. Rescued from despair by his close friend,�Renzi, Kydd finds life increasingly difficult when he is framed and dismissed from his ship. The pair eke out a pitiful existence in Guernsey, where, in a moment of desperation, Renzi offers his services to the Prince de Bouillon and becomes embroiled in covert operations. Meanwhile, Kydd accepts the captaincy of a�privateer and is soon taking many prizes. Kydd longs to rejoin his rightful place in the navy, however, and when he gets his chance, he risks all for revenge and restoration.
Azincourt Bernard Cornwell Signed 1st HB £25
Bernard Cornwell has been thinking about this subject for years. He has long wanted to write a book about a single battle, the events that lead up to it, the actual days in the battle and the aftermath from multiple viewpoints.
Agincourt, fought on October 25th 1415, on St Crispin's Day, is one of the best known battles, in part through the brilliant depiction of it in Shakespeare's Henry V, in part because it was a brilliant and unexpected English victory and in part because it was the first battle won by the use of the longbow. This was a weapon developed in this form only by the English - parishes were forced to train boys from as young as eight daily - and enabled them to dominate the European battlefields for the rest of the century.
Lively historical characters abound on all sides but in Bernard Cornwell's hands the fictional characters, horsemen, archers, nobles, peasants are authentic and vivid, and the hour by hour view of the battle is dramatic and gripping.
Rapscallion James Mcgee signed 1st HB £15
Matthew Hawkwood, ex-soldier turned Bow Street Runner, goes undercover to hunt down smugglers and traitors at the height of the Napoleonic Wars in this thrilling follow-up to Ratcatcher. For a French prisoner of war, there is only one fate worse than the gallows: the hulks. Former man-o'-wars, now converted to prison ships, their fearsome reputation guarantees a sentence served in the most dreadful conditions. Few survive. Escape, it's said, is impossible. Yet reports persist of a sinister smuggling operation within this brutal world -- and the Royal Navy is worried enough to send two of its officers to investigate. But when they disappear without trace, the Navy turns in desperation to Bow Street for help. It's time to send in a man as dangerous as the prey. It's time to send in Hawkwood!
Crusader Gold: David Gibbins signed 1st HB £15
The elusive Crusader Gold is the greatest prize missing from the final bloody conflict of the Crusades. For many it is the Jewish menorah, the huge golden candlestick looted by the Romans in AD70 when they sacked the Temple in Jerusalem and marched through Rome in triumph. It was carried off to Constantinople. Now, nobody knows where it is. Some Jewish activists today think it survived and is concealed in the Vatican. Some think it took another altogether more extraordinary turn, at the beginning of history itself...Jack Howard is the only man who can find out. But the clock is ticking against him. Will ancient history give up one of its darkest secrets? The quest to find out takes him from the fall of the Roman Empire to the last days of Nazi power - and uncovers a trail more thrilling than anyone could have imagined.
Last Gospel David Gibbins signed 1st HB £20
History is full of secrets. Secrets that have remained hidden for thousands of years. And we have no idea what many of them are. We know they're there, under the ground, at the bottom of the ocean, hidden away, just waiting for someone to unlock them." Enter Jack Howard, one of the greatest archaeologists of his day, a man who never stops believing, never gives up hope that out there might be the next big discovery. But when he and his best friend Costas are interrupted during a dive off the coast of Sicily that might possibly reveal the final journey of St. Paul, Jack has no idea what lies in store...Their journey takes them to one of the great lost libraries of antiquity, destroyed by the eruption of Pompeii, into the heart of ancient Rome and the holiest sites of Jerusalem. Their quest? So earthshattering that there are men who would kill anyone and anything in their path to conceal this secret...the secret of the origins of Christianity itself, and of THE LAST GOSPEL.
King of Ithaca Glyn Iliffe signed 1st HB £15
Greece is a country in turmoil, divided by feuding kingdoms desiring wealth, power and revenge. When Eperitus, a young exiled soldier, comes to the aid of a group of warriors in battle, little does he know that it will be the start of an incredible adventure. For he is about to join the charismatic Odysseus, Prince of Ithaca, on a vital quest to save his homeland. Odysseus travels to Sparta to join the most famous heroes of the time in paying suit to the sensuous Helen. Armed with nothing but his wits and intelligence, he must enter a treacherous world of warfare and politics to compete for the greatest prize in Greece. But few care for the problems of an impoverished prince when war with Troy is beckoning...An epic saga set in one of the most dramatic periods of history, "King of Ithaca" is a voyage of discovery of one man's journey to become a King - and a legend.
Time of Terror Seth Hunter signed 1st HB £20
The first in a trilogy of novels featuring Nathan Peake, British naval officer and spy during the war with Revolutionary France.
It is 1793, and Peake, Commander of the brig-sloop Nereus based at Rye in East Sussex, is unhappy with his commission and is desperate for some real action. When revolutionary France declares war on England, he gets his chance. The French have killed their king and are about to embark on that violent period of bloodletting known as the Terror. Peake is entrusted with a vital mission to wreck the French economy by smuggling millions of French banknotes across the Channel and into the heart of Paris. But opposition to the Terror mounts and�Peake is soon forced to leave Paris and find the storm-tossed British squadrons in the Atlantic...
Synopsis
A hugely engaging adventure set in a Victorian-style world -- a fantastical version of Dickens -- that will appeal to fans of Susanna Clarke and Philip Pullman. Two orphans are more than they seem. And one megalomaniac will stop at nothing to find them...When Molly Templar witnesses a brutal murder at the brothel she has just been apprenticed to, her first instinct is to return to the poorhouse where she grew up. But there she finds her fellow orphans butchered, and it slowly dawns on her that she was in fact the real target of the attack. For Molly carries a secret deep in her blood, a secret that marks her out for destruction by enemies of the state. Soon Molly will find herself battling a grave threat to civilization which draws on an ancient power thought to have been quelled millennia ago. Oliver Brooks has led a sheltered life in the home of his merchant uncle. But when he is framed for his only relative's murder he is forced to flee for his life. He is accompanied by Harry Stave, an agent of the Court of the Air -- a shadowy organization independent of the government that acts as the final judiciary of the land, ensuring that order prevails. Chased across the country, Oliver finds himself in the company of thieves, outlaws and spies, and gradually learns more about the secret that has blighted his life, but which may also offer him the power to avert the coming catastrophe. Their enemies are ruthless and myriad, but Molly and Oliver are joined by indomitable friends in this endlessly inventive tale full of drama, intrigue and adventure.
From the Inside Flap
Two orphans on the run, each with the power to save the world
...
When streetwise Molly Templar witnesses a brutal murder at the brothel she
has recently been apprenticed to, her first instinct is to run back to the
poorhouse where she grew up. But there she finds her fellow orphans
butchered, and it slowly dawns on her that she was the real target of the
attack. For Molly carries a secret deep in her blood, a secret that marks
her out for destruction by enemies of the state.
Oliver brooks has led a sheltered existence in the backwater home of his
merchant uncle. But when he is framed for his only relative's murder he is
forced to flee for his life, accompanied by a agent of the mysterious Court
of the Air. Chased across the country, Oliver finds himself in the company
of thieves, outlaws and spies, and gradually learns more about the secret
that has blighted his life.
Soon Molly and Oliver will find themselves battling a grave threat to
civilisation, an ancient power thought to have been quelled millennia ago.
Their enemies are ruthless and myriad, but the two orphans are also aided
by indomitable friends in this endlessly inventive tale full of drama,
intrigue and adventure.
Review
As Stephen Hunt's debut novel, The Court of the Air is proof that
going against the grain of the standard fantasy template can result in
some interesting and very readable results.
One bonus of the author's writing style is that you get swept up in
the tale from early on - this is kind of needed, as it's quite dense
to start off with, but stick with it and you will be rewarded quickly.
The main thrust of the Court of the Air's story covers a couple of
teens down on their luck and soon on the run being pursued by would-be
killers across a Victorian(ish) society set in a unspecified world
(or perhaps far-future, there were hints of ice ages having destroyed
past civilisations).
There's magic, living robots, airships, secret agents and
revolutionaries - all thrown into the merry mix and wrapped up in a
mystery concerning the secret behind why the two protagonists are
being pursued and hunted for their lives.
Hunt does a fine job of combining fast-paced action and philosophy,
making some sly digs at our modern UK existence as he goes, keeping
the plot moving along, and his two main protagonists growing
throughout The Court of the Air. He also tosses the reader a number of
short info-dumps on the hoof about such matters as Jackelian society,
the steam-men and similar, but these are fired off fast, augmenting,
rather than getting in the way of, the tale.
I plunged through the pages over a rather rainy Bank holiday weekend
and can now say that I am waiting for any more books set in this world
with keen expectation.
It could have been slightly shorter, perhaps. But on reflection, it
weighs in a lot shorter than most the other fantasy novels I've been
buying, and it didn't drag, so what the heck. Fantasy with a scent of
science fiction on the side. Go for it.
The Woods – Harlan Coben
Synopsis
Twenty years ago, four teenagers at summer camp walked into the woods at night. Two were found murdered, and the others were never seen again. Four families had their lives changed forever. Now, two decades later, they are about to change again. For Paul Copeland, the county prosecutor of Essex, New Jersey, grief at the loss of his sister has only recently begun to subside. Cope, as he is known, is now dealing with raising his 6-year old daughter alone after his wife has died of cancer. Balancing family life and a rapidly ascending career as a prosecutor distract him from his past traumas, but only for so long. When a homicide victim is found with evidence linking him to Cope, the well-buried secrets of the prosecutor's family are threatened. Is this body one of the campers who disappeared with his sister? Could his sister be alive? Cope has to confront so much he left behind that summer 20 years ago: his first love, Lucy, his mother who abandoned the family, and the secrets that his parents might have been hiding even from their own children. Cope must decide what is better left hidden in the dark and what truths can be brought to the light. And can he find absolution?
Review by Mrs Parmenion
Another standalone thriller from Harlan Coben. Another likeable main character having some kind of crisis. If you’ve liked all Coben’s previous books – both standalone and the Myron Bolitar series – there’s no reason why you won’t like this as well. It’s a good read, pulls you in and I for one always have trouble putting them down – just another chapter, let’s just see what teasers he’s writing now, what clues he might give away … just one more chapter.
I've always enjoyed reading Coben and liked all his books to date (so far, so good!). There was just something at the end of this one that didn’t quite .…. finish. Usual good ending, all the loose ends tied together but I didn’t get that feeling of resounding closure that comes at the end of a good read. The mental “thwump” of satisfaction like closing the cover on a darn good book just wasn’t there this time. Let’s hope he’s not going the way of Grisham and just churning the thrillers out off the production line.
JEC 05.03.07
Click to Buy from Amazon UK
The Last Wish – Andrzej Sapkowski
synopsis
Synopsis
Geralt de Riv is a sorceleur, a man whose magic powers, enhanced by long training and a mysterious elixir, have made him a brilliant fighter and a merciless assassin. Yet he is no ordinary murderer: his targets are the multifarious monsters and vile fiends that ravage the land and attack the innocent. He roams the country seeking assignments, but gradually comes to realise that while some of his quarry are unremittingly vile, vicious grotesques, others are the victims of sin, evil or simple naivety. One reviewer said: 'This book is a sheer delight. It is beautifully written, full of vitality and endlessly inventive: its format, with half a dozen episodes and intervening rest periods for both the hero and the reader, allows for a huge range of characters, scenarios and action. It's thought-provoking without being in the least dogmatic, witty without descending to farce and packed with swordfights without being derivative. The dialogue sparkles; characters morph almost imperceptibly from semi-cliche to completely original; nothing is as it first seems. Sapkowski succeeds in seamlessly welding familiar ideas, unique settings and delicious twists of originality: his Beauty wants to rip the throat out of a sensitive Beast; his Snow White seeks vengeance on all and sundry, his elves are embittered and vindictive.
Review By Mrs Parmenion
Whenever I watch a film or tv programme, I always have to read the synopsis first, to get a feel for what’s going to happen. The same goes for the back cover description on a book. Several times (depending on the book) I might flick to the description - almost as if getting my bearings. So The Last Wish was something of a departure for me, as I knew very little about what to expect. Apparently he is a Polish "master of fantasy", this Eastern-European bestseller now finally translated into English. It has to be said that some of the meaning and 'feel' of the book has perhaps been lost in translation. It has an olde worlde fairytale feel to it, which put me in mind of sweeping gothic inages and the Brothers Grimm but not all of it seems to flow as a result of the translation, although this could of course simply be this particular author's style.
The story is written as a series of flashbacks - which can take a little getting used to - telling tales of the Witcher, Geralt. A likeable enough character, his tales of adventure make for an enjoyable read overall, and I would certainly like to know more about him. Unfortunately this books only seems to skim the surface, with a few tantalising glimpses of the past that has made him the man he is. The best way to sum it up is that I felt I was reading the middle book of a trilogy - without having read the first or last! There's a sense of coming in halfway through the story, and therefore not quite knowing what's going on, followed by a feeling of unfinished business. All of which doesn’t sit well with a synopsis addict!! Overall though, an enjoyable read and I 'm certainly keen to read anything else this author publishes.
JEC 19.04.07
Click to Buy from Amazon UK
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