Release Date: 05/01/12
SYNOPSIS:
'There was no warning of any kind...' Friday rush-hour. Martin Gregory, laden with packages, just manages to catch the 4.48 train. Tomorrow is his wife's birthday - he has a surprise in store - and he plans to devote the weekend to her and their beloved dogs. But Saturday morning, Martin rises early and does something so horrific, so inexplicable and so out of character, and his only option is to run ...And from this shocking incident the journey begins. With the help of a therapist he can't trust, and friends who no longer trust him, Martin's quest for meaning takes him down shifting realities and twisted corridors of time into the deepest recesses of the human mind. It is a world of menace and obsession from which neither he - nor the reader - can escape, for Martin Gregory is either lost in a dark maze of madness and horror, or frighteningly sane.
REVIEW:
This is a reissue of the book originally released back in Eighties and whilst for a lot of people it’s a title that will entice them from the glossy cover, it’s one that sadly shows its age which might not live up to readers expectations in the modern world. Whilst the opening if bloody and will firmly grab the reader, it’s one that will either have you craving for more or wondering if you should keep reading. It’s one hell of a start and as the book progresses we get to find out through the use of hypnosis the keys that have caused the principle players actions.
Add to this a book told from two points of view (the principle character Martin and his psychologist Dr Somerville) it quickly throws you into disarray as to whom is playing who as well as which way it’s going to end up. If you look past the errors and a lot of the modern demands on a book it is enticing and it is one that will have you asking questions throughout but for me. It’s not one that stands the test of time so well.
Release Date: 09/06/11
SYNOPSIS:
Survivors of a terrible African war flee their blighted continent, and look for refuge in the countries of the West. But Britain is falling into civil war and anarchy. One of Christopher Priest's earliest novels, FUGUE FOR A DARKENING ISLAND is a powerful work whose subject matter has become increasingly relevant in recent years.
REVIEW:
When you get the chance to go back and sample an established authors earlier titles you are either heavily delighted or disappointed that its not quite met the standards of later titles. Why people fall into one of these two camps I’m not sure but its something I’ve observed on more than one occasion. Whilst this one doesn’t have quite the polish or character development of later works such as The Extremes or The Quiet Woman, the concepts and dystopian ideas are present in this, his second novel.
As you’d come to expect its well written, the plot line thought provoking which when blended with what I term as a distinct vocal idiom really hooks the reader into this disturbing vision. Add to this decent dialogue some great twists and this really is a title that’s hard to put down. Hopefully more will get to enjoy this title and develop their love for his work from there.
Release Date: 07/04/11
SYNOPSIS:
It might sound like a man's favourite fantasy - to live forever, destined to be the lover of thousands of women. But for Julian of Macedon, it's a nightmare. Once he was a proud Spartan general; now he's a love-slave, his essence magically held captive in a book, cursed to spend all eternity pleasing women. Then, one day, Grace Alexander summons Julian to fulfill her passionate dreams - and sees beyond the fantasy to the man himself. Long years as a sex therapist, listening to other people's bedroom problems, have taken a lot of the fun out of the physical side of love for Grace. But with or without sex, the rules of the enchantment cannot be changed - Julian is hers for the next month. And, as their time together slips by, Julian and Grace find more to share than sympathy and conversation and they begin to wonder if love might be within their grasp. That leaves only one question. Is love enough to break a 2,000-year-old curse?
REVIEW:
Last month I had the chance to read Christine Feehan’s First novel in her Dark Carpathian series and I was a little surprised when the first in Sherrilyn’s Dark Hunter landed. Not that it’s a bad thing but when you’ve had to jump into a series feet first and you’re not sure if the waters going to be deep enough to break your fall you do get a little worried especially when you get the chance to dip your toe in a while later.
What unfurls within this, the first book, is a story of love, of soul searching questions and above all else a quest to discover that the freeing of one can lead to the freeing of all in an altruistic sense. It’s cleverly written, the characters have an appeal that many readers will enjoy and perhaps best of all it’s a title that is quite easy to slip between the sheets with. Back that up with a solid understanding of overall story arc, some decent prose and good characterisation and the reader will be in for if not a treat, something that will leave them sated.
Release Date: 23/01/09
BOOK BLURB:
When strange anomalies in time start to appear Professor Cutter and his team have to help track down and capture a multitude of dangerous prehistoric creatures from Earth's distant past...and distant future.An Entelodon goes on the rampage down Oxford Street in central London causing untold damage and loss of life, and Cutter decides a new approach to tackling the anomalies is needed. When a mysterious Russian scientist arrives at the ARC, Cutter thinks he might have found the answer...In this brand new original never-seen-on-TV Primeval adventure Cutter and the team are forced to travel to Siberia to confront an anomaly problem on an epic scale...
REVIEW:
If you’re a fan of the show, then you’ll really love this tale as Abnett puts his twist on the mythos of shows parameters, that of gateways in time to everything from dinosaurs to future species. Well written, gripping and full of action as you’d come to expect from Abnett, add to the mix that its set just before the opening of the third season and it is a tale that must be grabbed and devoured quicker than a T-Rex in an all you can eat steakhouse. Fun, adventurous and hopefully a taste of things to come in this superb series. Titan have done themselves proud by grabbing Abnett for this latest adventure.
BOOK BLURB:
Set in modern and ancient Provence, this exhilarating, moving novel casts brilliant light on the ways in which history -- whether of a culture or a family -- refuses to be buried. Ned Marriner, fifteen years old, has accompanied his photographer father to Provence for a six-week "shoot" of images for a glossy coffee-table book. Gradually, Ned discovers a very old story playing itself out in this modern world of iPods, cellphones, and seven-seater vans whipping along roads walked by Celtic tribes and the Roman Legions. On one holy, haunted night of the ancient year, when the borders between the living and the dead are down and fires are lit upon the hills, Ned, his family, and his friends, are shockingly drawn into this tale, as dangerous, mythic figures from conflicts of long ago erupt into the present, claiming and changing lives.
REVIEW:
Upon first reading the book back to this tale I suspected something perhaps a little more like Timeline by Michael Crichton, that said however I was more than pleasantly surprised by the way that the tale unfolded. Although some people may say that this could have worked better as a short story the reader would have been cheated of the glorious landscape to which the author has clearly fallen in love with during extended research that clearly shows in the writing style used that paints the landscape in words that would have made even Cezanne weep.
What the reader gets out of this book, is a tale woven with ancient magic and a mystery that keeps them guessing right up to the end of the novel, with a surprise for the conclusion that I think few would even hazard a guess at. Wonderfully written, invocative and perhaps best of all a mystery that presents a landscape that the reader can't wait to explore. If only the photographic representation were possible, perhaps something the publisher could look into in much the same way that Transworld did with The Da Vinci Code. A cracking read by an author that continues to surprise with each new tale with a palette of not only fine colours but flavours and textures to the land to which he writes. The only other thing that this leaves me wondering is how much more magical this tale would be if read in Provance.
Release Date: 05/01/12
