INTERVIEW: Peter Guttridge

As you may have gathered I’m a person who loves to read and whilst I haven’t previously had the pleasure of read any of Peter Guttridge’s novels (The Brighton Trilogy or the Nick Madrid series) I have heard the name in passing due to his reviews in the Observer which when a cheeky mail landed asking if we’d like to interview him, we couldn’t find a way to say no.

What you discover about Peter is that he’s a man who loves life to the full, he loves to write, he loves to teach and for a man with perhaps terminal logorrhea, there’s no greater reward in life. Here we chatted to him about his loves, whether talent is enough and perhaps most telling the seduction of the written word…


Falcata Times: Writing is said to be something that people are afflicted with rather than gifted and that it's something you have to do rather than want. What is your opinion of this statement and how true is it to you?

Peter Guttridge: I've met only one writer - Patrick O'Brian, the late author of the Master and Commander series featuring Aubrey and Maturin - who could write a first draft of a novel as a final draft. So I don't believe in the gifted bit. All writing is rewriting - and that's hard mental graft. So am I driven to write? Am I afflicted? Definitely yes to both those questions. It is laborious work, usually painstaking, often nightmarish as I try to make things work. But it's also an absolute pleasure. I've done office jobs, I've done blue collar jobs and writing novels - on a laptop anywhere I happen to be - is definitely better.


FT: When did you realise that you wanted to be a writer?

PG: When I was a kid in Burnley, Lancashire I was writing ghost and horror stories in my freezing cold bedroom. (I was heavily into Dennis Wheatley - remember him?) As a teenager listening to Leonard Cohen and Dylan and Joni Mitchell I was scribbling dire poetry which I now look at if I ever need reminding I'm a pretentious idiot. Wanting to write novels kicked in when I was at university - but it took me another 20 years to get one published.


FT: It is often said that if you can write a short story you can write anything. How true do you think this is and what have you written that either proves or disproves this POV?

PG: I don't think it's true at all, although it's a thought provoking comment. The short story is a specific (and admirable) art-form but just because you're brilliant at that doesn't mean you're going to write a good novel or screenplay or whatever. I approach my short stories - I've had half a dozen published and I'm just completing a collection set in Mexico - in a totally different way to my approach to novels. My novels are within the crime genre. It has conventions. The reader has expectations. The short story is a liberation - it has no conventions. That makes it both frightening and exciting for the writer.


FT: If someone were to enter a bookshop, how would you persuade them to try your novel over someone else's and how would you define it?

PG: You are going to have your mind messed with big time - but in a good way! I've written my Brighton trilogy - City of Dreadful Night, The Last King of Brighton, The Thing Itself - so that each novel stands on its own - but each novel also re-interprets the other novels. You think you know what's happening? You don't.


FT: How would you "sell" your book in 20 words or less?

PG: The Last King of Brighton, the second in the trilogy (the third comes out in October) is the making of a gangster in the 60s - with pop music thrown in - and his inevitable downfall now.


FT: Who is a must have on your bookshelf and whose latest release will find you on the bookshops doorstep waiting for it to open?

PG: Lee Child's Jack Reacher series is a must have but Thomas Pynchon (as mysterious and reclusive as J D Salinger) would have me standing on the bookshop doorstep because he doesn't write that often. His Gravity's Rainbow is, in my view, the greatest novel of the 20th century.


FT: When you sit down and write do you know how the story will end or do you just let the pen take you? ie Do you develop character profiles and outlines for your novels before writing them or do you let your ideas develop as you write?

PG: I'm ten novels in and it depends on the novel. My Brighton trilogy evolved in a weird way. Its starting point is the unsolved Brighton Trunk Murder of 1934 but until the end of the second novel - The Last King of Brighton - I had no idea who the murderer was. Then he came into my head, fully formed and takes centre stage in book three (The Thing Itself). The plotting though I pretty much worked out in advance. Whatever works is fine with me!


FT: What do you do to relax and what have you read recently?

PG: I'm a yoga man - totally relaxing - but I'm a traveller and a reader and a movie buff. Just back from Madrid - fantastic. Last book I read was Tough Trip Through Paradise by Andrew Garcia, a non-fiction account of a westerner dealing with the Nez Perce indians in 1878-1879. I was bought a Kindle for my birthday and the first download on that is my mate Reg Hill's standalone thriller The Woodcutter. Enjoying it. Last night I watched a preview DVD of Lars Von Trier's fantastic (literally) The Kingdom TV series.


FT: What is your guiltiest pleasure that few know about?

PG: Seeing hawks and falcons (I think that's what they are) hovering over motorways (I drive a lot) with incredible wing-spans (the birds not the motorways) - guilty pleasure because I should have my eyes on the road...


FT: Lots of writers tend to have pets. What do you have and what are their key traits (and do they appear in your novel in certain character attributes?)

PG: I miss having pets. I used to have three cats. When one was a kitten my dad said it was a female so we called it Phoebe. It was a male and thereafter a total rogue, I'm convinced because of his name. He once disappeared for a year, travelling some 120 miles from home. How? Character traits in my novels come from friends not felines.


FT: Which character within your latest book was the most fun to write and why?

PG: The Last King of Brighton is the eponymous title of my lead character, John Hathaway, a gang boss. He was great because he's so horrible but also has a heart.


FT: How similar to your principal protagonist are you?

PG: In the new Brighton trilogy there are several principal protagonists and I'm not like any of them. In my earlier comic crime series the protagonist was a yoga-loving, loser in love journalist who was lousy in bed. Moi? Well, three out of four...


FT: What hobbies do you have and how do they influence your work?

PG: Yoga is a major part of my life and it featured in my first six novels. Travel is also reflected in the books (and its tax deductible...). Love of history - I did a history degree an age ago - also figures.


FT: Where do you get your ideas from?

PG: My sick imagination.


FT: Do you ever encounter writers block and if so how do you overcome it?

PG: I have logorrhoea - so no writer's block. But I'm also a pro - I write every single day whether I have anything t say or not. It's the only way.


FT: Certain authors are renowned for writing at what many would call uncivilised times. When do you write and how do the others in your household feel about it?

PG: I write every single morning but when I'm near to completion I'm up in the middle of the night or writing through day and night. Which is probably why I'm single...


FT: Sometimes pieces of music seem to influence certain scenes within novels, do you have a soundtrack for your tale or is it a case of writing in silence with perhaps the odd musical break in-between scenes?

PG: I love listening to music when I'm writing but usually it can't have words. However, for my latest, The Last King of Brighton, which is half set in the Sixties pop scene, I played songs from that period all the time.


FT: What misconceptions, if any, did you have about the writing and publishing field when you were first getting started?

PG: That talent would be enough. It kind of is enough but I also see loads of people with connections who have it really easy.


FT: If music be the food of love, what do you think writing is and please explain your answer?

PG: Writing is even more seductive than music. No explanation needed.


FT: What can you tell us about the next novel?

PG: The next novel is a novella set in 1916 in Brighton and on the South Downs where Sherlock Holmes and a certain Belgian detective meet and solve a crime together. I'm going to try to do it as a Kindle original and see how the market works. After that - ghosts in a Sri Lankan hotel..


FT: What are the last five internet sites that you've visited?

PG: Yours, the National Archives, Find My Past, Air Miles (that travelling) and AA route planner (that travelling again).


FT: Did you ever take any writing classes or specific instructions to learn the craft? If so please let us know which ones.

PG: No, I taught myself over many years. And now I teach a lot of writing classes and the first thing I say to students is "only do one". The best way to learn writing is to write (and read).


FT: How did you get past the initial barriers of criticism and rejection?

PG: Self-beiief. Most agents are stupidly subjective so if one doesn't like it - move on to another. Nobody criticised me before I was published because I didn't show my work to anybody other than professionals. If I felt their critiques were true I changed things. If I didn't, I marked them down asa limited and ignored them!


FT: In your opinion, what are the best and worst aspects of writing for a living?

PG: There is no worst. I'm answering these questions in the middle of a working day, sitting in a cafe overlooking a beautiful river, drinking a glass of wine, bathed in sunshine. Writing makes that possible. What is not to love?


To keep up to date with peter please visit his blog.

FANTASY REVIEW: The Necklace of the Gods - Alison Goodman

Release Date: 02/06/11

SYNOPSIS:

Once she was Eon, a girl disguised as a boy, risking her life for the chance to become a Dragoneye apprentice. Now she is Eona, thrust into the role of her country’s saviour.

But Eona has an even more dangerous secret — she cannot control her power. When she tries to bond with her Mirror Dragon, the anguish of the ten spirit beasts whose Dragoneyes were murdered surges through her. The result: a killing force that destroys everything before it. On the run from High Lord Sethon’s army, Eona and her friends must help the Pearl Emperor, Kygo, wrest back his throne. Everyone is relying on Eona’s power. Can she face her own darkness within, and drive a dangerous bargain with an old enemy? A wrong move could obliterate them all.

Against a thrilling backdrop of explosive combat, ruthless power struggles and exotic lore, Eona is the gripping story of a remarkable warrior who must find the strength to walk a deadly line between truth and justice. Full of pulse-racing drama, heart-stirring romance, dazzling fight scenes, and myriad surprises, The Necklace of the Gods brings this extraordinarily imagined and exciting fantasy epic to a resounding climax.


REVIEW:

I love it when I get a book that I’ve been looking forward to for quite some time. So when this book landed from Bantam, I remembered Alison quite well, remembered the clever world building and perhaps most of all the character construction and plausibility of their inter relationships.

As with the first the characters are perhaps Alison’s strong suit, they come alive and they have flaws alongside strengths to help carry the tale on its merry way. Where perhaps it falls down is the overextended use of dialogue almost as filler rather than keeping it clipped and neat. Whilst for some that may not be a problem, when the battle builds up was on its way I kept wishing that she’d get to the heart of the matter and kick the combat into touch.

That said, it is a minor gripe of mine but one that I felt that I had to add with so many positive things to add. As with the original the prose is poetic, the pace reasonable and when added to the fact that Alison is playing for keeps (clearly demonstrated in this title) it’s one that could possibly become controversial with a number of readers as I feel it will fall into the love it or hate it category. Whilst I’m not sure how heart wrenching some of it was for her to write, in my opinion Alison has done the right (or write) thing for her characters, they needed the occurrences, they needed the peril and they needed the adversity, without which they couldn’t grown. It’ll be interesting to see what Alison hits back with next. On a side note, the series and titles have different names in the US from the UK, so to avoid people rebuying the same books it goes:
Eon: Rise of the Dragon Eye – Pearls of Wisdom
Eona – Necklace of the Gods

FANTASY REVIEW: Warhammer Fantasy: Ulrika the Vampire 2: Bloodforged - Nathan Long

Release Date: 09/06/11

SYNOPSIS:

Unable to adapt to Lahmian society, Ulrika seeks her own way, striking out to the Chaos-besieged city of Praag to seek old friends and glory in battle. On her arrival, she finds a devastated but defiant people and the invaders repelled. But the Ruinous Powers can take many forms, and now a more insidious threat is rising from within - a Slaaneshi cult that seeks to claim dominion in Praag. Shunned by her Lahmian sisters, decried by the humans she seeks to protect, Ulrika treads a lonely path as she tries to find the root of this destructive plot. Caught between the will of the vampires and the insane designs of Chaos sorcerers and cultists, Ulrika must call upon all of her cunning and savagery if she is to triumph...


REVIEW:

The second title in the Ulrika the Vampire series and one that takes the reader back to more familiar territory when she runs away from political intrigue to deal with her life changes in the only way she knows how, headlong into battle. It is a tale that has everything, politics, double dealing, backstabbing and perhaps most notably a tale where her own nature can often seek to confound her every day survival as she seeks to find ways to deal with what she requires. It’s a tale of personal growth and takes Ulrika from the bit part character we met originally in the Felix and Gotrek titles to a more rounded outstanding principle player that Nathan knew was there all along. Back that up with the author’s usual skill at misdirection, some great sequences and of course bloody justice and it’s a title that fans will just devour.

GRAPHIC NOVEL REVIEW: The Boys: Wee Hughie Mini Series: Highland Laddie - Garth Ennis, Ill. Darick Robertson

Release Date: 28/04/11

SYNOPSIS:

After the events in the last Boys Graphic Novel, Wee Hughie goes back to his home town to recoup and get himself back together. As usual with Ennis, what you think is going to happen often doesn’t and as such this title really doesn’t miss the other “Boys” as many might think it would. Whilst this single character mini series is a little offbeat as well as a little different, it is one that really allows the reader the chance to get to know our favourite Scot better.

All in, its wonderfully written, the artwork, as usual is top class and the reader will be more than entertained. A great offering from Ennis and co and one that will allow for a wee break from the next instalment that will allow you time to grab your breath. Hold on, it’s going to be intensive.


REVIEW:

When a book comes with notable author quotes its going to do one of two things, its either going to rub you up the wrong way in which case you’ll be setting your standards high or you’ll use it as a guide and pick up that title fairly sure that you’re going to enjoy it. Unfortunately I’m one of the former so whilst the name of George RR Martin (writer for a number of the new Outer Limits episodes as well as having the immensely successful Song of Ice and Fire series that is currently showing the first volume (Game of Thrones) on a TV near you) does carry some weight with it, I tend to expect a lot more from a debut author.

What this book does is give you a Space Opera on the scale of Star Wars and whilst it is set strictly in our own Universe, James has taken the time out to make sure that whilst we’ve expanded our reach, each culture has its own differences as well as having their own histories built upon the Earths original.

Add to this a huge scope for a complex plot, a couple of great principle players and whilst at times they may come over as a little clichéd it’s the sheer scale that really sells this title. Finally throw into the mix some great prose, solid pace as well as some decent Space Battles with murderous double dealing alongside politics and it’s a title that all round was pretty satisfying.

FANTASY REVIEW: Dead of Veridon - Tim Akers

Release Date: 09/06/11

SYNOPSIS:

Trouble finds Jacob Burn. Kicked out of his house, out of his comfortable life, out of everything that is familiar, even turned away from his circle of criminal friends and interesting enemies. Two years after he saved an ungrateful city from a mad angel, thwarting the plans of every powerful faction in Veridon, Jacob is still trying to pull his life together. And still trouble finds him. A bad job goes worse, and soon old enemies present themselves as allies, and former friends set themselves against Jacob as he tries to put the dead to rest and the living to justice. Everything gets more difficult when he s appointed by the Council to investigate the rise of the cogdead, while some hold him personally accountable, and others in the city work to use the chaos to their advantage.


REVIEW:

Whilst this title is cited as Science Fiction to be honest I term it more along the lines of Alternate Urban Fantasy as it’s a recognisable world with some startling changes. If you love the weird and wonderful world of Steampunk there’s a slightly more organic feel than that here, if you like a story of intriguing double dealing, yep that’s in there too. Finally if you want a story with an outstanding lead character that is fully formed with flaws as well as boons all wrapped up in a contradictory nature then you really can’t do better than Jacob Burn.

All in this was a lot of fun to read and whilst I haven’t read the others in the series I didn’t feel alienated in any way. If anything the welcoming nature of this title is such that I really will have to seek out Jacob’s earlier exploits in order to get a fuller flavour alongside understanding of the twisted nature of this city. Great fun.

GAMES NEWS: Assassins Creed Revelations and Warhammer 40K: Space Marine Chaos

Hail Mighty Readers,
Well as you're probably already aware E3 is on and there has been some interesting developments in the gaming world. Perhaps one of the more relevant titles at the moment is the news of Assassins Creed Revelations.

Here's a direct link to the new trailer

Some gameplay footage

And if you're like us, you'll be pumped and ready for Ezio's final outing (for now at least.)

In other news we've also been hearing things about THQ's Warhammer 40K Space Marine Chaos. Its definitely going to be slick and whilst for some its got a Gears of War feel, it definitely steps out on its own. Here's a direct link to the trailer although please remember that you have to be 18 to view.

Feedback from friends in the know have also asked us to let you know that its definitely something different to the market and if you love the books, the odds are you'll definitely love the game. Just remember hackin' Greenskin's ain't easy.

HISTORICAL FICTION REVIEW: Hannibal: Enemy of Rome - Ben Kane

Release Date: 09/06/11

SYNOPSIS:

In the First Punic War, the Roman legions defeated and humiliated Carthage, their only serious rival for power in the Mediterranean. Now a brilliant young Carthaginian general, called Hannibal, is out for revenge. Caught up in the maelstrom are two young boys, Hanno, the son of a distinguished soldier and confidant of Hannibal, and Quintus, son of a Roman equestrian and landowner. A disastrous adventure will see Hanno sold into slavery and bought by Quintus' father. Although an unexpected friendship springs up between the two boys - and with Quintus' sister, Aurelia - the fortunes of the two warring empires once again separates them. They find themselves on opposite sides of the conflict and an alliance forged through slavery will be played out to its stunning conclusion in battle.


REVIEW:

With the conclusion of Ben’s Forgotten Legion trilogy, it was always going to be interesting to see what he’d tackle next. After all when you’ve marched the legions across to the East and backed the soldiers to the hilt in an unfamiliar land then there are only so many other places you can go.

Thankfully for us, Ben takes the reader into the Second Punic War and whilst the outcome is never in doubt in hindsight, at the time it was a case of whose empire would fall which Ben does a cracking job of bringing to the fore to the reader. Add to this some great characters, a wonderful understanding of combat which when blended with cracking pace and decent dialogue will more than satisfy the reader. In conclusion, Ben’s writing has improved with each successive title and its going to be interesting to see into which arena he throws himself for the next brutal and bloody round.

FANTASY REVIEW: Dwarfs - Nick Kyme, Gav Thorpe

Release Date: 09/06/11

SYNOPSIS:

The dwarfs are a stoic and long-lived race. Their unbending will and pride serve them as fearsome warriors on the battlefield and the greatest craftsmen across the Old World. But cross them at your peril, as a dwarf grudge is never forgotten, a quest for revenge handed down from generation to generation until the debt is settled in blood - In this action-packed omnibus, the bravery and resilience of the dwarfs is brought to life as they wage war against the twisted powers of Chaos, vile skaven ratmen, brutal greenskins and their oldest adversaries, the mysterious and powerful elves. From the ancient dwarf holds to the killing fields of the Empire, war will be waged in the name of Grungni , Grimnir and Valaya, and no foe shall forget the day they met these unbreakable warriors in battle. Contains the novels Grudgebearer, Oathbreaker and Honourkeeper.


REVIEW:

Fans of the stunties will love the chance to grab this compendium title made up of three of the best tales of dwarven heroics, vengeance and of course grudges from the Black Library. Contained within this title is: Grudge Bearer, Oathbreaker and Honour Keeper alongside the short story Ancestral Honour which makes up some seriously good value for money. Add to this two of the Black Library’s very talented authors, some great prose, some addictive dialogue along with the acquired dwarven humour which pretty much translates to an axe in the head and the reader really is in for a high octane combat driven set of stories that will inspire many a table top general to re-enact. Great stuff all in.

HISTORICAL URBAN FANTASY REVIEW: The Map of Time - Felix Palma

Release Date: 09/06/11

SYNOPSIS:

BOOK BLURB


REVIEW:

If you want a story that crosses multiple genres as well as giving the reader something different to a lot other books out there, then you really have to try this title by Felix Palma. It has great prose, cracking dialogue and characters that not only grow but hook you from the start with a suicidal chain of events that lead to the greater arc. Its cleverly done, its very inventive and with an omnipotent narrator it’s a story that really is a cracking read.

Add to this that the title has already won awards and it hopefully should allay fears of a potentially bad financial transaction. Finally throw into the blend real historical characters, a touch of Victorian wonderment alongside some wonderful adaptations to events and the reader really does have a treat in store which makes this a cracking offering from Harper Collins.

URBAN FANTASY THRILLER REVIEW: The Watchers - Jon Steele

Release Date: 09/06/11

SYNOPSIS:

Lausanne, Switzerland. In the cathedral tower lives a strange boy with a limp who talks to the bells. In a luxury penthouse lives a high-class prostitute who's in mortal danger. And in a low-rent hotel lives a private investigator who has no idea how he got there. Jay Harper finds himself in Switzerland on the trail of a missing Olympic athlete. A hard drinker, he can barely remember how he got home last night, let alone why he accepted this job. When he meets the stunning but aloof Katherine in a hotel bar, he quickly realises that he's not the only one in town who's for hire. She's a high-class hooker who can't believe her luck. Which is about to change. For the worse. In the meantime, Marc Rochat spends his time in the belfry talking to the statues, his cat and the occasional ghost. His job is to watch over Lausanne at night and to wait for the angel his mother told him he'd one day have to save. When he sees Katherine, he thinks his moment has come. Which indeed it has. But not in a good way...


REVIEW:

Some books are really difficult to review, not that it’s a bad thing but purely its so hard to be able to say things without giving away any of the plot devices utilised by the author. This is one of those books. Whilst it is quite a lengthy title, its one that takes its own time to set off and carefully plods along to allow the reader to get to know the three main protagonists (from whom each chapter originates in one form or another) before throwing you in at the deep end with the metaphysical as well as paranormal side of the tale.

It is cleverly written, the characters can take a while to get used to but the do have hooks but perhaps best of all it’s the authors careful setting of the scenes that will ultimately win the reader over. All in this is going to be a hard title for the majority of people to pick up and read and whilst some may well try the skim and skip routine you really need all your attention as when the nuances hit you’ll find you’ll have missed quite a bit. It is a challenge but for me the rewards at the titles end justify the struggle.

SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW: Expanse 1: Leviathan Wakes - James SA Corey

Release Date: 02/06/11

SYNOPSIS:

Humanity has colonized the planets - interstellar travel is still beyond our reach, but the solar system has become a dense network of colonies. But there are tensions - the mineral-rich outer planets resent their dependence on Earth and Mars and the political and military clout they wield over the Belt and beyond. Now, when Captain Jim Holden's ice miner stumbles across a derelict, abandoned ship, he uncovers a secret that threatens to throw the entire system into war. Attacked by a stealth ship belonging to the Mars fleet, Holden must find a way to uncover the motives behind the attack, stop a war and find the truth behind a vast conspiracy that threatens the entire human race.


REVIEW:

When a book comes with notable author quotes its going to do one of two things, its either going to rub you up the wrong way in which case you’ll be setting your standards high or you’ll use it as a guide and pick up that title fairly sure that you’re going to enjoy it. Unfortunately I’m one of the former so whilst the name of George RR Martin (writer for a number of the new Outer Limits episodes as well as having the immensely successful Song of Ice and Fire series that is currently showing the first volume (Game of Thrones) on a TV near you) does carry some weight with it, I tend to expect a lot more from a debut author.

What this book does is give you a Space Opera on the scale of Star Wars and whilst it is set strictly in our own Universe, James has taken the time out to make sure that whilst we’ve expanded our reach, each culture has its own differences as well as having their own histories built upon the Earths original.

Add to this a huge scope for a complex plot, a couple of great principle players and whilst at times they may come over as a little clichéd it’s the sheer scale that really sells this title. Finally throw into the mix some great prose, solid pace as well as some decent Space Battles with murderous double dealing alongside politics and it’s a title that all round was pretty satisfying.

SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW: Warhammer 40K: Space Marine Battle 6: Battle of the Fang - Chris Wraight

Release Date: 09/06/11

SYNOPSIS:

It is M32, a thousand years after the Horus Heresy. The Scouring is over and the Imperium at the height of its post-Crusade power. When Magnus the Red is tracked down to Gangava Prime, the Space Wolves hasten to engage the daemon primarch. Even as Great Wolf Harek Ironhelm closes on his ancient enemy, the Fang on the Space Wolves home world is besieged by a massive force of Thousand Sons. A desperate battle ensues as the skeleton forces of Wolf Lord Asvald Greylock attempt to hold back the attacking hosts before the last of his meagre defences gives in. Though a single Scout ship survives to summon Great Wolf Harek Ironhelm back to Fenris, none of the defenders truly realise the full scale the horror that awaits them, nor what the Battle for the Fang will cost them all.


REVIEW:

OK, if I had to pick one chapter of mankind’s Astarte’s to follow I’d have to select the Space Wolves (sorry Graham) as I love their brutality as well as Norse heritage. They have great characters and with their heroes it was only matter of time before they’d step into their own during one of the massive sieges of the Space Marine Battle series. Here you get an almost Gemmellesque scenario as Dros Delnoch is replaced with the Fang and the Marines own home planet as the forces of the Thousand Son’s attacks Fenris.

Its beautifully written, with the brutality of every inch of bloody ground ingraining its own memory upon the landscape. Add to this great author description, cracking prose and characters that the reader will care about and it’s going to be a hard one for the Wolves to not only swallow but will cause more than a few mournful howls from the commanders of their troops on the war game battle tables around the world. A real gem of an addition and perhaps my favourite Space Marine Battle title to date.

DVD REVIEW: Cross - Brian Austin Green, Vinne Jones, Michael Clark Duncan

Release Date: 06/06/11

SYNOPSIS:

When beautiful, young women start disappearing from the streets of LA, it's time for good-guy Callan (a.k.a. Cross) and his crew of weapons experts to kick into high gear and uncover the mystery. Granted incredible power by his ancient Celtic cross, Callan must fight to stop an immortal Viking from destroying mankind. Also Starring: Vinnie Jones,Tom Sizemore, Jake Busey and Lori Heuring.


REVIEW:

When I originally came across this DVD, I was more than intrigued, the casting looked solid, the jacket blurb was interesting and perhaps best of all it had elements that appealed to me as not only a comic book fan but the action blockbuster.

That said, the result was sadly disappointing. The cast were lacking but rather than blame the actors I put this down to rather poor script writing by Erin Connarn and Casey Riebolt who really didn’t seem to have any character development or real concept of where the film was going overall choosing to look at it more as scene to scene rather than the overall journey.

All in, it had a lot of problems, lack of direction and above all else should be erased from memory if only for the torture that the audience as well as actors went through with it. There was so much that could have been done to save it and when an actor is named in the opening set of credits but only appears once for five seconds in the film then you really should have had an indication of how bad it was. That said there are a few moments of saving grace within and its nowhere near as dire as Crow: Wicked Prayer but come on, if an audience is expected to sit through such dire scripting it will be a miracle to see how many make it through to the final credits.

FACTUAL REVIEW:Tommy's Ark - Richard Van Emden

Release Date: 06/06/11

SYNOPSIS:

For soldiers in the Great War, going over the top was a comparatively rare event; much more frequently, they were bored and lonely and missing their families at home. Needing an outlet for their affection, many found it in the animal kingdom. Tommy's Ark looks at the war through the eyes of the soldiers who were there, and examines their relationship with a strange and unexpected range of animal life, from horses, dogs and cats to monkeys and birds - even in one case a golden eagle. Animals became mascots - some Welsh battalions had goats as mascots, some of the Scots had donkeys. And then there were the animals and insects that excited curiosity amongst men drawn into the army from the industrial heartlands of Britain, men who had little knowledge of, let alone daily contact with, wildlife. Civilians turned soldiers observed the natural world around them, from the smallest woodlouse to voles, mice and larger animals such as deer and rabbit. Richard van Emden explores his subject far more radically than previous attempts, revealing how, for example, a lemur was taken on combat missions in the air, a lion was allowed to pad down the front line trenches and how a monkey lost its leg during the fighting at Delville Wood on the Somme. It is illustrated with more than sixty previously unseen or rarely published photographs, drawn mainly from the author's own extraordinary collection.


REVIEW:

A lot has been written about the men fighting in the First World War as there have been accounts of General’s, eyewitness accounts of the soldiers and of course the historian’s cold clinical point of view of the events, but one subject that is rarely mentioned is the little things that made a soldiers life bearable, the animals. Here in this title by eminent historian Richard Van Emden are the heart-warming tales of mascots, of animal tales of them facing the front line and how they all helped the soldiers of both sides such as the cats who would brave no man’s land to go from one side to the other for food. It’s a unique look at the war from a different viewpoint and it’s one that can help to bring the men to life that were on the front, whether it’s the English Officer who walked his lion round the trenches or the goats who were mascots to the tank divisions, there’s something here for everyone.

This title is wonderfully written and whilst at times harsh it is a slice of frontline life that perhaps very few have ever considered. All in a great addition to any WW1 readers shelves and definitely something unique.

FANTASY REVIEW: The Adamantine Palace 3: The Order of the Scales - Stephen Deas

Release Date: 19/05/11

SYNOPSIS:

As the various factions fight for control of the Adamatine Palace mankinds nemesis approaches. The realms dragons are awakening from their alchemical sedation and returning to their native fury. They can remember why they were created and they now know what mankind has done to them. And their revenge will be brutal. As hundreds of dragons threaten a fiery apocalypse only the Adamantine Guard stand between humanity and extinction. Can Prince Jehal fight off the people who want him dead and unite their armies in one final battle for survival? Noted for its blistering pace, awesome dragons and devious polticking Stephen Deas's landmark fantasy trilogy moves to a terrifying epic conclusion in The Order of the Scales


REVIEW:

To be honest I make no bones about having fallen for Stephens writing from the beginning. It has great hooks, it depends on character driven plot lines and the author is not above character’s petty minded bloodbaths in order to reach goals. Add to this a story that whilst relatively short is one that packs a lot of punch for its weight and will more than please the readers with its gritty style which when backed with decent dialogue and superb prose makes it a hard book to put down.

All in a great end to the original trilogy and one that will more than fulfil the brief that many readers have been demanding. Finally with one trilogy under his belt and a high octane young adult series to follow I see Stephen remaining a firm fan favourite for years and one that really does do fantasy to a high standard. Yes he might not be for everyone as it is not the à la mode Epic that has become so popular but it’s one that does what it does well with magical character description and depth of personality that make this a top notch series to help expand from YA Fantasy reading to the adult world. Great stuff.

THRILLER REVIEW: First Thrills - Ed. Lee Child

12 LITERARY LEGENDS
13 RISING STARS
1 MUST-HAVE COLLECTION OF FIRST THRILLS
Con men and killers, aliens and zombies, priests and soldiers – just some of the characters that thrill and kill in this compelling collection of gun-toting, double-crossing, back-stabbing, pulse-pounding stories.
Jeffery Deaver investigates the suspicious death of a crime-writer in ‘The Plot’; Karin Slaughter’s grieving widow takes revenge on her dying ex-husband in ‘Cold, Cold Heart’; Stephen Coonts discovers a flying saucer in the depths of the ocean in ‘Savage Planet’ and John Lescroart’s secret field agent finds himself caught up in a complex game of cat-and-mouse in ‘The Gato Conundrum’.
Handpicked by world number one Lee Child, celebrity authors and stars of the future are brought together, writing brand-new stories, especially commissioned for this must-have collection. Whether you’re reading today’s bestseller or tomorrow’s phenomenon, grisly horror or paranoia thriller, historical suspense or supernatural crime, one thing’s for certain. You’ll be thrilled to the core.

NEWS: Book Challenge Update

Hail Mighty Readers,
Currently we thought that it might be an idea to round up where we are so far on our various challenges (as of 04/06/11). So here you go:

100 Books in a Year set by Book Chick City (227/100 Books)
Mystery and Suspense Challenge by Book Chick City (32/12 Books)
Horror and Urban Fantasy Challenge by Book Chick City (56/24 Books)
New Author Challenge - Literary Escapism (40/50 Books)
Fantasy Reading Challenge - Darlyn and Books (43/30 Books)
Chivalrous Deeds - Bippity Boppity Book (24/-)

So how are your challenges doing?


Gareth

Thriller Review: Empire of Gold - Andy McDermott

Release Date: 26/05/11

SYNOPSIS:

Nina Wilde and Eddie Chase are back for their seventh blockbusting adventure by the bestselling author of THE HUNT FOR ATLANTIS, Andy McDermott.

When archaeologist Nina Wilde and her husband, ex-SAS soldier Eddie Chase, are given the chance to work on an Interpol investigation into smuggled artefacts, they are stunned to realise that the artefacts hold clues to the location of a lost Inca settlement hidden somewhere in South America.
As Nina and Eddie dig deeper, it soon becomes clear that finding the settlement may only be the start of their incredible quest. One which, astonishingly, may lead them to one of the greatest legends of all time: El Dorado - the mythical city of gold.
Nina and Eddie are desperate to locate the fabled city. But they are not alone in their search. Deep in the jungles of Venezuela, they face corrupt soldiers, murderous revolutionaries and ruthless drug lords who will stop at nothing to obtain the city's treasures. With so much at stake, what price will they pay for the greatest of fortunes?


REVIEW:

As a fan of the archaeological thrillers I pretty much can be found searching the shelves in a fair few bookshops trying to find something I’ve not already read and whilst there seems to be a plethora of new authors out there one name that I’ve learned to trust is Andy McDermott who has taken a different tack by having a heroic duo who complement each other.

Add to this a superb plot outline, some cracking prose and one hell of a break neck pace and it’s a title that is difficult to put down. All in add a huge story arc, a huge underlying plot and danger coming from all directions which leaves this a title that will more than fill a good few hours of reading pleasure.

CRIME REVIEW: Temperance Brennan 13: Mortal Remains - Kathy Reichs

Release Date: 14/10/10

SYNOPSIS:

When Tempe is called to the scene of an autoerotic death, she has little idea of the tangled chain of events that will follow. Because the man whose body she is examining apparently died in a helicopter crash in Vietnam 40 years before. So who is buried in the soldier's grave?

Tempe's investigations take her to Honolulu where she is caught up not only in the mystery of the unidentified body in the soldier's grave, but also dragged into investigating who, or what, killed the young men whose body parts have floated up onto a popular Hawaiian beach. And as Tempe gradually unravels the tangled threads of the mystery, it becomes clear that there are some who would rather the past stays dead and buried. And when Tempe proves difficult to frighten, they turn their attention to the person who means more to her than anyone else in the world.


REVIEW:

First of all, I’m going to inform the readers of the review not to get too excited about hearing about a new book released shortly called Spider Bones. Why? Well to be honest it’s this book under a different title, why publishers on different sides of the Atlantic decide to do this is anyone’s guess but more than one reader has been caught out by this previously so with luck we’ll save you some money with the warning. Now back to our thoughts.

Mortal Remains is the thirteenth title in the Temperance Brennan series and whilst the number bodes ill for most things, for Kathy it seems to have a bit of a charm about it. Yes its full of technical knowledge as well as up to date forensic methods but the real draw for readers (in my opinion) is Kathy’s style of storytelling which remains where the fans like it: Fun and Quirky, Add to this some wonderful misdirection that the reader as well as the characters fall for, a good dash of skulduggery and finish it off with the usual Kathy type ending and the reader really has a lot of fun in store. Murder never has had it so good.

FANTASY REVIEW: Legends of the Red Sun 3: The Book of Transformations - Mark Charan Newton

Release Date: 03/06/11

SYNOPSIS:

A new and corrupt Emperor seeks to rebuild the ancient structures of Villjamur to give the people of the city hope in the face of great upheaval and an oppressing ice age. But when a stranger called Shalev arrives, empowering a militant underground movement, crime and terror becomes rampant. The Inquisition is always one step behind, and military resources are spread thinly across the Empire. So Emperor Urtica calls upon cultists to help construct a group to eliminate those involved with the uprising, and calm the populace. But there’s more to The Villjamur Knights than just phenomenal skills and abilities - each have a secret that, if exposed, could destroy everything they represent. Investigator Fulcrom of the Villjamur Inquisition is given the unenviable task of managing the Knights’, but his own skills are tested when a mysterious priest, who has travelled from beyond the fringes of the Empire, seeks his help. The priest’s existence threatens the church, and his quest promises to unweave the fabric of the world. And in a distant corner of the Empire, the enigmatic cultist Dartun Súr steps back into this world, having witnessed horrors beyond his imagination. Broken, altered, he and the remnants of his cultist order are heading back to Villjamur. And all eyes turn to the Sanctuary City, for Villjamur’s ancient legends are about to be shattered . . .


REVIEW:

Some series set the standards whilst others have to trail in their wake. This series by Mark has long since led the way for not only rich world-building but also for solid characterisation, great overall arc and characters that the reader just loves to spend time with.

Add to this a cracking new segment to this already epic series, some delicious combat alongside political double dealing, crime on fantasy scale and backed up with religious persecution and it’s a series that continues to go from strength to strength. If you haven’t read the first book in the series you can jump in here but with so many nuances alongside great construction throughout you really have to. All in cracking fantasy with high standards set by reader’s that is met head on in this clash where everything is up for grabs backed with great prose and pace. Magic.

ARCHAEOLOGY FACTUAL REVIEW: Anglo Saxon England - Sally Crawford

Release Date: 01/06/11

SYNOPSIS:

The Anglo-Saxon period has often been dismissed as ‘lost centuries’ or the Dark Ages, but archaeological evidence and later written sources reveal a complex and sophisticated culture that was beginning to move towards urbanisation, establishing market-places to facilitate the trade of local and exotic goods, and developing an organised educational system. In Early Anglo Saxon Britain, Sally Crawford paints a vivid portrait of daily life in the period that saw the Anglo-Saxon invasion and the end of Roman Britain: from the status and demands of occupations to the structures of families, and from the intricacies of feasting to the period’s elaborate and creative entertainments.


REVIEW:

Whilst you tend to head about the rampaging hordes of conquerors throughout the history of the Britain, you rarely hear about how, once the land was captured, the settled down and began the humble life of farming and with little literary evidence to aid the modern researcher they have to rely on the evidence dug up by the archaeologists as well as from educated guesswork based on practical application.

What Sally has done in this title, is bring together the facts that have been established in an easy to comprehend as well as follow manner and clearly demonstrates that what are thought of as the Dark Ages is anything but with modern philosophies and familial connections to help look after their own. It is wonderfully presented, it has great illustrations as well as photographs to help back up the points of view and when added to a friendly vocal literary manner keeps the reader not only entertained but fascinated. Back that up with clear concise classification of subjects and it’s a title that can easily be dipped into as well as read back to back that will be reread many times over.

NEWS: The Terry Pratchett Anywhere But Here, Anywhen But Now First Novel Prize

Sir Terry Pratchett and Transworld Publishers launched a new award for aspiring debut novelists in June last year, the Terry Pratchett Anywhere But Here, Anywhen But Now Prize. After the deadline for submissions of 31 December 2010, 500-plus entries were received for the £20,000 prize.

The six judges (including Sir Terry Pratchett and Tony Robinson) met yesterday at Waterstone’s flagship store in London’s Piccadilly to thrash out a winner. After hours of debate the conclusion was reached that it was impossible to select a single victor! The entries were so diverse that it was unanimously decided to split the prize and award it to David Logan for his book HALF SICK OF SHADOWS, and to Michael Logan (no relation!) for APOCALYPSE COW. Both writers will receive a publishing contract from Transworld.

‘It was a long deliberation and although to some it might seem a cop out to split a prize, we decided that since the existence of the prize was to find new talent then this was the happiest decision to make. Half Sick of Shadows and Apocalypse Cow both stood out in their different ways and I wish their creators the best of luck in their writing careers.’
SIR TERRY PRATCHETT

The Winners

Half Sick of Shadows is a darkly atmospheric, richly written coming-of-age novel in the spirit of Ian Banks’ The Wasp Factory. David Logan, who lives in Carrickfergus, N. Ireland, commented:
“I am disappointed for the runners up. The difference between winning and losing is a hair’s breadth. I just feel very lucky.”
Apocalypse Cow follows the story of a group of social misfits thrown together after an experimental bio-weapon is accidentally unleashed by the government, with peculiar repercussions for Britain’s farm animals. The Scots-born but Kenya-based Michael Logan commented:

“Ever since I wrote my first short story at the age of eight, it has been my dream to become an author - although the idea for a novel about sex-crazed zombie cows did come a little later. The full impact of attaining a lifelong goal has yet to fully sink in. I'm sure it will hit me on the way home, when I will bemuse all around me by performing a victorious knee-slide across the concourse at Gatwick.”

Sir Terry Pratchett and Transworld Publishers would like to thank everyone who submitted an entry to the prize.

The winners, chosen from a shortlist of six, were announced at the 5th View champagne bar last night at 7pm.

ALTERNATE HISTORY REVIEW: Romitas 3: Savage City - Sophia McDougall

Release Date: 19/05/11

SYNOPSIS:

Imagine a world in which Rome never fell. Now the Empire stretches across the Atlantic, slaves are constructing a giant bridge over the Persian Gulf, and magnetic railways span the globe. But tensions within and without are about to change the face of the earth. Marcus Novius is caught in a massive explosion at the Coliseum which kills his uncle the emperor . . . making Marcus, his heir, the new leader of the Roman Empire. Marcus, the healer Sulien and Una, his sister - and Marcus' own love - have been together through thick and thin, fighting for freedom, fighting for their lives, fighting for justice, and Marcus' ascension to Roman throne was supposed to be the start of something magnificent . . . But Marcus is horribly wounded himself in the explosion, and Sulien is having problems fighting his way through the terrible devastation to be at his friend's - his emperor's - side. And it's not long before Sulien and Una realise life will never be the same again, for the Roman Empire is about to face its most dangerous enemy . . .


REVIEW:

If you want a series that has great characters, wonderful plot arcs and all in works to improve itself with each successive book then you really have to try Romitas by Sophia McDougall. Within characters grow, they have a realistic bent and above all else they have the qualities that appeal to readers so that they hope that they’ll survive the trials and tribulations that are thrown at them.

Add to this a decent pace, some wonderful twists which when backed with a top notch writing style alongside the ability to surprise and shock the reader, leaves those enjoying this series in no doubt about its ability to be one of those to watch. All in, this series has been one of great fascination, one that seeks to deliver more and as such makes it almost too hard to put down, even when the sun is creeping over the horizon you’ll discover that there will be many readers thinking “Just one more chapter.”

URBAN FANTASY REVIEW: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Sausages - Tom Holt

Release Date: 02/06/11

SYNOPSIS:

Polly, an average, completely ordinary property lawyer, is convinced she's losing her mind. Someone keeps drinking her coffee. And talking to her clients. And doing her job. And when she goes to the dry cleaner's to pick up her dress for the party, it's not there. Not the dress - the dry cleaner's. And then there are the chickens who think they are people. Something strange is definitely going on - and it's going to take more than a magical ring to sort it out.


REVIEW:

For me Tom Holt is one of those authors who can, like Robert Rankin, take the bizarre and unusual, add a good dollop of the weird, a dash of decent prose and then add a huge spoonful of humour and create a wonderful mayonnaise title that works well for everyone. Unfortunately, like any mayonnaise, it doesn’t matter how much time or love you put into it if the damn thing splits you’ve got to start from scratch.

For me this title was one that had huge potential, it blended realities, broke its way through the walls holding it back and literally blew the whole thing apart and that’s where it lost me. I had up until that point been really enjoying this book, the characters were vivid, the tone light and above all else I love the author’s humour, but as things ended up more complex, the less I started to follow everything to the full and as such began to care less and less about the characters. It’s a great shame when that happens as finishing a book or absorbing what’s happening can become more than a chore and can leave you thinking why the hell do I bother.

That said it does have some saving moments but my favourite series is going to remain the JWW series featuring Paul Carpenter. Although I still want a book with Dennis’ Mum and the lead character.

INTERVIEW: Robert Wilton

At Falcata Time’s we love to give a new author a shot so when the blurb for Robert Wilton’s debut landed we felt that this title was something special that should be moved to the top of our To Be Read List.

Here, Robert chats to us about writing, about historical espionage and how “worryingly attractive” Tom Roscarrock has become…


Falcata Times: Writing is said to be something that people are afflicted with rather than gifted and that it's something you have to do rather than want. What is your opinion of this statement and how true is it to you?

Robert Wilton: I don't know if I'm gifted; I know that I want to write. So: seems true enough. It's hard to articulate exactly why I need to write, and none of the possible reasons seem very attractive - vanity, frustration, obsession... - but those are all grim furnaces of impulsion down in the boiler room, not a shining gift up on the bridge.


FT: When did you realise that you wanted to be a writer?

RW: Thirty years ago, when I was about eight. My English teacher, Mr Walker, was an extraordinary inspiration - I also blame him for my loving acting, sketching and doing crosswords - and he used to write short stories, with great atmosphere and good twists. I've been writing since then (and I've never got away from the idea that good stories need good twists).


FT: It is often said that if you can write a short story you can write anything. How true do you think this is and what have you written that either proves or disproves this POV?

RW: Really interesting point. I wrote an historical murder thriller novel just after leaving college, and it wasn't published, and I turned to short stories then: they were a way to be writing while I was waiting for an idea that would justify a novel and, frankly, after one unpublished novel you tend to think twice before committing to another six months' of potentially fruitless writing; and getting halfway through a short story to find out that it's just not going to work is a lot less painful that doing so fifty thousand words into a novel. Looking back, the few dozen short stories that I wrote - and not just the ones that got published - were my training ground for my writing today. I tried out different styles and voices and structures; short stories are a playground, a chance to dress up, a chance to be ridiculous, a chance to go crazy, when no-one's looking. Because competition guidelines usually restrict length, short stories are a great discipline, too: you think about words more, you think more about doing as much as possible with individual sentences and images, and you find ways to jump right into the heart of a scene.


FT: If someone were to enter a bookshop, how would you persuade them to try your novel over someone else's and how would you define it?

RW: Open bribery. Wheedling. Possibly violence. 'The Emperor's Gold' is an historical espionage thriller set in 1805, the first of a new series drawing on recently-discovered archive material from the Comptrollerate-General for Scrutiny and Survey. I think you'd like it, dear bookshop-visitor, because you look like someone who wants an engaging, intense mystery and doesn't want to leave your brain at the till. And I suspect that, like me, you rather enjoy the quirks of history.


FT: How would you "sell" your book in 20 words or less?

RW: History and mystery; action and intrigue; a dead man pulled from a shipwreck and entrusted with the Empire.


FT: Who is a must have on your bookshelf and whose latest release will find you on the bookshops doorstep waiting for it to open?

RW: I collect Graham Greene, Len Deighton and George Macdonald Fraser. Today, I think that Salman Rushdie plays with language and ideas in a way that make you proud he's writing in English, and I think that Hilary Mantel is an extraordinary re-creator of history: reading her was a real kick in the backside for me, for how the past can live.


FT: When you sit down and write do you know how the story will end or do you just let the pen take you? ie Do you develop character profiles and outlines for your novels before writing them or do you let your ideas develop as you write?

RW: I usually have a very strong idea about the end, but not a clue about what on earth happens in the middle. I try to define characters with a particular function for the narrative, and then they invariably run off on their own somewhere: constantly frustrating, but they sometimes help me onto a path I wasn't aware of.


FT: What do you do to relax and what have you read recently?

RW: I watch old films, eat too much, row a pilot gig when I'm back in Cornwall, translate a bit of poetry, probably have another snack.


FT: What is your guiltiest pleasure that few know about?

RW: Cheddar cheese; cigars; 'It's a Wonderful Life'.


FT: Lots of writers tend to have pets. What do you have and what are their key traits (and do they appear in your novel in certain character attributes?)

RW: No pets now - I can barely take care of myself responsibly. But I grew up with dogs (Labradors, not the pointless little rodent things), and I guess that just occasionally I like to see in a character the same kind of loyalty and certainty that you see in a dog.


FT: Which character within your latest book was the most fun to write and why?

RW: James Fannion is an Irish poet-rebel trying to incite mayhem and get Napoleon's support for a rising: murderous, calculating, philandering, and amoral. Writing him was a constant flowing treat - he was usually stabbing or shagging someone, and he was a welcome break from plot development or that more intense descriptive stuff you have to put in sometimes.


FT: How similar to your principal protagonist are you?

RW: Tom Roscarrock is rugged, ruthless, mysterious, and utterly competent. So - not all that much, to be honest. Which is irritating, because people (including my partner) find him worryingly attractive. But I do love the sea, like him, so maybe there's hope for me.


FT: What hobbies do you have and how do they influence your work?

RW: Films probably contribute to a focus on the visual, dynamic sense of what's happening in a scene. Translating poetry forces you to think extremely carefully about individual words. Walking in the British countryside and looking at its sea perhaps gives an idea of something more fundamental and eternal going on behind what the humans are up to, but normally it's just a tempting distraction from getting on with the writing.


FT: Where do you get your ideas from?

RW: By going hunting for them rather than waiting. Single best piece of writing advice I ever read was P.G.Wodehouse on the secret to being an author: 'you keep your bum on a chair'.


FT: Do you ever encounter writers block and if so how do you overcome it?

RW: Definitely. Sometimes it helps to ask direct questions about or of a character: where's Tom now? what's he thinking? or OK, Tom, what are you trying to achieve at the moment? Writing down the answer prompts ideas, or sometimes even becomes a new bit of text.


FT: Certain authors are renowned for writing at what many would call uncivilised times. When do you write and how do the others in your household feel about it?

RW: Working hours if possible - I need proper sleep. I live with another writer, so I think we're usually understanding; she knows I'm best avoided when writing, because it can make me pretty grumpy.


FT: Sometimes pieces of music seem to influence certain scenes within novels, do you have a soundtrack for your tale or is it a case of writing in silence with perhaps the odd musical break in-between scenes?

RW: Normally I write in silence, but sometimes I'll put some classical music on (can't have words because I'll just start singing along): Rachmaninov or Ennio Morricone for emotion, drama and description; Mozart or Bach for thinking and action; the Beach Boys for 'I've had enough writing for the day and I don't care who knows it'


FT: What misconceptions, if any, did you have about the writing and publishing field when you were first getting started?

RW: Inspiration is a lot less tripping through the daffodils waiting for the muse, and a lot more bloody getting on with it. I hate the process of touting myself around, and was exceptionally lucky to find Corvus so quickly.


FT: If music be the food of love, what do you think writing is and please explain your answer?

RW: Writing is the gym work-out of love: you're testing, stretching and building up your ideas of it.


FT: What can you tell us about the next novel?

RW: It's what I supposed be doing right now rather than making up stuff about how writing is the gym session of love. It's set in the period of the British civil war, with two men battling each other for their respective causes: the royalist is an old warrior fighting to save his old world, a man who is said to embody misrule, mayhem and blood; against him is a young man fighting for the stability of his new world, and becoming increasingly intrigued and alarmed by the strange organisation called the Comptrollerate-General for Scrutiny and Survey. A lot of fighting, a lot of intrigue, and a lot of people finding themselves cut loose in a world in chaos: I'm really enjoying writing it, except that I'm eight hundred words behind where I should be today.


FT: What are the last five internet sites that you've visited?

RW: imdb. Wikipedia. The British Library catalogue. The Ideas Partnership. The Onion.


FT: Did you ever take any writing classes or specific instructions to learn the craft? If so please let us know which ones.

RW: No classes or books; but I've found myself getting more analytical when I read other books that I enjoy: even in a supposedly trashy book there's often something to learn - about how an author has achieved pace, image, character, or excitement.


FT: How did you get past the initial barriers of criticism and rejection?

RW: I told myself that, since publishing success is substantially driven by fickle market forces and a great pile of luck, I'd be foolish to judge myself by whether I was getting published or not; I tried to be pleased just that I was writing, and to make sure that I at least was enjoying what I wrote.


FT: In your opinion, what are the best and worst aspects of writing for a living?

RW: It's writing, which I enjoy; it is not a living.

HISTORICAL FICTION REVIEW: The Emperor's Gold - Robert Wilton

Release Date: 01/06/11

SYNOPSIS:

July 1805: The armies of France have only to sail to England to complete Napoleon's domination over Europe. Britain is militarily weak, politically divided, unsettled by her rioting poor. Into this feverish environment comes a dead man. Pulled half-drowned from a shipwreck, his past erased, Tom Roscarrock is put to work for the Comptrollerate-General for Scrutiny and Survey, a shadowy Government bureau. He is thrown into a bewildering world of political intrigue and violence. In France, a plan is underway to shatter the last of England's stability. In England, the man who recruited Roscarrock has disappeared, his agents keep turning up dead, and reports of a secret French fleet are panicking the authorities. His life in danger and his motives increasingly suspect, Roscarrock must pursue the complex conspiracy across England and then into the heart of Napoleon's France, there to confront the greatest mystery of all. The Emperor's Gold is the first in a series of historical espionage thrillers taken from the newly-uncovered archives of the Comptrollerate-General for Scrutiny and Survey.


REVIEW:

REVIEW BLURB