Giving five stars to the 'The Wounded Bear' seems so inadequate. This book is like sunrise over water, flames reflected in a deep dark pool, a whirling wind from fifth century Britain carrying love, war, passion and death - and also humour. Bedwyr enjoys making outrageous remarks! L.A. Wilson has, for me, captured the essence of Arthur, the once and future king, a true myth, my hero. As is his greatest warrior Bedwyr. I can't believe that Bedwyr has reached his forties. I remember him when he was a wild young boy, all the way back in Book one (The Fox and the Bear) helping Arthur to win his first battle. Now he's a wild adult man. Irresistible. There is a warning about adult content but throughout all the books I found the love making scenes to be honest and true, the essence of passion. In 'The Wounded Bear' these scenes are especially beautiful, often a poem in themselves. Whether the lovers are gay or straight seems to me to be completely irrelevant. It's just love. 'The Silurian' series tells the story of Arthur's efforts to create a peaceful and ordered Britain. There's always someone waiting to smash such dreams and 'The Wounded Bear' contains some monsters. The people who always want to spoil everything. I had to force myself to stop reading in order to do pointless things, like going to work or sleeping. I had to find out what happened next. L.A. Wilson has written seven books, with one more to come. Each of these books is an experience. It's hard to describe - the best thing to do is to read the books - but once you've tasted the potent mixture that makes up each part of the story of Arthur and Bedwyr - nothing else will do. I suffer from total addiction but I'm a happy addict. Even in the midst of difficult and painful events the power of love shines through. When all else is gone Arthur and Bedwyr still have love and hope, the glimmer on the edge of sight, the secret place, Avalon.
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'The King Tingaling Painting' hit me like the space rocket that takes Duke, the talking Basset Hound, and twelve year old Michel on journeys between bizarre worlds. This is a brilliant and infuriating book, characteristics I assume must be shared by the author, Elias Zapple. Yes, yes, I know it's meant for children, but if I hadn't been reading on my kindle I would have thrown it across the room. Instead, I had to content myself with the cyber equivalent, switching my kindle off and on and off and on..... I just had to find out what happened next. However painful. Duke and Michel, plus Boris the rat, are incredibly funny. The humour is quirky and unpredictable, a constant surprise. I laughed out loud throughout this intense reading experience. At times I cried. The crying times corresponded with the virtual book throwing. I loved Duke and Michel so much that I wanted to have a say in what happens to them. Votes for readers! Study the cover. Great artwork by Elliott Beavan, that also contains clues to upcoming events in the book. 'The King Tingaling Painting' is for kids who appreciate a story that reflects the difficulties and struggles of life. With wild jokes. And also for adults who want to experience truly original and powerful writing. Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Duke-Michel-Tingaling-Adventures-Skateboarder-ebook/dp/B00KIWJEW0 Dayn Ro’Halan, the name of the young black hero of ‘The Seedbearing Prince’ suggested to me the highest flights of the imagination. And I wasn’t disappointed. The pages of this book are infused with a poetic sense of infinite space and wild beauty. DaVaun Sanders has made his dreams accessible to everyone, and what amazing dreams they are! The author just has to be a star gazer. Circling around the planets that make up his brilliantly manifested alternative universe is the torrent, a swirling stream of rocks, mountains and other mysterious objects. Young Dayn’s ambition is to become a courser, riding the torrent by hooking a wingline to one of the rocks, taking off into the air and literally flying across the cosmos. Brilliant. There’s always someone who wants to destroy beauty. And so it is here. The voidwalkers use mind control, the thrall, so their presence brings despair, a fading of the light, all hope gone. Then, later in the book, the fleshweeps arrive. Oh the fleshweeps. Gross, all powerful enemies. Dayn finds a mysterious red orb, the seed of the title, and is caught up in a mission to save his world from these fearsome and monstrous beings. Incredible images remain in my mind. The sight of the midnight sun in the Dreadfall, the chasm that cuts through Dayn’s home planet of Shard. Flying through the torrent. The blindfolded woman with the sword. The Shell dance. Montollos, what a world, what a vision. I would also like to wander around Olende, a vividly imagined city. Plus I’d love to take the children in my life to play on the tangletoys. Dayn Ro’Halan is black, as are many of the characters, a big bonus as we need lots more diverse books. ‘The Seedbearing Prince’ also illustrates a universal truth. You can’t tell what skin colour any character has from their thoughts and actions, the way they behave in the story. No one’s inner life is ‘black’ ‘mixed race/biracial’ or ‘white’. We all share the same humanity. The Seedbearing Prince is an amazing story (I’m just about to start part two), heroic and inspiring. Excellently and poetically done, DaVaun Sanders. As Dayn would say: ‘Peace, I loved it.’ For Amazon.com click on the photo Amazon UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Seedbearing-Prince-Part-I-ebook/dp/B0094PJC0Q Part two of The Seedbearing Prince. Just love this cover! For Amazon.com click on the photo Amazon UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Seedbearing-Prince-Part-II-ebook/dp/B00F7HDNEG Five stars for the Spirit Warriors, one each for Emme, Lilly, Charlie, Ollie and Bets, matching their sky stars, the mark of eternal friendship. Emme makes a brave and bold narrator, taking the reader on a wild ride, a fight against cruelty and despair. D.E.L. Connor's writing is so vivid and passionate that when Emme left her body and merged with Eros the osprey I felt that I too was flying. Each of the animals assigned to the young warriors has a special character. Lilly and her mustang, Arion, are a particularly beautifully described team. Tiny fairy like Lilly is a character to hug and cherish. There are several plot twists which I must not mention, but I do have to give an extra five stars to the scene where one of the characters comes out as gay, followed by the tuxedo episode. You'll know when you reach it! The scene in the river.......well, just you wait. Another five stars. 'Spirit Warriors' is an exciting adventure that is joyful and life affirming, even in the midst of tragedy. I cannot name names but the message of the book is that love goes on. Love in life, love that lasts beyond death. There were tears but I was still left with a positive feeling. D.E.L. Connor tackles the big questions, love, sexuality, family abuse and death, so although officially a YA book 'Spirit Warriors' is also a great read for adults. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Spirit-Warriors-Concealing-D-E-L-Connor-ebook/dp/B00GWTZ4RM http://www.amazon.com/Spirit-Warriors-Concealing-D-E-L-Connor-ebook/dp/B00GWTZ4RM
Never kiss a witch unless you are prepared for a magical adventure. Ethan doesn't intend to kiss Gogo Maya, but it's impossible to avoid when performing CPR. This half drowned witch has made an unfortunate magical switch with Ethan's cousin, Joe. And she's unable to get him back. Ethan's preferred environment is his Mum and rich stepfather's home in Cape Town, freshly squeezed orange juice on tap, playing computer games in his air conditioned room. Now he's far away from this comfortable home in a place full of germs,strange plants and wild animals, on a rescue mission to the lost kingdom of Karibu. Accompanied by top tracker Jimoh, moody Tariro, mysterious Fisi plus his new best friend, a leopard. Things go from bad to worse. Ethan even runs out of hand sanitiser.The witch's kiss has had interesting results and Ethan discovers..... well, you'll need to read 'Switch!' to find out. This book is so much fun, I wouldn't want to spoil it for anyone. Karen Prince has a vivid and original imagination making this story enjoyable for adults as well as older children and teens. 'Switch!' also has one of my favourite themes, courage in the face of adversity. Joe, you are a hero. The buffaloes..... http://www.amazon.co.uk/Switch-Kingdoms-Karibu-Karen-Prince-ebook/dp/B009H28446 http://www.amazon.com/Switch-Kingdoms-Karibu-Karen-Prince-ebook/dp/B009H28446
A thriller, an encyclopedia and a spiritual quest. This extraordinary book is a combination of all three. I have a constant and ongoing interest in the Cathars, which was how I discovered 'Black Dove'. The first thing I noticed was the name of the author, Charles Bonham. Whether purposely or not, his surname reminded me of the Cathar Perfects, the bonhommes (who could also be female, bonnefemmes, not sure if my French is correct here!). I was immediately intrigued.
The thriller part of this novel is fast moving and intense. The heroine, Michelle discovers a reference to the Cathars in an old diary. Her search for the truth drags her out of the ordered world of academic research, propelling her into a battle with violent and dangerous opponents. Every so often the action stops for the encyclopedia part of the book. The author demonstrates in depth knowledge on a vast range of activities plus the history of the Cathars, the Knights Templar and religious immigration to Canada. Being UK based I appreciated this new view of the Cathars and the possibility that they continued to exist in Quebec. Corporate style publishers wouldn't be pleased to come across all this information as it slows down the action, but I enjoyed it. Except for the Inquisition part. Chilling and highly relevant, the detail terrified and sickened me..Torture in the name of divine love. A bitter truth about many religions. The spiritual quest part of 'Black Dove' peaked in, what was for me, a revelation about the inner teachings.of the Cathars. I was as shocked as Michelle. Then it all made sense. Love for all creation, every part. The continuing message of the Cathars. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Black-Dove-Charles-Bonham-ebook/dp/B00BFZVXTG I found 'The Dancer' by entering the word 'Cathar' in the Amazon search engine, and discovered a book as enigmatic as the 'pure ones' themselves. Although the Cathars are present and essential to the action, the
main focus of the story is on the fair haired young girl, the Dancer and her followers. Marguerite Aldridge describes scenes of amazing beauty and mystery, secret visionary rites carried out in high and hidden places in the Languedoc. During these ceremonies the sinister Corbeau (crow in French) wears a black bird mask, a man standing on a horse creates a cross of fire and a white tree hung with white threads shimmers on the edge of precipices or is seen apparently hanging in the air. The Dancer in her white clothes has obvious connections with Sufism, the whirling of the Mevlevi dervishes that brings spiritual enlightenment, or in her case, the ability to prophesy. These scenes invaded my imagination and keep returning as dreams. Alongside these fantastical rituals, the Catholic church is conducting a ferocious crusade against the Cathars. Through the character of the well named Brother Francis, Marguerite Aldridge exposes the cruelty of his fellow supposed Christians who believed that heretics should be tortured and killed. For their own good. No sign of loving your neighbour amongst these warlike priests and monks. The siege of Beziers is described in compelling detail. Also dancing through these pages is a young boy, Jared. No more can be said without plot spoiling, but watch this child, he is at the centre of the storm. Nothing is quite certain in this book. Who is doing what to whom and why? A fascinating read, recommended to all grail seekers. http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Dancer-Marguerite-Aldridge-ebook/dp/B00626CA9A Dying Phoenix comes from this author’s soul. It reaches a different level of intensity, because events take place on an epic scale, before and during the military coup that took place in Greece in 1967. The characters, I’m speechless, they are so real and full of all the contradictions and fallibility that plagues the highest idealist. I particularly appreciated the skill with which Loretta Proctor gives all sides of the story. Tyrant, fascist, mother, wife, worker, idealist, journalist, lovers, villagers, all points of view are presented. The author gives each of her characters an individual voice, so that we understand all their actions. Even if we don’t sympathise. The different Greek families are affectionately portrayed, so real and individual that by the end of the book I felt that I knew them. And Greece. Greece is a living presence. The descriptions of Greece. The love for Greece. I loved the poetry the author has included in the book. There is so much pain for Greece, so reflective and relevant, particularly at the moment. A universal message. The coup is expertly described. We experience one of the characters waking up as the tanks rumble into Athens then going out onto the streets to investigate. Dying Phoenix also stands as a salute to the courage of the idealists in the face of terrible repression and cruelty. The rape and torture is shocking, a secret horror that is ongoing as normal life continues for many Greek citizens. The details of life in late nineteen sixties London and Greece add another layer of depth to the writing. I cannot be a plot spoiler but for me Loretta Proctor’s writing reached an extra powerful level in the scenes in the garage in Thessaloniki. Amazing passion and intensity. At the centre of this book is the complicated love story of Max and Nina. This is a very different kind of marriage, both characters change and evolve throughout the book and we are never sure what will happen next. I found the last part of 'Dying Phoenix' beautiful and inspirational. The author manages to combine the essence of romantic love with love for the spirit of Greece. What a book! My only complaint is that it finished too soon. MUCH too soon. How sensible it is to focus on the accumulation of money and to build a wall of security, thereby gaining control over your environment and ensuring perfect happiness. Only..... maybe it isn’t. My hero, Chud, the narrator of 'Consequences of the Heart' rejects official worldly wisdom and chooses love as his guiding principle. The results are often disastrous and heart rending but make him lovable and heroic in the oddest of situations. 'Consequences of the Heart' reads as truth, an accurate reflection of the way emotions disrupt the smooth running of daily life. It is also extremely funny.
Chud is one of three people forever bound by love and the tragic mystery of events at a place they named Delaware, a place shown on the beautiful cover of the book. The writing was so passionate I felt that I was living Chud's life. I hate spoilers so I can't elaborate, but there are many unexpected twists and turns until we finally learn the secret of Delaware. Peter Cunningham is an exceptional writer, an artist and poet with a wild sense of humour. The closing scenes of 'Consequences of the Heart' are extraordinary, epic and beautiful with amazing imagery,funny and tragic at the same time. A worn out and elderly body doesn't change the inner person. Chud loves and loves and loves some more. I was riveted, right up to the last line of the book. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Consequences-Heart-Peter-Cunningham-ebook/dp/B00H3IOWO2 |
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