The Fox on the Water. A beautiful visual image, reinforced by the cover of the book. As soon as I started reading I was transported to a vivid world and the raw emotions of a time without the 21st century distractions of email, social media or on demand TV watching. A time when the awareness that death might arrive at any moment gave extra sweetness to life and love was all. Survival meant relying on others, group living and true deep friendship.The narrator, the awesome Prince Bedwyr, the Fox, has loved Arthur since boyhood. He and Arthur are now older, great warriors acknowledged as High King and High Prince of Britain. When ‘The Fox on the Water’ begins, Arthur is away from Britain, fighting in Armorica (roughly equivalent to Brittany, in France). Bedwyr crosses the sea to join him with the Norse-men. Here I found the best evocation of a Viking journey I’d ever read. Sailing on a ‘vast open wilderness of water’ with the Norse Men, in their long-ship, Wave-Hound, Bedwyr is amazed by the ‘red sky, dark waves, sweet wind, cold, far, far, from land. This was a journey to the ends of the earth, would we fall over the edge?’ It really gave me a sense of wonder at the Norse-men/Vikings and their navigational and survival skills. Many adventures follow on from this one, much love and death, but also laughter. Arthur and the Fox both have a strong sense of humour! I admit to being obsessed with 'The Silurian' series, for me the best ever re-telling of the Arthurian legends, the 'matter of Britain', a true myth. I'm totally addicted to the wild hallucinogenic writing of L.A. Wilson who I would name as Arthur's bard and poet. In all the books there is an intense sense of being alive. The past isn’t ‘another country’, it is now, and I always feel that events are actually happening as I read, taken into Bedwyr’s heart, living his life, moment by moment. Bedwyr believes that he will live on after Arthur dies but that once his life is over, 'I would be with him forever in Avalon, where we would be lovers, such as we were not in this life, and there, we would not be judged or harmed, but free to love.' Beautiful. ‘The Fox on the Water’ is a message of love without prejudice, universal love, a powerful, passionate book. Amazon US http://www.amazon.com/Silurian-Book-Six-Fox-Water-ebook/dp/B00BHP1Q5U I started laughing the moment I read the disclaimer at the beginning of 'Fangless'. I went on laughing throughout the whole book, except for the times when I felt sad for poor Nicu, the tubby little vampire, bullied because he is literally fangless ....no teeth at all. Oh Nicu! How can your family and friends be so mean? Elias Zapple gives us the full details of vampire life, including (terrible for a vegetarian to read) young fangless vampires being fed with bottles of freshly drained blood. EEEK! And the Fang Fairy. I loved the Fang Fairy. A huge improvement on the tooth fairy. She's bold, wild and exciting, exactly like this book. Elias Zapple's humour is zany, creative and eccentric and always has a deeper message. In this story he's showing support for bullied children. Nicu is teased by everyone but he struggles on until..... well, you can't expect me to give away the ending! I have to mention the illustrations, lots of illustrations, that work brilliantly with the zinging writing. Well done Reimarie Cabalu. I'd recommend 'Fangless' as the perfect download/book for any kid who says that reading is boring. Try them with this. I'm sure you'll be amazed at the result. Five blood drenched stars. www. http://smarturl.it/fangless Wild & epic adventure. The Seedbearing Prince @davaunwrites #diversifyyourshelves #visionary6/18/2014 A book of visions for warrior poets. A wild adventure for action lovers. A manifesto for a more loving and inclusive society. 'The Seedbearing Prince: Part II' is all of these plus being a magical gateway to a visually stunning new cosmos. Leaping into the torrent with Dayn Ro'Halan, what an experience! DaVaun Sanders is an imaginator, fuelled by dreams, mixing transcendent beauty with intense horror. His writing power lifts the reader out into the wild universe of the World Belt. Each planet depends on the others, they all fulfil a vital function and survive together. The World Belt is under attack from the jealousy and spite of the fearsome Voidwalkers, destroyers of love and beauty. At the end of 'The Seedbearing Prince: Part 1', Dayn was trapped in the transparent underbelly of a fleshweep, a creature created by the Voidwalkers and as gross as its name suggests. As you can see from the brilliantly made cover of this book. None survive this experience. Will Dayn? I'm not going to plot spoil, but I can say that Lurec, the bookish Preceptor and Nassir the powerful defender set out on a mission to find Dayn. The journey of the transport (the World Belt version of a space ship) through the torrent is one of many amazingly described experiences that kept me fixated on this book. None of which I can mention without giving away secrets. Well, perhaps I will just mention the Rage Hawks chamber and the magical tree that, for me, was the essence of all magical trees that have ever been written about. And the epic battle. Fetch me a Rage Hawk, I want to join the battle. Hurry up with 'The Course of Blades', DaVaun Sanders, I need to know what happens next! 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. '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 At dusk the voice calls
From the Sea of Marmara Salt sweet on the breeze Moon dark is my lost country My otherworld |
AuthorMy ideal job description would be Merlin’s Categories
All
|