Tim Hall - Earth Swarm - Book Review - Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books

Tim Hall's first novel for David Fickling Books was a dark and edgy retelling of Robin Hood and Sherwood Forest called Shadow of the Wolf. I remember the amazing hardback cover as it was certainly striking and captured my full attention. Some years on, Tim's second book is due to buzz into existence on the 4th July 2019. It is very different in subject matter and writing style. 

Earth Swarm will be the first novel featuring teenage hero Hal Strider. In this pocket rocket adventure, the main character faces the world of advanced technology. Hal Strider is desperate to be involved in his father's business which develops drones for the military. This starts the narrative swarming from the very first page and builds into an epic battle between the human race and artificial intelligence.  The story is skillfully written as KILLER DRONES ATTACK London. The scene is visually brilliant and the author has captured the moment with a sense of mayhem and chaos. This has an impact on the small cast of characters as the plot dramatically unfolds above and below the streets of London. 

The drones, controlled by artificial intelligence, are terrifying as they adapt, replicate and build their strength in numbers. The ensuing war between the military is gripping, however, the only people who can save the city are Hal, his sister Jess and a stranger called Sky. The further you follow the characters, the more the emotions come to light as they take you on a thought-provoking, adrenalin-fueled ride.

The story is very cool and should engage young and old readers alike. It is very on trend through the use of drones and advanced machines. The story has a fast-paced narrative giving it a cinematic quality which stretches the pixelation of the fantasy mind. The book has many explosive and turbulent events that ramp up the tension in the face of a remorseless foe. 

THE MACHINES ARE COMING . . .  Life will never be the same again. This is a battle with mind-blowing destruction where a great many lives are lost. However, the story is fantastically written, well-developed and well thought out. We learn about the truth and the scary lengths people will go to in the name of furthering artificial intelligence. So, strap yourself in for a roller-coaster Sci-Fi adventure with some timely twists and turns that will make your head spin. Could this be a vision of the near future? ...  

Book Review: Nigel McDowell - The Black North - Published by Hot Key Books

Book Review: After reading Nigel's debut novel last year, TALL TALES FROM PITCH END, I was very interested to see what the author would dream up next. I was not really expecting this latest story, to be honest, but what a fantastic read. Like the first novel, the author in my opinion delivers a unique insight into a fantasy world that captivates the reader on so many levels. This is an atmospheric dark tale that will sweep you off your feet in many different ways.

This is a fast paced, mystical adventure that is very surreal but, also at times, rather confusing as some of the characters that you thought were dead magically reappear! This might have been a trick of my own imagination, but nevertheless, this made for an explosive epic battle. 

One strength of the story was the author's overly wild imagination which is deployed to fantastic effect; lots of detailed backstory and a plot that hooked me from the very beginning.

The characters are absolutely brilliant. Many of them should have a stand-alone book written just for them. Bizarre creatures have been depicted within this book, such as the Briar-Witches, that really will scare the pants of you. I particularly liked the 'Master of the Big House' and his stone statue sister; they lifted the story for me. On a number of occasions, I found myself giggling in a mad and demonic sort of way. 

Nigel paints a picture of a complex world that is crumbling into nothingness; a powerful force of evil that the human race need to fight. All of which is told with some elements of folklore and dark magic but within a fairytale style. This blend reads like one big nightmare. Told from the point of Oona, a female heroine who is stubborn and strong - she is a match for anyone as she lead us through this fantastic tale. This is a story for every reader with a vivacious appetite for the unimaginable and the terrifying. It was a huge hit with me and one that I would thoroughly recommend. 

Book Synopsis:

The Divided Isle, once a place of peace and tranquillity, has been ravaged by war. Twins Oona and Morris live with their grandmother in a stone cottage in the quiet southern county of Drumbroken, but the threat of the Invaders of the Black North - the ravaged northern part of the island - is coming ever closer. When Morris, fighting against the Invaders, is kidnapped by one of the evil Briar Witches, Oona must journey to the unknown realms of the Black North in search of her brother. She is accompanied only by Merrigutt, a jackdaw with mysterious transformative powers, and a treasured secret possession: a small stone in the shape of a plum, but a stone that reveals truths and nightmares, and which the Invaders and their ruler, the King of the North, seek more than anything. Oona must keep the stone safe at all costs, and find her brother, before the King of the North extends his evil hold over the whole island and destroys it forever.

Oldman Brook - The Wizard of Crescent Moon Mountain - Book Review

The Wizard of Crescent Moon Mountain

Mr Ripley's Book Review

I'm a very big fan of the fantasy genre, so when I heard a little whisper about this book, I thought to myself . . . .  'I need to read this'. I tracked a copy down through the publisher's website and eagerly waited for it to arrive. When it eventually came, my first thoughts turned to the book cover image as it didn't immediately suggest the storyline and, to be honest, didn't really sell itself to me. Fortunately, the synopsis on the back sounded very interesting and outlined just enough for me to be intrigued. However, all in all it wasn't really the best start. 

I really liked the size of the book (about 430 pages) as it was able to give the adventure enough life and sustain the reader's interest. The first part of the story is very detailed and, as a result, quite slow going. However as an older reader, I liked that. But for those readers who might be put off or find it too slow, my advice is to keep going as you shall be rewarded on an epic scale. It has taken the author many years to write this book; influences from J.R.R Tolkien, Philip Pullman and Philip Reeve can be found within this story, and what a story it is.

The start of the plot is focused around one Wizard (Greybeard) and his quest to save Everlast. Through the story he is joined by three Dwarfs, two shape shifters and two Elves (all brothers) as well as Perrywinkle, who is a man with a talent for dishonesty. Interestingly, he is enlisted to the task of documenting events that occur along the way. One such example involves the Goblin army, who have a love for killing, and killing they do in abundance! At this point, the story writing is dark and, at times, very graphic which I really loved.

The epic battle scenes that are played out in this book have a feel of the Hobbit or the Fellowship of the Ring. They can only be described as big time, movie-screen, fantasy action which leave you feeling breathless for the eventual outcome. The host of characters will keep you engaged, but will probably leave you feeling sad at the end. My favourite character was a Goblin called Bobbucket. He may only play a minor role within this book, but he really made me laugh and will probably have a greater role in the next book - if I am reading between the lines correctly!

This is a deliciously dark and, at times, graphic fantasy novel that is a brilliantly entertaining read. It is a great debut book written in an accomplished hand to tell a tale traditionally. The end of the book delivers an epic finale which will leave the reader feeling satisfied. Although the mouth watering glimpses to the start of the sequel are tantalising - I can't wait to get my hands on the next book. I would recommend this to anyone who loves adventure/fantasy and hope that this books gains more coverage over the next few months. Unfortunately, it probably won't find itself on many bookshop shelves, but it is definitely worth tracking down on the Internet. This is one of my top five books of the year, so far!

Book Synopsis

Elven boys Finn and Beezle enter a time portal just before their race is wiped out by an otherworldly warrior and his goblin army. Travelling 3,000 years into the future and arriving in snow-filled lands, the boys are saved from the cold by two shape-shifters sent by Greybeard, the wizard of Crescent Moon Mountain. 

Out of their time and depth, Finn and Beezle are enlisted to join Greybeard and his friends on a quest to save the world of Everlast from the very same otherworldly warrior. Seeing that Beezle has a talent for magic after an incident with his magical bear-headed staff, Greybeard begins to teach the little elf a few tricks. But a problem arises when Finn comes into possession of a magical weapon capable of defeating the warrior. Little does anyone know the weapon has a mind of its own and wants Beezle as its master...

Published By Matador/Troubador - 2012 (ISBN  978 1848767 621)