Faded Embers by Anne Wheeler [Book Review]
Faded Embers by Anne Wheeler My rating: 5 of 5 stars A story of betrayal, conspiracy and redemption. Fourth in the Shadows of War series that started with Asrian Skies. While we still follow Avery, the real protagonist of this volume is Gareth Chase. The true horror at the heart of Haedara is brought to light in Faded Embers. Faded Embers Faded Embers is set a short while after Shattered Honor, the third book in the Shadows of War series. There is an uneasy peace between the Haedarans and the Commonwealth. Asria is semi-independent, but with Haedaran troops still in orbit and on the planet. Avery is Queen, and her son is around three years old. As the story opens she prepares for her coronation. Tensions are high because of the continued occupation. When Chase re-appears he isn't entirely welcome,…
Straven – Chapter 1 Fierce [Fantasy] [Updated]
Bryggen in Bergen, Norway. Over a thousand years old and the inspiration for Straven. (photo: James Kemp) Straven is the title of the first chapter in my fantasy novel, provisionally titled Fierce. I'm now looking for reviewers to read and review it. If you liked Chapter 1 - Straven, and would be willing to read the whole novel and provide an honest review please get in touch. The story starts in Straven, the home of both Yngvild and Noren. I've linked to some of the story background I've put on my wiki. Update 24 Mar 2024: This is a revised version of the chapter from the original posted years ago, taken from the version that comes out on 1 May 2024. (Pre-order link to Amazon UK for Fierce by James Kemp.) Chapter 1 - Straven 'Noren! What’s keeping you?' I peered…
Yngvild Needs Beta Readers [Fantasy]
My son sketched out Yngvild's story arc on a napkin when we having a coffee in Norway. (photo: James Kemp) I'm looking for s few people to beta read the second draft of my fantasy novel, currently titled "Yngvild and the Forest of Dreams". It started life as my 2016 NaNoWriMo project and has been added to and edited over the last three years. Inspired by a trip to Bergen in Norway and a box set of Game of Thrones, it's now in a near complete second draft. Yngvild weighs in at about 70,000 words before it goes into a final edit, then proofreading ahead of publication. I'd really like some people to read it and tell me what they think of it. Before you send the email volunteering you'll want to know more about the story. It's probably only…
Lies, Damned Lies, Statistics & Statements by Politicians
Lies are being told by all of the politicians running for office the world over. Big lies, small lies, lies of omission and lies of commission. Lies are everywhere. We all know this, it's not for nothing that was talk about this being a 'post-truth' era. So how do you avoid being fooled? A #BeyondPolitics protest banner outside UK government offices (photo: James Kemp) Lies have Power People have always know the lies have power, all the way back. It's just got easier for the normal people to spot them. To quote Jonathan Swift, over 300 years ago: the greatest Liar has his Believers; and it often happens, that if a Lie be believ’d only for an Hour, it has done its Work, and there is no farther occasion for it. Falsehood flies, and the Truth comes limping after it;…
Citizen of Earth by Joseph J. Kassabian [Book Review]
Citizen of Earth by Joseph J. Kassabian My rating: 4 of 5 stars There's a lot to like in Citizen of Earth. Kassabian creates some really interesting characters, especially the protagonist Vincent Solaris and his main companion. The action is suitably chaotic, albeit well described. That said I did have some niggles, especially in the early part of the book. The characters take a lot of physical abuse in training, which seems to consist only of physical abuse and not of any training, even though the learning but is referred to later. There must have been some time jumps in the story, but these are only obvious when referred to much later. There's also a Vietnam in SPAAACE vibe to it too, like the worst excesses of Heinlein's Starship Troopers. We get over it all though with the second half…