Tag Archives: books

Kheld King by L. Stephens

Book cover for The Kheld King (The Triempery Revelations Book 2) by L. Stephens

I greatly enjoyed the first book of the series, The Sordaneon, and was eagerly awaiting this book. It jumped me straight back into a wonderful story. The mark of a great book is how much a reader cares about the characters as they read and afterwards and this story delivers in aces.

One of the things I most liked was the rounded characters. The heros didn’t always act in a goodly manner and the bad guys had their good points, or nearly all of them did. The one who represented total evil wasn’t human any longer but was still fascinating in the way he progressed along his chosen path. There are sad moments, as well as happy ones for all of the regular guys and the demigod, Dorian, who so wants to protect his people.

Another magnificent thing about this story is its uniqueness. There are entities manifest in the Rill, a machine creature that can transport goods and people vast distances in seconds, but can also be deadly. Then there is the Wall, a structure giving an insight into what will come to pass to its chosen people.

Then there is the intricate way the story weaves together in ways that cannot be predicted. I love guessing, even if I am often wrong. Fortunately, I understand there will be a third book, which I am so looking forward to acquiring. Highly recommended.

The Magic Number

Leave a reply

This morning I woke up to see Shadow Over Avalon had received review # 100, which is a big deal. Not only that, the review called for an instant happy dance. Here it is and thank you to ‘Angie’ whoever you are.

Richly woven and very visual

By Angie on November 11, 2017

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

This was captivating from page one. I’d give it more than 5* if I could!

This is a richly woven tale that is extremely visual. The world building is tremendous. Sometimes in fantasy I find myself wishing the author would just get on with it, but not with this book. The author knows how to paint a truly three dimensional world without falling foul of information dumping. They are also amazing at presenting realistic fully formed characters from page one. This is a book to get lost in. Although I am not an Arthurian legend buff, and I no doubt missed out with my lack of knowledge there, the fine weaving of the complex threads kept me entertained from start to finish. The author certainly took a bold step in se

Darkspire Reaches now on Audible

Leave a reply

Look what has just gone live! Did you know you can get this for free if you sign up for Audible for the first time? Enjoy the experience of listening to a book anywhere, anytime. https://www.amazon.com/Darkspire-Reaches/dp/B071YPC9S8/

New Story chapter 2 second snippet.

Leave a reply

Due to busting my ribs at the weekend and ending up in ER on Monday, I wasn’t much in the frame of mind to continue. The pain is more or less under control now and my muse has returned. Woo Hoo.

Azrael had imagined she’d be presented with the sentence of the person to be culled, detailing why they must die, but when she faced the banker assigned to her, a bald, fat, sweating man sitting behind a priceless off-world wooden desk, she learned otherwise.

Armed with a mental image of a middle-aged man, details of his usual security and precisely where he would be when she made the hit, Azrael wanted to vomit. She was no better than the gun she now collected on her way to the rooftop transport; one weapon carrying another. The Banker had also given her instructions as to where she must position her lethal shots on the body of her victim. One for the head and one for the heart so there was no possibility of saving the man. Of course, had she been equipped with a higher velocity projectile weapon, this would be a consideration as the man’s head would have exploded on impact. The choice to use what she must was necessitated by the proximity of other people to the man. Although the banker didn’t enlighten her, Azrael wondered if the extra care came because the person who ordered the hit would be standing close by to give a façade of innocence? She couldn’t think why else she needed to make shots into a crowd, for the second shot was going to confirm the identity of the victim as no accident.

Once on the roof she checked over the grav lifter left out for her, going over all the fuel lines and the ignition system. Aside from getting her in position on top of a highrise roof to make the kill, she depended on it to get her away clean afterward. A random thought crossed her mind, leaving her to wonder what happened when the banker’s angels got caught in the act?

New idea for a story.

Leave a reply

Oh, and the picture is what snow looks like, since it is topical at the moment. My fence is six feet high. The snow is half way up in this picture.

***

The supplicant knelt, head bowed, in the place of darkness, waiting for a sign, but none came.

“What should I do? One has grievously wounded me and I may never recover. Shall I smite them back?”

A rustling of dry scales rubbing together came from the darkest corner.

“Nothing. Do nothing,” came the sibilant reply.

“Then shall I have no justice?” The supplicant peered, blindly in the direction of the hissing voice.

“Time will bring justice. Time levels all.”

“The culprit will mock me if I do nothing.”

Scales rustled, restless. “The wound can not be ungiven and must heal or fester, as you will it. Hurting back solves no problems. The one who causes hurt must answer in the end as must all. Then, only then will you see justice done. Remember, justice is blind and takes the part of no man. The tip of the balance will decided the matter.”

My year in review.

Leave a reply

Looking back, it has been a very busy year. On the writing front, I have two new books published. The first, in spring, was Serpent of the Shangrove, book two in the Darkspires series and yes, I am planning a book three.

What is this one about? Here is the trailer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMwPuG0FEys

The second book came out just before Christmas and is the third book in the Shadow series, entitled Chalice of the Shadows. Yes, there is a fourth book in the series and I have just finished writing it, so now need to do some editing. That one will be called Staff of the Shadows.

Here is the trailer for Chalice. I haven’t made one for the Staff as of yet.

On a personal level we welcomed our first granddaughter, who is a joy after three dear little boys. It is amazing to watch them all develop into tiny people as time passes.

Looking forward to next year, I have a story in a dragon anthology coming out at Easter and I have a Paranormal Fantasy, entitled ‘Shift’ that has been with the Publishers since the earlier part of this year so I hope that will come out, too, along with Staff of Shadows. I guess the latter is dependent on if there is room in the schedule.

What I plan to get finished next year are a Science Fiction book, entitled ‘Death Angel’ and an Urban Fantasy, entitled for the moment as ‘Wildenwold’ although I think that is going to alter. I also have a story to finish for another anthology prospect and that must be done very soon if it is to stand a chance.

It is nice to be able to look forward to the New Year and be fairly confident there isn’t going to be a third world war started by cranky people, who are fortunately no longer going to have any influence. Hopefully, people will lighten up and start being nice to each other again.

What next?

Leave a reply

I am finishing up with the nano project, now reaching the last few chapters and I am almost done with a short for an anthology so what is next on the list? I think something spooky might be a nice break so here is the start of it. I’ll get to the rest when I have done the other two.

Walking Softly

By C.N. Lesley

She moves through the fayre almost unnoticed. Am I the only one who can see her now? The only one left alive to remember and bear the guilt. Others could have moved away, unlike me, but they didn’t. We didn’t talk about her among ourselves afterward, but we were all drawn to the Fayre every year, waiting, watching for her to come, which she did at the witching hour. Was this her jest?

My bones creak with age, and my breath comes in a wheeze now. Soon, maybe soon, it will be my turn and then give me the mercy to be free of her. I want to believe this and yet my rheumy eyes pick out the faint shadows who follow her soft steps. Is this what happened to the ones who have already gone through the veil into death? Are they condemned to follow her for all eternity?

I was the heir when I first saw her all those years ago. Her hair of gold hung loose and in gentle waves around her shoulders in a way to make the old wives mutter. Her eyes of cornflower blue danced with life and mischief. My heart surrendered to her between one beat and the next, helpless and hopeless in the thrall of so much life and pure joy. I would have made her mine in name as well as in truth, but my father would have none of it, for she was a simple village maid, he said, and I was the decedent of Crusaders. Blue blood and commoner may mix in any way but via a solemn vow in a church in front of a priest. My summer of love dissolved into the loneliness of a season of mists and mellow fruitfulness far away from my home and my love. I should have fought for her, but I was heir. I let the separation happen.

Wonderful new 5 star review of Shadow Over Avalon

Leave a reply

Today must be my lucky day, particularly for this book. Happy dances will commence immediately.

5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant!
By
Amazon Customer on September 22, 2016
Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase

I wouldn’t be surprised to see this story on the big screen, as a major blockbuster, one of these days. “Shadows over Avalon”, Book 1 of the Shadows series, has all the ingredients to make a captivating high concept movie.
Arthur, an incredibly gifted young citizen of the underwater city of Avalon, is so special that he’s under constant scrutiny. Arthur won’t accept the life programmed for him by Avalon’s powers to be, and decides to escape and fight above water with Terrans, against their oppressors, the repulsive and all-powerful Nestines.
In order to prepare for his escape on the surface, Arthur secretly accesses the all-knowing Archive system, and discovers the story of Ashira, the beautiful and fierce War Maid, princess of the surface-world, betrayed by her father, and then by her peers. Ashira’s life is tied to the story of Avalon. But how does Ashira’s life relate to his? Why does he have dreams of a previous life? And what is his real purpose?
C.N. Lesley’s imagination has no limits. The worlds she created are so vivid and well thought out, that the reader’s gets completely immersed in this brilliant tale of lost love, mind games, and science fiction. Very impressive!