Blog Archives
The Spirits of Hyni
The Spirits of Hyni, book two of The Wolf and the Phoenix series by Trevor Bartlett, delves into the myths and legends of powerful and enigmatic creatures, navigating both external battles and inner turmoil. Bartlett’s fantastical world transports readers to exotic cities and mighty kingdoms, teeming with magical and mysterious beings. The intricate plot unveils a series of intriguing discoveries, hidden meanings, and captivating confrontations. As the journey unfolds, readers are introduced to the spirits of Hyni, each with a unique narrative. Central among them is The White Wolf, a character both revered and feared, whose distinctive qualities set him apart from even the spirits themselves. Through his perspective, we gain insights into the strengths and vulnerabilities of each character. The spirits gradually come alive, revealing the power and hidden histories that define them. Despite its fictional nature, the detailed myths and legends of the spirits feel vividly real, quickly becoming a compelling aspect of the book.
The story is rich with creative and fantastical elements. While the characters and plot become engaging over time, the initial pages are laden with descriptive passages that can slow the narrative’s progression. These detailed descriptions, while immersive, occasionally detract from the story, adding little to the context or beauty of the narrative style. However, as the plot develops, it becomes increasingly absorbing. The central characters, with their strange powers, grow more intriguing, especially as a looming war adds tension. Their powers and responsibilities create a blend of admiration and fear, highlighting their internal struggles and the darkness they must confront. Bartlett thoughtfully explores themes of destiny and duty. The main characters, bound by their powers and history, bear significant responsibilities as providers and protectors within their societies. They must balance these roles while maintaining their true selves, resisting the spirits’ overwhelming influence.
The Spirits of Hyni is a thought-provoking exploration of justice, choice, and legend. Themes of rebuilding and striving for a better future resonate as the characters’ determination and insecurities unfold. As they rediscover themselves, old questions are resolved, and new mysteries emerge, leaving much to ponder.
Pages: 443 | ASIN : B0CVBG16CF
Interview with Death, Tales from the Afterworld Book 1
In Interview with Death by V. K. Pasanen, readers are introduced to Nathan Miller, a man whose personal tragedies have inadvertently set him on a path of eerie inspiration, guided by Death itself. As a successful war correspondent and writer, Nathan seems to lead a charmed life, shielded by a perceived invincibility linked to his supernatural muse. Yet beneath his professional triumphs, he grapples with overpowering guilt that spirals into addiction.
This supernatural fantasy novel, tinged with magical realism, delves into a rich tapestry of themes, including politics, addiction, love, fate, and the omnipresence of death. The narrative strength lies in the intricate character development and exploring deep existential themes. Nathan’s authentic portrayal of internal conflicts and moral quandaries not only enhances the realism of his character but also pulls the reader into the depths of his tumultuous life. Death is personified in a complex yet intriguing manner, reminiscent of the whimsical yet profound portrayal found in Terry Pratchett’s works. This character adds a layer of suspense and philosophical musing to the plot, enriching the narrative. The presence of Kaisa, another pivotal character, introduces necessary emotional layers and acts as a mirror reflecting Nathan’s inner turmoil and growth. The novel does not shy away from the grim realities of historical atrocities such as ethnic cleansing, embedding these within its fabric to challenge the reader further. Despite these strengths, the novel occasionally stumbles in pacing and development. Certain plot points, particularly those detailing Nathan’s descent into addiction and his consequential decisions influenced by Death, seem hurried and underexplored.
Interview with Death is a compelling exploration of the darker sides of human nature and supernatural intervention. Its rich thematic base and complex characters offer an in-depth, if occasionally dense, narrative experience.
Pages: 316 | ASIN : B0CXXP6B53
Mercy on Your Soul
Mercy on Your Soul, by H. M. Mills, follows Mercy, a character who is part demon and part angel, allowing her to navigate both hell and heaven. Lucifer desires to make Mercy his queen to exploit her ability to access heaven and overthrow God. However, Mercy is in love with someone else and refuses Lucifer’s proposition. In response, he and his demons pursue her, while archangels, intent on thwarting Lucifer, seek to eliminate her. Aware of the peril she faces, Mercy goes on the run with her beloved and friends, some of whom are human, seeking assistance to ensure her survival and freedom.
The novel falls within the supernatural genre, featuring characters like demons, Satan, and angels. It is set in France, the United Kingdom, and various realms beyond Earth. The narrative highlights the rewards of taking a challenging path. Mercy had the option to mate-bond with Talus, eliminating her demonic side and rendering her useless to Lucifer, but she chose to fight and preserve herself until she was ready. When she eventually bonds with Talus, it is wholehearted and without regret.
A major strength of the book lies in its dual narrative perspectives, using both third and first person. Mercy narrates her story, offering readers valuable insight into her character. The third-person viewpoint allows the author to cover events outside Mercy’s realm, providing a broader overview of the story. The ending, which leaves readers wondering about the future of Mercy and Talus’s relationship, is also compelling. The introduction of numerous characters throughout the book adds depth, occasionally encouraging readers to revisit certain sections to fully appreciate their roles.
Mercy on Your Soul, by H. M. Mills, provides an engaging narrative filled with supernatural elements, compelling character perspectives, and a storyline that emphasizes the rewards of choosing a challenging path. With its unique mix of viewpoints and intriguing ending, the novel captivates readers while encouraging them to dive deeper into its richly woven tale.
Pages: 400 | ASIN : B08XWPWJ2F
Ambiguous Motivations
In The Ember Reach, a young woman encounters an angel while trying to navigate an eerie world inhabited by the undead. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Prior to writing the first book, I had the overarching four-part series planned, start to finish. The angel in question already existed in the lore as a being who aids the “lost,” a broad and important term in this world. I had no direct inspiration for that scene, but Biblical tales I heard as a kid of angels mysteriously helping people, like with Lot’s family, probably factored in subconsciously. Any mythological celestial intervention intrigues me, especially when there are ambiguous motivations involved.
I find the world you created in this novel brimming with possibilities. Where did the inspiration for the setting come from, and how did it change as you were writing?
I originally conceived the setting around 2012 while dabbling in creative writing. I’ve always enjoyed brainstorming ideas for worlds and fictional histories. My editor proposed a basic hierarchy for the primary church featured in the series, which I later named the Matrian Church. Real ancient and modern cultures broadly inspire the setting; secluded tribes, Greece, Rome, China, Japan, the Middle East, wherever. I think grounding worldbuilding in actual history helps everything fit together in a reasonable way.
To avoid inconsistencies and retcons while writing, things I worry about, I created a guide for the Planar Lost world. As I add new material, like my recent expansion on the origin of elves, I update the guide. After a few years of work, the document’s a couple hundred pages long and has become an invaluable resource.
Do you have one character you especially enjoy writing for?
I most enjoy writing chaotic characters like Aitrix and Fausta, reported reader favorites. Their unpredictability lets me take them to darker places than might be appropriate for most of the characters. Fausta was a unanimous favorite in book two among my beta readers and features prominently in book three. Aitrix is the central character of the prequel I’m working on as well.
Can readers look forward to a third installment in the Planar Lost series? Where will it take your characters?
I’m nearly finished with book three, The Faceless Man, and the prequel I mentioned, Kravae: Betrayal of a Mage. I hope to release both of those sometime in 2024, a month or so apart. Book four, The Vile God, will conclude the main series.
The Faceless Man brings back a major character and introduces new villains, with leading and side characters assuming new roles and encountering greater hardships. A beta reader loved book three and said it “never lets you get bored,” which is terrific to hear. It’s got more action and magic and a lot of character development that I hope people who enjoyed the first two books will appreciate.
I have many more stories left to tell in the setting, but for now, I’m pushing to complete what I’ve already begun!
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In a city overrun by the ravenous undead, Karis, a troubled investigator, endures a terrifying struggle for survival.
Hundreds of miles north, Sister Amun faces a grand conspiracy that plunges the capital into chaos.
To expose the truth behind the undead plague, Karis must contend with sinister and strange entities. Meanwhile, Amun navigates political turmoil, dark magic, and betrayal that threatens to destroy everything she knows.
The Ember Reach (Planar Lost: Book Two)
In The Ember Reach: The Planar Lost: Book Two, author J. Gibson continues to immerse readers in a world shrouded by the eerie presence of the undead. Central to this narrative is Karis Valjyre, who finds herself perilously navigating this world, with her journey taking an unexpected turn following a serendipitous encounter with a mysterious angel. Gibson masterfully interweaves her story with that of Sister Amun Halleck, a returning character faced with a convoluted trail of politics and illusions. Amun’s quest for justice in the wake of Father Garron Latimer’s demise adds a compelling layer of intrigue to the plot.
Gibson’s narrative seamlessly ties together loose ends from the first book while intriguingly setting the stage for the next installment. This skillful progression is marked by a cliffhanger that promises to keep readers eagerly anticipating the series’ continuation. The book’s pacing is dynamic, with each chapter adding to an ever-expanding tapestry of adventure and action. This rhythmic storytelling is punctuated by unexpected plot twists that leave a lasting impression on the reader.
Character development is a strong suit of Gibson’s writing, particularly evident in the portrayal of Sister Amun Halleck. Her evolution from the first book to this sequel is noteworthy, reflecting a deepening complexity and strength. Similarly, the introduction of Karis Valjyre adds a fresh perspective to the series. Her unique background as an ‘impossible child’ offers an intriguing subplot that enriches the overall story. Gibson demonstrates a remarkable ability to revisit seemingly forgotten elements from earlier in the narrative, weaving them back into the plot in a way that feels both surprising and satisfying. This attention to detail underscores his skill in crafting a well-rounded and immersive fantasy world.
The Ember Reach: The Planar Lost: Book Two stands out as a compelling continuation of J. Gibson’s fantasy series, combining strong character development, brisk pacing, and a well-constructed plot to create a thoroughly engaging reading experience.
Pages: 534 | ASIN : B0B3HCY32C
Sense of Exclusion
Sister Bevenlee and Mother of Pox follows an eight-year-old peasant girl who is discovered to have the ability to see auras and is sent to the Tower to learn the skills of the Sisters. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
This story came as a result of two short stories about Mothers at the Tower (“Mother of Song” and “Mother of Grub,” both included in the second book of the series, Mothers of the Tower). I meant it to be a novella, to give the perspective of the Sisters forced to live and work at the Tower, but as the story took shape, I realized it needed a lot more information to be complete. Thus. it became the longest manuscript I’d written to that point.
The world you created in this novel is brimming with possibilities. Where did the inspiration for the setting come from, and how did it change as you wrote?
The original short story, “The Arch of Peresephalon,” was a simple one-off, an exercise to see if I could pen such a twisted tale. I never named the central character. (As this was in first-person POV, I got away with it.) Though I moved on to my next project, I kept circling back to the ideas in this one. “Mother of Grub” took shape soon after. Sister Bevenlee followed. That novel included another Mother (Mother of Draglins) with such a crazy tale, she deserved her own story. After I wrote “Mother of Draglins,” three more stories bloomed to life in my head, based on Mothers in the other stories. “Mother of Succor,” “Mother of Boots,” and “Mother of Stomp” joined “Mother of Song” and “Mother of Grub” as the stories collected in Mothers of the Tower. As I crafted each, I included elements of other stories, tying the series together across the many decades they take place. A short story, “Pulled” (available for free at the end of Sister Bevenlee if you sign up to receive my newsletter), carries the setting of Sephalon five centuries into the future.
I have thoughts of writing about the start of it all, with Mothers of Builder and Fetcher as the central characters, but no firm idea has taken shape yet.
Bevenlee struggles to fit in with the Sisters and find her identity after discovering her skills. What themes were important to explore in this book?
All Sisters end up at the Tower against their will, being pulled by the gods when they turn eight. It is a traumatic time, and some don’t survive the journey. As a military brat, I experienced that sense of uprooting and dislocation several times. When people ask where I grew up or where I’m from, I don’t really have an answer. (Bevenlee starts out not knowing the name of her home kingdom.)
Through no fault of her own, Bevenlee never experiences the pull, her fate as a Sister coming to light at the same time Sisters from the Tower arrive to fetch Princess Ukee, pregnant with a god (that pregnancy creates the aura Bevenlee sees at the start of the story). She rides in Fetcher’s carriage with Princess/Mother Ukee. For pledging to be Ukee’s friend, she receives a blue belt (and later a blue eyepatch) matching the color of Ukee’s clothing, both gifted to them by a god on their first night en route to the Tower. So from the start, Bevenlee’s set apart from the other Sisters at the Tower. Growing up as I did, I had no long-term friends and thought that sense of exclusion fit the story well.
As she’s stubborn, Bevenlee keeps on with herself and triumphs in the end. I feel I did well for myself despite my childhood experiences, and felt Bevenlee deserved a similarly bright future.
Will there be a follow-up novel for this story? If so, what aspects of the story will the next book cover?
With the way this story ends, it’s appropriately positioned as the final book in the series. As mentioned, I do offer a short story set five centuries after Sister Bevenlee, called “Pulled.” Readers familiar with the series will understand the meaning of that title. I may try a prequel focused on the first Mother, but that’s many projects away if it ever comes to fruition.
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Eight-year-old peasant girl Bevenlee sees an aura around fourteen-year-old Princess Ukee and within hours they’re en route to the Tower, where for five centuries one hundred Sisters have attended the precious Mothers who give birth to the gods that walk the land.…and eternally unforgiving.
As a Sister, Bevenlee learns new skills and makes new and loyal friends, but suffers torment and terrible injuries from Sisters and gods alike. When the birth of her child leaves Mother Ukee in a debilitating unresponsiveness, tensions within the Tower intensify.
For a terrifying pestilence threatens the Scattered Kingdoms at the same time the Horde—a relentless enemy army—invades with the intent to destroy the Tower and all in their path.
With growing suspicions that her dear friend’s mysterious child might be the cause of the deadly pox, young Bevenlee, her very sanity in question, must find a way to save herself, Mother Ukee, and all they know and love, or be condemned to everlasting damnation.
Return to The Tower of Sephalon for the final chapter of Charles Brass’s thrilling fantasy series! Each book is a stand-alone story set in the land of the Scattered Kingdoms, where Sisters devote their lives to the Mothers that birth the gods that walk the earth.
Crime and the Supernatural
A Beast Within follows a normal-looking family with a dark secret who encounters three criminals on the run after a bank robbery. What inspired the setup of your story?
I always wanted to write a story combining both crime and a supernatural element to it. I wondered for a while on how to do this. So when A Beast Within came to me, I felt it was the perfect balance of both crime and the supernatural.
Your characters are well-rounded and offer readers some surprises as they get into the story. What character did you enjoy writing for? Was there one that was more challenging to write for?
Gosh, thank you so much for the compliment! I’m blushing here. I always try to make every character I write seem as real as possible. I use a method whereby I have different categories in an Excel sheet i.e. name, age, sex, hobbies, likes, dislikes, triggers, etc. By spending time working on the sheet and filling in these categories for each person, this approach helps me to make them into real people.
But to answer your question, I liked writing Natalie, not just because she’s a fellow Irish person, but because I tried to make her as evil as possible while still giving her a sympathetic backstory as to why she is this way. Jeremy was a challenge to write because, not only was he the protagonist and a criminal, but I had to make him a guy who wasn’t afraid to commit a crime if need be, but also show that he had a good side to him. It was also imperative to show readers that he really wanted to change and no longer revert back to crime so this, in itself, was a tough balancing act, coming up with ways that pushed him further back into his old life.
What intrigues you about the horror and paranormal genres that led you to write this book?
Ever since I was a kid, the unknown always fascinated me. Also, while growing up, I’ve had a few paranormal encounters so it let me know that it exists. Writing in the horror genre can be tough because you have to thrill people in ways that you can’t do in the fantasy genre. You have to take readers to a dark place and if you’re to fully immerse them into the story, you have to make them scared or feel uncomfortable. Dean Koontz and Stephen King are masters at this, two men I totally respect and admire for their craftsmanship as authors.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
There are a couple of books I am working on at the moment. In August of this year, I’m releasing, Deadly Pursuits – the sequel to The Lost Son (Second Edition). I’m also editing, Lurking Beasts – the final book in my YA horror series, The Hopps Town Series, which will be released in April 2025. Hopefully, two audiobooks based on my novels will be released this year as well.
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Fresh out of prison, Jeremy vows to steer clear of a life of crime and clean up his act. But he quickly realizes that to the world, he will always be an ex-con and plunges back into his old ways. The perfect opportunity presents itself in the form of his best friend, Stephen, and his spunky girlfriend, Natalie.
After a failed bank robbery, Jeremy and his accomplices’ identities are made. So, they find refuge in the home of a typical Christian family. Their getaway should have been smooth sailing…after all it was three armed criminals against the wholesome Boyd family.
But the Boyds are hiding dark secrets of their own…
Get the latest pulse-pounding, thrilling novella by Aidan Lucid today!
“A Beast Within” ranked in 16th place in Malevolent Dark Horror Fiction’s December 2023 Top 25 Horror Fiction List.
Alienation and Isolation
The Blackened Yonder: Planar Lost: Book One follows a village priest and woman involved with a group practicing forbidden magic. Each faces internal conflicts and moral quandaries, leading them to form an alliance against the evil in their world. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I take a lot of inspiration from events in nonfiction that I read. Although I’m not religious myself, I find it interesting to write characters like Father Latimer and explore struggles of faith and moral conflict. For Athenne, I’ve read many stories over the years about people who joined terrorist or hate groups and regretted it, and I thought introducing such an element into a fantasy setting might be interesting to write about. That is not a commentary on the rightness, wrongness, or morality of any of the characters in the story, since such labels are relative to perspective, but it’s what initially led me to write that story. I also try to inject a little bit of myself into all my characters, for better or worse. I’ve never participated in a violent radical organization, of course, but I’m often conflicted!
The world you created in this novel is brimming with possibilities. Where did the inspiration for the setting come from, and how did it change as you wrote?
I’ve been working on the world of the setting since around 2013 and have a large document of lore that goes into extensive detail about everything in the setting. That’s primarily for my own personal reference. I draw much inspiration from real things in history. For example, I adapted elements of the system of matrilineal inheritance in the setting very loosely from historical and some isolated contemporary cultures, and certain places in antiquity. I try to fill in holes and gaps in things like laws and customs as I write, especially if it might cause a problem for the consistency of the story. My editor sometimes says no one will care about certain small nuances, but I do.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Initially, I wasn’t going to include any elements of romance in the series whatsoever, but eventually, it did come up for certain characters where it felt natural. Mostly, I wanted to emphasize the messiness of life, the variability of individuals, and the importance of friendship, friend love, and other non-romantic social bonds, especially between genders. Another important theme is loneliness, and the sense of alienation and isolation most of us often feel in life.
When will book two be available? Can you give us an idea of where that book will take readers?
The second book is already available on Amazon. I’m hoping to release the third book and a prequel of sorts at some point in 2024. There’ll be four books in the series in total, excluding the prequel story. The second novel continues the Undeath event described in the first book and introduces many new villains and characters. In fact, many readers’ favorite character is introduced in the second book. She’s a side character but plays an important role in much of the story. The second novel features more action and fantastical elements, and I think the third book and prequel take that even further. I don’t want the books to be all action all the time, because I feel that can be boring, so I try to strike a decent balance.
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When dark forces empty a village overnight, only the ravenous undead remain. Garron Latimer, the village priest, flees to the capital seeking salvation.
Far south, Athenne joins the underground Saints of Aetheria to ignite revolution and unleash forbidden magic. But their ambitious agenda demands a terrible price.
Torn between duty and defiance, Garron uncovers secrets that test his faith. Plagued by doubt, Athenne questions the Saints’ righteousness, knowing betrayal could destroy her.
