Blog Archives
24 HOURS TO DOOMSDAY
![24 HOURS TO DOOMSDAY: Terrorist thriller that’s filled with twists, turns and military action by [Colin M Barron]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51DLDrK4iJS.jpg)
Sergeant Rick Fernscale of D Squadron, 22 Special Air Service’s life fell apart when his first wife, Helen died. He never imagined he’d find love again until he met Laura. As he and Laura embark on a pleasure cruise to celebrate their honeymoon, an object is spotted in the sky above. The object, a drone, is shot down and debris kills Laura. Angry and mourning, Rick sets out to solve the mystery of the drone. It is a mission that will change his life forever.
Author Colin M. Barron has created a compelling political thriller that is told with a command of military strategy and jargon that imbues the novel with an air of authority that few action adventure novels possess. The action feels organic and hard hitting but always grounded. Readers comfortable with military fiction will be able to follow this suspenseful narrative easily, but I felt overwhelmed occasionally by the amount of information given.
The dialogue throughout the book is sharp and fits the relentless pace of the novel. Rick is an intriguing character that shows more dimensions and depth as the story progresses and is someone who was fun to follow.
24 Hours to Doomsday is a riveting action adventure novel that takes the kinetic action of Tom Clancy novels and adds the depth of character of Robert Ludlum books. As an American, I enjoyed seeing British Armed Forces in combat operations as it gave me the thrill of military action with the exotic feel of a foreign power.
Author Colin Barron ends this novel with a nail biting twist that any action fan will surely appreciate. I don’t want to give away too much, but Kokorov attempts to kill Rick, and Andy Harrington steps in with stunning results.
24 Hours to Doomsday provides readers with a thrilling novel that parallels real life in the potential release of a deadly virus. This is a high octane terrorist thriller that is hard to put down.
Pages: 287 | ASIN: B096CNYYHV
Vega Investigative Thriller Series
Beyond Revelation follows a TV reporter who races against time to save her friend and stop a sinister cult. What were some sources that informed this novel’s development?
Remember, Beyond Revelation is a book about a reporter, and a good reporter never reveals his or her sources.
A lot of research for this book came from news accounts I’ve read and heard over the years. Jonestown and the Branch Davidians are examples of cults that were big in the news during my life, so I had a knowledge of them as I wrote the book. I also made it easy on myself by making the two primary settings in the book places that I’ve lived during my life. Fairbrook, MA, is based on the small town where I grew up and the New York City metropolitan area is where I’d spent most of my life. I always try to do some reading on places I write about that I’ve never visited to get them as real as I can. In this book that would be Montana and Havana, Cuba.
What were some ideas that were important for you to personify in your characters?
My focus in this book and in the two books that preceded it in the Vega Investigative Thriller Series (Fava and Zyklon) must of course be the protagonist, Francine Vega. She’s a street-smart, New York City TV journalist. I try to portray her as having the qualities I want all journalists to have. I want her to be intelligent, persistent, questioning, and honest. Both she and her husband, FBI Special Agent Will Allen, are the epitome of integrity. I wanted them both to be the best examples they can be for their three kids.
It can be a bit tricky when you’re writing a series. After the first book, the author must present enough background on characters to inform people who haven’t read the previous editions but not too much background that you turn off or bore those who have read them. I think I’ve done that thus far in this series.
How do you balance story development with shocking plot twists? Or can they be the same thing?
I don’t believe any balance is required. They can, and should be, the same thing. In fact, I think that plot twists—shocking or otherwise—need to compliment and advance story development. They must be part of the whole. Otherwise, the plot twists look like they’re superfluous or simply inserted for shock value.
In discussing the difference between “surprise” and “suspense”, Alfred Hitchcock, used the example of a bomb taped under a table where two people are sitting. You could have the audience not know the bomb is there and then get fifteen seconds of surprised adrenaline rush when it suddenly explodes. Hitchcock would rather let the viewer know that the bomb was there ahead of time and be on the edge of their seats, not knowing if the bomb would go off or not. In this way, the audience experiences fifteen minutes, rather than fifteen seconds, of surprise. I agree with this approach. There are times and places for the unexpected, the surprise, of plot twists, but overall, I prefer the approach of building suspense over the course of a chapter or even over the arc of the entire book.
What can readers expect in book four of the Vega Thriller series?
Thus far in the Vega Investigative Thriller series we’ve had Francine expose and thwart plots that would have plunged the world into war (Fava), undermined a presidential election (Zyklon) and plunged the country into a race war (Beyond Revelation). All this has taken a toll on her. The events of Beyond Revelation were especially hard on her mentally and emotionally. In the next book, she’s going to still be the intrepid journalist who’s going to uncover stories—this time I think in the environmental field—but I will need to focus a little sharper on her personal situation and the burdens she is bearing.
Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook
When New York City TV reporter Francine Vega travels from ‘the City’ to a small New England town to hunt for a friend who has gone missing, she finds that the disappearance may be tied to Beyond Revelation and a Russian-funded nationwide conspiracy. To find the truth, Vega works with the Press, the FBI, religious leaders, civil rights leaders and even the President as she races against the clock to rescue her friend and avert a national calamity.
Daughter of Pompeii
![Daughter of Pompeii by [Lorraine Blundell]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/4161mtikY1L.jpg)
In Daughter of Pompeii, author Lorraine Blundell envisions what life might have been like in Ancient Rome for a little-known girl from Pompeii, called Poppy in this historical novel, and the notorious Emperor Nero. The story begins while Poppy is just a young girl and Claudius is still emperor. Through a tragic turn of events, Poppy loses her only family and embarks on a life-long quest for vengeance. Her journey to becoming Empress of Rome eventually felt less about revenge and more about straight ambition, to change her own destiny and rise far above her station.
Poppy’s character is written sympathetically while still attempting to convey the horrific things she did. Poppy is relatable and easy to root for, but there are times I felt she was unjustified in her actions, but this spike of emotion the story created in me is the mark of good writing. Her only lasting relationship throughout the book is with a friend she makes as a young girl who journeys through life with her, ever loyal and dependable. Farzana is an intriguing moral character, which made me wish I saw more from her perspective in the book. In addition to these two characters, there is a large collection of interesting characters who flit in and out of the narrative.
The narrative is told from an omniscient perspective, and the story often jumps from character to character, switching points of view or “getting inside their head”. I thought this was a little confusing, as it wasn’t always clear whose thoughts we were following. The story covers a lot of time, making this feel like a very quick read.
This novel was well written and the story was very entertaining. There’s everything one might want from a historical novel: the historically accurate references to real people and recorded facts from their lives, the political intrigue of the time, and a glimpse into ancient life for the differing classes. We get to view major historical events through the eyes of our protagonist, bringing to life tragic events like the murder of Claudius, the burning of Rome, and Nero’s descent into madness.
If you’re a history buff, particularly interested in Ancient Rome, this book is for you. Author Lorraine Blundell provides a riveting fictional story within an already fascinating time in history. All of this is elevated by Lorraine Blundell’s captivating storytelling ability.
Pages: 262 | ASIN: B07S1S75JV
Spooks, Bureaucrats, and Tyrants
Tyranny Reborn follows MI5 as they try to thwart individuals, and groups, from sowing chaos throughout the British Isles. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
The setup for this story came quite late. I had always been intrigued by the world of spies, conspiracy theories, terror attacks etc. I was an avid fan of James Bond, and the television series Spooks and 24. I was determined that I wanted to write a spy thriller, I was only 18 when I had started to write it. Originally, many years ago, Tyranny Reborn was merely a couple of chapters at the start of my then ‘first’ novel solely to provide background for the characters. I had plans to write just three books but as time went on, and many more ideas later, more research etc I decided that I was going to instead write six novels. When it became evident to me that I was going to write the six novels I began to think about a premise for the first story in the series. The idea of the virus storyline came to me whilst I was reading a book on terror attacks and there was a chapter about a gas attack. I then researched gases and viruses and their role in past terror attacks. It was then I decided that this was the plotline that I wanted to use. I had come up with an entirely new novel which would become the first book in the series, Tyranny Reborn and the book that I originally had written, which I called The Creeping Fear became the third novel.
Your characters were intriguing and well developed. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
I wanted to create an array of characters with depth; three dimensional characters rather than one dimensional. I wanted characters that even though they were in positions of power and had great responsibility they still had flaws and were still humans who made mistakes. In Tyranny Reborn I haven’t explored the characters back stories, that will be for future novels. I wanted my characters to have personality traits, realistic actions, and emotions, and to be highly relatable to the reader. My aim was to have characters who would portray emotions like a real person would in times of stress such anxiety, anger and determination. Everyone has a story to tell and I wanted most if not all of my characters to have a story to tell in this book.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
There were several themes that I wanted to portray in my book. I wanted to explore such themes as loneliness, friendships, relationships, love, loss, death. While it is a work of fiction, I wanted my readers to relate to a story filled with realism close to the human reality of pain, despair, and fear. There are also elements of sacrifice, revenge, courage, and good vs evil in Tyranny Reborn. There was one theme in particular that I wanted to explore and that was betrayal which covers treachery and greed I think. I wanted to show just how far humans would go to achieve their end goal; how evil people can be and what they are prepared to do to get what they want. There are strong aspects of greed, corruption, and reckless ambition in my book. In contrast to that I also wanted to show humans are also capable of showing great compassion and sacrifice and some will do which is necessary for the greater good.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
The next book that I am working on is called The Rising Threat and it is the second novel in the Spooks, Bureaucrats and Tyrants series following Tyranny Reborn. I am hoping that it will be available in the next 3-5 years.
Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads
Max Reed, a tough, passionate, and highly experienced MI5 officer is placed undercover in a terrorist group to try and obtain three vials of a deadly virus that MI5 believe will be unleashed across the country. The operation quickly crumbles and Reed is kidnapped, along with the deadliest weaponised virus the world has ever seen.
This unexpected turn of events drives the Counter-terrorism team onto a mysterious and compelling cat and mouse chase that could change Great Britain forever!
Joshua Price, Counter-terrorism Director, and his team embark on an action-packed, trail-blazing secret mission across Great Britain where the people they meet run rings around them. After chasing lead after lead, dead-end after dead-end, fighting with politicians and scrapping with the media, MI5 finally uncover the terrorists’ infernal secrets and reveal their monstrous plan.
With enemies and backstabbers at every turn, Prime Minister David Wannop is also tackling demons. He and his Security Council must deal with the aftermath of a failed British Army operation in Iraq to rid it of a ruthless and relentless ruler. The legal ramifications from the UN, and the unrest in parliament are escalating out of control.
With the government in disarray, the country in ruins and a rapidly failing economy, it’s hardly surprising that the civilians are asking for answers. Will this deadly virus be recovered before it wipes out the British Isles? Will the UK be plunged into another world war?
Will the Prime Minister save face and come out on top?
Find out in this gripping, fast-moving, page-turner of a thriller. Be warned, though, it’s not for the faint-hearted.
Beyond Revelation
![Beyond Revelation (Vega Thriller Book 3) by [John Hazen]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51o7SMXJrkL.jpg)
Beyond Revelation by John Hazen follows journalist Francine Vega’s thrilling misadventures and affairs with the FBI. The life of a New York investigative journalist gets shaken up by a sudden disappearance and the consequent doubt that a cult might be behind it. Following the reporter’s investigations, the book takes us through Francine’s, or “Fava”, private life and introduces us to the mysterious world of secret cults and organizations in the United States, along with journalism and into the FBI’s alluring world.
Hazen writes beautifully and manages to give each character its own personality and uniqueness, making the plot intriguing and engaging for any reader who’s got an eye for the thriller genre. His writing style, along with the complex plot, gives the book a fascinating aura and won’t bore even the youngest and easily bored reader.
As a reader keen on details, I appreciated Hazen’s effort in describing action scenes. Sometimes writers can get lost while describing them and the result is a chaotic scene, which doesn’t allow the reader to understand its sense, but Hazen doesn’t do that. Instead, he describes them accurately and allows the reader to understand what is happening.
Furthermore, this novel doesn’t lack in action-scenes and suspenseful moments. It will keep the reader on edge throughout the story with a nice balance of heart-warming scenes as well. All of this is served well by the emotive and authentic characters, making it easy to feel empathy for the characters, even when some scenes are incredible.
With its action-filled scenes, deep intrigue, and wild plot twists, Beyond Revelation is a political thriller that is unpredictable and hard to put down. For readers who enjoy the suspense of the Jason Bourne series mixed with the compelling conspiracy of The Da Vinci Code, you’ll surely enjoy this stirring crime novel.
Pages: 257 | ASIN: B08KTQ5LSS
TYRANNY REBORN
![TYRANNY REBORN by [Daniel Greenwell]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51J8XUAVRCL.jpg)
Tyranny Reborn by Daniel Greenwell tells the stories of multiple people throughout a crisis in the UK government, caused by the exchange of a deadly virus between dangerous criminals, as well as rising global tensions. We follow Joshua Price, Prime Minister Wallop, Johnny and Benny, amongst many others, throughout this story, exploring all sides of the conflict. It is a tale of intrigue and fear, with twists and turns that make the story impossible to predict and keeps things wildly entertaining.
One of the strength of Tyranny Reborn is definitely its humor. Despite the heavy subjects and the threats made throughout the story, there was always a lightness to be found with the characters’ dialogue, although that came mostly from Josh Price. His harshness and difficult temper were mixed with such an amusing way of expressing himself that his flaws were curbed by his speeches. I enjoyed reading about the different conflicts that were present throughout the story. With a varied cast, I felt that the story sometimes loses track of the main conflict, but it doesn’t disappoint in the end. The global conflicts, whether with Korea, Iraq, or even the US were intriguing. The side characters also brought more layers and depth to the story, whether it be Josh’s secretary, Maureen, reduced to her role of sweet old lady giving away candies and bearing her boss’ tantrums, or Mrs. Black, the femme fatale who sells the virus. Characters who are usually given little to no voice in other novels are given a chance to be real people in this tory.
I laughed more than I expected, the dialogue is what really pulled me into this story, and I found myself trying to guess what would happen next. Tyranny Reborn is a riveting political thriller filled with engaging characters and an intriguing central mystery.
Pages: 380 | ASIN: B08JKQTPVG
Operation Caliph: Hunt for the Terrorists
![Operation Caliph: Hunt for the Terrorists by [G.J. Rayner, E.M. Rayner]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51jgbHasfDS.jpg)
Operation Caliph, Hunt for the Terrorists is a suspenseful action novel. Told from the points of view of both the hunters and the hunted it follows the journey of OMICRON as they try to capture the elusive terrorist Ibrahim Haddad. The novel is set in the modern day, in numerous countries across the globe. While many of the descriptions are of hotel rooms and offices, the engaging dialogue between characters is consistently propelling this action oriented book forward.
Two of the characters Ibrahim and Inga are well developed as the criminals, and the prey of the story. Terrorists Ibrahim Haddad and Inga Doudin are described in great depth and some of the more compelling antagonists I’ve read this year. Ibrahim travels around the world laundering his money by transferring his money from one fund to another. Inga, on the other hand remains behind in lavish hotels, shopping and taking diving lessons. I would have liked to have seen them challenge gender stereotypes in interesting ways, to make them more endearing, however they did add a high level of intrigue to the story. Like any good thriller, there are formidable heroes. These come in the form of Omicron members. The numerous characters can make it difficult to follow the story at times, but the Cast of Characters provided in the book is certainly helpful.
Operation Caliph, Hunt for the Terrorists is well structured and flows easily. The cast of characters at the beginning of the book is helpful to understand and keep track of the numerous characters in the novel. The glossary is equally helpful in defining terms that might be unknown to the reader. The prologue is also helpful to set the scene for the novel whilst the epilogue ties everything together. Operation Caliph, Hunt for the Terrorists has a story line that is built to bring action and suspense to every chapter. There is the obligatory good vs bad dynamic but the action is quick and punchy and the climax of the story is phenomenal.
Operation Caliph, Hunt for the Terrorists is a fast-paced thriller with an interesting array of characters and stimulating settings. If you like a book with lots of moving parts and an array of characters all going in different directions then this is definitely a novel you’ll love.
Pages: 363 | ASIN: B0934BYG3K
QueenTide
![Queentide by [Donna Fisher]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41gGN5kIq5S.jpg)
QueenTide by Donna Fisher, is an intriguing story about women empowerment and uses fierce yet gentle feminist Bodie Hughes as the face of a feminist movement. She finds herself tackling challenges faced everyday by average women and encourages them to find the strength in their voices. However, she does not tackle all these challenges all by herself, it is a movement.
Fisher writes with passion and is able to intrigue your mind with vivid images of what goes on in each chapter of the book. She adds background knowledge of psychological common patterns in her writing and allows the reader to see and understand the psychology behind each character’s behavior and motives. Fisher manages to play mind-tricks with her writing on the reader by using her metaphors. Just when you think you have everything figured out she hits you with a plot twist.
Personally I am a reader who loves relating to at least one character in the book. Fisher manages to make me relate to more than just one character, it is even hard to have a favorite! She ensures that each character is given their chance to tell their story by including their background stories, when you think one character has it bad she then adds another twist to the story.
At first I was a bit confused with the first chapter of book but then eventually I got into the flow of the book, once the characters’ backgrounds were explained. Fisher manages to bring in every single issue that is considered taboo or an issue that is not widely and openly spoken about, issues that we as women deal with on a daily basis yet are forced to keep quiet and keep on acting like we are living in a world of so-called equality. However, the humor most of the characters show does bring some levity to this story.
The genuine friendship between Brodie and Lilith is definitely complicated at first, since Lilith at the beginning is a scared woman with no voice who is then put in the same environment with a woman who is completely the opposite of her. This created a riveting dynamic that I really enjoyed, and eventually shows that who you surround yourself with is who you eventually become.
QueenTide by Donna Fisher is an engrossing book that will appeal to women and show that they are not alone in this world. I think it would also appeal to anyone looking for an impassioned dystopian-esque political thriller. It has been a long time since I have read a book that I could easily engage and relate too.
Pages: 286 | ASIN: B092SCWR1L
LITERARY TITAN 