Today I bring you my review of the final book in Michael J Harvey‘s fantasy trilogy Oron Amular. I reviewed the first two books in the trilogy here in my last blog post.
Book covers for the fantasy trilogy Oron Amular by Michael J Harvey
I found this, the third in the Oron Amular Trilogy, a very intense read. King Curillian, along with his Captain of the Guard, Lancoir, his magician ally Roujeark, and his loyal band of Armist comrades go through a series of extreme ordeals, tests and snares in the Mountain of Aron Amular. These tests are set for them by the Wizard Kulothiel, along with all the other tournament competititors from various races. Their company is joined by a new heroic figure whom I found fascinating: Sir Theonar of the Pegasus, who wants to challenge Southilar for the Clan Lordship of the Aranese.
With dazzling eloquence and extended scenes of violent action, the narrative seizes you and never lets you go in this book. Many pages are devoted to a ferocious account of brutal fighting. The narrative drives you along relentlessly and the series of ordeals is the stuff of dreams and nightmares, and not unlike some of the scenes in an Indiana Jones film.
Along with this the author explores the emotional and psychological landscape of his principal characters with great conviction. The outcome of the story totally defeated my expectations. I have given this book 5 stars for its power to engage, but will admit the end left me unsettled and disturbed.
We are told the story will continue, so do look up the author’s website World of Astrom to find out more.
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The Oron Amular fantasy trilogy by Michael J Harvey
Michael J Harvey is a fantasy novelist with a degree in Ancient and Modern History from the University of Leicester and a Masters in Medieval History from the University of Cambridge, blogger adventurer and traveller, his foremost passion is writing. Michael lives in Cambridge, England, with his wife Lucy and two sons.
Author Michael J Harvey
I met Michael at a writers’ conference in Cambridge on Saturday 4th September 2021, and listened to him talking about how he came to write this high fantasy trilogy. He shared with us how he had created the maps of his world (see worldofastrom.com), about his process of worldbuilding, and his journey towards publication.
Michael did a book-signing at the conference and we bought the trilogy from him then. I particularly loved the book covers, with their glorious colours and sublime landscapes Indeed, one of the outstanding elements of the trilogy is the author’s sharp, detailed and vivid descriptions of the landscape through which his hero and allies travel on their quest.
The Oron Amular trilogy book cover designs
My Review of Book 1: The Call of the Mountain
This, book 1 in the Oron Amular trilogy, held me captivated after a rather slow start, albeit beautifully written. I always feel with fantasy, the challenge is to build the fantasy world whilst also engaging us in a central character; and I didn’t feel fully engaged with the principal characters until well into the book. Nevertheless all the archetypes of the fantasy journey are here, and the author’s descriptions of the landscape through which the travellers pass are outstanding.
There are several extended scenes of extreme threat and physical peril which are very exciting to read. I began to feel a strong sense of identification with the journey and with the characters of Curillian the king of Maristonia, and Roujeark, his faithful ally. Roujeark as a character is especially intriguing: a gifted young magician and indispensable companion on the journey, who has special powers and a unique connection with Prelan, whom we might call the ‘Supreme Spirit’ or the deity of this narrative. The book ends on a fantastic cliffhanger, and I think we can see parallels in our life journeys here. Onto the next book in the trilogy, which is called ‘Rite of Passage.’
My Review of Book 2: Rite of Passage
In this, the second of the Oron Amular trilogy, our hero King Curillian of Maristonia, and faithful ally, magician Roujeark must complete a vital task which seems to distract them from their great journey, with their entourage, towards the Mountain of Aron Amular. There, the Keeper Kulothiel has prepared a mysterious tournament for the various races of Astrom – men, armists, dwarves and elves among them.
But first Curillian must follow a controversial and dangerous diversion on his journey, to rescue an imprisoned elven princess, before he can continue his quest. The account of the rescue is fascinating, filled with peril and vividly told.
I found this second book very exciting, engaging me on a much deeper level with the multi-dimensional character of Curillian. The narrative gathers momentum, increasing the complexity of the relationships, introducing new characters, and enriching our knowledge of Astrom and the tensions between its various races, together with several different intriguing personalities who come to the fore and challenge our heroes in a variety of ways.
In particular, I find the author’s presentation of the elves and their sometimes contradictory and ambivalent character very striking. The story works on a powerful spiritual level as well as that of a pacy, thrilling yarn. Highly recommended. Now on to the third book!
Do check out Michael’s blog here. He may also be found here on his website, and on Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads. The Oron Amular Trilogy is widely available online and through bookshops.
Recently I visited one of the locations in my current work-in-progress, Illustrated Tales of Warwickshire to be published by Amberley Publishing in 2022.
The subject matter of the book varies widely but is largely about curious events in the physical world, based in known fact; however, the first chapter is devoted to strange and spooky tales.
The West Gate of Warwick
The venue was local to my home in Warwick, and I had already received a full account of strange experiences from a very reliable informant, lasting over a period of decades. Now I was seeking a story which might corroborate his description, but describe much more recent experiences. Sadly, the people I questioned on two separate visits had not experienced anything at all. I was inclined to put it down to the Covid-19 lockdown: presumably, I thought, the ghosts had gone into lockdown too. I respected the fact that they had no story to tell, and acknowledged this in my book, believing that a lack of stories is also important to record. For the mystery of paranormal experiences is that whilst many may visit a particular location, some feel and see nothing: others sense a rich atmosphere: and still others do indeed see, hear, and feel things that have no scientific explanation.
This reminded me of a series of questions that collectors of paranormal stories are to ask.
Can you tell me how you first became aware this was more than a mundane incident?
Did any other explanations come to mind?
What conclusion did you reach as you thought through these possibilities?
Did you take any action based on this?
How did it affect you from then on?
Do you have any background, cultural or historical, that sheds light on this?
These are the questions I kept in mind as I researched various stories for my book Paranormal Warwickshire.
Paranormal Warwickshire fireside read published Amberley 15th November 2020
Paranormal Warwickshire emerged from my experience in several places, which I describe as spiritual resonance. These great buildings, maybe in a ruinous state, are not simply piles of stone, but animated by that “indefinable spark.”
In my book, the curious anecdotes told of these buildings acknowledge the life that fills the spaces between the stones. I include stories of everyday places as well: shops, railway stations, houses, pubs and churchyards, not just castles, abbeys and manor houses.
Warwickshire views: the church at Baddesley Clinton; Ettington Park; Kenilworth Castle.
When I hear stories, I listen respectfully, even if I feel some may be conjured up by the imagination. I also ask why several different people, independently of each other and unknown to each other, should have the same experience in the same place over a long period of time. There have been many recorded cases of which this is true. Then, if you think it was “all their imagination”, you have to ask “what is it about this particular place that makes so many different people imagine the same thing there?”
The most compelling ghost stories are not about famous historical characters. A lot of them turn out, after research, to have emerged from the lives and deaths of people who never made their mark on history: people about whom we would have known nothing if the paranormal event had not alerted our attention and prompted research.
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The Brechin Angus Bookfest takes places over the weekend of 19th to 21st November 2021 in the Northern Hotel, Brechin, near Dundee in Scotland. Several authors of different genres will be there chatting to readers, leading workshops and sessions, and showcasing their books. An amazing variety of events is planned over the weekend including a Meet the Author Scottish high tea, so that sounds like something not to be missed. I’ll be there with all my books, and together with historical fiction author Fen Flack I’ll be leading a session called ‘From Australia to Scotland’ . Intrigued? Well, if you’re in Scotland, then put it in your diary!
The next November event I’ll be involved in is a Meet the Author event at The Priory Theatre, Kenilworth, Warwickshire. That will take place on 24th November from 10am to 1pm. Again, several authors will be present, all local women authors from the area of Kenilworth, Warwick and Leamington, all looking forward to chatting to readers and showcasing a wonderful variety of books.
Don’t forget these are all excellent opportunities to buy Christmas presents in your local area!
I’d love to see you there if you are in either of these areas. I’ll have all my books on display: Mystical Circles, A Passionate Spirit, Perilous Path and Paranormal Warwickshire. All of these are of course available through my website, and through online stores or through bricks and mortar bookstores. But do come along and join in the fun, chat to authors, and stock up with some books for your friends and family for Christmas!
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I am delighted to be part of the blog tour for this, the second of Ruth Leigh’s contemporary novels about Isabella M Smugge, lifestyle blogger and instagram influencer. The Trials of Isabella M Smugge is published by Instant Apostle.
Ruth Leigh, author of The Diary of Isabella M Smugge & The Trials of Isabella M Smugge, both published by Instant Apostle in 2021. Ruth is a novelist, blogger and freelance writer based in beautiful East Suffolk.
I found the previous Isabella book a surprise, expecting a high farcical content: instead, it was a poignant and touching story of about contemporary family life and relationships. Fans of the first book will find this follow-up exceeds all their expectations.
I was intrigued by how Ruth chooses to handle the character of Isabella: lifestyle blogger and Instagram influencer, a style guru with enormous expertise in fashion, interior decor, and haute cuisine. Ruth is acutely observant about our consumer society, obsessed with brands, trends and image. She is brimming with phrases like ”carefully curated personal appearances”; “doyenne of the lifestyle blogging world”, “so not me”; “I was the first to spot that seagrass was over”; “my trademark eye for a good finish”; “conceptual layered pieces”; “a delightfully on-trend and vibey air”. I did love this, and it often made me laugh out loud.
Behind it all, we feel great sympathy for Isabella herself, in her increasingly chaotic personal life: betrayed by her husband, coping with an unexpected baby on the way, targeted by a vicious gossip columnist, and trying to rebuild her life as a single mother. Alongside all this, her drive to keep up her perfect online image becomes increasingly ridiculous.
Johnnie, her faithless, charming, hedge-fund-manager husband, masquerades as protective but in fact is emotionally manipulative and controlling. Around Isabella and her family, the author develops a cast of characters who either support or goad or torment her, some leading her along the path to true authenticity, others urging her to negative behaviour and values.
Ironically, Isabella appears to be “a woman in control”, on top of things, telling other people how to attain high society‘s false idea of perfection; yet in reality we can see she is not in control at all. She is not liberated in the true sense of the word, she is enslaved by what her husband thinks of her, and is rarely true to herself. We just want her to break through the web of artificiality she weaves around herself, to become real and honest about who and what she truly is.
As the story builds, the author includes sharp and waspish descriptions, especially of church services and Christians praying. Yet it is Christian friends who become a lifeline to Isabella. Following childbirth she suffers what many would recognise as postnatal depression: nothing she has to say about her baby is loving: the only things she notices are very negative and even cynical. Then we feel a great sense of relief when Isabella’s friend Nicki speaks the truth to Isabella at last, about herself, and Johnnie.
This is very much a book about family life and friendship as well as growing self-knowledge. I do like the end, very much: it is clever and perceptive, and the signs of transformation in Isabella may give rise to sparks of amusement and recognition in the reader.
A highly recommended book. You may find it online among contemporary women’s fiction.
Ruth may be found on Facebook as Ruth Leigh Writes and as @ruthleighwrites on Twitter and Instagram. You can visit her website at ruthleighwrites.co.uk if you would like to order a signed copy of the book.
Published by Instant Apostle, Ruth’s books are widely available in bookshops and all online book retail stores as well as from her website.
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Before visiting the gardens at Stourhead, Wiltshire the other day I looked forward to seeing for myself this ‘living work of art’, for I had created a brightly coloured, stylised copy of a photo of that iconic view just last year, during the first UK lockdown of the Covid-19 pandemic.
When we visited the garden, originally created in the eighteenth century by the Hoare family, we learned that Henry “the Magnificent” (‘gentleman gardener’) had relied on elements of concealment and surprise in his grand vision of this classical landscape. So we took the route that Henry had set out specially for his guests to take, from the house to the lake, and experienced the concealment and surprise and revelation for ourselves.
The first lookout point, Stourhead gardens, from which you can see the Temple of ApolloFurther along the path from the first lookout point, Stourhead gardensThe second lookout point, Stourhead gardens – here you can see the PantheonThe third lookout point, Stourhead gardens – a clearer view of the Pantheon
Finally, having received glimpses of both the Temple of Apollo and the Pantheon through the carefully selected, planted, cultivated and shaped trees, we came upon the iconic view itself, where you can see the Pantheon across the lake beyond the bridge:
The iconic view of bridge, lake and pantheon at Stourhead gardens
I was enchanted as this was the view I had copied in acrylic paints from a photo back in the lockdown. I felt as if I was walking into my own painting, albeit with more subtle colouring than my own fluorescent production!
Stylised acrylic copy of photo of the iconic view of lake and pantheon in the gardens at Stourhead
Later, after visiting the house, we walked around the lake and climbed up to the Temple of Apollo.
The steps at the Temple of Apollo at Stourhead gardens – this was where Keira Knightley stood, in the role of Lizzie Bennett, in the film of ‘Pride and Prejudice’ when Darcy came striding towards her to propose marriage in the pouring rain – she turned him down.The Pantheon which you can see across the lake, beyond the bridge, in the iconic view of Stourhead gardensIf you enjoy my blog posts, why not join my mailing List? You will receive a monthly newsletter all about my writing and publishing news. Please do sign up here.
On a recent trip to Portsmouth, we were absorbed into the lives of the great ships there, and their rich histories. The Mary Rose Museum shone out for us with its immersive experience and its astonishing recovery of details of the sailors’ lives back in 1545.
View of Portsmouth Gunwharf Quays Marine from the HMS Warrior
But HMS Warrior and HMS Victory also enthralled us as we explored both ships, full of wonder at the insights flooding in on us (in the metaphorical sense only!).
HMS Victory
The audio tour of the HMS Victory helped us to relive the dramatic and heartrending moments of Admiral Horatio Nelson’s fatal injury, his journey to the surgeon’s quarters and his final hours, with his loyal second-in-command Captain Hardy.
HMS Victory
The audio narration and dramatic re-enactment engaged us on every level, enabling us to imagine the feelings, sights, sounds and smells of that experience, along with all the emotions of horror and disgust and tragedy and to guess at how the news of victory may have provided some compensation to Nelson for the imminent loss of his life.
Underneath HMS Victory in the dry dockUnderneath the bow of HMS Victory
HMS Warrior, a magnificent Victorian armoured ship in immaculate condition ‘never fired a gun in anger’. Built in 1860 it ran on half sail half steam.
On board HMS Warrior
Now, with Living History actors on board playing the part of the original sailors we felt a real sense of how it must have been to spend time on board as a member of the crew.
HMS Warrior
Beyond these two wonderful ships, the Mary Rose Museum filled us with awe. Sunk in the Solent in 1545, and raised over four centuries later, the Mary Rose and her story exerts a curious power over us: her many artefacts recovered along with the mortal remains of 129 crew, this exhibition was a truly amazing experience for us. The number of people originally on board at the time of the tragedy is not known for sure and it varies between 500 and 700. It is thought the shop was overloaded, and this may have been one of the factors causing it to sink. The number of survivors is also thought to have been between 35 and 40. They would have chanced to be in the right place on the ship at the right time to escape and be rescued by small boats sent out to save them. Many others were trapped by the “anti-boarding nets” stretched over the decks to prevent the enemy swarming on board. The ship sunk very quickly, and half of it ended up deep in silt so it was preserved.
Now, the recovered part of the timber hull is held in a state of perfect equilibrium, so the timbers no longer need to be sprayed with water or viewed through portholes. Instead, thanks to a fine balance of atmosphere and temperature and a series of air-lock doors, we may gaze at the recovered hull in its entirety, at every deck level.
Most poignant of all are the many objects and possessions of the sailors and the remarkable amount of details about several individuals on board: the Master Gunner, the Master Carpenter, the Pursar, the Archer, the Surgeon – their lives, medical histories and personal items.
I am in awe of the skill, ingenuity and expertise of the archaeologists, the divers, the forensic anthropologists and other scientists and all those who made this exhibition possible, for us to see and imagine and empathise with those many hundreds of people who lost their lives that day in 1545.
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We recently visited Charlestown, a beautiful little Cornish seaport, which opened up several stories for me. Not only did we explore the moving and compelling tales of numerous historical shipwrecks and recovered artefacts in the Shipwreck Treasure Museum: but also I learned the poignant story of the man who created, designed and built Charlestown: Charles Rashleigh.
Along with the history of Charles Rashleigh’s rise and fall, we have numerous heartrending accounts of shipwrecks in the museum. As we wander through the museum gazing at the recovered treasures and reading of the sea tragedies we may reflect once again on the high risks humans take, for the chance of adventure and the dream of making their fortune. Some succeed; others perish. In no other sphere of human aspiration can we best reflect upon fate than in the realm of sea voyages. The sea remains powerful, mysterious, cruel and merciless: yet a source of unending wonder and attraction.
Charlestown Harbour St Austell Cornwall
Charles started building the seaport in 1790. It was completed by 1804 and has changed little since: now it is popular among film location scouts and has appeared as a film location on several occasions.
Views of Charlestown Harbour
The poignancy of Charles’s story lies in the fact that he created Charlestown out of his own personal wealth and was a hugely gifted man, for the port was highly successful: yet in later life he formed an attachment to 2 young men, Joseph Dingle and Joseph Daniel, who betrayed him and brought him to bankruptcy. The whole story is told in the book ‘Charlestown: a guide to Charlestown and the Shipwreck Treasure Museum’ by Richard and Bridget Larn.
Port Isaac, a working fishing village on the north Cornwall coast, is an enchanting place for a walk: and not only because it is beloved by all those who follow ‘Doc Martin’! Spectacular sea views fill us with wonder; narrow. steep winding streets, and a jumble of quirky little cottages embrace the harbour, and the entire community lies, encircled by the headlands: magical, idyllic and compelling. subscribe to the SC Skillman mailing list here
I’m pleased to be hosting a stop today on the blog tour for Paul Alkazraji’s powerful novel of Albanian and Greek aspirations, politics and social tension, The Migrant. In view of the current world situation, the themes of this novel are acute: “Crossing borders does not always lead you further from home.”
The Migrant: action thriller fiction by Paul Alkazraji
The action of the novel is set during the 2010 anti-austerity movement in Greece. But all the themes and issues raised in the story are highly relevant to what is going on in the world right now.
Paul Alkazraji, author of The Migrant
I found the novel a rich and detailed evocation of Albania and Greece: the people, their lives and longings, the geographical landscape, and the huge political, economic and ideological challenges they must navigate. The story is relevant to all of us who care deeply about the the plight of those who are deprived of the opportunity to live a fulfilling life in an environment that respects their rights and allows them to flourish on every level.
We follow Pastor Jude, an Englishman who has been working in the Albanian church, as he sets off on a rescue mission to Greece with two unlikely and rather tough companions – Mehmed, a reformed gangster and Luan, a secret-service agent. The tensions between Mehmed and Luan are sharply conveyed, as Jude – whom I found a very attractive character – acts as a bridge between them.
They are searching for Alban, Luan’s nineteen year old nephew, young and vulnerable, who has dodged border police to cross into Greece in the vain hope of finding work there in a country hit by anti-austerity riots.
I have spent some time in Greece in the past, and I was captivated by the author’s evocation of various locations in Athens. His description of the car journey from Albania to Greece, too, is rich and detailed. I could sense the atmosphere strongly and especially his lovely descriptions of the sights and sounds and scents, and particularly the taste of the national dishes and the food and drink they order in the cafes and the tavernas.
Jude’s fears for Alban are fully realised, because this young man’s most likely fate has always been either to fall into the hands of callous sex-traffickers, or to be drawn into the turbulence of violent anti-austerity riots.
This novel held my attention throughout and I was fully engaged in the search for Alban. On the way, I found very different lives being opened up for me in a fresh and compelling way. Highly recommended.
Book cover image for The Migrant by Paul Alkazraji
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY
Paul Alkazraji worked as a freelance journalist in the UK from the mid-nineties. His articles were published in Christianity Magazine, The Christian Herald, The Church Times, The Baptist Times and other publications. His travel articles were also published in The Independent. His first book Love Changes Everything, a collection of seven testimonies, was published by Scripture Union in 2001. His second book Heart of a Hooligan, a biography of ex-football hooligan Dave Jeal, was published by Highland Books in 2000. His third book Christ and the Kalashnikov, a biography of missionaries Ian and Caralee Loring, was published by Zondervan in 2001. From 2004 to 2010 he was editor and publisher of Ujëvarë magazine in Albania. His first novel, ‘The Silencer’, was published by Highland Books in 2012. His new novel, ‘The Migrant’, set in Albania and Athens during the austerity troubles, was published by Instant Apostle in February 2019.
BLURB
Fascist populists, callous sex-traffickers and murderous mafia gangs – these were not what Pastor Jude Kilburn had expected to face when he moved to Albania. But when vulnerable 19-year-old Alban disappears from his poverty-stricken village to seek work in Greece, Jude has to undertake the perilous journey across the mountains to try and rescue him from the ruthless Athenian underworld. Accompanied by a volatile secret-service agent and a reformed gangster, Jude soon finds himself struggling to keep everyone together as personal tensions rise and violent anti-austerity riots threaten to tear them apart and undermine the mission. Caught between cynical secret police and a brutal crime syndicate, the fate of them all will be determined by a trafficked girl – but not every one will make it home. The Migrant is a tense and evocative thriller with a powerful redemptive twist.
EXTRACT FROM THE NOVEL
Chapter One Part One
Alban Gurbardhi lay with his face pressed into the earth. He eased his breath out through pursed lips as he tried to stifle any sound he might make. It seemed his heartbeat would be heard across the valley as it pounded in his ears. An angry, black beetle marched across the thyme-grass centimetres from his nose. He glanced at Ervin, who lay in against the crumbling stone wall, and saw his eyes darting.
‘Sssst … They are near here. We’ll get them,’ Alban heard one of the men say in a low voice. ‘Keep looking. Óchi … over there.’ Ervin lifted a finger to his lips and gestured with his palm forwards to stay put. Alban blinked and thought. They should have waited at the last Albanian village for the full cover of darkness before entering Greece. He remembered Ervin saying he’d come this way many times before and not to worry. The Greek border guards were less active these days – they were lazy. As they’d taken the track up from the old Communist hut at dusk, they’d still been visible in the open from lookout points in the woods to the east. That’s why they’d been spotted. He glared at his friend: older, yes, but wiser? Stones ground underfoot as one of the policemen trod close to the other side of the wall. Alban waited for a hand or something worse to strike down on him.
He flinched and screwed up his eyes, bracing himself, and a tear welled out of one corner. Oh, Lord … let us pass, he pleaded in his mind.
The sounds of shuffling over fallen branches and rocks moved away. Alban waited. He raised his body slowly with his hands and slid his feet under him. He glanced at Ervin, who nodded, and eased his head over the top of the wall. The two men were moving up into the pine trees around five metres away. Alban saw their dark blue T- shirts and black military boots. The taller of the two looked a strikingly muscular and athletic man. His hair was dark and razor-cut close in at the sides with a quiff on top.
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