The Lady of the Tower by Elizabeth St John

Today Paul Bennett reviews The Lady of the Tower by Elizabeth St John. The author has very kindly offered a paperback copy of the book PLUS 2 e-book special novellas as a giveaway to one very lucky winner. To be in with a chance of winning this wonderful prize, simply leave a comment below or on our Facebook page.

Good luck!

Orphaned Lucy St.John, described as "the most beautiful of all," defies English society by carving her own path through the decadent Stuart court. In 1609, the early days of the rule of James I are a time of glittering pageantry and cutthroat ambition, when the most dangerous thing one can do is fall in love . . . or make an enemy of Frances Howard, the reigning court beauty.

Lucy catches the eye of the Earl of Suffolk, but her envious sister Barbara is determined to ruin her happiness. Exiling herself from the court, Lucy has to find her own path through life, becoming mistress of the Tower of London. Riding the coattails of the king’s favorite, the Duke of Buckingham, the fortunes of the St.Johns rise to dizzying heights. But with great wealth comes betrayal, leaving Lucy to fight for her survival—and her honor—in a world of deceit and debauchery.

Elizabeth St.John tells this dramatic story of love, betrayal, family bonds and loyalty through the eyes of her ancestor Lucy and her family’s surviving diaries, letters and court papers.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.  A fascinating tale of the period when England said goodbye to the Tudors and hello to the Stuarts. The protagonist, Lucy, grows up in a household where she is treated with contempt by her guardian and by her scheming sister Barbara. In a time when women had very little say in their futures and where the intricate, backstabbing antics of the Royal Court, Lucy struggles to survive.  Married to an important member of the King's retinue of courtiers, she finds herself living in the infamous Tower of London, the wife of the Tower Gaoler.

The author paints a vivid picture of life in the early 17th century. I was drawn in by the descriptive, and indeed the educative nature that arises from the pages. Lucy, a woman, dares to formulate and even more daring, lets her opinions known. It was indeed a world dominated by men of noble birth, not very unlike the world we live in now (substitute rich for noble). In Lucy's words, "I so tire of these court behaviors, where the men who rule think only of their own affairs and not of those of the citizens of this land." Words that I utter every day. 

I chose to read this book not knowing much of the period, at least not from the perspective of the court of King James and his son Charles. I now know a lot more, and if there is one thing I love to do is to learn history. If I can do that and be entertained along the way, then so much the better. The author has done those things while at the same time preparing the way for a sequel. After all of the pain, anguish, fear, and even the joys of her life, Lucy emerges as one of the more interesting characters I have come across in my historical-fiction reading. 

5 stars

About the author:

Elizabeth St.John spends her time between California, England, and the past. A best-selling author, historican and genealogist, she has tracked down family papers and residences from Nottingham Castle, Lydiard Park, and Castle Fonmon to the Tower of London. Although the family sold a few fortresses and stately homes along the way (it's hard to keep a good castle going these days), Elizabeth's family still occupy them - in the form of portraits, memoirs, and gardens that carry their imprint. And the occasional ghost. But that's a different story...  

Follow her on Twitter @ElizStJohn

Facebook: Elizabeth J StJohn

elizabethjstjohn.com

About the reviewer: Paul Bennett

Let me begin this intro-bio by revealing that I love to be up in the wee hours of the morning.  Coffee is best at that time of day which also coincides nicely with the inspiring actions of my Muse.

My interest in things ancient had been kindled earlier by movies such as Ben Hur and Spartacus (flawed and incorrect as it is).  My buddy Harry and I would use rolled up newspapers as swords as we fought against the evil Roman legions.  A slightly more educated spark came from my reading of Heinrich Schliemann’s excavation of Troy.  This curiosity was ratcheted up a few notches when I started classes at Wayne State University.  Professor Milton Covensky was instrumental in making me a history nut with his teaching style and through his book Ancient Near East Traditions.  Of course being less than proficient in math and the sciences also helped me decide what to major in.  Thusly I became a Classical Civilization major and even learned (but long since forgot) ancient Greek.  My favorite assignment/memory was from a class on life in ancient Greece and Rome.  For the final exam I had to write an essay on the Watergate scandal from three perspectives and style; Herodotus, Thucydides and my own.  It was certainly the most fun I ever experienced in a final exam. J  However; I did not complete my degree as I was overtaken by the need to live a little. So, I quit school and my job and took a year and a half sabbatical from anything practical.  The next 18 months were spent in frivolous activities such as traveling to California a couple times and smoking a lot of weed.  Sometimes the two coincided, for example, when driving past Whittier, CA my buddies and I thought it would be cool to find Richard Nixon’s house and smoke a doobie in front of it and it would have been except for the fact that he lived practically next door to the Marine base at Camp Pendleton.  We were rather surprised to see a marine guard station on the road ahead of us; fortunately we had time to do a U-turn before meeting up with the Semper Fi guys with guns.

Once I re-entered the practical world I found that historical fiction filled the vacuum left after quitting school.  Authors like Mary Renault (The King Must Die; etc.) and Mary Stewart (her Merlin/Arthur trilogy) fanned the flames of curiosity but it wasn’t until after I married and raised a family that this love affair really took off.  Nowadays I am inundated with books and authors that feed my need for things ancient.  Colleen McCullough’s series on the fall of The Roman Republic for example sent me on a search for more works of this sort and boy have I ever found them.  So many authors, so many books, call to me these days that I have had to create a spreadsheet to keep track.

Paul Bennett reviews Ripples in the Pond

Today Paul Bennett reviews Ripples in the Pond by Sebnem E Sanders. The author has very kindly offered a paperback copy of the book as a giveaway. To be in with a chance of winning this wonderful collection of short stories, simply leave a comment below or on our Facebook page.

Good luck!

 A man infatuated with ivy. A woman pining for lost love. In a Turkish square, ancient buildings lament a devastating explosion. An unlikely friendship struck up with a homeless person. A journey to a magical place that once visited can never be found again. The camaraderie between the patients in a cancer ward. A writer who has lost his muse. A tragedy that leads to dementia. These are just a few of seventy individual tales set in locations straddling continents, which portray war, love, hate, hope, greed, revenge, despair, humour, mystical happenings, fantasy, and so much more. Like ripples expanding on the surface of a pond to reach its banks, they converge in this anthology of flash fiction and short stories by Sebnem E. Sanders in her debut release.

First, a confession, I cannot remember the last time I read a collection of short stories, Golden Apples of the Sun by Ray Bradbury somehow sticks in my mind, and while I have enjoyed Mark Twain, Edgar Allen Poe and the like; I am, and probably will remain, for the most part, a novel reader. It was mere curiosity that found me asking to review this anthology.  Now, having said that I must also confess that Ripples on the Pond just might have me looking at the genre a bit more closely.

What I found in Ripples on the Pond is a compelling collection of well crafted stories, my peeps and fellow travelers. Stories that evoke the gamut of human emotions and experiences; glimpses of love, joy, loss, and hope permeate the pages and like a pebble dropped into water, the stories leave ripples of humanity seeking truth and fulfillment. A brief example from Mummy's Torchlight:

Toby bowed, turned around, and left the building, his head bursting with thoughts. His hatred and vengeance had dissolved into sadness and pity, but mostly sadness…a feeling of loss. Something he'd have to live with for the rest of his life. He knew one thing for certain. He'd never return. Before he drove away from the Acacia Retreat, Toby held the torch tight in his hand. "I have confronted him, Mummy. I've done it for you and me. Rest in peace." On the way home, he stopped on an old wooden bridge and threw the torch into the mirror surfaced creek. He waited as the ripples extended outward and disappeared.

Time and again throughout the 71 stories, one comes up against harsh realities,  compassion, and much, much more that make us human. Entertainment and enlightenment are in store for you, dear reader.  5 stars

About the author:
Sebnem E. Sanders is a native of Istanbul, Turkey. Currently she lives on the eastern shores of the Southern Aegean where she dreams and writes Flash Fiction and Flash Poesy, as well as longer works of fiction. Her flash stories have been published on the Harper Collins Authonomy Blog,  The Drabble, Sick Lit Magazine, Twisted Sister Lit Mag and Spelk Fiction. She has a completed manuscript, The Child of Heaven and two works in progress, The Child of Passion and The Lost Child.  Her collection of short and flash fiction stories, Ripples on the Pond, has been published in December 2017. Her stories have also been published in two Anthologies: Paws and Claws and One Million Project, Thriller Anthology. More information can be found at her website where she publishes some of her work: https://sebnemsanders.wordpress.com/

Links: 

Ripples on the Pond

https://www.amazon.com/Ripples-Pond-Sebnem-Sanders-ebook/dp/B077XCK3SD/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1521179945&sr=1-1&keywords=ripples+on+the+pond

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17427985.Sebnem_E_Sanders

https://Facebook.com/sebnem.sanders

https://Twitter.com/sebnemsanders

https://Instagram.com/sebnemsanders

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebnem-sanders-b3593263/

About the reviewer:

Let me begin this intro-bio by revealing that I love to be up in the wee hours of the morning.  Coffee is best at that time of day which also coincides nicely with the inspiring actions of my Muse.

My interest in things ancient had been kindled earlier by movies such as Ben Hur and Spartacus (flawed and incorrect as it is).  My buddy Harry and I would use rolled up newspapers as swords as we fought against the evil Roman legions.  A slightly more educated spark came from my reading of Heinrich Schliemann’s excavation of Troy.  This curiosity was ratcheted up a few notches when I started classes at Wayne State University.  Professor Milton Covensky was instrumental in making me a history nut with his teaching style and through his book Ancient Near East Traditions.  Of course being less than proficient in math and the sciences also helped me decide what to major in.  Thusly I became a Classical Civilization major and even learned (but long since forgot) ancient Greek.  My favorite assignment/memory was from a class on life in ancient Greece and Rome.  For the final exam I had to write an essay on the Watergate scandal from three perspectives and style; Herodotus, Thucydides and my own.  It was certainly the most fun I ever experienced in a final exam. J  However; I did not complete my degree as I was overtaken by the need to live a little. So, I quit school and my job and took a year and a half sabbatical from anything practical.  The next 18 months were spent in frivolous activities such as traveling to California a couple times and smoking a lot of weed.  Sometimes the two coincided, for example, when driving past Whittier, CA my buddies and I thought it would be cool to find Richard Nixon’s house and smoke a doobie in front of it and it would have been except for the fact that he lived practically next door to the Marine base at Camp Pendleton.  We were rather surprised to see a marine guard station on the road ahead of us; fortunately we had time to do a U-turn before meeting up with the Semper Fi guys with guns.

Once I re-entered the practical world I found that historical fiction filled the vacuum left after quitting school.  Authors like Mary Renault (The King Must Die; etc.) and Mary Stewart (her Merlin/Arthur trilogy) fanned the flames of curiosity but it wasn’t until after I married and raised a family that this love affair really took off.  Nowadays I am inundated with books and authors that feed my need for things ancient.  Colleen McCullough’s series on the fall of The Roman Republic for example sent me on a search for more works of this sort and boy have I ever found them.  So many authors, so many books, call to me these days that I have had to create a spreadsheet to keep track.

Much of this largesse can be directly attributed to Twitter.  I found and read the first three volumes of the most excellent Marius Mules series by SJA Turney.  Piqued by his blurb about his website I started a Twitter account so I could thank him for the work done so far.  This has led to a burgeoning friendship and the discovery of many fine authors of this genre; so many that I fear I may never be able to retire so as to have the necessary funds to buy all of these great books. J

Recently my time for reading has been somewhat curtailed by and replaced with writing my first full length, honest to goodness novel.  The title is Clash of Empires and is a work of historical fiction that takes place in the Colonies during The French-Indian War.  It's the story of a frontier family and their acquaintances and the challenges they face during this turbulent period.  It is the first volume in The Mallory Saga as I intend to follow the Mallory clan through the history of the United States. 

Buy Clash of Empires here:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MXR186R
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01MXR186R

Diana talks to Paul Bennett, author of "Clash of Empires" - book one of The Mallory Saga.

Author’s interview – 2017. Diana talks to...Paul Bennett

 

Thanks so much Diana for inviting me to answer some very intriguing questions. It was a lot of fun.

It is my real pleasure, Paul.

First things first I am sure there is a question that you have always longed to be asked. Now is the chance. Ask your own question and answer it!

Is it really possible for any citizen of the US to grow up to be President?

Sure is…look at who we have now.  L

If your latest book (Clash of Empires) was adapted into a TV show or a film, who would you like to play the lead role?

 

I’m going to glean from Lonesome Dove and choose Tommy Lee Jones and Robert Duvall, younger versions mind you than the characters of Call and McRae.  Tommy for Liam and Duvall for Daniel.  For Liza again from Lonesome Dove, Diane Lane. 

(You may read Rob Bayliss's review of this excellent book here but please note the competition is now closed.)

What made you choose this genre?

Firstly my love of history.  All through my educational phases up through 3 years of college, I was far more interested in history classes or other classes that delved into our past.  At Wayne State University in Detroit, MI, I majored in Classical Civilization, basically the study of ancient cultures form the Mesopotamian Crescent through the Roman Empire.  I also minored in Physical Anthropology.  After I left college, needing a break from 18+ years of school the last 5 of which included working full time, I found myself free to read what I wanted.  Mary Renault got me hooked on historical fiction and later Colleen McCullough’s First Man in Rome series sent me searching for more.  Boy what a treasure trove of books to choose from.

How do you get ideas for plots and characters?

Surprisingly perhaps, while driving to and from work.  My commute is a lengthy one, and the Boston area traffic is always a challenge.  So I have at least an hour and a half for my Muse to do her stuff on my way to work and then again on the way home.  Mostly that is plot related ideas but sometimes specific narrative or conversations find their way to the surface.  I’ve even had to a couple times tell Wanda, that’s her name, to slow down.  Sometimes she starts giving me ideas for book 4 or 5.  Let me get done with number 2 first, please.  J 

If, as a one off, (and you could guarantee publication!)  you could write anything you wanted, is there another genre you would love to work with and do you already have a budding plot line in mind?

Either humor or fantasy.  I write journals of an annual golf trip I make with 3 or 4 of my buddies and they are rather humorous in content.  But I think I would do fantasy.  I have a few tales about a group of warriors that are stuck in some kind of time travel existence and are transported to various historical battles such as Gettysburg where they play prominent roles in the outcomes.  It’s fun playing with history.  In the Gettysburg story, Lee doesn’t make the mistake of trying to take the Round Tops, and the Confederates win at Gettysburg, due in some small part by my group of warriors.

Was becoming a writer a conscious decision or something that you drifted into (or even something so compelling that it could not be denied?) How old were you when you first started to write seriously.

I’ve dabbled with writing most of my life, doing the odd short story and trip journals/stories but I didn’t take on a full length novel until "Clash".  I am indebted to many people for encouraging me write "Clash", among them SJA Turney, the author of the excellent Marius Mules series (among others as well).  He and the others who read my first attempts saw something they liked and that reinforcement kicked me into gear, so to speak.  So much so that I’m making Clash the first story in The Mallory Saga – I will follow the family through the course of the history of the USA.  Right now I plan to finish the saga with the end of the Plains Indian Wars in the late 19^th Century.

Marmite? Love it or hate it?

First I have to Google it.  J (Laughing here.)

Do you have any rituals and routines when writing? Your favourite cup for example or ‘that’ piece of music...??

I do most of my writing in the pre-dawn hours partly because my three night/12 hour shifts at work has wreaked havoc on my sleep patterns, but also partly because I’ve always loved the early morning.  Accompanied by cups of good, strong coffee – freshly ground and as freshly roasted as possible – and with one of my playlists blaring in my headphones, I wait for Wanda and when she is ready, my fingers start dancing along the keyboard.  The playlist I am listening to as I write this includes a mixture of goth bands such as Within Temptation, Nightwish, Leaves Eyes etc and the angelic, mystical Loreena McKennitt. (NICE)

I promise I won’t tell them the answer to this, but when you are writing, who is more important, your family or your characters?

Since I write mostly when everyone else is asleep I rarely have to make that choice but if I’m in the throes of Wanda’s ministrations, I’ll finish what I’m writing and then address my 4 ½ year old granddaughter’s request for food or to have her tablet recharged.  J

Other than writing full time, what would be your dream job?

I am 65 – my dream job is to not have to need one.  J  A short jaunt down memory lane: when I was in my early 20’s I was what you might call a hippie.  A young man just discovering what the world was really like and trying to figure out my part in it.  I would often comment that all I wanted to be was a Forest Ranger assigned to some fire tower in the mountains where I could spend my time writing the great American novel.  Of course that didn’t happen and I have spent the last 40 years working as a computer professional.  (What a wonderful dream...)

Coffee or tea? Red or white?

Coffee – but only really good coffee, like I get from my friends at Thanksgiving Coffee. J  Red or White – that would be better phrased Ale or Stout.  Not a wine drinker but do enjoy fine ales, stouts and porters.

How much of your work is planned before you start? Do you have a full draft or let it find its way?

I’m not much of a plotter, more of a seat of the pants approach.  Of course, I have a basic idea in my head for the foundation of the story.  I have a notebook in which I jot down ideas, dialogue etc, but most of the work is done when I am hovering over the keyboard.  It amazes me when I have a sudden epiphany; a thought just hits out of the blue and when I look back at what I’ve just typed I often remark I didn’t see that coming. 

I would be guilty of a heinous sin if I didn’t at this point sing the praises of my editor, Marguerite Walker II.  She takes those amazing epiphanies and coaxes even better ones out of me.

If you had free choice over the font your book is printed in, what font/fonts would you choose?

I did Clash in Georgia 12…the aforementioned MW found an article on good fonts for books and we went with Georgia. (My favourite serif font.)

Imagine that you could get hold of any original source document. What would it be?

The scorecard from a Detroit Tiger game on which I had gotten the autograph of my favorite ball player, Al Kaline.  It regretfully was stolen roughly 50 years ago.  (Very cross and unhappy face.)

 

Have any of your characters ever shocked you and gone off on their own adventure leaving you scratching your head??? If so how did you cope with that!?

Not yet…but it’s early in my writing career.  I have characters who demanded larger roles, however.  J

How much research do you do and do you ever go on research trips?

Most of my research is online or by reading books about the subject in hand.  I do love road trips though so for Clash I did visit Forts Ticonderoga and William Henry.  The next couple books in the Mallory Saga take place during the American Revolution.  I am fortunate in that I live 20 miles north of Boston so don’t have to travel too far to follow along, say, the Battle of Lexington and Concord or Bunker Hill.

Fiction authors have to contend with real characters invading our stories. Are there any ‘real’ characters you have been tempted to prematurely kill off or ignore because you just don’t like them or they spoil the plot?

The one who springs to mind is George Armstrong Custer.  Since this isn’t in Clash I don’t mind this little spoiler…in my Gettysburg story, I kill off Custer.  J

Are you prepared to go away from the known facts for the sake of the story and if so how do you get around this?

To the best of my knowledge, I stayed true to the historical facts in Clash.  My only deviation was changing the date of a battle by a couple days.

Have you ever totally hated or fallen in love with one of your characters?

My editor would argue that I like Liam more than his siblings, Daniel and Liza.  Methinks she may be right.  As far as hating a character, there are a couple of them, but one dies early on.  The Shawnee nemesis of the Mallory’s, especially Liam, is a warrior named Huritt.  I don’t want to say too much, suffice that Huritt is a good example of his culture; one that could be brutally violent. 

There are a couple characters in Clash who end up playing a much larger role than I had originally intended, but I had so much fun with them, I couldn’t say no when they requested more face time.  Wahta is a Mohawk, his name means Maple Tree and he is built along those lines.  He becomes a good friend of Sergeant Glyn Mulhern, an Irishman serving in the British Army under a Scottish Colonel.  I loved writing the byplay between the two of them.

What do you enjoy reading for pleasure?

I read quite a bit, I’ve done close to 200 reviews in 4 years.  Most of them are historical fiction from various periods of history.  I’ve learned more about the history of Britain the last couple of years than I had in the prior 63. J  I must admit that my favourite periods are ancient Greece and Rome.

What drink would you recommend drinking whilst reading your latest book?

Ale – there’s a good bit of ale drinking in Clash of Empires.  Might as well join them for a pint or two.

Last but not least... favourite author?

A question that is difficult to answer given the number of authors who I count as friends, so, I am going to try to offend no one by choosing an author not of the historical fiction world.  Kurt Vonnegut gets my vote with Mark Twain a close second.  J

About the Author

Paul’s education was of the public variety and when he reached Junior High he discovered that his future did not include the fields of mathematics or science. This was generally the case throughout his years in school as he focused more on his interest in history; not just the rote version of names and dates but the causes.

Paul studied Classical Civilization at Wayne State University with a smattering of Physical Anthropology thrown in for good measure. Logically, of course, Paul spent the next four decades drawing upon that vast store of knowledge working in large, multi-platform data centers, and is considered in the industry as a bona fide IBM Mainframe dinosaur heading for extinction.

Paul currently resides in the quaint New England town of Salem, Massachusetts with his wife, Daryl. The three children have all grown, in the process turning Paul’s beard gray, and have now provided four grandchildren; the author is now going bald!



You can find Paul:

His Facebook page

On Twitter

Email: mallorysaga@gmail.com

© Diana Milne January 2017 © Paul Bennett 03/27/17

 

 

 

 

 

Rob Reviews Clash of Empires by Paul Bennett

* The author has generously offered a copy of Clash of Empires, either ebook or paperback, to a lucky winner of the draw. To enter simply comment, either below or on our facebook page - good luck! *

“It’s as if the whole countryside is a tinderbox, ready to flare up. All that it’s waitin’ on is for someone to strike the flint to the kindling.”

Thanks to the wonders of social media I had the pleasure of making my acquaintance with the author through a mutual love of the written word. The author is an avid reader with his own blog page where he posts reviews (I’m lucky in having my own books reviewed by him). When I heard that he was working on his own project I was intrigued, even more so when I heard what the subject matter was and read some excerpts. For Clash of Empires is set during what is known in North America as the French and Indian War (1754 – 1763) but is better known in the UK as a theatre of the Seven Years’ War.  The French and Indian War could be seen as the spark that set in motion a global conflict between Britain and France (perhaps the real First World War) that dragged in other powers and colonial allies in a conflict fought in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. In truth Europe was already a powder keg after the War of Austrian Succession, where different power blocks (Britain and France in opposing ones naturally!) had failed to satisfy their war aims.

North America at the onset of the French and Indian War - Wikipedia

By 1754 both the British and French empires in the Americas were well established.  However the British American colonies were hemmed in somewhat; they dominated the eastern seaboard but to the south was the Spanish colony of Florida while to the north was New France (Canada) which laid claim to vast swathes of the continent west of the colonies from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico. Families from the British Isles were encouraged to the New World with the promise of farm land cut from virgin forest. Of course this gave no account to the indigenous peoples who already lived there or to which far away king they gave their allegiance to.  British America wished to expand westwards while French America wished to contain them, each side courting Native American tribes with promises or gifts, while taking advantage of inter-tribal rivalry. Into this Clash of Empires the Author introduces us to the Mallorys.

Seeking freedom and opportunity the Thomas Mallory moves his family from Eastern Pennsylvania to the western frontier which puts them into the disputed territories. As well as Thomas and his wife Abigail we meet their children; Daniel, Elizabeth and Liam. The frontier is fluid and is a melting pot formed by the different nationalities of the colonists and the different tribes. Thomas, a farmer by necessity rather than calling, has a dream to open a trading post. With his family and assorted friends, as the beginnings of a community, they begin trading along the Kiskiminetas River. Rumour is rife along the frontier; there is talk that the French intend to crack down on what they view as British incursions whilst their Indian allies, the Shawnee, are always ready to raid settlements, as well as wage war against their long term enemies, the Mohawk.

Mohawk warriors

The Mohawk befriend the Mallorys, particular young Liam. Liam is a very adept hunter and leaves the family trading post to live with the tribe and learn their ways.  He proves himself in encounters with the Shawnee and is accepted by the tribe, marrying the Chief’s daughter, Orenda. However he makes a mortal enemy of the Shawnee called Chogan.  This animosity comes to a terrible conclusion when, preceding French military action Chogan leads a raid against the Mallory’s trading post. The family now find themselves at the frontline of a war that is all too personal.

Clash of Empires is  an enjoyable work of historical fiction. in its own right, but also very informative with regard to this theatre of the Seven Years War. This is brought about by the author's style whereby we experience the events around the characters in sharp focus and then the reader is drawn back to an overview of strategic events.  It could perhaps be compared to The Last of the Mohicans but it differs in as much as it gives us a detailed overview of the conduct of the war and its developing ramifications, without being a history lesson. Real historical characters are included such as, the capable Colonel (as was then) George Washington and the calamitous General Braddock, whose disastrous expedition is still debated about today. With Liam and Orenda’s storyline we have a tantalising glimpse of what might have been, if only a dialogue of mutual understanding and respect between peoples could have continued; how different would America’s society be today?

In Clash of Empires the reader is swept up into a brutal frontier war of honour and vengeance. But moreover within its pages we see a community, both macro and micro, beginning to assert itself as an entity in its own right; the beginnings of a nation. The seeds are planted and are set to bear fruit in the next book of the Mallory saga – The Sundering of Empire. This is one reader who can't wait!

About the Author:

Paul currently resides in the quaint New England town of Salem, Massachusetts with his wife, Daryl.
The three children have now all grown, turning Paul's beard gray in the process, and have now produced four grandchildren; the author is now going bald. You can read about his exploits in literature on his Blog.




Rob Bayliss is a reviewer at The Review and is currently writing his own fantasy series. Information on his writing projects can be found at Flint & Steel, Fire & Shadow.