BOOK LOVERS PARADISE

Thursday, May 16, 2013

About Spartacus: Rebellion

Publication Date: May 14, 2013

St. Martin's Press

Hardcover; 464p

ISBN-10: 1250012775

Spartacus has already done the impossible—not only has he escaped from slavery, he and his seconds have created a mighty slave army that has challenged Rome and defeated the armies of three praetors, two consuls, and one proconsul. On the plain of the River Po, in modern Northern Italy, Spartacus has defeated Gaius Cassius Longinus, proconsul and general of an army of two legions. Now the road home lies before them—to Thrace for Spartacus, and to Gaul for his seconds-in-command, Castus and Gannicus.

But storm clouds are gathering on the horizon. One of Spartacus's most powerful generals has defected, taking his men with him. Back in Rome, the immensely rich Marcus Licinius Crassus is gathering an unheard-of Army. The Senate has given Crassus an army made up of ten legions and the authority to do whatever it takes to end the slave rebellion once and for all.

Meanwhile, Spartacus wants to lead his men over the Alps and home, but his two seconds have a different plan. They want to march on Rome itself and bring the Republic to its knees. Rebellion has become war. War to the death.

Praise for Spartacus: Rebellion

"The author comes into his own during the numerous battle scenes when his burly prose highlights the pain, brutality and chaos of ancient combat. Kane's Spartacus is brave, vain, ruthless and sexy, a Superman for more savage times. The author is genuinely deserving of praise for taking on this mighty subject matter in such a bold and regularly entertaining fashion. Admirers of Kane's work to date will not be disappointed and there's every chance this latest instalment will attract plenty more." (Daily Express )

"Kane succeeds in drawing a convincing picture of how it might have been, which is what a good historical novel should do." (Historical Novel Society )

Praise for Spartacus: The Gladiator

Gritty, passionate and violent, this thrilling book is a real page-turner and a damn good read. It brings Spartacus - and ancient Rome - to vivid, colourful life (Steven Pressfield, bestselling author of Gates of Fire )

Ben Kane manages to bring a freshness to the saga ... Told with Kane's usual panache and historical knowledge, this book is highly recommended (Kathy Stevenson, Daily Mail )

Eyes are merciless, blows are wicked and screams are piercing, but this is a compulsive if relentless story, vividly recounted in muscular prose. Definitely one for the boys (Daily Telegraph, 4 stars )

If you want to become familiar with the lanista and the rudus, to know your scutum from your licium, then Kane's your man ... plenty of action (Independent )

There is much to enjoy in this saga of the downtrodden triumphing temporarily over their oppressors, and the portrait of Spartacus as charismatic leader is a vivid one (Sunday Times)

my thoughts:

I loved the way Ben Kane was able to bring these characters to life. They are not just historical figures, but actual people. You can understand their thoughts and feel what they are feeling.

Spartacus is a larger than life figure. When you read this novel, you will feel as if you truly know Spartacus.

Very well researched. Easy to read. You will learn a great deal about the ancient Roman empire. You will not be able to put this book down.

About the Author

Ben Kane was born in Kenya and raised there and in Ireland. He qualified as a veterinary surgeon from University College Dublin, and worked in Ireland and the UK for several years. After that he travelled the world extensively, indulging his passion for seeing the world and learning more about ancient history. Seven continents and more than 65 countries later, he decided to settle down, for a while at least.

While working in Northumberland in 2001/2, his love of ancient history was fuelled by visits to Hadrian's Wall. He naïvely decided to write bestselling Roman novels, a plan which came to fruition after several years of working full time at two jobs - being a vet and writing. Retrospectively, this was an unsurprising development, because since his childhood, Ben has been fascinated by Rome, and particularly, its armies. He now lives in North Somerset with his wife and family, where he has sensibly given up veterinary medicine to write full time.

To find out more about Ben and his books visit www.benkane.net.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

I'd like to introduce a book by author
Ezra Jonah Jacobs. The book is called
The Tale of the Valiant Hero Kenta

about the book:

Fantasy/Romance/Historical/Action-Adventure

Date Published: March 22, 2013

Synopsis:

Kenta Takeyama is a 16 year old martial artist who possesses superhuman

strength and abilities and the Takeyama -ryuu fighting art. He desires to become the most

powerful shogun on the Nikkoujima (Sun Light Islands), as there are much more powerful

men in the world. He lives with his father Tesshin, who trained him in the martial arts, and

his mother Amaya, who is the former princess of a royal family and master fighter; his little

sister Mana, who wants to become a famous play actress and open her own production studio,

as well as his pet bear Kumomori, whom he had since he was 4. Kenta finds that it’s time to

follow his dreams of becoming a great and powerful shogun (using his power to protect people

and build more homes and villages, help the poor and starving, rather than just for pomp and

circumstance. He wants the people to live in peace and prosperity with no fear, as the world is

already entering another age of war. Essentially, he wants to change the country). And so, with

his parents’ permission, he decides to travel to Senkyou to enlist in the military and become

a true samurai warrior. He feels confident that the can do so after going through many trials

and travels through his childhood, and training under the tutelage of his father in his family’s

martial arts styles.

During the first part of the novel, after a little love fiasco with his childhood friend

Yumine who has a crush on him and sparring with some buddies, he travels the lush and vibrant

island and helps many different people out. As Kenta reaches Senkyou, he meets new rivals

and friends, such as Natsumi, a new love interest and Hayate, a mysterious ninja who wants

to raise up his own organization of ninja mercenaries. During basic training, he discovers that

the capital is being attacked by powerful youkai. The powerful beasts appear and disappear in

a flash, even the temple priests are having trouble. Does the Great Tengu King of the Gogonji mountain territory

know anything about these attacks? Do our heroes stand a chance against these swift and powerful foes?

What is the reasoning behind all of this carnage?

about the author

Ezra Jonah Jacobs

Author Bio

Ezra Jonah Jacobs was born in 1988 in Atlanta, Georgia. He was raised in the suburbs 45 minutes outside of Atlanta by his father and mother, having one older brother. Growing up in a small country town, there was plenty of farmland and open plains to play and run around, a good place to let his young imagination run wild. When not outside, he was usually reading, drawing pictures, or playing video games. He has also had an interest in martial arts since the age of 6, first gaining an interest after watching a Bruce Lee documentary and seeing a movie by the name of Street Fighter. He started emulating the techniques he saw in these movies. It was also around this age he became interested into becoming an author after hearing his teacher read a book to his class. He would be influenced more by other books throughout grade school either by going to the library or during in-school readings.

In Jr. High School, Jacobs developed an interest in many new different mediums, including manga (Japanese comics) and ancient world literature, such as Don Quixote and Beowulf (already having some world literature in his background the form of Gulliver’s Travels and Aesop’s Fables while in Elementary school). He also first came across ancient stories of kung fu masters with enough strength to slay lions, enough speed to out run a cheetah, and being able to lighten their bodies enough to walk on egg shells. He found these stories rather fascinating and would spend time reading them, while at the same time trying to find more.

During his time in high school, world literature reads had expanded. He also began reading more of a genre called Wuxia (martial arts fiction), in particular Jin Yong, and was greatly fascinated by the scope of the stories as well the detailed battle sequences. To him it was as if he were watching a kung fu movie unfold before his very eyes. He thought this genre was rather interesting, especially since it influenced all of his other favorite mediums as well, even theater.

At college, Jacobs finally made the conscious decision to become an author. It was during this time, after class that he would spend time typing up many different stories. Many being one-shots (one long chapter), while others became full length novels. He began trying different genres and styles out until reading Jin Yong’s “A Smiling, Proud Wanderer”. He then decided to give wuxia a try and began working on a novel of such style. He had developed many early versions of his current stories, eventually editing and reforming them into what they are now. He also began reading many other novels around this time, such as Musashi, even more ancient world literature such as Canterbury Tales, The Divine Comedy, and The Faerie Queen, as well as many other things that would later influence his works.

Jacobs graduated from Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, Georgia with a Major in Literature and a Minor in Arts. He also studied karate while on campus during these years. As he wrote, he always had in mind to create stories that would give his readers the impressions they were almost watching a movie or a TV show, something interesting and exciting yet bearing the allure of a novel. Jacobs currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia. When not writing, he is usually reading from his extensive book collection, taking walks in the city, and training.

skypriests.com

my thoughts:

Good story. A lot of attention paid to the martial arts. If you like the martial arts, you should love this story. I was impressed with the very beginning of the book. It included a listing of the various martial arts movements. This made it much easier to follow the story.

Thursday, May 9, 2013

This is a joint AUTHOR & BLOGGER SPONSORED GIVEAWAY!

Kindle Fire HD 7" Giveaway

The winner will have the option of receiving a 7" Kindle Fire HD (US Only)

Or $199 Amazon.com Gift Card (International)

Or $199 in Paypal Cash (International)

Sponsoring Bloggers & Authors

Giveaway Details 1 winner will receive their choice of a Kindle Fire 7" HD (US Only), $199 Amazon Gift Card or $199 in Paypal Cash (International). Ends 5/31/13 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the participating authors & bloggers. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Welcome to my stop on the GATEKEEPER'S DAUGHTER book blog tour, brought to you by

RABT

about the book:

Young Adult Fantasy

Date Published: 5/1/13

In The Gatekeeper's Sons, Therese and Thanatos, the god of Death, met and fell in love. In The Gatekeeper's Challenge, they did everything they could to be together, even break an oath on the River Styx. But the Olympians don't tolerate oath-breakers. In this final book in the trilogy, The Gatekeeper's Daughter, Therese may have finally succeeded in becoming a goddess, but if she wants to remain one, she'll not only have to discover her unique purpose, but also make some allies among the gods. Artemis sends her on a seemingly impossible quest across the world, while Than searches for a way to appease Ares. To make matters worse, her aunt's baby's life hangs in the balance.

my thoughts:

A wonderful love story. Thanaton, god of death, loves Therese. In the first two books, we saw this love grow and deepen. In book three, Therese is finally a goddess of Olympus, but things can change quickly for her.

Both Therese and Thanatos are likable characters. Thanatos is a really nice guy, I mean God.

One thing that came to mind while reading these books; remember the TV show a few years back about a certain son of Zeus? At the beginning of the show there was a line,

"A TIME WHEN THE ANCIENT GODS WERE PETTY AND CRUEL".

Well, this book fullfils that to a 'T'. The Gods of Olympus are just rotten.

Ares is a mean jerk, Aphrodite, vain and conceited, Artemis, more concerned with herself.

Hera, just as bad as you would imagine.

The only god I had and respect for was Hades. Yup, Hades. The one god you wouldn't expect to like.

This is a great end to the trilogy. You will find yourself rooting for Than and Therese.

Well written, quick read. Great for lovers of greek mythology.

We have a guest post from Eva Pohler

How Greek Myths Inspire Us to Be Heroes

I fell in love with Greek myths in the eighth grade, when I read Edith Hamilton’s Mythology. Later, after studying Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud, I better understood why most people are drawn to myths: They help us to project and symbolically play out our own fears and desires. Carl Jung wrote of universal archetypes—such as the Madonna, the soldier, and the rogue. Sigmund Freud wrote that art was the opportunity for adults to continue childhood play in a socially acceptable way. Joseph Campbell built upon the works of both Jung and Freud to describe The Hero with a Thousand Faces, which inspired George Lukas in the creation of Star Wars.

As a writer, I, like Lukas, wished to tap into that universal consciousness where fears and desires are shared. Myths make it possible to project universal fears, or what we often call our inner demons, into monsters that can be externally fought and defeated. The most universal fear is death. I created a trilogy for young adults in which death is not only faced and, in some ways, battled, but also embraced and transcended.

In the first book of this contemporary fantasy, The Gatekeeper’s Sons, fifteen-year-old Therese Mills meets Thanatos, the god of death, while in a coma after witnessing her parents’ murder. She feels like the least powerful person on the planet and is ready to give up on life, but the story forces her to fight. As she hunts with the fierce and beautiful Furies to track down her parents’ murder and avenge their death, she falls in love with Thanatos and symbolically accepts her parents’ and her own mortality.

In the second book, The Gatekeeper’s Challenge, Therese has the opportunity to transcend death by accepting five seemingly impossible challenges issued by Hades. All five challenges represent the universal fears of rejection, culpability, disorientation, death, and loss in the forms of a box not allowed to be opened, an apple that shouldn’t be eaten, a labyrinth meant to confuse, a Hydra that wants to destroy, and the allure of bringing back the dead. These same myths are recycled again and again through the centuries because they help us to recognize our inner demons and inspire us to defeat them.

Find Eva on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/EvaPohler
Find Eva at Goodreads at http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4888434.Eva_Pohler
Visit Eva’s Blog at http://www.bookclubpicks.blogspot.com
To purchase copies of Eva’s books, please visit her website at http://www.evapohler.com/books
You can also contact Eva at evapohler@sbcglobal.net

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

EVA POHLER

Eva Pohler

Eva Pohler teaches writing at the University of Texas at San Antonio, where she lives with her husband,

three children, two dogs, two rats, and her very large collection of books

website

blog or Eva's second blog

Goodreads

Amazon Author Page

On Eva's blog, notice her choices for Than and Hip in a movie version of the book--I AGREE 100% WITH HER PICKS!!!

REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

Welcome to my stop on the Shadow Chaser blog tour hosted by YA Bound. Click HERE to see the full blog tour schedule!

Shadow Chaser (Son of Angels #3)

by Jerel Law

Release Date: May 7th, 2013

Thomas Nelson

Paperback/e-book

240 pages

Summary from Goodreads:

Join part angel Jonah Stone as he faces his biggest challenge yet!

Many months have passed since part angel siblings Jonah, Eliza, and Jeremiah Stone began their angelic training. As part angels, or "quarterlings," the siblings joined other children of nephilim to begin honing their special powers.

In this third installment in the Son of Angels series, Jonah's story comes to resemble a modern-day Job as he's faced with trials that affect his health, strength, relationships, and most-prized possessions. As he and the other quarterlings prepare for mid-term exams, their powers are tested once again in the most fierce battle against Abaddon's forces yet. Will Jonah's faith in Elohim continue to persevere as he fights Abaddon in his hardest battle yet?

Parents today are looking for fiction that makes Christianity and the Bible exciting for their kids. This series is the first Christian answer to Percy Jackson and the Olympians, the Kane Chronicles, the Secret Series, and other middle-grade series packed with action, adventure, and supernatural fights. But the message is solidly based in Scripture, conveying God is always in control.

my thoughts:

Jonah reminds me of Job. Really, when you read this book, you will quickly relate Jonah's life with that of the Biblical Job.

Jonah is a quarterling, a child who is descended from a human and an angel. He is constantly being tested. The suffering the character faces can be difficult for the reader. This is the third in the series, and the hardest to read. I've grown to like these characters. It's tough to see them suffer through the various trials heaped upon them.

This is the best book in the series so far, Each book is better. Jerel Law has found a wonderful way to explain faith to young readers.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16287338-shadow-chaser

Buy Links:
Amazon │Barnes & Noble

About the Author

Jerel Law is a gifted communicator and pastor with seventeen years of full-time ministry experience. He holds his undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (go Tarheels!), and a master of divinity degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Jerel began writing fiction as a way to encourage his children’s faith to come alive. He lives in North Carolina with his family. Spirit Fighter is his first novel.

Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook

NOW FOR THE GIVEAWAY

***GIVEAWAY***

Print books 1-3 in the Son of Angels series, US only.

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AND DON'T FORGET BOOKS ONE AND TWO OF THE SERIES