A Christmas Carol 2 The Return of Scrooge
Original Long-lost Manuscript by Charles Dickens Revised by Robert J. Elisberg
Imagine that Charles Dickens had written a follow-up to his ever popular A Christmas Carol? Well, imagine no longer - Robert J. Elisberg claims to have found just such a manuscript lost for years to the publishing world, but no longer.
A Christmas Carol 2 is the seasonal visitation of 3 spirits not to Ebenezer Scrooge but rather to his former clerk Bob Cratchit who took over the business upon Scrooge's death 5 years previous. But Cratchit's generosity has just about run its course as he is about to find out with his unique Christmas visitors - the first of whom is Scrooge himself.
Scrooge has come to inform Bob that he is to expect 3 ghostly spirits who will show him the error of his generous ways. In 5 years following Scrooge's death Bob has managed to bring the counting house to the very verge of bankruptcy and worse he has no idea that he is so close to going over.
Various characters from other works by Dickens take part throughout the book including Oliver Twist, Martin Chuzzlewit, Florence Dombey, Nicholas Nickleby, Little Dorrit, and others. So fans of any of Dickens's work should find it interesting to see how these characters all come together to bring this imaginative work to life. Unlike Scrooge, Cratchit isn't visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, or Yet-To-Come but some of the various characters some of whom are decidedly put out having to be "working" on Christmas.
But through it all Bob Cratchit learns the value of the dollar (or in this case a bank note) and the importance of good business practices. He also learns that charity is important but there are ways to extend the value of that charity.
If you want a short light-hearted fun story be sure to check-out Charles Dickens's long lost A Christmas Carol 2 (which the publisher doesn't guarantee as being written by Dickens).
I was provided a copy of this book in conjunction with this Pump-Up Your Book blog tour in exchange for my honest review.
Book Synopsis:
A Christmas Carol 2: The Return of Scrooge is a continuation of the beloved Christmas tale, that quickly goes flying off in its own comic direction. It begins five years after dear old Ebenezer Scrooge has passed away and left his thriving firm to his former clerk, Bob Cratchit. However, Bob’s overly-generous benevolence with lending and charity-giving has driven the company into the ground, on the verge of bankruptcy. And so the ghost of Scrooge returns one Christmas Eve to teach Cratchit the true meaning of money. Making the swirling journey through Christmases past, present, and yet-to-be all the more of a chaotic ride for Cratchit are the dozens of characters from other Dickens novels woven throughout the story, together for the first time. God bless them, most everyone.
Author Bio:
Robert J. Elisberg has been a commentator and contributor to such publications as the Huffington Post, Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Daily News, Los Angeles Magazine, C/NET and E! Online, and he served on the editorial board for the Writers Guild of America. He has contributed political writing to the anthology, Clued in on Politics, 3rd edition (CQ Press).
Among his other writing, Elisberg wrote the comic novella, A Christmas Carol 2: The Return of Scrooge, which reached #2 on Amazon’s Hot List for Humor/Parody. His most recent novel is the swashbuckling adventure, The Wild Roses. He co-wrote a book on world travel. Currently, he writes a tech column for the Writers Guild of America, west. He also co-wrote the song, “Just One of the Girls” for the Showtime movie Wharf Rat, and wrote the book for the stage musical Rapunzel!.
Born in Chicago, he attended Northwestern University and received his MFA from UCLA, where he was twice awarded the Lucille Ball Award for comedy screenwriting. Not long afterwards, Elisberg sold his screenplay, Harry Warren of the Mounties. He was on staff of the international animated series, Flute Master, and co-wrote three of the Skateboy films based on it. He also co-wrote the independent film, Yard Sale. Most recently, he wrote an adventure screenplay for Callahan Filmworks.
Perfectly Matched The Blue Willow Brides #3 By Maggie Brendan
Perfectly Matched is the third book in The Blue Willow Brides series. This book follows Anna Olsen as she marries a man whom she has met only in letters when he advertised for a mail-order bride. Leaving the comfort of what she has known behind Anna travels to Denver where she weds Edward Parker.
But can two such different people who don't really know one another truly ever become a harmonious couple? Anna's youthful caring heart is about disrupt Edward's orderly world in a way he never expected. Her exuberant spirit both attracts and distracts him. While his orderly structure annoys Anna especially when it is presented in a list of expected daily duties and chores the moment she enters her new home.
When Anna finds a need in Denver she decides this is the mission that has been given her. But Edward doesn't want any animals in his home much less the entire stray population that roams the city streets. Is there any hope of compromise and a happy understanding?
Perfectly Matched has Anna bringing the ASPCA to Denver as she attempts to be a champion for the abandoned and abused animals of Denver. Along the way she makes friends who help her with her endeavor and she learns the value of give-and-take in marriage.
I have to say what I liked best in Perfectly Matched were some of Anna's antics like playing peeping-tom on the neighbors and her first suggestion for the literary circle's reading selection. Though she's impetuous Anna has a caring heart, and I'm sure when she gets a little age and experience (after all she's 18) she'd be an outstanding person in everything she puts her mind to after giving it careful thought. Edward and Anna need each other to balance one another and to draw out what each lacks in themselves - thus they are Perfectly Matched.
I love the cover of this book with the Blue Willow design in the background and Anna's lacy blouse / dress is so lovely with the Battenberg lace. The cover alone would have convinced me to review this title, if I hadn't read Maggie Brendan's previous Blue Willow Brides title.
There was a little too much intimacy in the book to suit my personal reading preferences so I was a little disappointed in this book. Maybe there should have been a little pre-wedding story before the wedding. I really liked the previous two titles in this series so I was a little surprised with this book.
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
Available October 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
About the Book:
His life runs like clockwork. Hers is a spontaneous adventure.
But God's timing is always perfect.
Anna Olsen knows it's time to leave her sister's increasingly crowded house and start a life of her own. Following both sisters' examples, she becomes a mail-order bride, and after a short correspondence with clock maker and jeweler Edward Parker, she moves to Denver to become his wife.
Almost immediately it's painfully apparent that Anna and Edward are very different. Anna is a free spirit who would rather be painting and enjoying the company of friends than cleaning house. Edward is a consummate perfectionist who, on their wedding day, hands Anna a list of chores that need to be done around the house daily.
Can this mismatched couple see past their differences to a harmonious future? Or will their disparate passions create obstacles neither is willing to surmount?
Snowflakes Fall byPatricia Maclachlan Illustrations by Steven Kellogg Celebrating the uniqueness of each life Snowflakes Fall is a thoughtfully written book for children. Like each snowflake that falls no two lives are just the same. The seasons of life are seen in snowflakes. Where Spring brings rain, Winter brings snow. Life like the seasons progresses through times of trouble and sorrow and yet there are times of joy and happiness as well. Snowflakes Fall celebrates the joys of knowing life even if it is fleeting like a snowflake falling to the earth. Written in honor of those who lost their lives in the Sandy Hook/Newtown shooting I liked how the book has a trail of snow angels at the end. This book will appeal to children and parents alike and is highly recommended.
I was provided a digital loan of this title in exchange for my review.
Book Summary: In Snowflakes Fall, Newbery Medalist Patricia MacLachlan and award-winning artist Steven Kellogg portray life's natural cycle: its beauty, its joy, and its sorrow. Together, the words and pictures offer the promise of renewal that can be found in our lives-snowflakes fall, and return again as raindrops so that flowers can grow.
MacLachlan and Kellogg, who are longtime friends, were moved to collaborate on a message of hope for children and their families following the tragic events in Sandy Hook, Connecticut, on December 14, 2012. Kellogg lived in Sandy Hook for thirty-five years-he raised his family there and was an active member of the community. With Snowflakes Fall, they have created a truly inspiring picture book that is both a celebration of life and a tribute to the qualities that make each individual unique.
In honor of the community of Sandy Hook and Newtown, Random House, the publisher of Snowflakes Fall, has made a donation to the Sandy Hook School Support Fund. Random House is also donating 25,000 new books to the national literacy organization First Book in the community's honor and in support of children everywhere.
Today is the third and final day of the CSFF October Blog Tour and Martyr's Fire is the focus of this month's tour. Martyr's Fire is the third book in Sigmund Brouwer's Merlin's Immortals series.
Thomas's quest for answers and truth continues in this third installment in Merlin's Immortals series. As he finds himself even more alone than before - Thomas's makes tentative steps towards God. Could these be the first steps towards true faith in God? To be continued in book 4...
I was provided a copy of this book in conjunction with this CSFF blog tour.
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I am eagerly looking forward to book 4 ~ Blades of Valor scheduled to be released early 2014. Check-out the upcoming cover below and listen to the podcast of Sigmund Brouwer talking about Martyr's Fire.
Lion's Head Deception By Chuck Waldron Sometimes the truth needs to come out no matter what the cost and for Matt Tremaine the cost could be his life. CleanSweep an attempt by the powerful and the rich to clean up the streets of Lion's Head is in fact an agenda. An agenda to rid the world of those deemed less than perfect. But whom will decide what form perfection should follow? What Matt uncovers will destroy his life and the safety he has known in a way that he could never have imagined. He has become the face of Public Enemy #1 in an attempt to silence him. Meanwhile there are those who are attempting to help Matt and expose the truth to the world. But time is counting down and Matt must rely on those that he has befriended some of whom he has never met face-to-face. The Lion's Head Deception will keep you on the edge of suspense and keep you wondering when Matt and those helping him will have their luck run out and they will be yet another imperfection cleaned up by CleanSweep and those who hide in the shadows. This is a fascinating and intriguing book that will make you stop and think. How do our own prejudices color how we see the world we live in and react to those who are different than us? I was provided a copy of this title in conjunction with this Pump Up Your Book blog tour. About the Author:
Chuck Waldron’s latest novel, Lion's Head Deception, is a dystopian story about an investigative blogger who uncovers more than he ever imagines...and has no idea what to do with his discovery.
An investigative blogger uncovers a sinister conspiracy, a billionaire's plan backed by select government officials, designed to exterminate citizens who do not live up to a predetermined screening matrix; under the guise of rioting and a destabilized city, the plan is implemented and the blogger fights not only to discover and reveal the truth, but to survive.
"I grew up," Chuck said, "listening to my grandfather, an Ozark Mountain story teller, spinning tales of the caves on his farm, describing them as hiding places once used by the Jesse & Frank James' gang. It didn't matter if the stories were true or not. Those legends set fire to my imagination, creating images that emerged slowly over the years, finally igniting as my short stories and novels."
Now, thirty-plus short stories and three novels later, ideas keep coming, with more novels under development. Do they share anything in common? Each has its own unique voice and tale to tell, yet, at their heart, his stories tell about the human condition - the good, the bad and the ugly.
As Chuck tells it, "stored images that echo in my writing include train whistles in the night, Norman Rockwell childhood scenes, U.S. Army memories, blue collar jobs, university, a professional career, and finally retirement. Many of my images are drawn from this pool of memories: places visited, sights seen, and people met. The rest I fill in with my imagination: dreams of places yet to be visited, sights yet to be seen, and people yet to meet."
His literary roots were planted in the American Midwest and thrived when transplanted to the rich, cultural soil of Ontario. He and his wife, Suzanne, are now warmed by the sun on Florida’s Treasure Coast.
His latest book is Lion’s Head Deception.
Title: Lion's Head Deception
Author: Chuck Waldron
Publisher: Booklocker
Pages: 318
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1626463689
ISBN-13: 978-1626463684
Purchase at AMAZON
In the prologue, the backdrop for Lion’s Head Deception is set, amongst rioting and unrest in a destabilized city.
Matt Tremain is a shy, private person who discovers a passion for writing blogs—a mission that propels him into investigative reporting. A tipster warns him of a diabolical scheme Matt simply can’t ignore. After the tipster is killed, Matt honors his memory by going forward to investigate the truth behind the conspiracy. He meets a television reporter and a cameraman also investigating the intrigue. Are they potential partners or rivals? A detective offers his assistance, but Matt is unsure of his true motivation. He is equally unsure of the allegiance of those in the top administration of police services. Matt Tremain and his friends are forced to go on the run, evading the newly-formed security teams. They must expose the truth before they are discovered, arrested and perhaps exterminated themselves…
The reader is introduced to Matt Tremain when a test message warns him of impending arrest. The first part of the novel provides an understanding of how he learns about a conspiracy, and the person behind it. A television journalist is investigating the same treachery. Will they be able to join forces? The end of part one introduces a police detective. Will he be friend or foe?
Part two takes place at a private retreat. The antagonist, the scheme’s architect, unveils the complete details of his plan and gets the backing of his three co-conspirators. The location is the Bruce Peninsula in Ontario. It takes place at Lion’s Head and gives the novel the working name.
In an action-packed run to the finish line, will Matt and his partners be able to face the challenges it will take to expose the lies and treachery behind Operation CleanSweep?
First Chapter:
UNEXPECTED EVENTS
“This story just in to our Action 21 News desk . . . police have tentatively identified the person who apparently jumped to his death from the City View Condominium building last night. According to a detective on scene it was Matthew Tremain, popular investigative blogger. No further information is available, but a source did say that Tremain was undergoing treatment for depression.
The suicide count is now up to fifteen, according to reports. Ever since the rioting began and the new regulations have been implemented, it has been difficult to access official records. In other news, there is still no word on the whereabouts of Action 21 Television’s own reporter Susan Payne and her cameraman. Prior to her disappearance Payne was working on a background story regarding Operation CleanSweep and its connections to the rioting.”
He tried to ignore the Looky-loos, gathering faster than fleas eyeballing a dog’s back. Holding his badge up and crouching to step under the crime scene tape, he heaved a sigh. “Detective Carling,” the tone reflected his displeasure. “This had to happen at the end of my shift. There’s a paperwork hurricane heading this way, for sure.”
“It shouldn’t be too bad, suicide for sure. It’s been like this ever since the riots,” the officer holding up the tape replied. “Just this morning—”
Carling stopped him, not wanting to hear the rest. He sniffed the unpleasant, acrid smell, still lingering as reminders of the numerous fires during the week of rioting.
Hearing someone say, “That guy’s straight out of an old black and white movie with that hat,” Carling turned to glare in the direction of the comment and removed his fedora to wipe sweat from his forehead with his shirt sleeve. Stopping to talk briefly with another uniformed officer, he was pointed toward a woman who was trembling, coffee spilling over the rim of the take-out cup in her hand.
He put a hand on her shoulder and gently moved her away as the growing crowd leaned forward as one, trying to hear what was being said. Carling took a deep breath to conceal his irritation.
“I understand you saw the…uh…incident.”
She nodded with a look that could have been a yes or a no.
“Yes, it was an appalling thing to see,” she told him with a shiver.
He opened his notebook, ready to document the interview.
“I didn’t know bodies bounced,” she said and started to cry.
After finishing the interview he noticed a man holding a martini glass, empty except for a green olive nestled in the bottom. He called to a uniformed officer who lifted the tape and ushered the man over to be questioned.
“It’s quite unusual to see a man wearing a smoking jacket to a crime scene,” Carling’s tone implied his curiosity, hiding behind sarcasm. “What did you see?”
“I was sipping a perfectly chilled martini, about to say something to my wife, when I saw something falling past the window. It was most odd. I thought it was a man.” The witness looked down at the empty glass in his hand, as if realizing for the first time it was unfilled. “Like I said, it was most odd. I tell you it unnerved me to the point that my martini glass began shaking.”
Never stirred, Carling couldn’t help thinking.
“It was a man falling past the window, I was certain,” the witness continued. “I had just seen a man flapping his arms almost as if he could fly. When I told my wife she asked me if I was sure. She was quite correct with her question. We do live on the thirty-first floor, after all,” he said and then paused as if reliving the moment. “I thought it had to be my imagination until I saw people running towards our building,” the witness in the smoking jacket gestured toward his condominium.
“I do hope those dreadful riots aren’t starting up again,” the witness murmured as Carling watched him re-join the crowd standing in the smoky air, wrinkling his brow at the police barricades being erected in front of his condominium building. “Something like this just doesn’t’ happen here,” he said to a man next to him.
His fifteen seconds of fame, Carling decided.
“Look at that guy,” the detective heard again. “He has to be a cop with that hat,” an observation repeated to the amusement of the onlookers.
Ever since the rioting my city has had its back broken, it’s gone to hell in a hand basket, and all he can be concerned about is my hat?
***
Two weeks prior Matt had no way of knowing about that newscast in his future. It was almost a normal day, so far.
Matt Tremain didn’t consider himself to be brave, certainly not one of those superheroes having steely resolve in the face of danger. Being short and walking with a limp, he once said he wore a bull’s-eye target on his back when he was in middle school. Picked on and pushed around nearly every day, he finally took a stand to face down two of the largest bullies. He didn’t decide to stand up to them; it was more like he recognized he had no real alternative. He went at them like a pit bull, tenacious and unrelenting. When the fight was over, and the pain gradually subsided, his reputation was reshaped. Even though he lost, people openly admired his tenacity. It didn’t hurt to have a big brain, either.
Now, he would need both of those attributes again when his phone chirped.
Looking down at the text message, Matt felt like he had been hit with a sucker punch to his gut. Before his phone started to vibrate, it had been just a regular day. He later wondered how many people had a record of the exact time and date of such a turning point in their lives.
It was a Thursday morning, his least favorite day of the week, when he walked into Le Rôti Français, a trendy coffee house with a caffeinated menu filling an entire wall.
He tried to ignore the TV mounted high on the wall behind the service counter. Ever since the rioting, there was little news other than continual coverage of the destruction. Action 21 News was the only station back on the air, and they had been airing commercial-free, non-stop updates about the rioting. Many, like Matt, were beginning to feel anaesthetized by the repetitive stories and images.
Walking through the door, Matthew Tremain noticed a woman watching him walk with a slight limp. The limp was evident, but not pronounced. A speed bump in his DNA double helix caused one leg to be a bit shorter than the other. It was that way when he was born, and it was still that way 32 years later. He tried to pretend it didn’t bother him as he glanced over at the woman who wore a sympathetic look on her face. He knew he should be used to pity like that, but it still bothered him, a lot. He pushed his anger aside and walked to the counter.
Running late, and this morning, of all mornings! Fidgeting, he asked himself, why did I have to end up standing behind these two?
CleanSweep! The word came, uninvited, into his mind. When did I first learn about CleanSweep? Tanner’s email! Was it only a few weeks ago now?
He brushed the word, and his growing anxiety, to the side of his thoughts, overhearing the discussion in front of him.
“I'm going to have a latte,” the first young woman said, sounding hesitant.
“Are you sure?” her friend countered. “You were going to try a cappuccino,” she said. “If you aren’t going to have that, why not just get an ex-presso?”
It was all Matt could do not to shout, to tell them there was no ‘x’ in espresso.
CleanSweep! The word clawed at his memory again. He couldn’t get CleanSweep out of his head.
“I want to try something different,” the first woman insisted. “I just can't make up my mind,” she said, sounding pouty. Finally, after what seemed an interminable wait, she said she was ready and pointed in a vague way, “What does a masha…mashia...”
“Machiatto,” the clerk –
Matt had been enjoying the clerk’s annoyance when his phone started to vibrate, his ringtone for an incoming text message followed. Struggling to get it out of his jean’s pocket, he flipped it open to look at the screen, his life-defining moment, time stamped at 9:56 a.m.
It was the warning he’d been hoping he would never get it. Now, as he was reading it, an emotional trap door opened under his feet.
His shock immobilized him as he gripped the phone, his breath and heart rate fast-tracking. Anyone looking would have noticed his eyes widen a bit, a silent primal scream starting from somewhere deep inside as he stared at the screen, not wanting to believe.
ST2MORO@7. GY6. 7FF. 14AA41.
He translated the text-speak in his mind:
ST2MORO@7: same time tomorrow, at seven.
GY6: I’ve got your six.
7FF: seven friends forever.
14AA41: one for all and all for one.
The real message, however, was a hidden numerical code within the code. Three critical numbers were those following the number two. He scanned the message. The first critical number was 7, the next a 6, and the third another 7, SOS on a standard telephone keypad. It meant he was in grave danger; he was being warned.
How long do I have?
The simple code was never intended to be unbreakable, simply enough to frustrate anyone trying to poke around and sniff through e-mail, texts, and chats.
Will it be enough now? Does this give me time to escape?
A voice in his head urged him to run, although running was the worst thing he could do right now. Instead, he walked to the door of the coffee shop without ordering, his thumb clicking two letters in response, CX for “cancelled and going offline.” He pressed the enter key, letting his team know he understood the significance of the danger he was in. They knew he would contact them when it was safe.
Will I ever be safe again? He couldn’t help wondering.
His CX message also triggered a program on his primary computer, and he knew it was already at work eliminating all history of any documents, contacts and communications, along with all traces of his back-up system. His hand went up to his chest, an instinct to make sure he could feel the four media cards hanging on a lanyard under his shirt. Everything was on those media cards.
On the sidewalk he looked around to make sure no one was watching as he pried open the back of the phone, removing the battery and tossing it into a trash receptacle. He used a finger to pry out the SIM card, kneeling to drop it through the slots of a drainage grill. Cyberia warned him his movements could be tracked by the SIM card, even if the phone wasn’t being used.
Is someone watching now? How would I know? He should have been thinking about that before now. He had to be more careful. Looking around again to see if anyone was looking, he let the phone drop, stepping on it hard until the plastic case shattered. Then he kicked the shards off the curb and into the street. He winced at a ticklish sensation—sweat droplets forming on his cheeks, tracing their slow path to his chin. As he walked to the subway entrance, it took all of his self-control not to run. Cyberia had warned him there would be teams of watchers, looking for exactly that type of panic. “Don’t let them see you sweat,” he had said. What Matt knew about the tradecraft of spies and undercover techniques was limited to what he read in books and watched in movies. This wasn’t make-believe though, not a game to be played at.
Will my clumsy effort at tradecraft be enough? Will it keep me alive? Oh, man. I’ve been looking over my shoulder like this ever since CleanSweep put a price on my head.
He did his best to imitate an oyster closing its shell for protection. He wanted to conceal his fear as shoppers and commuters rushed past him like the current in a river flowing around a rock.
“Morning, Buddy.”
Matt’s head snapped up.
“Filthy weather, isn’t it?” A man in a soiled army surplus jacket was standing next to a newspaper kiosk, clapping his gloved hands, his breath steaming. “Especially with all this smoke,” he said as he started coughing, a cough that soon turned to spasms, causing him to pull out a stained handkerchief to press to his lips.
“Morning…,” Matt managed to mutter, forcing himself ignore the man’s dirty rag and turned instead to examine several of the newspapers on display. He started to complain to the news vender, to ask him why he allowed a homeless man to hang around like that. He choked off the words, chiding himself for his lack of compassion. It has to be all this…the stress.
Instead, he tried to look like a man unable to decide on which newspaper to buy.
More importantly, he used the opportunity to look past the display racks, on the alert for anything out of the ordinary—a head turning away too quickly, or someone abruptly stepping back into shadows to avoid detection.
He was sure he read about doing something like that in a spy novel—how to spot if you were being tailed.
He reached for a newspaper, choosing one at random. Starting to sort through coins, he noticed a man across the street. Is he looking directly at me? Yes, straight at me. Matt froze, seeing the man holding his right sleeve up to his mouth.
Oh no, he’s whispering into a microphone!
Matt watched the man cough into the elbow of his coat sleeve, then turn and wave to a passing taxi. Matt let out a long, slow breath. It was nothing. As he exhaled, he did his best to maintain a puzzled look, to appear like he was curious—like a man with no purpose in mind—as he turned around to use a store display window as a mirror. He didn’t see anything suspicious and started walking again.
If I can only get to the subway, blend in at rush hour.
He saw the sign for the subway entrance and pulled his collar up against the falling temperatures. He shivered, knowing it was as much fear as weather, as he felt the first droplets of cold rain splattering against his face.
That’s when he saw them. A sharp pang of fear gripped him, like a lion raking claws across his chest. Two large men were walking towards him. This time, he knew the danger was real. They wore their suits like detectives, each man with dark circles under his eyes, badges of sleeplessness and too much coffee. They were poster boys for the guys he knew were coming for him. It took every ounce of his self-control to look calm. He wanted to run.
It’s hopeless. He was cornered. Oddly, he felt relieved, watching as they drew near. The taller one, the one on the left, pulled his hand out of his coat pocket. He was holding something in his hand, and he began swinging his arm up in a menacing arc. They flashed counterfeit smiles, recognition in their eyes. He flinched; they almost knocked him to the ground as they shouldered by, then he turned to see them shake hands with someone walking to meet them.
“We have a reservation,” he heard one of them say in a voice that hinted at annoyance, “I was just going to call you on my cell.”
Matt left the rest of their words trailing behind, a sensation of intense relief spread over his face as a short, wizened woman carrying a shopping bag gave him a puzzled look.
He pulled his jacket tight as icy pellets started to prick at his face.
Am I shaking from the cold or that near miss? He wanted to laugh at himself. Panic and paranoia were taking over and making him feel and look irrational.
Shaking off his emotions, he began to move. Daggers of ice pellets assaulted him as he fast-walked to the subway entrance. He fished a token from his jeans and pushed through the turnstile. Directional arrows pointed the way to the train platforms where he was greeted by an eclectic perfume of steamy clothes, garlic, and closely packed commuters. Standing on the platform, he felt a gush of wind signal the approaching train, pushing compressed air into the station. The grinding sound of its wheels sang a harsh song of metal on metal, like the gnashing of a giant’s teeth. He waited for it to come to a stop, standing to one side to let passengers disembark. A young woman with a backpack was the last exiting passenger. He darted through the open door and lunged for an empty seat. He waited for the doors to whoosh shut, and silently urged the train to move. When it did, he welcomed the familiar rocking motion, even the scream of the wheels making their ear-piercing racket as the train lurched around another curve.
He started to relax. I’m going to make it.
He looked up at the electronic advertising panels, flat-screen images scrolling around the car. It was a continuous looping picture along with a warning to call 711, the new hotline established for Operation CleanSweep. It was a video showing his own face, staring back at him from the electronic panels ringing the subway car, flashing hi-definition video displays of a wanted man.
Why didn’t Cyberia disable –?
Suddenly, the video images scrambled to snowy static, visual white noise, and went blank. Holding the back of a seat, he pulled himself up as the subway train braked to a stop and the doors began to open.
Today is the second day of the CSFF October Blog Tour and Martyr's Fire is the focus of this month's tour. Martyr's Fire is the third book in Sigmund Brouwer's Merlin's Immortals series. Martyr's Fire Merlin's Immortals Book #3 By Sigmund Brouwer
A secret hides within Magnus and someone is determined to have it. But the knowledge and skills that Thomas has at his disposal has made it a daunting task to challenge his authority and throne.
But when priests of the Holy Grail come to Magnus and other surrounding villages spreading their doctrine Thomas is stymied. He cannot go against those of the cloth that the people have embraced with open arms because of a few tricks that appear miraculous. For if he takes on the these priests the people will surely turn on the person who freed them from years of tyranny.
With those he has most trusted captured, tortured or dead Thomas is again on his own though he has one companion at his side - the puppy that he rescued. With danger lurking in every doorway and betrayal just a promised coin away Thomas has never felt more alone.
Thomas has become the ultimate pawn in the battle between light and darkness, the Immortals and the Druids, and even between Katherine and Isabella. The fate of England now rests on the choices he is about to make.
In conjunction with the CSFF Blog Tour, I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
About Martyr's Fire:
Will this dangerous quest lead the outcast Orphan King toward an ancient secret—or to certain destruction?
Posing as a beggar, Thomas escapes Magnus after fifteen men, who are calling themselves the Priests of the Holy Grail, arrive and take control of the castle through wondrous acts and apparent miracles. With the help of his longtime friend Gervaise, Thomas sets out a journey that leads him to the ancient Holy Land. Unaware that Katherine and Hawkwood are watching over him, Thomas is tested in his beliefs and comes face to face with the ancient power that the Merlins and Druids have long been searching for.
To download Chapter One click here and enjoy a Sneak Peek courtesy of WaterBrook Multnomah.
Be check back tomorrow for more about Merlin's Immortals and Martyr's Fire.
Today is the first day of the CSFF October Blog Tour and Martyr's Fire is the focus of this month's tour. Martyr's Fire is the third book in Sigmund Brouwer's Merlin's Immortals series.
For my first offering I'm going to recap the series up to this point so that those who haven't yet read these books will have an inkling of what has taken place.
The Orphan King - Thomas has been raised in secrecy, hidden from the world outside the walls of Harland Moor Abbey. His true identity has been hidden to protect him from those who had killed his family when their kingdom was taken. Thomas has been raised in secrecy, hidden from the world outside the walls of Harland Moor Abbey. His true identity has been hidden to protect him from those who had killed his family when their kingdom was taken. Much that Thomas should should have been taught about his past was lost when the woman who acted as his nurse died before she could impart most of her knowledge. One clue that Sarah gave him was that she had hoped to see "him grow into a man and to become one of the Immortals and to help them destroy the circle of evil." Along the way Thomas learns important lessons in trust and in whom to place it which proved invaluable once he and his army of three were trapped within the walls of Magnus. All too soon Thomas and William find themselves locked away in the dungeon with another prisoner who has been locked away for ten years.
How is Thomas to fulfill his destiny when he is beneath the very island castle he is determined to free? Can he bring hope to the helpless and the downtrodden who are trapped within the castle as much as he is? Does the phrase "Delivered on the wings of an angel, he shall free us from oppression" hold the answers he seeks?
Fortress of Mist- Thomas of Magnus has reclaimed his kingdom, but he feels isolated and lonely. Sarah is dead, William has left, and Katherine has disappeared.
But when Isabelle comes to him during the night, he is confused because he saw her die after being clubbed by Geoffrey. But Isabelle refuses to answer Thomas's questions until he pledges his allegiance to the symbol. But Thomas is unwilling to blindly pledge his allegiance to the unknown or to give up what has been left to his care.
All too soon the Earl of York comes to Magnus and Thomas is again tested. Thomas agrees to ally himself with the Earl in battle against the Scots. But treachery follows Thomas as secret forces of opposition try to sway him to their side. But all Thomas knows is that those of the symbol are after his knowledge - the books left to his care that are hidden away from Magnus.
Following Thomas's suggestions the forces under the Earl prevail against the larger Scot army. But treachery awaits Thomas' return as the Druids try to force his hand or bring about his death at the hands of the Earl of York. Following the instructions of a message Thomas is able to persuade his accusers of his innocence.
But who can Thomas trust as those around him try to manipulate him in an elaborate game of chess in which he is the pawn? With no one willing to answer his questions Thomas must rely on the teachings he received as a child from Sarah. Can no one fill the need in Thomas's life?
Be check back tomorrow for more about Merlin's Immortals and Martyr's Fire.
Imagine that Charles Dickens had written a follow-up to his ever popular A Christmas Carol? Well, imagine no longer - Robert J. Elisberg claims to have found just such a manuscript lost for years to the publishing world, but no longer. 
