Mathew Bridle profile

Conan the Cimmerian: he rose from boy-thief and mercenary to become kingof Aquilonia. Neither supernatural fiends nor demonic sorcery could oppose the barbarian warrior as he wielded his mighty sword and dispatched his enemies to a bloody doom on the battlefields of the legendary Hyborian Age. Collected together for the first time anywhere in the world, in chronological order, are all Robert E. Howard's definitive stories of Conan, exactly as he wrote them, as fresh, atmospheric and vibrant today as when they were first published in the pulp magazines more than sixty years ago.

"There is never a dull moment or wasted moment. Never so much as a modicum of tedium. The writing is fluid, exciting and simple. Robert E. Howard has a style that writes itself, a quality that stands, like his creation, a head and shoulders above the rest. There are times when you feel the bones crunch, the sword sing through the air, the flesh rend under steel. I could go on and on, this is a book like no other. If you love the swords and sandals, style of fantasy then you simply must read this. This is the birthplace of many a hero. Many have tried to write Conan stories but none can hold their own against the might of Robert E. Howard." Fantasy Book Review

Ever had a secret so big that the very knowledge of it consumed you? Uma Jakobsdóttir has one. A huge one. And if it falls into the wrong hands it could obliterate mankind.

Unfortunately two men have discovered it.

Ethan Rae, Britain’s richest man, is counting on Uma’s secret to finally seal his position as the greatest deal maker of all time.

Across the Atlantic, Samuel Reynolds III, playboy CEO of Reynolds Air, is battling to keep the airline his granddaddy built alive. Once the largest company in America, it’s now facing bankruptcy as the fallout of 911 cripples the airline industry. He desperately needs Uma’s secret to ensure its survival.

From the leafy suburbs of London to the frozen wastelands of Iceland, in the shadow of Ground Zero and under the barren dryness of the Mojave Desert, both men will stop at nothing to get what they want.

There can only be one winner and the fate of the human race hangs in the balance as they battle it out.

The race is on…

"Now here is an unusual book. The author, Mr Heaton, has clearly spent many a long day researching all things Icelandic, American airline history and a great deal of quantum physics relating to the plausibility of teleportation. Then he has taken said research and built a novel around it without killing the story at all. Congratulations are in order (raises hat in salute)." Fantasy Book Review

So in summing up: if you like zombie stories with a bit of Voodoo culture thrown in then this a fun way to while away a couple of hours. If however you are looking for a war-time zombie-blood-fest you had best look elsewhere. One last though – I do wish that I had the full print version as it would add so much more to finished product. Some things will never be as good electronically and this is one of them.

When all is said and done this a very enjoyable fantasy if not a bit gruesome in places. A very commendable first novel that is getting a sequel: Enchantersmith, which I shall be reading when it comes out. Complicated it is, confusing at times but in the end worth the effort.

Embroiled with twists turns and betrayals the story is well woven and interspersed with plenty of action and a smattering of strong language, which I must say, is never misused. Jonathan Webb has clearly put a great deal of effort into his novel which I would rate as a superb first effort, more than that, it is in fact highly commendable and re-readable.

At all times when reading this story (dialogue) pay attention to the details in the artwork: the tattered shadows, reflections in the blood, and where the eyes are looking. Originally this novel was published in six parts, the cover art for which is included in the book. As a series it would have been near the front of the queue waiting for each issue, as it is I’ll have to go and get the next part.

Graphic descriptions are abound, this is after all a horror story so blood and sinews abound: teeth, claws and fangs all tearing into soft flesh, what more could a young adult reader ask for? If I were to pick a favourite part it would be Steve Feasey’s revelation of what a gym really looks like beneath the facade of the whitewash and sweat. If you want to know what that is all about you will have to buy the book and find out, money well spent in my opinion.

Timothy Zahn is one of those writers that could be given any existing science fiction story and take it to places that the original creator could not have imagined. Like he did with Star Wars (Dark Force Rising) Zahn jumps straight in and drags you by the collar into the thick of the action. And for the next 310 pages he does not let up or let go. Whilst keeping track of the ongoing development of the young Kyle Reese, Zahn takes us on a mission back to the desert. To the laboratory where Marcus, the terminator from the recent movie, was made: a mission that wiped out many of John Connor’s resistance fighters.