Book picks similar to
The Virgin and the Fool by Douglas Boyd
fiction
bedroom
russia
thriller
Dead and Alive
Hammond Innes - 1946
Then came the letter that turned his trading plans upside-down. "Find out what has happened to Monique, please, " and the faded image with it seemed to leave him no alternative. The letter took him to the Camorra, to pay the bloody ransom for a life.
The Haunting of Creeping Fog Manor
Cat Knight - 2020
Her instinct told her not to. It would have been better for her if she had listened.
Dee didn’t know the history of the manor house, except that it was a steal a for house flipper and she really would be foolish to pass it up. Sure a few things were on the blink, but that was to be expected. The strange noises she put it down to ‘old houses’ and the cold spots, probably just normal –but when the house comes alive with paranormal activity Dee knows she is in trouble. As the stakes ramp up blood is drawn and the life of Dee and her friend hang in the balance. Can Dee find the answers to Creeping Fog Manor and put the old house to rest or will the Manor claim its next victim?If you read stories in the occult, occultism, horror, supernatural and paranormal genres then add these to your reading list.
Flashman and the Knights of the Sky (Flashback Book 1)
Paul Moore - 2013
Harry Flashman, grandson of the famous Victorian General is about to leave Rugby under a cloud. A chip off the old block, one might say. Perhaps more than he realised. Forced to join the army, up to no good at Sandhurst and sent to India. 1914. India. Bored with garrison life, an unwise gamble leads to a flight in one of these new aeroplanes. As a result, and surprisingly smitten by aviation, Flashman returns to England via Sarajevo, intending to learn to fly. Meanwhile, Europe is convulsed. Displaying all his charming family traits, he is caught up in the start of the Great War, shanghaied along the way by the head of the fledgling Secret Service. Fighting for his life over the western front in a box of string and dope, sent beyond the lines on reckless missions for C, terrified out of his wits, dashing for cover, deflowering the local maidens, lying, stealing and generally behaving badly, Flashman gives his honest account of his life as an RFC pilot and sometime secret agent. From the birth of aerial fighting, to the first day on the Somme, from dropping bombs on the enemy, to duelling in the skies with Immelmann, from the nocturnal secrets of enemy spies, to murder on the streets of St Omer, Flashman lives up to his family name, emerging quivering but alive and reputation intact from the maelstrom of total war in Europe.
Castaway in the Caribbean
Janice Horton - 2015
I loved the settings, they really did come alive for me. The waterfall and the cave scenes took my breath away.” Jera’s Jamboree Book Blog “If you want a fun adventure that is fast paced and mentions Treasure Island then this is for you.” Comet Babe’s Books “A very entertaining and fun read. Another great addition to the world of fiction by Janice Horton.” The Book Maven. “A lively romantic adventure, a nice and easy read that I found hugely entertaining, and enjoyable.” Books4U Castaway in the Caribbean Vacationing on the beautiful Caribbean island of Antigua, Janey Sinclair is persuaded by her magazine editor boss to do a quick island hop in order to supervise an impromptu photo-shoot for the front cover. With no flights immediately available, Janey is directed to the harbour. Captain Travis Mathews hates tourists, although he’s not above making a bit of money off a prissy and sharp tongued young British girl when she’s desperate to get to the neighbouring island of Tortola. After striking a deal, they set off together in Travis’s weather-beaten old boat. When the vessel comes to a sudden full stop in the sea, the mismatched pair end up as castaways on an uninhabited island. In this fast moving romantic adventure about a vacation that turns into a tropical nightmare there’s more fun than you’ll find in any travel brochure. A message from the author: I was incredibly fortunate to spend most of last summer in the Caribbean, writing and researching this novel. I found it challenging only in the respect of being continually distracted from the manuscript by the tropical sunshine, the white sand beaches, the warm aquamarine sea, rum cocktails, and the fabulous social scene on offer. Many of these distractions are well documented on my website, blog and Facebook page, if you are interested in reading the details and seeing the photos! Janice xx
The White Eyed Ghost's Promise (Book 1): Herobrine Lives (An Unofficial Minecraft Book for Kids Ages 9 - 12 (Preteen)
Mark Mulle - 2015
While scrolling through YouTube, passed all the adorable cat videos and fail compilation videos, he came across the sub-genre of “Let’s Play” videos. He immediately fell in love with a YouTuber who began a play through of the game Minecraft. So when James found out he had won a unique character skin by being the 30 Millionth Minecraft user to buy a copy of the game, he couldn’t wait to sit down and begin his second life building and living in a world made up entirely of his own imagination. Everything seemed normal enough until he logged in for the first time and noticed that his personal gameplay would be much more sinister than he had watched online. Through some error James was awarded the character skin of Herobrine. Thought to be an urban legend created to scare away younger players, he appeared in James’ world and began to torment him in, and out of, the game.
After making James promise to never play the game again, Herobrine seemed to move on and left him alone. However, James had spent so long watching the videos that he couldn’t stand to just be an outside observer anymore, he had finally gotten a taste for the game and needed to play more for himself. So, breaking the promise he made to Herobrine, James reentered the world, unknowingly risking the lives of all the other characters on his server. After banding together with the other players to hold back Herobrine’s initial attack and save their server, James formed an unlikely bond with the villagers of Gilesh. But even though they were able to thwart one attack, how would they fend against another? Will James be able to save himself and his new friends, or will he become just another one of the many forgotten characters that will fall in the wake of Herobrine’s reign of terror.
This unofficial Minecraft book is not authorized, endorsed or sponsored by Microsoft Corp., Mojang AB, Notch Development AB or any other person or entity owning or controlling the rights of the Minecraft name, trademark or copyrights. All characters, names, places and other aspects of the game described herein are trademarked and owned by their respective owners. Minecraft®/ /TM & ©2009-2016 Mojang/Notch.
The Pilot Class
Harrison Jones - 2015
When Tri Con hires eight new pilots and assigns them to a pilot class, they find the ground school and flight simulator challenge more than expected. The class is a mix of former military pilots and civilians with varying experience, including a former female flight attendant. Who can survive The Pilot Class and meet the challenge of flying the line as a Tri Con first officer. Personal relationships, a married flight attendant with an abusive husband, a major airline accident, and the federal government are all obstacles that stand in the way of The Pilot Class.
The Fixer
C. Wayne Winkle - 2020
But when Wiley Kingston stole his appaloosa, shot his old dog, and tried to kill him, he soon found he didn’t have a choice. After he killed Wiley, his father Ben sent men to kill Frank. They cornered him in the mountains; too bad for them.
One Last Day
Dustin Stevens - 2017
One of those soldiers was my son, who never made it back. Now, I'm here to ask you, was it worth it? The gathering was supposed to have been a perfunctory media exercise on retiring Senator Jackson Ridge's last day in office. When a grieving mother slips in and poses that simple question though, everything - from Ridge's own legacy to American interests in Afghanistan - all get called into question. Racing against a ticking clock and powerful figures that would prefer to keep things happening across the globe a secret, Ridge must call on every last favor he has accumulated over the course of his time in office in search of answers. Answers that ultimately have him looking at more than just the life of a fallen soldier when trying to decide if, in fact, it was all worth it... From bestselling author Dustin Stevens comes a new standalone work, a gripping political thriller with equal parts suspense and mystery!
Truman's War: Vol. Two: The World in Flames Trilogy
Jack Strain - 2015
Stalin’s War told the story of the build up to war, and now Truman’s War tells the story of two superpowers at war in the devastated landscape of post-war Germany that soon spreads across the globe. The drama opens with a massive series of attacks across a four hundred mile front as Marshal Zhukov’s powerful Red Army launches Operation Stalin’s Revenge against the ill-prepared Allied armies. The American and British armies having never faced such a powerful foe are sent reeling back from the opening attacks as entire units are soon overwhelmed by the advancing Soviet forces. The relatively untried American President is forced to grapple with the realization that the United States is threatened with its most deadly enemy in its history and a choice must be made…fight or retreat across the Atlantic in disgrace. Will President Truman rise to the occasion or instead falter and fail to live up to the exalted legacy of his predecessor. Massive battles in the air, land, and sea break out as Allied forces strike back but at an appalling cost. Massive pitched battles from Hamburg to Pilsen try to stem the Soviet onslaught, but victorious Soviet tanks push hard for the Rhine to secure a swift victory ever mindful they are up against the clock trying to win before American atomic arms can be brought to bear. Heroes emerge while others fall in disgrace unable to stand up to a new type of war, a total war unlike any the Allied armies ever thought possible. Truman’s War tells the story through the lives and actions of numerous historical figures from Truman, Churchill, Eisenhower, Patton, Montgomery, Bradley and countless others while also focusing on the great Soviets figures of the era, Stalin, Zhukov, Khrushchev, Rokossovsky, Chuikov, and others. Plus, numerous lesser known historical figures play their parts and fictional characters are also introduced to play important roles in the drama that plays out page-by-page until we reach the stunning conclusion setting up the third and final volume of the World in Flames trilogy.
The Peace Warrior Trilogy - Omnibus
Steven L. Hawk - 2013
************************************************************* Book #1: Peace Warrior It’s the mid-21st century when Sergeant First Class Grant Justice is killed during an ambush on an enemy tank column. Six hundred years later, his body is retrieved from the frozen, arctic lake where he perished. Re-animated by a team of scientists, Grant awakens to a civilization that has abolished war. A civilization that has outlawed violence and cherishes Peace above all else. A civilization that has been enslaved by an alien race called the Minith. Grant is humankind’s final hope against the alien menace. He must be the… Peace Warrior. ************************************************************* Book #2: Peace Army It’s been six years since Grant Justice was brought back to life to help the Peaceful citizens of Earth defeat the Minith. Life should be good. The Minith are gone. Grant now has a loving wife and a remarkable son. He is a hero to the society that once shunned him. But Grant hasn’t been taking life easy. He’s been recruiting fighters away from Peace. He’s been cobbling together an army from the dregs of society and training them to fight. Which is a good thing, because another alien Mothership is heading their way. It will reach Earth in less than a week. Grant and his small army have been preparing for this day. They must be the… Peace Army. ************************************************************* Book #3: Peace World Reanimated after six hundred years, Grant Justice has become the leader of Earth's new army. Unwilling to sit back and wait for the next attack, Grant decides to take the fight to the enemy. He and a mothership full of his best fighters are headed toward Waa, the aliens' new home world. Unknown to Grant, a fleet of alien motherships is headed toward Earth—intent on punishing the planet for destroying Minith. Who will win the battle for supremacy—the alien slavers with a thirst for war, or the humans struggling to survive and save their way of life? Who will finally rule the… Peace World. ************************************************************* REVIEWS FOR THE PEACE WARRIOR TRILOGY "I'll get right to the point: Peace Warrior is a flawlessly-written science fiction adventure with sympathetic characters and a fast-paced plot. Though billed as military science fiction, Peace Warrior cuts across genres and subgenres by incorporating cultural issues of nature and nurture, war and peace. Complex heroes like Grant Justice and complex issues like these hit the page with the force of an alien mothership biting the dust. " Isabella Morales, The Scattering Blog "Steven Hawk has written a sci-fi masterpiece. Each of the three books is a great story in and of itself. Together they achieve greatness. Hawk writes with the straight-forward, action-driven style of Asimov, and at the same time brings an inventive, provocative point of view like Orson Scott Card. If you like great science fiction with compelling characters, you'll be glad you connected with this trilogy. You will get a real kick out of the hero and ancient warrior Grant Justice, and your perspective on the concept of "peace" will be stretched.
Tepui: The Last Expedition
John Oehler - 2015
Tepui is an "intelligent, cutting edge" tale of adventure, intrigue, and forbidden love.In 1559, forty-nine Spaniards exploring a tributary of the Orinoco River reached a sheer-sided, cloud-capped mountain called Tepui Zupay. When they tried to climb it, all but six were slaughtered by Amazons. Or so claimed Friar Sylvestre, the expedition's chronicler. But Sylvestre made many bizarre claims: rivers of blood, plants that lead to gold ...Jerry Pace, a burn-scarred botanist struggling for tenure at UCLA, thinks the friar was delusional. Jerry's best friend, the historian who just acquired Sylvestre's journal, disagrees. He plans to retrace the expedition's footsteps, and wants Jerry to come with him. Jerry refuses, until he spots a stain between the journal's pages--a stain that could only have been left by a plant that died out with the dinosaurs. Now he has to find that plant.But the Venezuelan wilderness does not forgive intruders. Battered and broken, they reach a remote Catholic orphanage where the old prioress warns of death awaiting any who would venture farther. But an exotic Indian girl leads them on, through piranha-infested rivers and jungles teaming with poisonous plants, to Tepui Zupay--the forbidden mountain no outsider has set eyes on since the Spaniards met their doom.This is a story about life's surprises--the challenges, risks--and how they transform us. It is also a tale of Beauty and the Beast.