Saturday, October 12, 2013

Lucifer’s Orphan by Roland Yeomans


Ah… October… Finally, the month to indulge in all things creepy. Deliciously creepy… The dark arrives early and seems more reluctant to depart, dead leaves rustle… or is it more than leaves? And what is the white vapour floating above the grass, at the edge of the woods? Morning fog or a breath of something from beyond?...

Yes! I love it!!! Can you tell? :-)

Well, this is a good time to head over to Writing in the Crosshairs, Roland Yeomans’s blog, who is holding his first blog fest this month, in celebration of Halloween and of his serial novel “Lucifer’s Orphan.”


I don’t even remember what I was searching for on the web when I discovered Roland’s blog. Once there, I saw the cover of “The Legend of Victor Standish” and I fell in love with the amazing art of Leonora Roy. The cover alone tells a fantastic story. As do the covers of all of Roland’s novels. (I really wish they were available in paperback too…) Then, I read the outrageous blurb of the book, read the first few pages of it, and was totally hooked… But, Victor Standish is for another post…

 
Now, I have just finished reading “Lucifer’s Orphan.” Let me tell you a little about it…



This is the story of an orphan who has known no solace in his short, sad life except for the Book that has once belonged to the mother he has never known and the hope in The Father watching over him. When he is adopted by a rich stranger and shipped to New Zealand, it appears that things get a turn for the worse, if that’s even possible, or are they?...

The narrator is Blake himself, the 13 year-old orphan. He is an old young soul with a distinct voice, a mixture of perpetual self-irony, compassion, and the encyclopaedic erudition of someone who’s had mostly books as friends (although his adverbs are mysteriously absent…) I found him instantly likable, felt for him for his tragic past, and rooted for him as he gradually discovered friendship, meaning, truth, and more challenges than one could imagine…

In a way, the monsters in the story are too farfetched to be truly scary on the immediate level, but they are indeed very frightening on a deeper level, the one we glimpse when we are forced to search inside our souls. For this is, I find, much more than a simple adventure/fantasy.

The prose is effervescent and with a care for detail that brings surprises literally on every page. The author’s choice of names, for instance, is particularly intriguing, from Assyrian to Lovecraftian references and beyond. In short, a delight to read. Also, and very importantly, not just once I found myself laughing aloud while reading. But perhaps humour is one of the best ways to diffuse darkness. And there is a lot of darkness in Blake’s life…

I highly recommend this volume and I’m very much looking forward to reading the next one.

Yes, so why not visit Writing in the Crosshairs and have a look for yourselves? Be a part of the Halloween blog fest

16 comments:

Magyar said...

Oooooo!
__Now I find it necessary to follow through on your referral.

candled face
glides through this nightly web
poltergeist dances

__Thanks! _m

Charles Gramlich said...

Sounds pretty interesting in time for Halloween.

Brian Miller said...

nice...i am intrigued....and always looking for a good read....heading over now to take a peek...

BernardL said...

Very detailed review, I'm sure the author will be appreciative of. Striking cover art.

Roland D. Yeomans said...

Bernard Lee is correct: I am truly appreciative and humbled by your detailed review. I drove over 500 miles on my rare blood runs yesterday (I am a rare blood courier) and I am only now reading your fine (I am biased I know) review of my book!

I am facing another grueling day, so this review has put spring back into my steps. Alice blows you a kiss (and it is always a good thing to be on the good side of a ghoul!)

Vesper said...

Magyar, I hope you like it! Thank you for the haiku - so spooky... so fitting for this time of the year... :-)

Charles, you're right! :-)

Brian, thanks for taking a peek... :-) I think you prefer paper books over electronic books, if I remember well from one of your comments elsewhere. It's still the same for me, though lately I'm more and more drawn to my Kindle.

Bernard, you can tell how enthusiastic I was (still am) about this book. :-) The covers are fantastic!

Roland, it's the least I could do. It's been quite a while since I enjoyed a book so much and I had to share my thoughts. :-)
I hope you had an easier day... Many thanks to Alice! I'm glad I'm on her good side. ;-)

Roland D. Yeomans said...

Vesper, did you get the free audiobook of THE LEGEND OF VICTOR STANDISH that I emailed you? Or at least the free code?

Vesper said...

Roland, thanks! I've just read my e-mail... :-)

TALON said...

I will definitely be checking out Roland's blog, Vesper. Thank you for the recommendation and for the Thanksgiving wishes. :)

Optimistic Existentialist said...

I must say this sounds rather intriguing.

laughingwolf said...

have been too busy to read roland's delightful prose, for some time, but your review reminds me i must get back to enjoying his work... thx v

Roland D. Yeomans said...

Laughing Wolf, I've sent you a gift in your emails. Happy Halloween. Vesper, I hope all is well for you post-Thanksgiving. :-)

Vesper said...

Talon, thanks! Roland has a great blog and even better novels! :-)

Keith, it does, doesn't it? :-)

LW, good, you've already read Roland's work! I'm glad I gave you a nudge... :-)

Roland, thank you! Happy Halloween to you too! I didn't eat too much if that's what you're worried about... :-) :-) :-) (And no turkey is ever harmed on my behalf...)
I'm glad you stopped by... :-)

Roland D. Yeomans said...

I read your Mardi Gras story just now: evocative, magical, suspense, yet yearning. You held your readers into the moments with your use of color, scents, smells, and the magic of love. :-)

Vesper said...

Roland, I'm at a loss of words to tell you how glad I am that you liked my story. Thank you for reading it and for leaving such incredibly nice comments here and over there... :-)

Unknown said...

Guess I got confused and misunderstood this blogfest...Thought is was for today the 31st and for a post about our scariest reads. Good luck to Roland in everything he does!His new series sounds amazing. Happy Hallween.