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Strangeworld
To the residents of a remote Cornish village their medieval archway is nothing more than a quaint monument. But when a mysterious creature begins slaughtering people, 18 year old Jake discovers something bizarre: the archway hides a secret doorway.
But what’s on the other side?
Village madman Radford Goon seems to know. And soon Jake realises that Goon is searching for a great power in the world beyond the door: an evil from the dawn of time known as the Charon. A power that can annihilate entire worlds.
Before Jake knows what is happening he and his stepsister Emily are swept up in the conflict of a fantastic world. But time is ticking. They have five days to shut the doorway.
And if they fail... their own world is doomed.
The end of all things has begun...
But what’s on the other side?
Village madman Radford Goon seems to know. And soon Jake realises that Goon is searching for a great power in the world beyond the door: an evil from the dawn of time known as the Charon. A power that can annihilate entire worlds.
Before Jake knows what is happening he and his stepsister Emily are swept up in the conflict of a fantastic world. But time is ticking. They have five days to shut the doorway.
And if they fail... their own world is doomed.
The end of all things has begun...
- GenresFantasy
780 pages, Paperback
First published September 27, 2012
11 people are currently reading
278 people want to read
About the author
A.L. Brooks
4 books7 followersA. L. Brooks has called the steamy climes of Darwin in Australia’s tropical north his homebase for much of his life. However, his childhood was mostly a nomadic existence. Born in Zambia, Africa, he grew up in places such as Hawaii, England, the Philippines, Thailand and Laos and also spent three years in Milingimbi, in Arnhem Land, Australia. He currently resides in Darwin with his partner Sharon and their baby son Thomas. He divides his time between working in a warehouse for a national beer company, changing nappies and writing.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
January 4, 2016
Very unusual book, all over the boards, but enjoyable all the same. Keeps you engaged, wanting to know what's next, and trying to work out what's real and what's not. Being British gives it that much more flavor (should I say flavour?), however, there are still quite a few errors that an editor could have cleaned up, which is why it didn't get a perfect rating from me.
November 13, 2012
So this is not a review but, as editor of this book, I'd like to add a few comments and tell you our reasons for choosing to publish this novel.
First, Mr Brooks forms a wonderfully close relationship with the reader. Jake Crassly, our 18 year old protagonist, narrates the story in such a natural and effortless manner that you'll feel you know him, that perhaps Jake is someone you know, or a part of you (or someone you once were?). And while Jake can prove frustrating, he's utterly true to himself, and you can see him change and grow throughout his ordeals. You can witness his thought processes mature and develop in response to all that he must overcome. Jake and the core characters are young (in comparison to me!), but I believe the story is still very much suitable for readers of advanced years, such as myself.
The other main reason I loved this story was the depth of the worlds that Mr Brooks has crafted. The creatures and locales he designs are unique, with such mind-boggling features and details that left me feeling like a kid in a candy store. Without spoiling the plot, Strangeworld contains the most remarkable menagerie of beasties I've yet encountered; the most imaginative landscapes and peoples. So if you love strange worlds, bizarre creatures and gruesome monstrosities, this is a big tick for you.
Finally, while we have this great setting, it is the characters who (fittingly) take centre stage. These young people and the population of Burnchess Village fill out the world and give it life. I imagine visiting the place and hearing the chit-chat on the streets (and some of the colloquial language had me splitting my sides with laughter).
So what kind of book is this? It's set in a modern-day English seaside village. There are elements of fantasy, certainly a tinge of horror, and quite a lot of adventure. We target the book at 18 years plus, but it should be fine for readers a few years below that who are used to mature content. There is some swearing, a few short sex scenes, and a few decent serves of gore.
Is there magic in it? Yes, but the contemporary kind, not the Lord of the Rings kind.
Will you like it? Really, I don't know. I recommend that if you are not sure that you perhaps find the ebook version and read a bit of the preview. That should give you a decent idea. Once there are some reviews here you can probably do the usual thing and read through those to get a better feel. Yes, I am biased (being the editor) but this is one of the few stories I have read many times already and have still not tired of. I do think it is at least worth your time to consider.
So, I hope that helps. I look forward to reading some of the the reader reviews. Let us know what you think.
And if you are interested then do track down more books published by us. They are all available on Amazon and most similar online vendors, as paperbacks and ebooks. We keep our prices are low as possible to make them as affordable as possible while still covering our costs, and we specialise in homegrown authors. If you want to know the titles, they are listed at our website dragonfallpress[dot]com
Cheers,
Michael Foster
Editor
Dragonfall Press
(a very tiny specialist publisher of science fiction and fantasy)
First, Mr Brooks forms a wonderfully close relationship with the reader. Jake Crassly, our 18 year old protagonist, narrates the story in such a natural and effortless manner that you'll feel you know him, that perhaps Jake is someone you know, or a part of you (or someone you once were?). And while Jake can prove frustrating, he's utterly true to himself, and you can see him change and grow throughout his ordeals. You can witness his thought processes mature and develop in response to all that he must overcome. Jake and the core characters are young (in comparison to me!), but I believe the story is still very much suitable for readers of advanced years, such as myself.
The other main reason I loved this story was the depth of the worlds that Mr Brooks has crafted. The creatures and locales he designs are unique, with such mind-boggling features and details that left me feeling like a kid in a candy store. Without spoiling the plot, Strangeworld contains the most remarkable menagerie of beasties I've yet encountered; the most imaginative landscapes and peoples. So if you love strange worlds, bizarre creatures and gruesome monstrosities, this is a big tick for you.
Finally, while we have this great setting, it is the characters who (fittingly) take centre stage. These young people and the population of Burnchess Village fill out the world and give it life. I imagine visiting the place and hearing the chit-chat on the streets (and some of the colloquial language had me splitting my sides with laughter).
So what kind of book is this? It's set in a modern-day English seaside village. There are elements of fantasy, certainly a tinge of horror, and quite a lot of adventure. We target the book at 18 years plus, but it should be fine for readers a few years below that who are used to mature content. There is some swearing, a few short sex scenes, and a few decent serves of gore.
Is there magic in it? Yes, but the contemporary kind, not the Lord of the Rings kind.
Will you like it? Really, I don't know. I recommend that if you are not sure that you perhaps find the ebook version and read a bit of the preview. That should give you a decent idea. Once there are some reviews here you can probably do the usual thing and read through those to get a better feel. Yes, I am biased (being the editor) but this is one of the few stories I have read many times already and have still not tired of. I do think it is at least worth your time to consider.
So, I hope that helps. I look forward to reading some of the the reader reviews. Let us know what you think.
And if you are interested then do track down more books published by us. They are all available on Amazon and most similar online vendors, as paperbacks and ebooks. We keep our prices are low as possible to make them as affordable as possible while still covering our costs, and we specialise in homegrown authors. If you want to know the titles, they are listed at our website dragonfallpress[dot]com
Cheers,
Michael Foster
Editor
Dragonfall Press
(a very tiny specialist publisher of science fiction and fantasy)
January 26, 2013
I received a free copy of the above novel and the first thing I noticed was it was big. Bloody big. 779 pages big. That's a lot of words. A lot of weight. Literally!
I find large books difficult. I like to read in the bath, read in bed, read anywhere and everywhere. Carry the book with me, take the dog for a walk, stop and read a bit, drop in at the local cafe, have a coffee, read a bit, things like that. That is bloody hard to do with a heavy book, so, honesty from the start - I seriously did not think I would read this book. It just weighed too much and after one or two pages I'd have to put it down.
Secondly, the main character, Jake, annoyed the crap out of me. But then, he was supposed to annoy me. Like all good books, the main character had stuff to learn, stuff about himself. Jake was self-obsessed and rather caught up in his own whinging world - again, initially, I did not think I would finish this book. I have to care about the main character or I lose interest, quickly.
Thirdly - trilogies - seriously, is anyone else over the whole serialization of novels? No one can just write a stand alone anymore? When I finished The Tree Singer one of the first questions asked was - is it a trilogy? No, its just a damn book - read it and move on. So a trilogy, nah, I really did not think I would finish this book. Trilogies make you wait, and trilogies invaribly are a single book stretched to make three. No way, I thought, I'll read about fifty or so pages and that'll be it.
It wasn't.
I did, surprising I must say, read this book. All of it. From start to the finish. 779 pages later, I am glad I did and I look forward to reading book 2 of The Mortiferai. This is an enjoyable book. Even reading and seeing Jake finally understand there is more to the world than his own grief at his mother's death was enjoyable. So was his developing relationship with his step sister - Emily, his love interest in Hayley, his friendship with Mark, and especially the development of the quirky, mysterious and very powerful Charwood Sisters. This big book is littered with big, great characters.
This is a bloody big book - not just in pages or words - but in the sheer scope of the story - the history of the Cornish village, the other world Jake and Emily visit, Forgotten, the characters like Emily, and the evil Goon and LanceAsh, in my mind a sort of Green Knight.
This book is large with ideas, with villains, with its twists and turns. It is funny and scary and bloodthirsty and warm - this book deserved 778 pages for its first installment and I cannot wait to read more.
I find large books difficult. I like to read in the bath, read in bed, read anywhere and everywhere. Carry the book with me, take the dog for a walk, stop and read a bit, drop in at the local cafe, have a coffee, read a bit, things like that. That is bloody hard to do with a heavy book, so, honesty from the start - I seriously did not think I would read this book. It just weighed too much and after one or two pages I'd have to put it down.
Secondly, the main character, Jake, annoyed the crap out of me. But then, he was supposed to annoy me. Like all good books, the main character had stuff to learn, stuff about himself. Jake was self-obsessed and rather caught up in his own whinging world - again, initially, I did not think I would finish this book. I have to care about the main character or I lose interest, quickly.
Thirdly - trilogies - seriously, is anyone else over the whole serialization of novels? No one can just write a stand alone anymore? When I finished The Tree Singer one of the first questions asked was - is it a trilogy? No, its just a damn book - read it and move on. So a trilogy, nah, I really did not think I would finish this book. Trilogies make you wait, and trilogies invaribly are a single book stretched to make three. No way, I thought, I'll read about fifty or so pages and that'll be it.
It wasn't.
I did, surprising I must say, read this book. All of it. From start to the finish. 779 pages later, I am glad I did and I look forward to reading book 2 of The Mortiferai. This is an enjoyable book. Even reading and seeing Jake finally understand there is more to the world than his own grief at his mother's death was enjoyable. So was his developing relationship with his step sister - Emily, his love interest in Hayley, his friendship with Mark, and especially the development of the quirky, mysterious and very powerful Charwood Sisters. This big book is littered with big, great characters.
This is a bloody big book - not just in pages or words - but in the sheer scope of the story - the history of the Cornish village, the other world Jake and Emily visit, Forgotten, the characters like Emily, and the evil Goon and LanceAsh, in my mind a sort of Green Knight.
This book is large with ideas, with villains, with its twists and turns. It is funny and scary and bloodthirsty and warm - this book deserved 778 pages for its first installment and I cannot wait to read more.
October 23, 2013
The old cliché of, "Never judging a book by its front cover" has yet to prove more true since reading 'Strangeworld (One: Mortifera)’, by A.L. Brooks. As the book is just shy of 800 pages; I can understand why some people may be put off by its magnitude, especially those like myself who are not yet familiar with this particular genre. It is only after reading it however, that one can truly appreciate the talents of Mr. Brooks and the amount of care and effort he poured into crafting his work.
While there are a number of characters which appear throughout the storyline, the new reader should be weary of the central character Jake. At first, his cynicism and lack of maturity can be rather disconcerting. Though as the plot deepens after the first few chapters, Jake does as well, and from there it becomes quite the adventure as the audience and characters continually grow together along the journey.
It is not my aim to provide an outline of the plot but the reader should definitely invest in a seatbelt when the story takes off. Like a clap of thunder and lightning tearing through a mass of grey clouds, the audience is snapped out of the gloomy trance of ‘reality’ and transported to a world full of light and energy. The attention to detail in which Mr. Brooks describes his magical wonderland is nothing short of mind boggling. There is little doubt that he has drawn inspiration from his well-travelled up-bringing and the means in which he portrays this to the audience deserves my sincerest compliments.
Strangeworld is a story to be enjoyed over time. There are many characters the audience can relate to (I myself am looking forward to the development of Jake’s best-friend, Mark) and their personal growth is a pleasure to witness. Furthermore, I cannot emphasise the extent of detail Mr. Brooks puts into his descriptions of the landscape, fauna and flora. The attention to detail is truly first class, a testament to the high calibre of Mr. Brooks. I certainly enjoyed reading this epic adventure from the start to finish and avidly await its sequel. Especially since discovering the ‘hidden’ message scattered throughout the chapters!
While there are a number of characters which appear throughout the storyline, the new reader should be weary of the central character Jake. At first, his cynicism and lack of maturity can be rather disconcerting. Though as the plot deepens after the first few chapters, Jake does as well, and from there it becomes quite the adventure as the audience and characters continually grow together along the journey.
It is not my aim to provide an outline of the plot but the reader should definitely invest in a seatbelt when the story takes off. Like a clap of thunder and lightning tearing through a mass of grey clouds, the audience is snapped out of the gloomy trance of ‘reality’ and transported to a world full of light and energy. The attention to detail in which Mr. Brooks describes his magical wonderland is nothing short of mind boggling. There is little doubt that he has drawn inspiration from his well-travelled up-bringing and the means in which he portrays this to the audience deserves my sincerest compliments.
Strangeworld is a story to be enjoyed over time. There are many characters the audience can relate to (I myself am looking forward to the development of Jake’s best-friend, Mark) and their personal growth is a pleasure to witness. Furthermore, I cannot emphasise the extent of detail Mr. Brooks puts into his descriptions of the landscape, fauna and flora. The attention to detail is truly first class, a testament to the high calibre of Mr. Brooks. I certainly enjoyed reading this epic adventure from the start to finish and avidly await its sequel. Especially since discovering the ‘hidden’ message scattered throughout the chapters!
March 11, 2013
Excited to read this, hope it's good!
After Reading...
I have to say that I give this book four stars, though perhaps it was more like 3.5. It was very good, enjoyable and creepy.
The Plot:
Jake's hometown thinks nothing of the archway. Few of them know what it really is - a doorway to another world. The things that come out of that world are not always good, in fact an old evil has emerged one more, and will try and end Burnchess once and for all. It is up to Jake and his step sister Emily to save their town ounces and for all.
The Characters:
Jake- he was alright. Likeable enough and not like the protagonists that I usually read about.
Emily- I see what Jake means about her being annoying. I think Emily was well described.
The Good:
-the plot was very unique.
-the setting was amazing.
-the writing was descriptive.
-the cover was very detailed and captured the story well.
-unpreictable!
The Bad:
-the book was very long, perhaps a bit too long.
-though the plot was paced well most of the way through, some parts were a little unnecessary.
I would recommend this book to people who enjoy reading mysteries and supernatural fiction.
After Reading...
I have to say that I give this book four stars, though perhaps it was more like 3.5. It was very good, enjoyable and creepy.
The Plot:
Jake's hometown thinks nothing of the archway. Few of them know what it really is - a doorway to another world. The things that come out of that world are not always good, in fact an old evil has emerged one more, and will try and end Burnchess once and for all. It is up to Jake and his step sister Emily to save their town ounces and for all.
The Characters:
Jake- he was alright. Likeable enough and not like the protagonists that I usually read about.
Emily- I see what Jake means about her being annoying. I think Emily was well described.
The Good:
-the plot was very unique.
-the setting was amazing.
-the writing was descriptive.
-the cover was very detailed and captured the story well.
-unpreictable!
The Bad:
-the book was very long, perhaps a bit too long.
-though the plot was paced well most of the way through, some parts were a little unnecessary.
I would recommend this book to people who enjoy reading mysteries and supernatural fiction.
September 25, 2014
I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.
The first thing that crossed my mind when I opened this book was wow... it's huge. Usually i'm a big fan of a small novel I can throw into my hand bag on the way to work unfortunately with this book I didn't have the option... Still it didn't stop me from opening this book up and enjoying it.
All I can say is I am amazed at the author's creativity. I feel like I started out in the real world and suddenly got thrown into something I could never imagine. The story was well written and had just the right mystery to get me hooked in and coming back for more just to see what would happen next and where it would all end up.
Secondly, I have to admit, I wasn't a huge fan of the main character when I started the book. The first 100 pages I found him annoying as hell but as I pushed past my presumptions and I have to admit, like all great characters he grew on me as he began to grow himself.
I will definitely be keeping an eye out for the second book and will be recommending this book to all my friends who have the same tastes in books as me.
The first thing that crossed my mind when I opened this book was wow... it's huge. Usually i'm a big fan of a small novel I can throw into my hand bag on the way to work unfortunately with this book I didn't have the option... Still it didn't stop me from opening this book up and enjoying it.
All I can say is I am amazed at the author's creativity. I feel like I started out in the real world and suddenly got thrown into something I could never imagine. The story was well written and had just the right mystery to get me hooked in and coming back for more just to see what would happen next and where it would all end up.
Secondly, I have to admit, I wasn't a huge fan of the main character when I started the book. The first 100 pages I found him annoying as hell but as I pushed past my presumptions and I have to admit, like all great characters he grew on me as he began to grow himself.
I will definitely be keeping an eye out for the second book and will be recommending this book to all my friends who have the same tastes in books as me.
June 13, 2013
Book review strange world.
To be honest, initially I thought that I would not read the book. It seemed so long and I am not a fan of fantasy and magic. One evening I had nothing to read, My usual read is crime novels, and was bored so I thought I would give it a go. I started to read and was really surprised at how much I was enjoying the book. I loved Jake and Emily, I especially found Jake funny and could relate to the sense of humour(Being from the UK). I loved that the story was set against a small village in the UK. To be honest reading the book lessoned my feelings of homesickness.
I enjoyed Jakes journeys both his relationship with Emily and their adventure to another world, which was interesting especially the creatures that they encountered. I especially was taken by LanceAsh, whom was kind and protective of Emily and Jake. I will miss pouring a glass of red wine and settling down to read strange world I look forward to the next novel, especially life after Thailand for Jake.
The author has certainly opened my mind to the world of fantasy and imagination. Great read.
To be honest, initially I thought that I would not read the book. It seemed so long and I am not a fan of fantasy and magic. One evening I had nothing to read, My usual read is crime novels, and was bored so I thought I would give it a go. I started to read and was really surprised at how much I was enjoying the book. I loved Jake and Emily, I especially found Jake funny and could relate to the sense of humour(Being from the UK). I loved that the story was set against a small village in the UK. To be honest reading the book lessoned my feelings of homesickness.
I enjoyed Jakes journeys both his relationship with Emily and their adventure to another world, which was interesting especially the creatures that they encountered. I especially was taken by LanceAsh, whom was kind and protective of Emily and Jake. I will miss pouring a glass of red wine and settling down to read strange world I look forward to the next novel, especially life after Thailand for Jake.
The author has certainly opened my mind to the world of fantasy and imagination. Great read.
January 3, 2013
Let me warn you now that once you pick up this book, keep an open mind. Wow, the things the author came up with is out of this world. This is a book full of just about everything from science fiction to a love story. If you like mysteries, then you are gonna love this book. Although, I will say that some of the things in the world of Forgotten are pretty frightening and I'm glad they are there and not here. Of all the characters, LanceAsh was my favorite, I mean who else could stand to have their arm ripped off and keep on fighting. Sorry if I ruined the story for anyone but that part just really got to me. Between the shifting between worlds, magic and mythical creatures, the story puts a spell on the reader that will last long after the book is read. I can't wait to see what the author comes up with in the sequel.
February 15, 2013
I have won this book off the giveaways at Goodreads.
A fantastic mixture of real life and Alice in Wonderland, with monsters and ghouls sprinkled on. It basically is a recollection of a boy from his late teenage years and his memory of the adventure and horror that has befallen his town and his mission to save it with a close group of his friends. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has a twisted sense of humour or a liking of the strange or bizarre.
A fantastic mixture of real life and Alice in Wonderland, with monsters and ghouls sprinkled on. It basically is a recollection of a boy from his late teenage years and his memory of the adventure and horror that has befallen his town and his mission to save it with a close group of his friends. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has a twisted sense of humour or a liking of the strange or bizarre.
April 21, 2013
When I put this book down I was like “heck, I want to keep reading, when will part II come out?”, so well done A.L. Brooks. I thought this book had it all, action/adventure/fantasy/horror & great character development & dialogue. The climax was excellent, often I read books where everything finishes in a rush & you’re left feeling like “is that it?” but I think the author worked up to the climax really well & held it. So no pressure Mr A.L. Brooks, but I’m now waiting for part II......
June 24, 2014
I received this book as a Goodreads winner. I had no idea what to expect when I started reading this book. I thought it was going to be very dark and serious and in some parts it was. But it also had lots of light-hearted, funny and beautiful moments. The author really transports you to another world through his writing and I became so captivated in the story and the characters I didn't want it to end. I would so like to read part 2 now!
April 15, 2013
I received this book for free from Goodreads First reads.
Although fantasy books are not my favourite genre this book was fantastic.
It was a great adventurous ride and I highly recommend it to anyone regardless of what type of books you enjoy.
Looking forward to seeing what happens next...
Although fantasy books are not my favourite genre this book was fantastic.
It was a great adventurous ride and I highly recommend it to anyone regardless of what type of books you enjoy.
Looking forward to seeing what happens next...
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews