Blind Bill

Fables from Naturae

by Jan Foster

There is a dead body under that oak tree. I propped him there as blood still seeped from his wounds. I killed my first man at the age of 20, but it took another 321 years for me to commit a regicide. This prattling youth, a King in name only, is my fourth.
Soon, everyone will know my name - Blind Bill.
I see you, but I doubt you’ll see me coming.
Delve into the terrifying mind of a medieval killer in this enthralling historical fantasy horror story, set in the Tudor world of Naturae. A quick escape into a chilling magical past, weaving horrifying history with fantasy in a thrilling fable of villainy and murder!Blind Bill is a companion novella to Destiny Arising, Book 3 of the Naturae Series but can be read as a standalone story.
The Fables from Naturae Series features characters from the world of Naturae in short stories, perfect for a quick escape into the past. Discover a magical hidden realm where fae, vampires, witches and daemons exist alongside mortals in a time when magic was very real.

88 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 26, 2024

About the author

By day, Jan juggles consultancy work with her family, but by night she sneaks off, into the past. Her penchant for sprinkling history with magic is fueled by coffee and Cadburys. When not writing, Jan takes her dogs and small monsters into the countryside, especially if there is a castle or historic building there with a cosy coffee shop in which to escape the rain of Manchester, England.

Reviews

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blind Bill is a short story to accompany Destiny Arising (book 3 in the Naurae series) and was a great short read.
This book gives us a better insight into Blind Bill and gives you a whole different perspective to his character and backstory. I didn't expect to have my opinion of him changed. I finished this story feeling compassion and sympathy for this villain and his circumstances leading up to the end of Destiny Arising and how he was used as a pawn. I love how Jan Foster draws you into the story from the very first paragraph in this novella and keeps you gripped until the very last page.

[David and Susan McConachie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book details the life (from first person point of view – in the form of a short autobiography) of Blind Bill, one of the characters in Naturae 3 – Destiny Arising. We meet and learn a bit about Blind Bill in Destiny Arising, but it was extremely satisfying to find out how he became a vampire, and how he lived for more than three hundred years. Most of his story is set during the Tudor period, as that was where his life became exciting. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it very hard to put down.
I read an ARC of Blind Bill

[Beba Andric · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whoa! What an opening sentence! Got my juices flowing for the rest immediately! Having read the series so far, I was delighted in the notion of a novella, with an inkling of who the book was about. But what I didn't know and what I was TOTALLY unprepared for was that I would have sympathy for Bill! I mean, HOW could I possibly feel ANYTHING but revulsion for this character? Gee whiz, he's an assassin, he's relentless, he's unbending, he's cruel. But nope, my disdain for this creature, very justified I'll have you know, was reshaped by Ms Foster! Given a totally different perspective, one that I found myself *gulp* understanding him! Even a little.... liking him a bit? Bizaare! But this author's talent, this author's ability to draw me into any book she writes, is like a drug to my senses. What I LOVE about her work is precisely that and her command of the English language!!! The use of her written English prose is like an aphrodisiac to me!

I do enjoy finding out what makes a character tick, why they behave as they do, and as I said, I couldn't help the sympathy strings pulling at me. Accepting a 'gift' puts William firmly into the good graces of the church, until he errs, big time! Only to make another ill fated bargain, but this one, there's no escape from. Thinking that one foul deed would be enough to honour the deal he made, turns into a nightmare for him, to repeat over and over again! He's one of the faithful, his religion is his crutch, his everything. He firmly believes, even though he's now a vampire, and a killer, he keeps his faith.

I loved seeing how the players 'felt' to me, from William's POV. A fabulous, quick read, set in am historical time period known for it's violence. It's a read not of church and country, although that's a huge part of it, it's a read filled with magical creatures, vampires, Fae, Witches. It's a read you won't be able to put down and will have you reaching for the entire series!

[Vicky Peplow · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great Naturae addition.

I enjoyed this quick read from the fantasy world of Naturae. I've read the first book in the series so I'm familiar with some of the characters. Blind Bill is a vampire and also an assassin. This story is set within the Tudor period. The story catches you from the first beginning sentence and draws you further in the more you read. Great read.

[Kat M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blind Bill by Jan Foster uses the Tudor element perfectly, it had everything that I was hoping for. The concept was perfectly executed and thought it was a great companion novella to this series. It continued this story and had the characters feel that I was hoping for.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.