In the Days: A Tale of the Forgotten Continent

by Andy Peloquin

The Empire of Atlantis: the most powerful nation in the world. Peace reigns across the continent, and an age of prosperity and enlightenment has made the Empire the center of the globe.

But, beneath the peaceful façade of life in the Imperial City, trouble is brewing. Assassins lurk in the shadows, intrigue abounds in the court of the Empress. Will political ambitions topple the House of Tah, or could the threat be one much more sinister in nature? Dark forces threaten the land, and the future of the Empire is at stake.

One man is shown a glimpse into the future--a future that could be, or the future that is destined to come?

This is the tale of the last days of the great Empire - the Empire that the world forgot. This is the story of Atlantis, in the days when it ceased to be.

Find it on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Days-Tale-Forgo...

Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fiction

Kindle Edition

First published March 25, 2014

About the author

I am, first and foremost, a storyteller and an artist--words are my palette. Fantasy is my genre of choice, and I love to explore the darker side of human nature through the filter of fantasy heroes, villains, and everything in between. I'm also a freelance writer, a book lover, and a guy who just loves to meet new people and spend hours talking about my fascination for the worlds I encounter in the pages of fantasy novels.

Fantasy provides us with an escape, a way to forget about our mundane problems and step into worlds where anything is possible. It transcends age, gender, religion, race, or lifestyle--it is our way of believing what cannot be, delving into the unknowable, and discovering hidden truths about ourselves and our world in a brand new way. Fiction at its very best!

Reviews

[Audrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a hard book to review. It’s a unique book, and I’m still not sure what I think of it all.

It’s closer to historical fiction than fantasy; the fantasy elements are limited to religion/mythology. I found the characters just a tad underdeveloped, and I had no idea how to pronounce the main character’s name. The writing is mostly well done. Sometimes there is a missing word or extra word. The manuscript could have used a final polish to be really good.

In the ancient land of Atlantis, the culture is descending into barbarity and corruption. A prophet of the one true God calls them to repentance. Some listen, some don’t. The writer is surprisingly respectful of religion here. The main character is working to protect the empress from assassins and political rivals. There’s action and intrigue and mystery. Each section comes with a prologue/interlude that covers the near future. (It took me a while to figure that out despite the date labels.)

[Callum Shephard · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the Days: A Tale of the Forgotten Continent is a hard book to judge due to its nature. Much of that is due to the obvious potential talent behind the book, which keeps you reading despite a few notable failings. For every time you might be frustrated at the short length of its chapters or occasional lack of descriptions, you will keep going due to the voices of the characters, brilliant pacing and fantastic use of first person narrative.

Set in the ancient era long past, the book is set in the mythical Empire of Atlantis. Bringing peace to an entire continent of the world, under its power mankind has flourished in a golden age of civilisation. However, all is not well within its borders. For every outside threat they seem to defeat, an internal one soon arises with forces planning the downfall of the House of Tah. It soon falls upon a handful of elite soldiers to secure victory against near impossible odds.

What’s easily the book’s greatest strength is its use of a first person narrative. Seeing events through the eyes of Deucalion, Imperial Historian and Commander, truly helps bring the work to life with minor comments, inflections and specific mannerisms which greatly speak about his character. While we have seen other works on here which have utterly failed to make any use of this as a storytelling method (looking at you Vulkan Lives) here it truly works. Within only a few paragraphs you are given a real sense of his personality and the brief comments thrown in bring the world to life just as much as the decadent, greed driven nobles who rule the lands. Even when it moves onto scenes which do feature events he could not fully witness or describe in full, they are handled in a satisfying manner. Quite often making up for the lack of true descriptions with dramatic weight and obvious emotion. What definitely helps in this regard is the short, snappy sentence structure which lends itself well to the brief chapters.

Much like Daedalus and the Deep, the book is built around very short chapters and multiple parts. This gives it a very fast pace which keeps events moving and, as with the aforementioned book, it’s this quality which makes it perfect for reading on the go. Really, short trips on public transports? This is the sort of thing which is perfectly written in style and content for that. Speaking of which, the setting and plot are something which people can easily adjust to. The story of Atlantis, or at least how it sunk beneath the waves, is well known enough to the average Joe to quickly accept and you soon see the state the Empire is in. Squaring off against barbarians from the outside and suffering from corrupt internal rulers, it’s the same song and dance we’ve seen plenty of time before. Despite that it’s certainly an engaging one, especially with a few of the revelations made here, and even though you’ll probably predict a few turns it’s crafted in such a manner you’ll keep reading to the last page.

Unfortunately it’s also with the setting that some of the problems begin to creep in. You’re very quickly introduced to quite a few problems with the book which can make it an awkward beginning, especially with the prologue and a very strange choice of introduction. The first third of the opening chapter is covered by a gladiator, introducing and building him up as a person as we see the world through his eyes, only to have him killed shortly afterwards. We are then promptly introduced to Deucalion and the story continued as normal. It’s an extremely jarring transition and one which really feels quite pointless to the book. The time spent writing that could have been used to truly build up imagery for the scene or the aesthetics of the Atlantian buildings, and it’s a problem which doesn’t stop here.

While the book certainly has a great deal going on, it never seems to pause long enough to really explain things as it goes along. Despite being made a little more acceptable thanks to seeing the world from Deucalion’s perspective, there are no moments where the book really stops to spend a few paragraphs building an image in the reader’s head or explaining how the world works. It’s a really frustrating problem and is a critical point which truly holds the book back from greatness. Even overlooking this however, the book as a whole is very light on descriptions to the point where some conversions come down to line after line of dialogue with no described reactions or descriptions between them. There are certainly places where than can work, but they have to be used in moderation. Compare this with the likes of the Eisenhorn books and one completely trounces the other.

The final problem is an especially frustrating issue which I personally tend to be far too lenient with: Editing. While many Black Library novels suffer from poor typos or misspellings (often with “Chaos” as “chaos”) it’s enough to initially overlook most of the time. Here there are some especially bad cases to the point where multiple sentences appear to be missing words. It’s hardly that common a problem but every time you read a sentence with such a problem, it’s completely immersion breaking.

At the end of the day, In the Days: A Tale of the Forgotten Continent is not a bad book but it’s not an especially good one either. If you like the ideas behind it or want some light reading then you could certainly do far worse. However, it’s also by an author who is definitely talented but has flaws he desperately needs to focus upon improving. Give it a look if you’re interested, but don’t expect anything heavy going.

[Sandy from Alaska Colón · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great first book for Andy Peloquin. Enjoyable adventure/fantasy book about good versus evil in Atlantis. I thoroughly enjoyed the main character Deucalion and his fondness for city life!

A few pet peeves though. The book had a few grammar and/or editing errors. I also got tired of reading a few of the same phrases several times "You're going to want to see this" and "as my Empress commands". Also, I didn't much care for the intro which seemed awkward. The intro would continue throughout the book and was always confusing for me.

Despite these small problems with the book, I enjoyed the story and was never bored.

[Peter Story · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed the author's attention to detail in crafting the culture and world of Atlantis. The political and societal intrigue was especially well-developed. Also, his foreshadowing was superb, hinting not only toward events in the book, but also toward details from the real world, thus gently blurring the lines between fantasy and reality.

[Andy Peloquin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is all-around a great book. The author is a really snazzy writer, and he tells the stories I want to read. I'm looking forward to his future works!

[Gaël Breton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, don't miss out on this one. It's funny, entertaining and incredibly well written.

[Charles Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

At one time, the Kingdom of Atlantis, under the rule of Empress Tatho the Immortal, was the most powerful on earth. While the kingdom was occasionally threatened by the Mexicas and other barbarian tribes on its borders, in general, peace prevailed. But, there was a rot at the core of this peaceful appearance, with plotting and intrigue, and moral decay threatening the stability of Tatho’s realm. One man, Deucalion, the Chancellor and confidante of the empress, is given an opportunity to see the future—a future that will see the utter destruction of Atlantis if its people do not mend their ways. As the one chosen to deliver such a message, Deucalion becomes a target of those who would conspire to usurp the throne.
In The Days: a tale of the Forgotten Continent by Andy Peloquin is a finely woven sci-fi/fantasy that offers the reader an alternative version of what happened to the fable continent of Atlantis. Characters are believable, and invested in their quests, making it easy for readers to empathize with them; the world is believably constructed; and magical and scientific elements so well integrated into the narrative, the tale becomes . . . believable.
Peloquin shows great promise, and is an author to keep an eye on.
I received a free copy of this book.

[Kythe42 · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the Days: A Tale of the Forgotten Continent by Andy Peloquin is a story set in Atlantis not long before its destruction. The end of Atlantis is prophesied by a mysterious stranger during a religious ceremony who claims that Atlantis will be destroyed if the people do not mend their ways and turn back to their true god. Not long after this there are repeated attempts on the lives of the Empress and her Chancellor, and it should be noted that the majority of the story is centered around these attacks and trying to find out who is behind them. The impending doom of Atlantis is just something else that happens to be going on at the time.



I have mixed feelings about this book. It's certainly not what I was expecting as the end of Atlantis wasn't the main focus of the book, but it's a pretty good story just as a mystery novel. So I'm not sure I'd recommend it to anyone just based on the fact that they love stories about Atlantis, but if you think you would enjoy a mystery/thriller set in a city similar in many ways to ancient Rome then you might enjoy this story. In some ways it reminds me a bit of Marion Zimmer Bradley's The Fall of Atlantis because in that book the destruction of Atlantis wasn't the main focus(in fact it didn't even happen until a sequel was written much later), but it was more of a mystery/romance novel.



Although I did enjoy the story as a whole there were certain things that really rubbed me the wrong way. Just based on the story alone I might have rated this book four stars but it lost a star due to everything I will describe in the following paragraphs. The author made a really weird choice and did a flash forward scene in the prologue. There were also a few other flash forward scenes throughout the book. I'm really not a fan of flash forward scenes at all in TV and movies, but this was the first time I had encountered it in a novel so I tried to keep an open mind about it. By the end of the book I decided that while it was somewhat less confusing to me in a written piece than in a movie or a TV show, I still didn't like it very much and it made me feel like I was reading two different stories. Perhaps it would have been less confusing if the first flash forward scene was done later in the book instead of right at the beginning because there was just too much going on along with too many characters being introduced all at once. I think on the whole I would have preferred it if the author had just combined all the flash forward scenes into a chapter or two and inserted them in where they actually took place in the book.



Another thing I didn't like all that much is that the perspective changed many times in the book. Most of the book was done in first person from the point of view of the Chancellor, but the flash forward scenes were done in third person. It had to be done this way though because the Chancellor was not present in the flash forward scenes. So first person could not have been done unless it was switched to the point of view of another person and in my opinion switching first person between different people is worse than switching between first and third person. I would have preferred it though if the author had just done the entire book in third person. While I do respect the author's creative choice to switch perspectives(even though I don't like it), there are certain areas where it definitely could have been done better. The first chapter starts off with the first person perspective of a gladiator in the midst of a battle who then dies, at which point the perspective changes to that of the Chancellor. This is very confusing and unnecessary. It would have been better to just start off with the Chancellor's perspective and show his view of the fight. Then in the second chapter it switches back to third person for a flash back and it was a bit ambiguous when that flash back ended and it seemed to switch back to first person mid-paragraph.



This is a minor complaint, but something that still bugs me. At the end of the second chapter there is a brief mention of the Chancellor making love to a woman. It doesn't say who she was, but I would assume based on context that she was his wife or girlfriend. What I found very odd was that she was never mentioned again in the entire book even as the Chancellor was lusting after other women. I'm not really sure why that woman was put in the book at all and I sense it might have been something the author forgot to take out.



In general the book could have done with a lot more editing. The entire book is riddled with typos and awkward grammar and in some places there are even words missing. It's not enough to make the book unreadable, but it is annoying and can detract from the enjoyment of the book somewhat. As much as I did enjoy the story, I'm very glad I grabbed this book when it was on sale for free. I think I would have felt cheated considering all the typos and mistakes if I had actually paid for it. As much as I hate to say it, I would not recommend purchasing this book unless a large number of typos don't bother you, it goes on sale for free, or the author puts out a second revised edition. I think this book has a lot of potential and I really hope the author edits and republishes it.

[Lavern Winters · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the Days is a story of Atlantis immediately prior and up to it's destruction and disappearance. Atlantis is ruled by an Empress and the pagan religion is headed by a stereotypical self indulgent, but charismatic, priest.In the Days by Andy Peloquin cover The author created a true God, similar to the Judaeo-Christian God, to pass judgement on the people of Atlantis. A prophet sent to the land is reminiscent of Old Testament prophets. The characters are believable with well developed personalities and strengths and weaknesses I could easily relate to. The plot was intense. A good pace throughout the story kept me turning the pages. The only unbelievable part was the secret technology revealed quite a ways into the story. Although that may have been the author's way of explaining real mysteries of the ancient world we do not understand today.

There is a lot of action and political intrigue. Treasonous plotting to take over the land, evil possession of the antagonists, and a ominous prophesy, all give the tale of the fall of Atlantis an exciting and supernatural appeal.

I had the impression that the world in this tale still had the land masses connected in a single continent as earth's Europa was before continental division's occurred. although it could have just been the extensive trade routes that connected the various parts of the world. There is much of ancient civilizations the author incorporated into the story. Azteca, Mexica and the ritual sacrifices associated with their gods are present, as are Norsemen, Ethiopians and other widely disbursed peoples. It was obvious that the author had done his research on the ancient people of the Americas.

I enjoyed reading this fantastic tale. It is well deserving of four stars.

[Rosalind Minett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an action-packed tale in the heroic style. The novel opens with a series of battles, detailed fights and struggles. This sets the background to the main plot, with our hero entering at p.16. Before this identification with the characters is prevented as none of them are named. This may be ploy to ensure that our sympathies and attention are securely upon Deucalion once he takes the stage. He is young, popular and faces a formidable set of hurdles to overcome. We see his strong side and his caring side, we see him mature during the course of the novel.

The tone is in line with the great myths. There is a kind of god, a giant who gives moral advice in sonorous tones, and an empress of strong character.

Not to spoil the plot I will only say that there is an interesting mix of alternative history, fantasy and thriller. It is a book for lovers of heroic fiction. 4 stars

[Allison Hawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Andy Peloquin's "In the Days: A Tale of the Forgotten Continent" is certainly a fast-paced adventure. The story never seems to pause as the reader is thrown head-first into a great mixture of political intrigue and action.

The subject matter of Atlantis is interesting on its own, and the envisioning of the fabled land by Peloquin is fascinating. Peloquin also does an excellent job creating characters that actually read like real people that readers can really get behind. Mixing excellent dialogue with suiting inner-struggle, readers will find themselves gripped by the story.

A great plot, splendid characters and a fantastical ancient civilization to boot. An excellent first work by Andy Peloquin!

[E.J. Bouinatchova · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book reads kind of like the Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland. And yes, that's a compliment. It's classic, good, adventurous fun that rolls you along effortlessly from beginning 'till end. There were a few plotline things that gave me pause, but the story sucked me back in rapidly. The characters are well-written and sympathetic, and even engage in a good bit of funny banter at times: it makes them all the more human and the losses, when they happen, are that much more sad. But even for the ultimately apocalyptic ending, the reader is overall left with a feeling of peace and satisfaction. A good adventure, well-told!

[Shoshi · Rating 4 out of 5]

After 5 month, i fineally got a hold on Andy Peloquins ebook about Atlantis! I love to read about that ! His novel did not dissapoint me ! It was fine crafted, drew me right into the events. The battles, fights, dialogs never got dragged out too much. When there was a slow part, it picked up again. Kept me reading it, until the end. The saga about Atlantis, the forgotten continent, is worth every page ! Looking forward to see more books from this author !

[Mark Heath · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable ead