What do you think?
Imogene's Message
Do you love Thrillers with a touch of the supernatural?Edited and recommended by noted editor Don McNair Contains Religious and New Age themes, and some violent scenes. When extreme religious fundamentalists known as the Phineas Priesthood led by Ezekiel Yates and his three cousins, target Xantara Pembroke because they believe she is a witch, they launch a major conflict between unworldly disciples of good and evil. This 60,000-word, action-packed thriller shows the twists and turns of both sides as they try to destroy or save the souls of earth.
Imogene is the daughter of Xantara, a Guardian of Avebury Circle, an ancient monument near Stonehenge. For over three thousand years, wives of eight village families have performed ceremonies to heal local people, with power handed down from first daughter to first daughter. The Pembroke family encounter extreme prejudice from the Priesthood.
Braedon the village doctor is drawn into a world he didn't know existed to protect his daughter. His wife Xantara keeps her secrets and causes conflict in the marriage.
All that is forgotten when Imogene levitates in Avebury Circle. Will the world believe Imogene’s incredible message?
This book has the potential to go viral!” Mike Smith of Creating Lifestyle!“I just finished editing a thriller by an Australian writer Chris Sherborne, titled “Imogene’s Message.” I was so impressed with it that I offered to recommend it. This is only the second time I’ve done this in my 50 year professional editing career, so you can see that I’m enthused with her work. She has a good story, tells it well, and knows how to use good hooks and writing to keep readers engaged.” Don McNair “Neither of us could put this book down, reading it in one sitting.” June & Peter Phillips “Imogene’s Message is packed with excitement. I can’t wait for the next one.” Julie Lilley, UK ˃˃˃ Interested in Spirituality, Paranormal, and a book that's action packed?This book will have you glued to your chair until you've finished it. Fast-paced, scary and outraged!
Scroll up and grab a copy today.
Imogene is the daughter of Xantara, a Guardian of Avebury Circle, an ancient monument near Stonehenge. For over three thousand years, wives of eight village families have performed ceremonies to heal local people, with power handed down from first daughter to first daughter. The Pembroke family encounter extreme prejudice from the Priesthood.
Braedon the village doctor is drawn into a world he didn't know existed to protect his daughter. His wife Xantara keeps her secrets and causes conflict in the marriage.
All that is forgotten when Imogene levitates in Avebury Circle. Will the world believe Imogene’s incredible message?
This book has the potential to go viral!” Mike Smith of Creating Lifestyle!“I just finished editing a thriller by an Australian writer Chris Sherborne, titled “Imogene’s Message.” I was so impressed with it that I offered to recommend it. This is only the second time I’ve done this in my 50 year professional editing career, so you can see that I’m enthused with her work. She has a good story, tells it well, and knows how to use good hooks and writing to keep readers engaged.” Don McNair “Neither of us could put this book down, reading it in one sitting.” June & Peter Phillips “Imogene’s Message is packed with excitement. I can’t wait for the next one.” Julie Lilley, UK ˃˃˃ Interested in Spirituality, Paranormal, and a book that's action packed?This book will have you glued to your chair until you've finished it. Fast-paced, scary and outraged!
Scroll up and grab a copy today.
- GenresThrillerParanormal
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 9, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
November 2, 2014
This is a tense, well-thought out fantasy thriller, with vivid scenes and imagery. Religious extremism based on extreme prejudice results in "punishments" that you need to read to believe. I found myself twinging and reading several scenes over and over again, delighting in the shock that they brought me. The characters are unique, well-developed, and dynamic. Definitely a great read for lovers of this genre. This kind of religious extremism is sadly entirely believable and eye-opening, even in the 21st century.
May 1, 2015
Very good story! Highly recommended, especially if you have an interest in New Age and alternative religion.
Imogene Pembroke is a precious seven year old girl who was born to take her place in the Avebury Guardians, a group of eight women who are the descendants of a group which has guarded a mystical stone circle near Stonehenge for over 5000 years.
On a school nature trip to a local island near her home, Imogene is brutally murdered by a deranged religious fanatic named Ezekiel who believes that God has called him to cleanse the world of sinners who refuse to repent and turn to his God. Imogene's only crime is being the daughter of Zanterra, a woman whom Ezekiel believes to be a witch, and witches are sinners who are condemned to death. Since Ezekiel's God punishes sinners and their descendants to the third and fourth generation, both Zanterra and her children must die.
This book is very well written. The plot never drags, and the characters are very well developed. I found them easy to connect with and care about. My one complaint about the story is that the conclusion is not very satisfying. It leaves the reader hanging without really ending the story. Of course I actually started listening to book two before book one without realizing it so I quickly figured out that book two, Extreme Consequences - Imogene's Past Lives, picks up right where this book ends so I am not too disappointed. I look forward to starting book two tomorrow and continuing the story.
The narrator, Timothy McKean, was okay but not great. I give him three stars. One of my biggest problems with the narration, other than Mr McKean's apparent lack of training, is that the book is set in England and there is not a single British accent in the entire audiobook. The narrator is North American and so are all of the character's voices. The overall score for this audiobook loses points because of this.
The story gets five stars. The narration gets a generous three stars, and the overall score is four stars. A book set in the UK needs a British narrator or a narrator who can do believable British accents.
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Imogene Pembroke is a precious seven year old girl who was born to take her place in the Avebury Guardians, a group of eight women who are the descendants of a group which has guarded a mystical stone circle near Stonehenge for over 5000 years.
On a school nature trip to a local island near her home, Imogene is brutally murdered by a deranged religious fanatic named Ezekiel who believes that God has called him to cleanse the world of sinners who refuse to repent and turn to his God. Imogene's only crime is being the daughter of Zanterra, a woman whom Ezekiel believes to be a witch, and witches are sinners who are condemned to death. Since Ezekiel's God punishes sinners and their descendants to the third and fourth generation, both Zanterra and her children must die.
This book is very well written. The plot never drags, and the characters are very well developed. I found them easy to connect with and care about. My one complaint about the story is that the conclusion is not very satisfying. It leaves the reader hanging without really ending the story. Of course I actually started listening to book two before book one without realizing it so I quickly figured out that book two, Extreme Consequences - Imogene's Past Lives, picks up right where this book ends so I am not too disappointed. I look forward to starting book two tomorrow and continuing the story.
The narrator, Timothy McKean, was okay but not great. I give him three stars. One of my biggest problems with the narration, other than Mr McKean's apparent lack of training, is that the book is set in England and there is not a single British accent in the entire audiobook. The narrator is North American and so are all of the character's voices. The overall score for this audiobook loses points because of this.
The story gets five stars. The narration gets a generous three stars, and the overall score is four stars. A book set in the UK needs a British narrator or a narrator who can do believable British accents.
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
May 12, 2015
This is a very powerful and fast paced read. The characters are well developed and the writing has a good flow. I was hooked from the start. I have enjoyed reading about religions past and present and the message in this book rings true. How many wars and atrocities are committed under the guise of religion? The Crusades is a good example, so are the 'Troubles' in Ireland. Many religions, Christianity included, have usurped the customs practised by a previous religious sect. Extremism in any religion is an excuse for discrimination.
This book is in the paranormal genre. The author, Christine Sherborne, did a very good job of suspending my disbelief in the supernatural. We can see all around us how discrimination plays a part in news events and in our personal lives. This book is a wakeup call to everyone to question everything and to act in the spirit of love. We are all the same, we seek happiness and an end to suffering. I recommend this book to everyone over eighteen years of age.
This book is in the paranormal genre. The author, Christine Sherborne, did a very good job of suspending my disbelief in the supernatural. We can see all around us how discrimination plays a part in news events and in our personal lives. This book is a wakeup call to everyone to question everything and to act in the spirit of love. We are all the same, we seek happiness and an end to suffering. I recommend this book to everyone over eighteen years of age.
July 18, 2014
Initially I thought this is just another Inquisitor Era (like 12th to 18th century) where so called pious extremists persecute people from being different. Until I realized that it is the current time that the author had placed this horrifying event in.
When Xantara Pembroke became a target of the Phineas Priesthood, it was well planned and expertly executed by Ezekiel Yates and his congregation. The motive was to hurt the Guardians and put a stop to 'witchy' practices.
I cannot delve into the details as it might spoil the whole thing to potential readers. But I want to say that is piece has touched me in a different way that most books usually do. After reading it, suddenly I felt fear, not horror but the fear.
I commend on the author's effort and writing and look forward to reading the next installment, probably with a cup of chamomile tea.
When Xantara Pembroke became a target of the Phineas Priesthood, it was well planned and expertly executed by Ezekiel Yates and his congregation. The motive was to hurt the Guardians and put a stop to 'witchy' practices.
I cannot delve into the details as it might spoil the whole thing to potential readers. But I want to say that is piece has touched me in a different way that most books usually do. After reading it, suddenly I felt fear, not horror but the fear.
I commend on the author's effort and writing and look forward to reading the next installment, probably with a cup of chamomile tea.
March 26, 2018
Years ago I used to love those movies when a young couple are driving miles and miles towards a new life, and have to stop off en route at a small community to rest up spend the night. Usually there’s a barnlike church, sometimes with strange symbols on it, people talking and behaving oddly, a grizzled community leader who looks fierce and is forever quoting the bible ... and you knew, you just knew, that you were about to get the living daylights scared out of you.
Extreme Prejudice brought back some of those old shivers when I was reading it. Right from the beginning we are introduced to Ezekiel, with his biblical name and gang of fundamentalists, who use God to torture, maim and kill, twisting the bible to excuse terrible cruelty, and who have imprisoned Xantara and a young man in an underground crypt. A dark beginning that just gets darker.
Good versus evil in this book offers a somewhat different slant than I would have expected. Ezekiel and all those who support him are essentially fundamentalist Christians who are, unwittingly, doing the Christian devil’s work. Dark demons do appear near the end. I was a bit surprised to discover that the supernatural support for the good people came from another galaxy instead of from the angelic and heavenly side of Christianity. But this is how the author sees it, and because of her writing skills, her ability to tell an absorbing story, the great characterisation, the reader is encouraged to go with the flow and accept the author’s take on things.
The mystical setting, a seemingly ordinary little English village called Avebury Circle near the mysterious Stonehenge, provides a background that predisposes the mind to expect creepy and mysterious happenings and the author provides us with all the thrills we anticipate.
I have one small reservation, one that I have come across many times before but never get used to. The book doesn’t end. You come to the end of a chapter and turn a page for the next chapter...but there isn’t one. You have to go find the second volume to read the continuing story. It is my belief that a book should be whole and complete in itself. But there are many writers who use this particular ploy, so I suppose it is a matter of taste.
All in all, although my normal reading fare leans to mysteries and thrillers, I enjoyed this fantasy tale. Those who are aficionados of the genre will particularly enjoy this book, and I wholeheartedly recommend it.
February 9, 2015
Imogene’s Message will appeal to Sherborne’s intended audience—readers who enjoy stories about celestial beings and angels and who want to embrace a message of tolerance and acceptance. Sherborne cleverly lays out the emotional hooks to keep her reader’s engaged, their fingers crossed and hopeful to the last page. She follows the formulas laid out by Bob Mayer’s in his successful Area 51 series with sympathetic heroes, nefarious villains, government agencies, convoluted conspiracies and other worldly powers.
It will not appeal to readers who want a character driven narrative whose characters overcome adversity by finding inner strength and gathering resources and allies. Which is sad, because I’m one of those readers. I really wanted to like this book and, except for the religious polemics, found myself enjoying the plot and pacing. At least I did until halfway in when it went totally sideways, backwards and inside out.
Think of this book as The Day the Earth Stood Still with the child Imogene as Klaatu, the Archangel Rahmiel as Gort and featuring battles between American commandos and Soviet fifth columnists, not to mention firefights between good and bad Aliens (maybe the Greens and Grays). The only thing missing was the lightsabers.
Nor will Imogene’s Message appeal to feminist readers who believe women don’t need men to fight their battles. The female characters, particularly the heroine (or rather the victim) Xantara, basically sit back and let the men do the saving. At almost every turn, when Xantara or Imogene are endangered, her husband or son, a reporter, or the angel Rahmiel step in to save them.
Xantara tells her family, "I ask myself, do we have any control over our lives? I think not." My former publisher, the late Susan Bright of the Plain View Press, a feminist and a worshipper of the Goddess would have shuddered to hear these words.
I'm trying to be fair, and I know the book is intended to be an appeal to religious tolerance, but, I haven’t had an experience like this since my friends and I went to see the premiere of the original Red Dawn in Dallas. (We were organizing the Tent Cities to protest the Republican National Convention.) During the scenes when Harry Dean Stanton slapped his sons through the barbed wire for crying at the prison camp because real men don’t cry, and Leah Thompson held onto a live grenade when she died so the Russians wouldn't rape her corpse (and then we heard the explosion in the background), we found ourselves laughing out loud.
We didn't mean too. We didn't particularly want too. We just couldn't help ourselves. And in Dallas, in 1984, during the Republican National Convention, that was a dangerous thing to do. (The other patrons, still wearing their cowboy hats, even many of the women, would turn around to stare at us with eyes like like the barrels of sawed-off shotguns.)
Sherborne calls Imogene's Message a thriller of extreme prejudice. The extreme prejudice seems to transfer over to her feelings as well.
If the readers who love the book get their wish Sherborne will already have a sequel in the works. If the rest of us get our wish, the story ends here.
The Guardians have spoken....It’s a series.
Phillip T. Stephens is the author of Cigerets, Guns & Beer and Raising Hell. He also authored Poems, Parables and Prayers for the Third Millennium (Plain View Press, 2001), advocating religious tolerance and acceptance. You can follow him @stephens_pt.
It will not appeal to readers who want a character driven narrative whose characters overcome adversity by finding inner strength and gathering resources and allies. Which is sad, because I’m one of those readers. I really wanted to like this book and, except for the religious polemics, found myself enjoying the plot and pacing. At least I did until halfway in when it went totally sideways, backwards and inside out.
Think of this book as The Day the Earth Stood Still with the child Imogene as Klaatu, the Archangel Rahmiel as Gort and featuring battles between American commandos and Soviet fifth columnists, not to mention firefights between good and bad Aliens (maybe the Greens and Grays). The only thing missing was the lightsabers.
Nor will Imogene’s Message appeal to feminist readers who believe women don’t need men to fight their battles. The female characters, particularly the heroine (or rather the victim) Xantara, basically sit back and let the men do the saving. At almost every turn, when Xantara or Imogene are endangered, her husband or son, a reporter, or the angel Rahmiel step in to save them.
Xantara tells her family, "I ask myself, do we have any control over our lives? I think not." My former publisher, the late Susan Bright of the Plain View Press, a feminist and a worshipper of the Goddess would have shuddered to hear these words.
I'm trying to be fair, and I know the book is intended to be an appeal to religious tolerance, but, I haven’t had an experience like this since my friends and I went to see the premiere of the original Red Dawn in Dallas. (We were organizing the Tent Cities to protest the Republican National Convention.) During the scenes when Harry Dean Stanton slapped his sons through the barbed wire for crying at the prison camp because real men don’t cry, and Leah Thompson held onto a live grenade when she died so the Russians wouldn't rape her corpse (and then we heard the explosion in the background), we found ourselves laughing out loud.
We didn't mean too. We didn't particularly want too. We just couldn't help ourselves. And in Dallas, in 1984, during the Republican National Convention, that was a dangerous thing to do. (The other patrons, still wearing their cowboy hats, even many of the women, would turn around to stare at us with eyes like like the barrels of sawed-off shotguns.)
Sherborne calls Imogene's Message a thriller of extreme prejudice. The extreme prejudice seems to transfer over to her feelings as well.
If the readers who love the book get their wish Sherborne will already have a sequel in the works. If the rest of us get our wish, the story ends here.
The Guardians have spoken....It’s a series.
Phillip T. Stephens is the author of Cigerets, Guns & Beer and Raising Hell. He also authored Poems, Parables and Prayers for the Third Millennium (Plain View Press, 2001), advocating religious tolerance and acceptance. You can follow him @stephens_pt.
October 27, 2014
This ‘thriller of extreme prejudice’ begins as soon as the reader opens the book. It is extreme; it is ugly; and it’s not for the faint-hearted. Xantara Pembroke, the protagonist, has been captured because she is different. Xantara means “protector of the earth.” She was one of eight Energy Guardians; she was a healer for the ancient order. Their location is a village called Avebury Circle which is very near to Stonehenge. Several zealous fundamentalist sects (people referred to them as ‘fundos’) thought Xantara’s actions made her a witch. They determined that it was God’s will for them to eliminate as many sinners as possible. So they captured, tortured, and sometimes killed people because they would not repent. While she was in their prison, Xantara watched in horror as they brutally whipped and cut a young man they assumed to be a homosexual.
Just prior to her capture, Xantara’s daughter, Imogene, had died in an accident on a school outing. She felt her daughter’s gentle presence while she was imprisoned. In the meantime, Braeden, Xantara’s husband, was fighting spiritual battles of his own. Having been an atheist most of his life, he went to Ezekiel’s group for comfort following his daughter’s death. He bought into the deception and even OK’d them to imprison Xantara. Upon seeing their brutality first hand, he starts to second guess his actions. But, has he waited too long; is he too late to save Xantara?
This was a different read for me. Many scenes were hard to take. The difference between the Fundos and the Guardians is as far as east is from west. The Guardians and the Light Beings were beautiful and displayed beautiful wills and actions. The Fundos were ugly, brutal, and deceived themselves into thinking they were doing God’s will. This book held a few too many characters with some new ones being introduced even as late as the last 25% of the book. This felt to be a bit preachy to me; a book with a message which basically said stand up for good before man’s goodness disappears altogether. It started out fast-paced and engaging but the last 20% slowed and the end was not a complete end as it will be continued in Imogene’s Past Lives: A Thriller of Extreme Consequences (published Sep 8, 2014). I rated the novel at 3 out of 5.
http://www.fictionzeal.com/imogenes-m...
Just prior to her capture, Xantara’s daughter, Imogene, had died in an accident on a school outing. She felt her daughter’s gentle presence while she was imprisoned. In the meantime, Braeden, Xantara’s husband, was fighting spiritual battles of his own. Having been an atheist most of his life, he went to Ezekiel’s group for comfort following his daughter’s death. He bought into the deception and even OK’d them to imprison Xantara. Upon seeing their brutality first hand, he starts to second guess his actions. But, has he waited too long; is he too late to save Xantara?
This was a different read for me. Many scenes were hard to take. The difference between the Fundos and the Guardians is as far as east is from west. The Guardians and the Light Beings were beautiful and displayed beautiful wills and actions. The Fundos were ugly, brutal, and deceived themselves into thinking they were doing God’s will. This book held a few too many characters with some new ones being introduced even as late as the last 25% of the book. This felt to be a bit preachy to me; a book with a message which basically said stand up for good before man’s goodness disappears altogether. It started out fast-paced and engaging but the last 20% slowed and the end was not a complete end as it will be continued in Imogene’s Past Lives: A Thriller of Extreme Consequences (published Sep 8, 2014). I rated the novel at 3 out of 5.
http://www.fictionzeal.com/imogenes-m...
May 17, 2015
"Imogene's Message: Extreme and Interesting"
I'm not sure how I feel about this story. IMOGENE'S MESSAGE was interesting however it was hard for me to keep up with the plot. I felt lost several times in the story. There were also a few passages that were definitely extreme as well as a few places where I could have done without the details. There was a heavy religious or spiritual theme to this story.
I really liked the character of Imogene and would liked to have had the story based more about her than anything. This was an audiobook that I couldn't listen to in one sitting. I had to restart the book several times and still felt lost. I finished the book, however it took more than two days.
There is a saving grace and that is that this has a follow up book that I look forward to starting. Hopefully things will become more cohesive. One thing I really liked were the unique names of the characters.
My overall opinion will have to hold off until I listen to the second book, IMOGENE'S PAST LIVES.
Timothy McKean did a good job narrating this audiobook. There were a few places where it was monotone but otherwise he nailed it. He had a really nice tone and quality to his voice that made it easier to listen to. It was his reading that kept me interested.
Audiobook received in exchange for an honest review.
June 15, 2015
A gripping supernatural thriller.
Extreme Prejudice - Imogene’s Message, is excellently written. It is very descriptive with an original and powerful tale. The characters are faultlessly portrayed and the descriptions of the quaint English settings make it easy to imagine with a feeling of being there.
However, it is difficult to pin this novel down to a few genres as it has everything. It is a good old-fashioned ghost story set in modern times with a twist. Based around the Pembroke family, it has conflicts between good and evil, supernatural powers, angels, demons, witches, the spirit world, detectives and crime, a mystery, and a thriller with a bit of philosophy thrown in. It sends a clear message to our modern day society:
“Nature takes only what it needs. If it takes more, it dies off. Mankind has become greedy. Each individual should let go of self-interest and greed, and share with the under-privileged.”
Any thought provoking book is a great book...right.
Imogene’s message is action packed with many surprises and new and interesting characters added along the way. It is engaging throughout. Fortunately, the story leads on nicely for a sequel.I can highly recommend this novel.
Christine Sherborne is certainly a creative author to watch out for and I will definitely read more from her.
Extreme Prejudice - Imogene’s Message, is excellently written. It is very descriptive with an original and powerful tale. The characters are faultlessly portrayed and the descriptions of the quaint English settings make it easy to imagine with a feeling of being there.
However, it is difficult to pin this novel down to a few genres as it has everything. It is a good old-fashioned ghost story set in modern times with a twist. Based around the Pembroke family, it has conflicts between good and evil, supernatural powers, angels, demons, witches, the spirit world, detectives and crime, a mystery, and a thriller with a bit of philosophy thrown in. It sends a clear message to our modern day society:
“Nature takes only what it needs. If it takes more, it dies off. Mankind has become greedy. Each individual should let go of self-interest and greed, and share with the under-privileged.”
Any thought provoking book is a great book...right.
Imogene’s message is action packed with many surprises and new and interesting characters added along the way. It is engaging throughout. Fortunately, the story leads on nicely for a sequel.I can highly recommend this novel.
Christine Sherborne is certainly a creative author to watch out for and I will definitely read more from her.
February 19, 2015
This story had such a powerful start, I loved the first chapter and even got a ways into the story but then it kind of went sideways for me. The writing is good, there were some graphic, gruesome scenes but they held my attention and kept me wondering where the story was going - I'm always rooting for good to win over evil, and there was definitely some evil in this story. This story clearly outlined and gave a really good sense of the fanaticism and small mindedness of some. The characters were well crafted. Unfortunately I found myself about halfway through and felt disconnected from the story and from Xantara, well any of them really. I think the story idea is great but too many characters were constantly being introduced, almost right to the end. I'm a fan of thrillers and meeting lots of characters but not introduced so late. Also I lost touch with Xanatra who's story I thought this would be about as she was who it started with. There wasn't anyone who was present enough throughout to connect with. In some cases I also felt that resolving the issue was too rushed. The story which started out great seemed to become more about sharing a message then about the story. With some changes this would be a great read.
February 6, 2015
Imogene's Message: A Thriller of Extreme Prejudice
I must admit that I have never read a thriller before, so this was my first experience with the genre. It was a rollercoaster of emotions for me. In one moment I was thinking, "Ooooh, how pretty!" And in the next I was being shocked and horrified by the events. Sherbrooke certainly pulled me into her world and sent me tumbling through the suspense of her characters lives.
I must admit that I have never read a thriller before, so this was my first experience with the genre. It was a rollercoaster of emotions for me. In one moment I was thinking, "Ooooh, how pretty!" And in the next I was being shocked and horrified by the events. Sherbrooke certainly pulled me into her world and sent me tumbling through the suspense of her characters lives.
February 2, 2015
This was a fun read right from the first page. I enjoyed being thrown into the middle of the story without warning. It made what followed more of a surprise.
The plot zips along at a rapid pace with lots of varied characters popping up along the way. My favourite by far was the truly evil and effortlessly threatening Ezekiel, who sent chills throughout me whenever he enacted his horrific punishments.
I liked the old fashioned English town setting, (the story is modern day. Thought I'd say to prevent any confusion) it felt familiar yet different enough to admire through Christine Sherbourne's highly descriptive writing. You know instantly where you are and who you are with at all times.
Even though Imogene's Message is a book in a genre I don't usually read, I found it instantly engaging and at times heart breaking; a story as much about loss as religious extremists. This was definitely a story worth reading and I'm glad I did.
I will definitely give the sequel a look as the story carries on straight away. I'm interested to see how this all ends.
The plot zips along at a rapid pace with lots of varied characters popping up along the way. My favourite by far was the truly evil and effortlessly threatening Ezekiel, who sent chills throughout me whenever he enacted his horrific punishments.
I liked the old fashioned English town setting, (the story is modern day. Thought I'd say to prevent any confusion) it felt familiar yet different enough to admire through Christine Sherbourne's highly descriptive writing. You know instantly where you are and who you are with at all times.
Even though Imogene's Message is a book in a genre I don't usually read, I found it instantly engaging and at times heart breaking; a story as much about loss as religious extremists. This was definitely a story worth reading and I'm glad I did.
I will definitely give the sequel a look as the story carries on straight away. I'm interested to see how this all ends.
February 2, 2015
I had a hard time getting into this book. It moved along at a steady pace but still seemed to drag a little for me. The story line was very interesting and grabbed my attention but I found it hard to follow some of the radical views held by some of the characters.
The characters were very well introduced but I found the easy persuasion of many of the characters to be hard to handle. They would change their fanatical beliefs to suit what they wanted instead of sticking to the beliefs that they were willing to do some horrifying acts in the name of.
The story line seemed to be at a stand still for most of the book. There was one goal and it was repeatedly either missed or thwarted. I would have liked to see more by the way of what the characters were doing. It seemed to focus entirely on one thing and that is what made it drag a little for me.
The writing was well done and everything was explained so that you can understand what is going on.
I was able to follow along and enjoyed the book and I will be reading the second book in the series.
The characters were very well introduced but I found the easy persuasion of many of the characters to be hard to handle. They would change their fanatical beliefs to suit what they wanted instead of sticking to the beliefs that they were willing to do some horrifying acts in the name of.
The story line seemed to be at a stand still for most of the book. There was one goal and it was repeatedly either missed or thwarted. I would have liked to see more by the way of what the characters were doing. It seemed to focus entirely on one thing and that is what made it drag a little for me.
The writing was well done and everything was explained so that you can understand what is going on.
I was able to follow along and enjoyed the book and I will be reading the second book in the series.
July 22, 2015
This is the first book about Imogene's message.Both books could have been shortened and made into 1 book.Maybe the flow would have been better.Imogene is a child of a 'witch'.A cult of christians wants to take over the world and decides to use Imogene's family as an example.Between this and book 2 we have Ezekial and his brothers,uncles ,etc heads of different sects killing people and saying stupid sterotypical stuff.'You have offended the lord,now you die','man shall not lay with man,no you die',stuff like that.Every faction grated on my nerves because it was all so superficial,nothing backed up these peoples beliefs.There were angels and demons and I could not keep them straight.I wanted to love this series,I came away just wanting to know how it ended.
Timothy McKeans performance was ok,not great.It was stilted and I believe a British narrator would have done better since the story was set in Britain for the most part.
"I was provided this audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator in exchange for an unbiased review via AudiobookBlast or MalarHouse dot com"
Timothy McKeans performance was ok,not great.It was stilted and I believe a British narrator would have done better since the story was set in Britain for the most part.
"I was provided this audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator in exchange for an unbiased review via AudiobookBlast or MalarHouse dot com"
January 23, 2016
This thriller has it all, murder, rape, terrorist and it starts off with a kidnapping. It is set in a English village near Stonehenge where two different religious groups are pitted against each other, both believing they are doing Gods work and the other doing the devils work.
You can't help but feeling sorry for detective Jim McCullage as he starts to investigate the disappearance of people in the village. He soon finds out he is dealing with two religious sects, one, the Energy Guardians of the Circle of Stonehenge who are claiming they resurrected someone from the dead. While the other sect, the Phineas Priesthood claims it is witchcraft.
Detective McCullage soon realise he is in over his head when the Guardians of the Circle said, that a young girl has been miraculously brought back to life by the Universal Creator and Spiritual Master.
You are dragged along at a very fast pace with detective McCullage as more bizarre things keep happening. A very gripping supernatural tale, and I recommend it to those with imaginative minds.
You can't help but feeling sorry for detective Jim McCullage as he starts to investigate the disappearance of people in the village. He soon finds out he is dealing with two religious sects, one, the Energy Guardians of the Circle of Stonehenge who are claiming they resurrected someone from the dead. While the other sect, the Phineas Priesthood claims it is witchcraft.
Detective McCullage soon realise he is in over his head when the Guardians of the Circle said, that a young girl has been miraculously brought back to life by the Universal Creator and Spiritual Master.
You are dragged along at a very fast pace with detective McCullage as more bizarre things keep happening. A very gripping supernatural tale, and I recommend it to those with imaginative minds.
August 16, 2014
I really liked this book. The writing style is one that the reader easily falls in to and is captivated with. The novel begins with Xantra Pembroke imprisoned by a crazy, religious group. They want to kill not only her, but anyone who doesn't fit in to what they think is the perfect person. Xantra and her husband Braedon have two children, Imogene, who is of course the heroine of the story, and an older son Allistair. The family encounters a lot in this paranormal/religious adventure. The story is compelling and seems to echo a lot of what is seen today with radical terrorist. I didn't know this was a continuing story and that was the only drawback as I got to the end of the book. Otherwise this is a well written story that takes the reader on quite a journey. Great job!
November 9, 2014
Imogene's message definitely has the most interesting and diverse cast of characters that I have ever seen in a story. This tale about a small village near Stonehenge that is terrorized by a family of Christian extremists kept me on the edge of my seat until the end (and up well past midnight reading). The juxtaposition of jarring scenes of torture and the descriptions of the beautiful English countryside create an unforgettable setting. The novel teaches a valuable lesson about living in peace and practicing tolerance. Imogene has been specifically chosen by the Guardians to deliver a message to mankind: change your ways or a miserable future awaits. Will the world heed her message? I will have to read the sequel to find out. Overall, a fantastic read that I highly recommend.
February 8, 2015
Even though I am not a particular fan of the genre, I did read Imogene's Message. At times I was charmed, at times chilled, but most often, I was confused. There was a huge cast of characters and many were introduced at random, right up until the end of the book. Although I eventually understood the significance of the many side stories and characters, they did not always seem to flow into the story line with ease.
I have no particular comment about the whole good vs. evil, light vs. dark plot of the book, except that I won't be reading the sequel. Too fanatical for my tastes.
For the most part, the book was well written, I just didn't care for the story.
Sorry to say, only 2 stars from me.
I have no particular comment about the whole good vs. evil, light vs. dark plot of the book, except that I won't be reading the sequel. Too fanatical for my tastes.
For the most part, the book was well written, I just didn't care for the story.
Sorry to say, only 2 stars from me.
February 9, 2016
The story begins with one chilling scene, and continues with many more, each one even more suspenseful and weirder than the last. The characters are imaginative, and extremely diverse. The religious zealots trying to eliminate Xantara, the Energy Guardian of Avebury circle were terrifying. I was wondering what awful torture they would dream up next, and it didn’t disappoint; it was more horrific than I expected. I did get a little confused in places, but generally, it was an enjoyable read. If you like fantasy this book has plenty to keep you interested.
August 4, 2014
This was a very good read. Good characters populate the setting. A wonderful plot keeps the pages turning. I rate this a five star read.
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