Luke Coles doesn't remember his past, where he's from or who he is. After the Battle of Gettysburg, he searches for a home in the old west. Eventually, he finds work as a miner in Mexico and makes a life for himself. Then he discovers a new world, a supernatural one. His awareness of the monsters around him causes him to run. On Chiloe Island, he hopes things will return to normal. There, a merchant's daughter catches his eye. Just when he thinks things have returned to normal, the paranormal world sucks him back in. It is then that he finally begins to realize his destiny in a world full of mythological creatures, and magic.
Josh Walker was born and raised in Cheyenne, WY. After graduating High School, he moved to Chile where he learned the language and culture, met new people, and made lifelong friends.
He returned to the United States, taking an interest in early childhood education and spent eight years in that field. When he visited old friends in Chile, he found a new one--the best friend he ever had--Macarena. They have been married for eleven years and have three children: a five year old boy, eight year old boy, and ten year old girl.
Josh worked as the Creative Story Director for Apixal, an independent game developer.
He currently works as a freelance writer/editer and delivers pizzas.
When he isn't writing or working at his day job, he is spending time with his wife and kids.
Brilliant! This genre is far beyond what I usually read so I started reading this book with an open mind and hoped for the best. Well I needn't have worried...Josh Walker is a brilliant and gifted storyteller and had me hooked within the first few paragraphs. This is a unique story with an abundance of folklore and history. Very well written and will leave you with the question, "I wonder if....?" I recommend this to those who enjoy this genre and to those who don't usually read it I say, "Give it a try!"
This book had an enjoyable narrative combined with plenty of humor and action! It was fun to read about Luke Coles, as he took on ghosts, monsters, and a group of evil doers that go by the name of Righteous Province. The monsters are nothing short of frightening, and the descriptions of the characters are quite good. Luke’s primary weapons are a katana sword, which he uses to slash at his enemies, and a firearm loaded with silver bullets. He also has a pet coyote, named Shadow, that helps him on his adventures. This book was great fun! I am so glad I picked this one up!
This Review was originally published on Kurt's Frontier.
Synopsis:
Luke Coles is a man without a past. His memory begins at the Battle of Gettysburg, where he fought besides the 20th Maine under Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain. After the war, he begins his search for a place to call home. After facing a monster in a Mexican that mine kills many of his friends, he flees until he gets to Chiloé Island. His life seems to return to normal, and he catches the eye of a local girl. However, the world of the supernatural is far from through with him. With the murder of his beloved, he finds his destiny lies in a world of mythological creatures, monsters, and magic.
Review:
Luke Coles and the Flower of Chiloé takes the reader to a world where mythological creatures are real. It follows the story of Luke Cole, one time union soldier, as he faces a monster that murdered his friends 150 years ago. Luke Cole is part of an elite cadre whose mission is to protect the innocent people of the world from supernatural monsters. Now he must return to where he first faced a monster and settle accounts for those friends murdered. Josh Walker uses flashbacks as an integral part of his story telling. This takes the reader from the present, to various points in Luke Coles life, as he prepares for his final confrontation. I am not normally fond of flashbacks, as they usually arrest the forward momentum of the story.
The story is exciting, though I found the action hard to visualize on occasion. Moreover, the author had a hard time projecting that the protagonist was in real danger. This is especially true during his final confrontation. While the monster did land a few hits, the final battle seemed too easy. The story telling was still good, and I am interested in checking out the next installment of Luke Coles adventures.
Luke Coles and the Flower of Chiloe is written in such a unique way that sometimes it's easy to forget that it's fiction based in folklore rather than reality! Josh Walker has an extraordinary way of bringing his characters to life through his vivid and imaginative descriptions, and the locations he used were brought to life in my imagination. He is a very talented author who takes care to ensure that the multiple storylines running through the main plot of the book are always remembered - nothing is left at a loose end. 5 stars easily earned - I cannot wait to read the next book in the series!
I am so glad I grew up knowing Josh Walker. I never knew that he would go from writing short stories about my mom and I along with his friends from work to becoming a well known author. When someone mentions his book and says it sounds interesting I say "Oh it is and It is worth the money you spend on it." I really hope we can see you again! Great job on the amazing work Josh!
This book is a fantastic piece. It mixes adventure, paranormal and humor.
The protagonist, Luke, is such an intricate character with many faces, who on one hand tries to forget and struggles with a daily life full of sarcasm and flirting, and on the other deals with paranormal creatures he tracks and destroy.
A “gringo” in the south, adapting and transforming himself in every chapter of the book, leads the reader through changing emotions and excitement that gets you stuck to the book until you finish it. The secondary characters are very real and accurate, with different shades and suffering their own evolution as they connect with our hunter.
The chapters have the perfect length, enough to involve the reader in every single scene, but short enough as to let us breath (which is much appreciated). Descriptions are sensorial and realistic, you can perfectly picture in your mind what Walker is telling you, and you never find the moment of leaving the book.
The mix between Latin terminology and traditions with the mind of a northern man makes an original combination full of cynicism and why not, points of comedy that make the reader smile so big many times along the book. I did! The plot is full of different stories and flashbacks, terrific creatures, tons of action and a very special romance.
Walker’s writing is very fresh, quick, easy to the eye. Energetic and adventurous, you reach the unexpected end and you cannot help wanting more, looking the for the next book. I sincerely recommend it to action lovers and paranormal fans. Congratulations.
Luke Coles is brilliant read and a superb masterpiece. If anybook can be written so perfectly, it is Luke Coles. Josh Walker's Luke Coles is very creative and twists and turns with plots of past and modern times. Never had I read a book that could portray a classic event of past, flowing into the modern era where Luke Cole an ex soldier seeks revenge for the blood of his love, Flor. It is interwoven with mythical creatures of the island of Chiloe. The story sparks each time you pick up this great book to read. It kept me on the edge and I was sure my heartbeat beat faster as I really wanted to know what happened next. It is a page turner for sure. As Luke Coles seeks revenge and prepares to learn magic and supernatural powers, his thirst for revenge prepares him for the ultimate battle. And as he eliminates his enemies, his pet, Shadow lingers by his side and this is what made me cry out. Even the saddest of human being needs a pet who can feel his pain. Shadow was the most brilliant character, who stuck even in the foulest of battles. Luke Coles has proven its worth and in book industry we can call it the ultimate masterpiece! Many sincere congratulation to Josh Walker and I cannot wait to read the other books in Luke Coles series.
The story begins by following Luke Coles through three main timelines, revealing a little more about him and the tragedies he's lived through. There's plenty of mystery and intrigue surrounding the character, and good humor layered throughout. The story had a feel reminiscent of Buffy the Vampire Slayer as Luke confronts monsters from different parts of the world. The revealing of Luke's past provides an understanding of how he came to have the abilities that assist him in fighting different creatures and reveals what's shaped him as well. It's an enjoyable read and a good start to the series.
This title was written for elementary school kids and delivers on that account, but it doesn't surprise me that lots of adults enjoy it, too. Harry Potter meets Goosebumps.
I've seen Josh give speeches and television interviews about folklore. He puts his expertise to work in this. My kids love the books, and as an adult I've enjoyed them, understanding they are written at level most elementary school kids can enjoy.
This title was written for elementary school kids and delivers on that account, but it doesn't surprise me that lots of adults enjoy it, too. Harry Potter meets Goosebumps.
I've seen Josh give speeches and television interviews about folklore. He puts his expertise to work in this. My kids love the books, and as an adult I've enjoyed them, understanding they are written at level most elementary school kids can enjoy.
Josh's understanding of folklore is unmatched. His writing matches up on a technical standpoint, making it clear and concise, easy for children to understand. And it is children and adults alike who will love this book. It has a realistic feeling love story to keep the romance lovers interested, but shines as a coming of age tale for Luke as he recognizes a special role in the world of monster hunters.
I met Josh when he came into the store to print his book cover posters. We talked for few minutes about his book and his story line immediately intrigued me. I figured local author, I should definitely give his novel a try. I'm so glad I did. I had just finished another book written in the European format of jumping back and forth in time. So, I transitioned into his book seamlessly. I enjoyed his character development. You seemed to instantly get a feel for each character without the author trying to back story everyone. And c'mon, a sidekick Coyote named Shadow, how cool is that. If you're into the supernatural, I definitely would give this book a read. I can't wait for the next installment!!
This is normally not the type of book I pick up to read but was glad that it fell into my lap. It was a truly good story! It had a hero that deals with supernatural beings that spanned over generations. There was humor and loss, action and adventure...perfect for almost anyone! Will definitely recommend this book!
I was hooked immediately. Usually, I’m not a reader of mythological books, but this has made me a huge fan in a matter of a few paragraphs. I won’t give away the story. I would rather have a reader experience this author for themselves. I will tell you however that while the story is fiction and myth-based, it is written in a way that feels very real. 5 stars all the way!
I volunteer to be his proofreader and to maintain his timeline. There's a lot of potential. Obviously there's going to be another book and I will buy it. To see how the story goes and because I am curious to see how Josh Walker's writing matures.
I watched a lot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer growing up. I see elements of that in this. Even so, this is one of the most original stories I've ever read. If you enjoy Urban Fantasy this is a must read.
I couldn't put the book down. It is slow for two or three chapters and then takes off into this world of mythology and fantasy. It was a very fun read!