Power

River Sunday #8

by Thomas Hollyday

How strong is the internet’s hold over our lives? Thomas Hollyday, a Chesapeake writer with seven books receiving critical acclaim, presents Power, his newest and most thought provoking novel. This hard hitting story asks if the internet and its social media are beyond our control. Across the United States mobs of energy protesters outwit police and randomly destroy power companies and oil storage sites. They kill innocent bystanders and cause city blackouts. Meanwhile social media is filled with the popular speaker Cole Tinker promoting his cause, Provide Free Energy To All Citizens.” His millions of fans grow in number while government is unable to prove him responsible for the violence. Businessman John Loggerman has been informed his daughter has disappeared. He plans to search for her as soon as he docks his ship in Baltimore to load oil drilling equipment for Africa. However, a fanatical crowd tries to sabotage his ship and cargo. Its green signs cheer Tinker whom they call the King of the Working People. Loggerman, born in Maine and a former Marine, prepares to defend the ship even though they are outnumbered. Loggerman also investigates his missing daughter and finds she was a volunteer for Tinker. He fears she may have been murdered. He must find a way to combat this King’s secret world and save his friends. He pats the knife at his waist and remembers his old motto, “Wear and Scare.” Power is the eighth book of the acclaimed River Sunday Romance Mystery series by Thomas Hollyday. The author’s unique Chesapeake voice once again gives us an exciting read about the people, their beliefs and legends, and the grasping mud and black water wetlands of this mysterious American region. His other critically acclaimed novels include Slave Graves, Magnolia Gods, Powerboat Racer, Gold, Terror Flower, China Jewel, and Easter Sunday. Each book, introducing new memorable characters, retains the simple and beautiful lifestyle, history and beauty of the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay. Powerful subjects such as freedom, atomic war, racism, religion, terror, sailing, and family love, are approached. Stories are insightful and well researched with technical expertise, humor, and fast moving action. River Sunday Romance Mysteries are suitable for teen and older readers. They have no strong language and romantic descriptions are clean and suitable for family reading and enjoyment. Thomas Hollyday has spent years working for animals rights. Part of the proceeds of his books goes to financing his work on fresh drinking water resources for wildlife.

196 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 8, 2017

About the author

Thomas Hollyday (1942-present) was born in Easton, Maryland. His father was an acclaimed photographer and his mother a brilliant teacher.His father's family were active in the history of Maryland since its settlement while his mother's family were prominent in Democratic Party politics. His grandmother's family descended from a well known German industrial family of Baltimore. He grew up in the southern atmosphere of the Eastern Shore with its maritime and military heritage. He studied writing with Elliott Coleman at the prestigious Johns Hopkins Writing Seminars and with C.Michael Curtis of the Atlantic Monthly. He served with distinction in Vietnam and became a successful international businessman.He also drew illustrations for national magazines and published maritime and Civil War history. He currently edits popular video blogs on you tube for animal water rights and for book reviews. He draws the popular humorous Animal Viewpoint Cartoons for newspapers. He continues to please his fans with new novels in his River Sunday Romance Mysteries collection. In his fiction he describes his recurring theme that human settlers since prehistoric times in the Chesapeake region have left a mist of legend and history that permeates its modern stories with a certain compelling truth. At the same time he incorporates the stories of machines with those of their human owners. Each novel, located in the small town of River Sunday, Maryland, also records the continuing beautiful nature of the area. His writing portrays today's problems, conflicts, and memorable local characters with their loves and their combat with evil.

Reviews

[Fran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Power: Thomas Hollyday
Creating a world where energy is free for the people was someone’s goal but why? Using threats of cutting off a company’s power and turning a whole city or state dark was the goal of this one man who professed to want everyone to benefit from his goals. Tinker Cole is a dangerous man who lures young women and naïve young men to working for you but at what cost and what price? Energy is something that we all need and value but when power company’s have their every destroyed, turned off and then are forced to join the Tinker team, adding oil storages and more to hurt private business owners and gain his own monopoly on power. Think about the deadly effects this would have holding our energy power ransom causing major power outages, blackouts and deaths of innocent people caught in the mêlée. But, some think it’s great to get power providing for them for free and millions rally to his aid while others fill the streets with violent protests and anger. Provide Free Energy to All Citizens is his mantra and millions seem brainwashed and convinced that he’s the answer to many of their financial prayers. Violence, fights, deaths, guns drawn at citizens and the police and no one points the finger at Cole.
John Loggerman is caught in the crossfire as he comes to River Sunday to load his boats but learns that his daughter Stephanie works for Tinker. Searching for her takes a backseat while he docks his ship in Baltimore as a stopgap. Loading drilling equipment for Africa is his first goal but crowds shoot at his boat, others try to board the boat and lives are in danger and he has to fight his way out. Sabotage is the name of the game and green signs line the streets and docks as the protesters cry out, and others cheer Tinker whom they call the King of the Working People. Hoping to stand his ground and defend his ship he and his crew might need more than the team the have. Trying to speak and see his daughter his ex-wife working for Tinker blocks him every step of the way and the unusual and odd phone he gets from him triggers something in his mind letting him know somehow some way he needs to get her out of Cole Tinker’s lair and control. Stephanie is missing and yet why did she decide to go with Cole was she threatened? Will he be able to learn more about Cole from the inside? But there is much more to the story as we learn when we meet Dr. Mike, Ben and others who reveal much more about River Sunday and secrets that will come out that will shock both Loggerman and Dr. Mike as the truth behind his brother’s death comes out front and center.
Things take on a dangerous turn as Cole Tinker comes to the platform along with Elizabeth, Ferrars and Loggerman. Some how things get out of control, a knife appears and Cole Tinker is stabbed to death so why does it look like its Loggerman’s knife that ended his and the dream of free energy for all? Simple get complicated Tinker scares an energy firm like a utility company in a small town. They lower their customer prices in the local market and then they will have their computer grid shut down and can do nothing about it. The can’t be stopped at least so far and no one knows how they are doing it. The firms become due-paying members of the Institute and are promoted by Tinker as good energy companies. Lowering prices to the locals. They make up the loses using their profits. But, it doesn’t end there. Member of Tinker Institute are loyal to him and won’t talk to anyone. Tinker’s membership rises, Those working for him cannot get out and some are used in illegal ways to entice customers to see it their way. Loggerman’s daughter is undergoing training for a criminal act. Think about what will happen when the world of technology is taking over. The rich understand profit from the technology and the poor cannot compete. Stephanie has been brainwashed and thinks that she is helping her mother and that she will be killed or punished if she does not do as Tinker and Ferrars the rest demand of her. Spire and Ferrars are behind what is about to happen next as things go wild after Tinker is stabbed to death. Riots break out, Captain Jimmy, Ringo his first mate and others are out to try and stop what has happened but is too late. Joe Henry is the boss and Captain Jimmy speaks to Loggerman and he is worried about loading his ships but what happens thwarts all plans as author Thomas Hollyday takes us deep inside a group of men and women who create lies, deceptions, deceits, fear and a conspiracy so far out that no one sees what is right in front of them as power grids and the world’s electricity and power is at stake. The people in charge and doing this are quite adapt at technology and creating these blackouts as well as having these disruptions followed by street mobs and violence. When the power is returned the Tinker Institute now has a new member. The electrical grid that was disrupted is back on; nothing changes except the huge membership free that goes into their bank accounts. So, how is this helping the people and the energy companies? Blackmail is the name of the game and there are those that penetrate organization and there are women hired to learn intelligence and leak it to them. Computers are changed so that Tinker has control, company engineers can’t change a control a very powerful hacking to profit this one man. The author shares John’s relationship with Elizabeth, her youth, how they met and how they are now dealing with her disloyalty to her own daughter, her lack of feelings and why she is now with Ferrars. Does she really love and want her own daughter? Why is she forcing her to do things that most parents would never allow?
Did people really send letters of complaint about the high cost of energy for their homes, cars, schools and businesses? Claiming people came to work for Tinker in order to help in the energy crisis if they could. But, what was the real motive behind what Tinker was doing and what happens when he’s killed? Why is John brutally treated and taken into custody? Why does Ferrars immediately take the helm? Hear his final words as he related to readers on page 135 that he heard the earthly truth he needed to hear or his message for life. Read how he lived with a mother who light a kerosene lamp and watch how the crowd seems transfixed by his words. The final scenes are quite vividly depicted and described as the violence breaks out, John Loggerman and his crew go after those that blamed him for killing Tinker and his daughter has to decide who to trust him or her mother. Lies, truths, deceptions and one parent who might pay the ultimate price for lying and a young girl who makes a decision that will impact on her life forever. Can Stephanie stay neutral? What happens when she hears the orders her mother gives to those working for her? What happens when she realizes that she has been just one of many pawns in this dangerous energy chess game of death? Who lives, who dies and who will remain after all the bodies fall, the truths are uncovered, the rioters arrested, the Institute falls and the final lights go on? The truth behind what Tinker was really doing is revealed on page 181 and his method of gain wealth at the expense of those that believed in him is outrageous. The funeral almost like a scene out of a macabre movie with gothic figures in dark apparel as they brought the black car carrying his body to its final resting place. Hear the voice of the President of the United States as he makes a powerful speech and lets people know that in the coming days of reflection on the causes of this terror he and the government will seek to help energy users. What will the solutions be? Will it be free energy or some type of other way to lower costs and help people? An ending quite powerful and a story that sounds like it could be ripped right out of the headlines. What would happen if what this author wrote became a reality? Think about it!
Fran Lewis: Just reviews/MJ magazine



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[Grady · Rating 5 out of 5]

“They are protesting us because we drill for oil in Africa?”

Maryland author Thomas Hollyday understands the intricacies of weaving historical events with fictional characters in the manner that makes both more immediate. His recurring theme is one that human settlers since prehistoric times in the Chesapeake region have left a mist of legend and history that permeates its modern stories with a certain compelling truth. At the same time he incorporates the stories of machines with those of their human owners. The River Sunday Romance series places each novel in the small town of River Sunday, Maryland, and records the continuing beautiful nature of the area. His writing portrays today's problems, conflicts, and memorable local characters with their loves and their combat with evil. But in addition to these books it should also be noted that Thomas’ concern for ecology is strong: he has even written an excellent book on ‘Water for Backyard Pets and Wildlife’ and one called ‘Nature’s Viewpoint.’ Not that these little books add to the stories of the River Sunday Romances, but they tell us much about an author concerned about important issues outside of the library.

The author's synopsis distills the story best: This hard-hitting story asks if the Internet and its social media are beyond our control. Across the United States mobs of energy protesters outwit police and randomly destroy power companies and oil storage sites. They kill innocent bystanders and cause city blackouts. Meanwhile social media is filled with the popular speaker Cole Tinker promoting his cause, Provide Free Energy To All Citizens.” His millions of fans grow in number while government is unable to prove him responsible for the violence. Businessman John Loggerman has been informed his daughter has disappeared. He plans to search for her as soon as he docks his ship in Baltimore to load oil drilling equipment for Africa. However, a fanatical crowd tries to sabotage his ship and cargo. Its green signs cheer Tinker whom they call the King of the Working People. Loggerman, born in Maine and a former Marine, prepares to defend the ship even though they are outnumbered. Loggerman also investigates his missing daughter and finds she was a volunteer for Tinker. He fears she may have been murdered. He must find a way to combat this King’s secret world and save his friends. He pats the knife at his waist and remembers his old motto, “Wear and Scare.”

Having read other books (both from this River Sunday Romance Series and others) it is not surprising that Thomas has the ongoing ability to involve the reader immediately with well-written dialogue and plot progression that speeds the reader through the novel. He is able to bring memories of previous wars with such veracity that those of us who were directly involved on the battlefield can readily identify. There are many themes in this particular novel that address spiritual issues as well as cultural and historical issues – and that is one of the primary reasons that this ongoing series of books centered on the Chesapeake is so successful – he makes us look at our histories, personal and American – and lifts his messages to a higher level.

[Lorraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another AWESOME River Sunday book!!

A power hungrey man, gathers up the poor and preys on facts that they lack jobs and the ability to support themselves and their children. He focuses on the Power Companies and gets his workers into jobs at those Companies, causing massive power outrages. Can those trying to stop him survive against his warriors? A heart pounding read!!

[Beverlee Henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good!

Full of really great characters. A timely story and a good measure of surprising twists. A very enjoyable book. Read on!

[Linda Rae Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book

Crazy premise, or is it? Yes, it is. Well developed plot with all kinds of goings-on. Needs some editing Not for the faint of heart