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Gideon Rayne #1
Maelstorm
A hundred years from now, everything you know will be gone.
Growing up an orphan in privately run New Britain, Gideon Rayne had just one dream: to work for Kaoteck Industries as one of the Constables. But when selection day comes around, nothing goes as expected.
Soon, Gideon is entrusted with a miraculous suit of high-tech armor, and thrown into a terrifying adventure that puts him on a collision course with forces darker than he never knew existed.
Gideon Rayne – Maelstorm is an exciting new series that will keep you turning ‘just one more page’, as you delve deeper into Gideon’s journey through the chaotic world of New Britain in the year 2120.
Growing up an orphan in privately run New Britain, Gideon Rayne had just one dream: to work for Kaoteck Industries as one of the Constables. But when selection day comes around, nothing goes as expected.
Soon, Gideon is entrusted with a miraculous suit of high-tech armor, and thrown into a terrifying adventure that puts him on a collision course with forces darker than he never knew existed.
Gideon Rayne – Maelstorm is an exciting new series that will keep you turning ‘just one more page’, as you delve deeper into Gideon’s journey through the chaotic world of New Britain in the year 2120.
356 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 6, 2020
152 people are currently reading
285 people want to read
About the author
G.A. Franks
6 books6 followersG A Franks is originally from a small town in Leicestershire, but now resides in the Cotswolds with his wife and children.
As a child he loved using a bright pink ‘McDonald’s‘ pen and ‘Transformers’ notepad to write stories about his beloved comic book characters, and - until recently - that was where his writing career began and ended.
Much of his adult life has been spent travelling around the pubs and clubs of England playing bass and guitar in a variety of bands. (With varying degrees of success!) But after finally reaching a state of comfortable middle-age tubbyness, and completing a degree in education, he decided to leave the music to the next generation, swap the old pink pen for a MacBook and start writing again.
His debut novel 'Maelstorm' book one in the Gideon Rayne series was published in September 2020 and quickly rose to the number one spot for new releases in it's category. A grittier sequel 'Derecho' was released in summer 2021, bringing Gideon's story to a close for the time being.
Maelstorm was swiftly followed by GA Franks' first children’s book, ‘Jake & The Nefarious Glub’. Released in late 2020, the story follows a young boy on the autistic spectrum called Jake as he finds himself embroiled in a magical adventure tracking down some escaped book characters. Along the way Jake makes a very unusual new friend and there is much disgustingness!
His latest book 'The Time Driver' is also set in the fictional town of 'Bisby by the Sea' and broaches a subject we can all relate to: How time flies when you're having fun, and slows to a crawl when things are boring! The Time Driver is a strange book, in that it can act as a sequel to 'Jake & the Nefarious Glub' if the reader wishes - or it can stand alone - OR, if you squint a bit, it could even be a prequel to the Gideon Rayne books! It certainly transcends any attempts to be age bracketed!
As a child he loved using a bright pink ‘McDonald’s‘ pen and ‘Transformers’ notepad to write stories about his beloved comic book characters, and - until recently - that was where his writing career began and ended.
Much of his adult life has been spent travelling around the pubs and clubs of England playing bass and guitar in a variety of bands. (With varying degrees of success!) But after finally reaching a state of comfortable middle-age tubbyness, and completing a degree in education, he decided to leave the music to the next generation, swap the old pink pen for a MacBook and start writing again.
His debut novel 'Maelstorm' book one in the Gideon Rayne series was published in September 2020 and quickly rose to the number one spot for new releases in it's category. A grittier sequel 'Derecho' was released in summer 2021, bringing Gideon's story to a close for the time being.
Maelstorm was swiftly followed by GA Franks' first children’s book, ‘Jake & The Nefarious Glub’. Released in late 2020, the story follows a young boy on the autistic spectrum called Jake as he finds himself embroiled in a magical adventure tracking down some escaped book characters. Along the way Jake makes a very unusual new friend and there is much disgustingness!
His latest book 'The Time Driver' is also set in the fictional town of 'Bisby by the Sea' and broaches a subject we can all relate to: How time flies when you're having fun, and slows to a crawl when things are boring! The Time Driver is a strange book, in that it can act as a sequel to 'Jake & the Nefarious Glub' if the reader wishes - or it can stand alone - OR, if you squint a bit, it could even be a prequel to the Gideon Rayne books! It certainly transcends any attempts to be age bracketed!
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
January 18, 2022
Wonder teens saving the world
A good tale of youth learning their dreams may take a bit in the real world, but integrity wins out in the end. Enough future tech to make it interesting.
A good tale of youth learning their dreams may take a bit in the real world, but integrity wins out in the end. Enough future tech to make it interesting.
January 15, 2022
Interesting twists
Based on current world conditions, political, corporate and biological I could see this story actually come to life. Very well written and thoroughly enjoyable to read.
Based on current world conditions, political, corporate and biological I could see this story actually come to life. Very well written and thoroughly enjoyable to read.
September 11, 2020
Excellent debut novel, a gripping read with a fresh look at a dystopian future. Bring on book 2
October 20, 2020
Thought I had worked out the plot at the start.... I hadn't.
This was a good read full of imagination and inventive characters. The story built up and I couldn't put it down towards the end of the book. I want to see what happens next so bring on the next book
This was a good read full of imagination and inventive characters. The story built up and I couldn't put it down towards the end of the book. I want to see what happens next so bring on the next book
December 28, 2021
Intense
Well written story about a future world that has been devastated by pandemics and global warming. Very poor people love and work in the factory area of the country and middle class white collar workers love in another section and in the desolate far north where the weather maelstrom rages, the scavengers live. Great read
Well written story about a future world that has been devastated by pandemics and global warming. Very poor people love and work in the factory area of the country and middle class white collar workers love in another section and in the desolate far north where the weather maelstrom rages, the scavengers live. Great read
March 4, 2022
A good read let down by lots of missing words or continuity errors. At one point the main characters are interrogating a female character and one of them says “he’s telling the truth”!
September 3, 2021
It’s the future, but the only country seems to be Britain and it is ruled by one man. The world has been destroyed by climate, by pandemics, and by explosions. In Britain there is the Frozen North where no one lives or do they? The factories filled with the lower class elements (think the worst ones of Oliver Twist and the Rainbow Zone where the middle class and rich reside. Gideon has trained to be one of the “selected” young to work for Kaotech. He is selected and sent to a special school, but only four others are in the class with him. They are selected to wear special armor and Gideon’s system is most adaptable. Then one of the selectees dies and another. No one knows why or do they? The implants allow them to arm with special weapons and special defenses. Then they are sent to the Frozen North. Something goes wrong with the other equipment and Gideon and friends are on their own. They discover a different world and a fight breaks out. Will they resolve their differences? And who is controlling the evil that rules New Britain?
July 5, 2023
After what I thought was a somewhat slow start, this book turned into a gripping story. It is, of course, science "fiction" but, given recent history, and the world around me today, it had an all-too-real factual feel about it.
The one criticism I would make is the number of errors - typographical or careless - that would/should have been picked up by an even half-decent proofreader. However, as I frequently comment, few modern authors appear to have even read over their MS themselves before publishing.
The one criticism I would make is the number of errors - typographical or careless - that would/should have been picked up by an even half-decent proofreader. However, as I frequently comment, few modern authors appear to have even read over their MS themselves before publishing.
January 26, 2022
Interesting story and characters. It wasn’t quite my favorite type of book but I would recommend it to others. I am glad the author survived COVID-19 so he could finish this story.
May 21, 2022
Interesting shades of our present and no so distant future. A pandemic has wiped out a large chunk of the population while climate change has rendered much of the planet unlivable. In this time period a young man wants to join an organization that he believes will make a change in the world. Technology that we think is pervasive now doesn’t hold a candle to what’s happening in this story. Similar in some regards to what you see in Minority Report and Black Mirror. Not bad for a freebie.
February 28, 2022
is alright
Parts are enjoyable, parts are slow. The action Needs to be better described and the character much less gullible, but other than that the story is decent. Just didn’t like the fact that they had very little training and yet still managed to survive every disaster of a mission…. Well, most of them.
Parts are enjoyable, parts are slow. The action Needs to be better described and the character much less gullible, but other than that the story is decent. Just didn’t like the fact that they had very little training and yet still managed to survive every disaster of a mission…. Well, most of them.
March 19, 2022
A really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really
DUMB STOOPID TERRIBLE AWFUL HORRIBLE BOOK…..
I wish I could give this minus 10,000 stars!!!!
DUMB STOOPID TERRIBLE AWFUL HORRIBLE BOOK…..
I wish I could give this minus 10,000 stars!!!!
February 6, 2022
Surviving in a frozen flooded world
Aloysius Kroll head of the only surviving R & D facility on earth. Using Quantum engineering he has selected candidates for spinal surgery to adapt them to control advanced weapons suits to remove dissenters.
Aloysius Kroll head of the only surviving R & D facility on earth. Using Quantum engineering he has selected candidates for spinal surgery to adapt them to control advanced weapons suits to remove dissenters.
Read
February 20, 2022Very engaging. I liked the characters - particularly Gideon. I was a bit put out by all the typos in the text but, as I did not pay full price, that can be overlooked. If you ever need a proofreader, I'm pretty good.
June 4, 2022
One world government
What a wonderful world to live in. Taken care of from crib to the grave, every need taken care of as long as you don't have to many needs. All so that you can build back better. To improve the elites lives.
What a wonderful world to live in. Taken care of from crib to the grave, every need taken care of as long as you don't have to many needs. All so that you can build back better. To improve the elites lives.
October 1, 2025
Good first novel
This is a good first novel. The concepts blended in this post apocalyptic world are interesting. And the “maelstorm”, a new concept, helps bring it about. Kudos for originality!
This is a good first novel. The concepts blended in this post apocalyptic world are interesting. And the “maelstorm”, a new concept, helps bring it about. Kudos for originality!
February 23, 2022
Special kid come to fight for the oppressed. Yawn.
April 15, 2022
Can't wait for the next book
After a confusing start this became a fast paced book. So believable I can already see the film, and I love Hovercraft.
After a confusing start this became a fast paced book. So believable I can already see the film, and I love Hovercraft.
Read
May 10, 2022Enjoyed
There were some slow parts but by the end, I am excited to read book two. A lot of open ends...
There were some slow parts but by the end, I am excited to read book two. A lot of open ends...
March 13, 2022
Actually did not read the premium hardcover. Clicked on it by accident. And i don't know how to change it to a regular e book copy. It needs more editing. The random switching of words or dropping of words etc just makes me grumpy.
Enjoyable. Dystopian si fi. i would personally classify it as YA.
Enjoyable. Dystopian si fi. i would personally classify it as YA.
September 9, 2023
This was a great debut novel; fun and fast paced. My only wish is that the book was longer and gave you a bit more time to know all the characters. Looking forward to the next one.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews