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A New Jerusalem: The Kirkwood Scott Chronicles
Kirkwood Scott has saved the world, and it’s not even lunchtime. Now he is being asked to do it again. Fresh from defeating Colonel Augustus Skelly and his Napoleonic ghost soldiers on the bridge at Ardgallon, Kirkwood, and his misfit friends, Meredith Starc and Harley Davison, now face a new threat from Skelly and his demonic paymasters, the Scourge. When Skelly captures Harley and imprisons her on his hellish plane, Kirkwood and Meredith, aided by the mysterious Forsaken, face a desperate race to rescue her and reunite the Presence, the only force capable of stopping Skelly and the Scourge from destroying the planet. Their journey takes them to Belfast 2099, where law and order have all but broken down, as rival street gangs fight a brutal turf war for control of the city. Chief amongst these is a mysterious cult led by a beautiful but brutal woman, known only as the Priestess, who seeks to establish a New Jerusalem on Earth. Kirkwood and Meredith struggle to stay one step ahead of her and her fanatical followers while struggling to unlock the key to defeating Skelly and saving Harley. ‘The Kirkwood Scott A New Jerusalem’ is the latest instalment in the supernatural fantasy series, which began with the highly acclaimed, ‘Skelly’s Square.’ Tackling hard-hitting themes such as addiction, mental illness, and disability against a supernatural backdrop, it guarantees the reader a frenetic and darkly humorous ride where nothing and nobody is quite as they seem.
573 pages, Paperback
Published September 26, 2020
1 person is currently reading
11 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
November 20, 2021
When I read Skelly’s Square, I enthusiastically gave it 5 stars. Having just finished A New Jerusalem, I now realize Skelly’s Square was just an appetizer.
A New Jerusalem skillfully blends traits of dystopian, paranormal, and multi-dimensional epic fantasy, historical fiction and YA, deploying a richly developed ensemble cast of characters. Every character has their own story to tell, and fits like a puzzle piece with all the others.
This book is fast paced, yet patiently told. Very hard to put down. I wholeheartedly recommend.
I can’t wait for the next book!
A New Jerusalem skillfully blends traits of dystopian, paranormal, and multi-dimensional epic fantasy, historical fiction and YA, deploying a richly developed ensemble cast of characters. Every character has their own story to tell, and fits like a puzzle piece with all the others.
This book is fast paced, yet patiently told. Very hard to put down. I wholeheartedly recommend.
I can’t wait for the next book!
February 24, 2021
Unearthly surprises!
Stephen Black has done the almost impossible. He's impressed me! He's taken history and blended it with ghosts to create an epic unlike anything I've ever read. It's fictional drama and action with underlying historical facts. A very delicious read!!
Stephen Black has done the almost impossible. He's impressed me! He's taken history and blended it with ghosts to create an epic unlike anything I've ever read. It's fictional drama and action with underlying historical facts. A very delicious read!!
June 28, 2021
Disclaimer: A 3 star rating from me is a good thing. I know some folks look at it negatively, but for me 3 stars is a good read. It also doesn't mean I liked it less than Book 1, which I gave 4 stars. I just liked it...differently. For instance there were these fascinating scenes in Book 1 involving Kirkwood and toy soldiers that I absolutely loved, and little things like that made me kick the overall rating up to 4.
Anyway, on to the review!
"A New Jerusalem" is book 2 in the Kirkwood Scott series by author Stephen Black, and it kicks off with a bit of what drew me into these books in the first place: first-rate descriptions of Napoleonic warfare. You can almost smell the gunpowder as French and English cannons exchange volleys, feel the sting of a cavalryman's saber slashing across a foot soldier's chest. It's a fantastic opening scene!
The characters I most enjoyed this time around were actually the Priestess and her cult, and Rodriguez. I don't like giving spoilers so I can't say precisely why I liked them so much, but suffice it to say they were expertly done.
There were just a couple drawbacks that unfortunately kept this from being a 4 or 5 star read. Kirkwood's banter was, I thought, better in book 1 with his deadbeat friends in Belfast, finding solutions at the bottom of pints in a pub. This time around, the banter between heroes was a little too sarcastic for me, just a few too many snipes in almost every conversation. That and the nicknames for each other were a bit of a turn-off.
Second, I don't like cliff hanger endings. That's just a personal preference for me. I know others would disagree and honestly this ending was still pretty good and exciting, however I would have preferred the book ended all tied up nice and neat with maybe an epilogue hinting at what Book 3 will entail (which I'm aware is in the works!)
All in all I enjoyed this one! From Skelly's Square to Bomb Girl and now A New Jerusalem, I've really enjoyed Stephen Black's stories and I recommend them strongly to fans of the genre!
Anyway, on to the review!
"A New Jerusalem" is book 2 in the Kirkwood Scott series by author Stephen Black, and it kicks off with a bit of what drew me into these books in the first place: first-rate descriptions of Napoleonic warfare. You can almost smell the gunpowder as French and English cannons exchange volleys, feel the sting of a cavalryman's saber slashing across a foot soldier's chest. It's a fantastic opening scene!
The characters I most enjoyed this time around were actually the Priestess and her cult, and Rodriguez. I don't like giving spoilers so I can't say precisely why I liked them so much, but suffice it to say they were expertly done.
There were just a couple drawbacks that unfortunately kept this from being a 4 or 5 star read. Kirkwood's banter was, I thought, better in book 1 with his deadbeat friends in Belfast, finding solutions at the bottom of pints in a pub. This time around, the banter between heroes was a little too sarcastic for me, just a few too many snipes in almost every conversation. That and the nicknames for each other were a bit of a turn-off.
Second, I don't like cliff hanger endings. That's just a personal preference for me. I know others would disagree and honestly this ending was still pretty good and exciting, however I would have preferred the book ended all tied up nice and neat with maybe an epilogue hinting at what Book 3 will entail (which I'm aware is in the works!)
All in all I enjoyed this one! From Skelly's Square to Bomb Girl and now A New Jerusalem, I've really enjoyed Stephen Black's stories and I recommend them strongly to fans of the genre!
July 2, 2021
A New Jerusalem picks up right where Skelly's Square left off. And our little group of anti-heroes hardly catches their breath before they are thrust right back into the think of things.
Well . . . I say that, but first we get a brand new character introduced to the story as we learn about how Maura Miller died while trying to find her husband at Waterloo. The last person she saw, while alive, was our favorite antagonist, Colonel Augustus Skelly.
Now, we pick up our anti-heroes, Kirkwood, Meredith, and Harley, riding in an old Nissan with Samuel. They have just had their victory over Skelly and the Scourge at the bridge of Ardgallon. But the fight is not over.
In this, the second book in the Kirkwood Scott Chronicles, our group learns how to "plane," or travel between different versions of reality. In the process, they have a brief stop in between two realities, where Kirkwood sees a young girl who knows his name. He doesn't know who she is, nor does he know why she knows his name. We will find out later that she is one of the main characters from the in-between novella, Bomb Girl. The main characters from that story will wind up featuring heavily in this book, rather delightfully, in my opinion.
For some, the title of this book, A New Jerusalem, might conjure visions of the last couple of chapters of Revelation. You can just forget about that. In fact, the "New Jerusalem" turns out to be not even remotely close to John's vision of that glorious city coming down from heaven.
New Jerusalem, if I remember correctly, is located in the Titanic Quarter in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in the year 2099. Anarchy reigns, but there is a military presence in the form of a security company. But in the midst of Belfast, a woman known only as "The Priestess" reigns supreme, with a group of cultish members surrounding her. She claims to be preparing them for the return of Jesus. But something just doesn't feel right about this, you know?
If this humble review feels a bit scattered, I apologize. This story is pretty epic, and spans so many different times and places that it is hard to keep up. I also don't want to give away crucial plot points.
Mr. Black does an excellent job of carrying on the story, while integrating new characters, some for the good guys, and some for the bad. The aforementioned Maura Miller becomes a force with which to be reckoned as she becomes one of Skelly's primary resources. The Priestess introduces a whole new bunch of badness into the story, and, at some point, it's hard to determine who is on whose side.
I struggle to classify the genre of this series, as it has good elements of both fantasy and science fiction. But I think it leans more toward fantasy, and more of the dystopian type, especially with the New Jerusalem scenario.
My only dissatisfaction at all is that there is no closure at the end. Which means of course, hopefully, that there is more coming. This book just stops, leaving the reader pretty much going, "WAIT!!! YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME HERE!!!" But, yes, he does. He does leave you there.
So please, Mr. Black. Hurry and write the next book!
Well . . . I say that, but first we get a brand new character introduced to the story as we learn about how Maura Miller died while trying to find her husband at Waterloo. The last person she saw, while alive, was our favorite antagonist, Colonel Augustus Skelly.
Now, we pick up our anti-heroes, Kirkwood, Meredith, and Harley, riding in an old Nissan with Samuel. They have just had their victory over Skelly and the Scourge at the bridge of Ardgallon. But the fight is not over.
In this, the second book in the Kirkwood Scott Chronicles, our group learns how to "plane," or travel between different versions of reality. In the process, they have a brief stop in between two realities, where Kirkwood sees a young girl who knows his name. He doesn't know who she is, nor does he know why she knows his name. We will find out later that she is one of the main characters from the in-between novella, Bomb Girl. The main characters from that story will wind up featuring heavily in this book, rather delightfully, in my opinion.
For some, the title of this book, A New Jerusalem, might conjure visions of the last couple of chapters of Revelation. You can just forget about that. In fact, the "New Jerusalem" turns out to be not even remotely close to John's vision of that glorious city coming down from heaven.
New Jerusalem, if I remember correctly, is located in the Titanic Quarter in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in the year 2099. Anarchy reigns, but there is a military presence in the form of a security company. But in the midst of Belfast, a woman known only as "The Priestess" reigns supreme, with a group of cultish members surrounding her. She claims to be preparing them for the return of Jesus. But something just doesn't feel right about this, you know?
If this humble review feels a bit scattered, I apologize. This story is pretty epic, and spans so many different times and places that it is hard to keep up. I also don't want to give away crucial plot points.
Mr. Black does an excellent job of carrying on the story, while integrating new characters, some for the good guys, and some for the bad. The aforementioned Maura Miller becomes a force with which to be reckoned as she becomes one of Skelly's primary resources. The Priestess introduces a whole new bunch of badness into the story, and, at some point, it's hard to determine who is on whose side.
I struggle to classify the genre of this series, as it has good elements of both fantasy and science fiction. But I think it leans more toward fantasy, and more of the dystopian type, especially with the New Jerusalem scenario.
My only dissatisfaction at all is that there is no closure at the end. Which means of course, hopefully, that there is more coming. This book just stops, leaving the reader pretty much going, "WAIT!!! YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME HERE!!!" But, yes, he does. He does leave you there.
So please, Mr. Black. Hurry and write the next book!
October 12, 2020
Absolutely Spectacular
Often in a trilogy the second novel is a "filler"; it holds the place between the dazzling introduction of the first, and the sensational climactic ending of the third. This is not the case with Black's book! He begins strong, and steady, with the deep character development and witty banter that he brought in "Skelly's Square". He then proceeds to advance the plot, drawing it out just enough that you're sure you know EXACTLY what is going to happen. When the plot twists drop and the cliff hanger happens at the end, I was genuinely shocked. I am not a fantasy reader, and I appreciate how approachable his books are; they aren't full of technical terms that distract you from the characters and the story. This book is also not just about Kirkwood Scott anymore, but about so many other people - Emily, Meredith, Harley - and also our favorite villains. The girls from his "Bomb Girl" novella play a prominent role (as does that swarmy little ferret, Adam) and we get to see Scott develop into a whole person. There is less focus on Scott's OCD, but Black at one point has Scott and another character have a very open and honest discussion about precisely how OCD affects Scott's life. This is again, as in the first book, those raw autobiographical details of the author's life that he has so bravely woven into the characters. I am truly delighted that this book has finally arrived on my Kindle - I pre-ordered it this summer!!!! - and I shall have to wait on pins and needles to see how Kirkwood Scott et al. save the planes, and possibly Skelly, in the last and no undoubtedly most epic book of the trilogy.
Often in a trilogy the second novel is a "filler"; it holds the place between the dazzling introduction of the first, and the sensational climactic ending of the third. This is not the case with Black's book! He begins strong, and steady, with the deep character development and witty banter that he brought in "Skelly's Square". He then proceeds to advance the plot, drawing it out just enough that you're sure you know EXACTLY what is going to happen. When the plot twists drop and the cliff hanger happens at the end, I was genuinely shocked. I am not a fantasy reader, and I appreciate how approachable his books are; they aren't full of technical terms that distract you from the characters and the story. This book is also not just about Kirkwood Scott anymore, but about so many other people - Emily, Meredith, Harley - and also our favorite villains. The girls from his "Bomb Girl" novella play a prominent role (as does that swarmy little ferret, Adam) and we get to see Scott develop into a whole person. There is less focus on Scott's OCD, but Black at one point has Scott and another character have a very open and honest discussion about precisely how OCD affects Scott's life. This is again, as in the first book, those raw autobiographical details of the author's life that he has so bravely woven into the characters. I am truly delighted that this book has finally arrived on my Kindle - I pre-ordered it this summer!!!! - and I shall have to wait on pins and needles to see how Kirkwood Scott et al. save the planes, and possibly Skelly, in the last and no undoubtedly most epic book of the trilogy.
December 21, 2021
It’s hard to write a review when you have so many good things to say about the book and it’s author.
The flow of the book is superb. It’s either nonstop action or nonstop tenseness. Mr. Black has a way of throwing surprises in there that relate to the story and make you really pay attention to each character that is introduced. There is humor interjected that breaks up the tense situations; then you get slapped right back into the action.
My other kudos to Mr. Black is how he takes ordinary people battling addiction and mental health issues and show how they can be heroes in a story. They are all so relatable.
Although I am keeping this part vague, this would be the Spoiler Alert part of the review:
He also shows how people face adversity and what it does to them. Some crack and go down and evil path fueled by hate and revenge. Others blame themselves give up, only to realize in the afterlife that they made a mistake. Then others rise above their bad circumstances and fight it with all of their being showing us what courage will do.
This book is a fast paced adventure while giving us a snapshot of humanity. I cannot wait for part three of the Kirkwood Scott Chronicles!! Don’t forget to read his novella Bomb Girl after you read Skelly’s Square and before you read New Jerusalem.
The flow of the book is superb. It’s either nonstop action or nonstop tenseness. Mr. Black has a way of throwing surprises in there that relate to the story and make you really pay attention to each character that is introduced. There is humor interjected that breaks up the tense situations; then you get slapped right back into the action.
My other kudos to Mr. Black is how he takes ordinary people battling addiction and mental health issues and show how they can be heroes in a story. They are all so relatable.
Although I am keeping this part vague, this would be the Spoiler Alert part of the review:
He also shows how people face adversity and what it does to them. Some crack and go down and evil path fueled by hate and revenge. Others blame themselves give up, only to realize in the afterlife that they made a mistake. Then others rise above their bad circumstances and fight it with all of their being showing us what courage will do.
This book is a fast paced adventure while giving us a snapshot of humanity. I cannot wait for part three of the Kirkwood Scott Chronicles!! Don’t forget to read his novella Bomb Girl after you read Skelly’s Square and before you read New Jerusalem.
May 4, 2021
I LOVED LOVED LOVED this book! Stephen has made each book better and better! I adore Kirkwood. His character has just grabbed my heart and won't let go. This is a continuation from Skelly's Square and Bomb Girl, and it's the most exciting so far! I am not a fan of spoilers so I will be careful and try not to give anything away. We get to spend more time with each of the MC's in this book, which I really liked. They are getting to know one another more, and have developed great connections in a short time due to the peril they have been thrust in to. They have to learn about themselves and their unique abilities, each other and about other worldly situations that until now, they had only seen in movies or books! I found myself growing really attached to many of the people in the story and shed a few tears at times, and other times was jumping for joy with them! This leg of the story starts out exciting, then gets more exciting and ends with SUPER excitement! I am DYING for the release of the next book, I must know what happens, as the plot just keeps getting deeper and deeper!
June 27, 2022
Great sequel!
As with the previous books by this author, I absolutely enjoyed the complexity of the characters introduced in light and digestible form. Both: characters we met in the previous parts, as well as those who were only introduced in ‘A New Jerusalem’, were well written and developed in the story.
World building expanded a lot, comparing it to previous books and grew from chapter to chapter, with new worlds, alternative timelines and travels in time. Combine that with never-ending action and multiple twists on the way, and you end up with a hard to put down story to enjoy!
Few dark themes were beautifully written into this story too, adding characters additional depth (as much as possible, a spoiler free: one of my favorite scenes was Emily reflecting on her past actions and the consequences of these).
I definitely recommend this book, and I look forward to reading the next one in the series!
As with the previous books by this author, I absolutely enjoyed the complexity of the characters introduced in light and digestible form. Both: characters we met in the previous parts, as well as those who were only introduced in ‘A New Jerusalem’, were well written and developed in the story.
World building expanded a lot, comparing it to previous books and grew from chapter to chapter, with new worlds, alternative timelines and travels in time. Combine that with never-ending action and multiple twists on the way, and you end up with a hard to put down story to enjoy!
Few dark themes were beautifully written into this story too, adding characters additional depth (as much as possible, a spoiler free: one of my favorite scenes was Emily reflecting on her past actions and the consequences of these).
I definitely recommend this book, and I look forward to reading the next one in the series!
July 13, 2021
I couldn't wait to read this second instalment! I was not disappointed!
I read the first book in this series, 'Kirkwood Scott Chronicles - Skelly's Square', and really enjoyed it. On completion, I immediately downloaded the second instalment, 'A New Jerusalem: The Kirkwood Scott Chronicles' onto my Kindle and continued reading. Again, I wasn't disappointed; the second book is as much a page-turner as the first.
The author has done a fantastic job of bringing past, current and future versions of his world to life. In addition, the characters are rich and diverse with their own quirks, which I love.
I can't wait for the third book in the series to be released so that I can continue the story.
I read the first book in this series, 'Kirkwood Scott Chronicles - Skelly's Square', and really enjoyed it. On completion, I immediately downloaded the second instalment, 'A New Jerusalem: The Kirkwood Scott Chronicles' onto my Kindle and continued reading. Again, I wasn't disappointed; the second book is as much a page-turner as the first.
The author has done a fantastic job of bringing past, current and future versions of his world to life. In addition, the characters are rich and diverse with their own quirks, which I love.
I can't wait for the third book in the series to be released so that I can continue the story.
December 15, 2020
Wow! I was not expecting Stephen Black's second book to end as it did. Please, please tell me book three will be out soon!
A New Jerusalem continues where Skelly's Square left off and doesn't miss a beat. Unlike other trilogies, A New Jerusalem grabbed me from page one and kept me guessing all the way through. This may be considered urban fantasy but A New Jerusalem is chock full of mystery, too.
A New Jerusalem continues where Skelly's Square left off and doesn't miss a beat. Unlike other trilogies, A New Jerusalem grabbed me from page one and kept me guessing all the way through. This may be considered urban fantasy but A New Jerusalem is chock full of mystery, too.
December 31, 2021
A praise-worthy sequel
The sequel to Skelly’s Square took all the best elements of the first and super-sized! Belfast and beyond, Black’s worldbuilding is (sometimes quite literally) out of this world. Kirkwood and the gang are back, and they are put through their paces like never before as they fight to preserve life as they know it. A mismatch band of reluctant heroes and heroines, they know by now that they are stronger together than apart. But then, so does the enemy...
The sequel to Skelly’s Square took all the best elements of the first and super-sized! Belfast and beyond, Black’s worldbuilding is (sometimes quite literally) out of this world. Kirkwood and the gang are back, and they are put through their paces like never before as they fight to preserve life as they know it. A mismatch band of reluctant heroes and heroines, they know by now that they are stronger together than apart. But then, so does the enemy...
October 20, 2022
A New Jerusalem by Stephen Black
An amazing sequel to Skelly's Square (with Bomb Girl Novella in between) it was great to get back to the adventures of the main trio and the intriguing new characters good and evil. This second novel kicks the notch even further up and somehow the story gets even more otherworldly I can not wait to see where the third book will take us! Dark,urban,Irish and fantasy this novel is all these things and more flawed heroes who pick themselves and their companions up and find the courage to battle incredible mind blowing evil. I can not recommend this fantasy series highly enough to any reader willing to get lost for a little while in author Stephen Black's imaginative universes.
An amazing sequel to Skelly's Square (with Bomb Girl Novella in between) it was great to get back to the adventures of the main trio and the intriguing new characters good and evil. This second novel kicks the notch even further up and somehow the story gets even more otherworldly I can not wait to see where the third book will take us! Dark,urban,Irish and fantasy this novel is all these things and more flawed heroes who pick themselves and their companions up and find the courage to battle incredible mind blowing evil. I can not recommend this fantasy series highly enough to any reader willing to get lost for a little while in author Stephen Black's imaginative universes.
June 30, 2023
I liked the way all the different threads from Skelly’s Square and Bomb Girl came together in this book and we discovered more of the back story of the characters and their motivations, both good and evil. The building tension kept me turning pages, with lots of twists and turns to the very end. The only downside for me, was ending on such a huge a cliffhanger. Thank goodness the next book is already out.
March 7, 2021
The great story you would respect as the follow up to the first
Charming believable characters with voices of their own. Good guys that you can root for and feel you know, bad guys that you love to hate.
Action, history and adventure, this novel is the full package.
Very well done.
Charming believable characters with voices of their own. Good guys that you can root for and feel you know, bad guys that you love to hate.
Action, history and adventure, this novel is the full package.
Very well done.
August 25, 2021
Excellent read once again
As the second in the series of Kirkwood Scott books, New Jerusalem didn’t disappoint. As Kirkwood and his friends battle to save everything as they know it, he has to fight his own demons, discovering the man inside, and inspire the people he has come to care about. Can’t wait to read book three.
As the second in the series of Kirkwood Scott books, New Jerusalem didn’t disappoint. As Kirkwood and his friends battle to save everything as they know it, he has to fight his own demons, discovering the man inside, and inspire the people he has come to care about. Can’t wait to read book three.
January 1, 2022
After reading Skellys Square I gave it 5 stars & I couldn’t wait to get to this book It’s fast paced & leaves you wanting to finish the book but not wanting it to end either The book is full of twists & turns, psychological connections & sci fi events that made this authors books such page turners I was left on a cliff hanger & cannot wait for the next one
July 21, 2022
Another Page Turner
Stephen has written another page turner in the Kirkwood Scott Chronicles. From page 1, I was drawn right back into Kirkwood’s story, even though it’s been over a year since I read part 1. More puzzles, more powers, more problems! By the end, you’ll be begging for the next book!!!
Stephen has written another page turner in the Kirkwood Scott Chronicles. From page 1, I was drawn right back into Kirkwood’s story, even though it’s been over a year since I read part 1. More puzzles, more powers, more problems! By the end, you’ll be begging for the next book!!!
October 11, 2020
A New Jerusalem jumps right in where Skelly’s Square left off - action, clever dialogue, fantastic world building, and even a hint of romance! This novel is a page-turner, and has a couple of twists I didn’t see coming. Can’t wait for the third in the series!
November 28, 2020
Oh my! This book kept my attention and was fun!
I like how Stephen wove alcoholism, and OCD, and hate, and revenge. I caught some of the Biblical references.
I did not like being left hanging at the end.... hurry, Stephen and finish the trilogy!!
Well done! @StephenBlack
I like how Stephen wove alcoholism, and OCD, and hate, and revenge. I caught some of the Biblical references.
I did not like being left hanging at the end.... hurry, Stephen and finish the trilogy!!
Well done! @StephenBlack
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 23, 2021
I absolutely loved the first book and couldn’t wait to read the second! I really connected with the characters and was glad it picked up from where it ended! I’ll tip my hat to the author and patiently wait for the next!
February 11, 2023
Another home run for Stephen Black. A continuation of the first book in the series this novel brings in old and new characters all wrapped up in a truly creative story line. Giving it 5 stars was a no brainer, highly recommended....
February 4, 2021
A stunning sequel
A stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Skellys Square. The next in the series, No Longer Forsaken, coming later in the year.
A stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Skellys Square. The next in the series, No Longer Forsaken, coming later in the year.
June 16, 2022
Great sequel - so glad this series exists
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews