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Torc of Moonlight
TORC OF MOONLIGHT
Book One in the Celtic Goddess Trilogy
When student Nick Blaketon manoeuvres into Alice Linwood's dry academic life he's aiming to get into her bed. Readily agreeing to help find the water shrine to a forgotten Celtic fertility goddess, he makes light of Alice's worry that people close to her die. But as her desire for him rises, he becomes less certain. Sleeping dreams seep into waking nightmares. Warnings screamed from a balcony, shapes in a steamy mirror.... Alice? Himself? A figure Nick terms... The Other? Did the shrine return to nature, or was it obliterated by fire, quenched in blood?
As time extends and reality splits, Nick knows they're out of their depth. But who will believe him? Not Alice, running from her past, and from Nick. He can't let her face the danger alone, but is she right? Has she unwittingly marked Nick to be The Sacrifice?
How many believers does it need to keep an ancient religion alive?
Just one. You throwing coins into a wishing well.
TORC OF MOONLIGHT (108,000 words) is the first in a trilogy of thrillers set in English university cities pressing a growing seat of power on the North York Moors against the sea. The Kindle version offers bonus material including research articles, author interview, and the opening of Book 2 THE BULL AT THE GATE set in York.
"...in starkly elegant prose, builds a powerful novel of possession and psychological breakdown in 'Torc of Moonlight'. She writes the male point of view very well indeed..." 5 stars - Keen Reader (Amazon UK review)
"...I could not put this book down and confidently recommend it to all who love well written novels with believable characters, intriguing stories and real settings..." 5 stars - Stuart Aken, author of 'Breaking Faith'
Book One in the Celtic Goddess Trilogy
When student Nick Blaketon manoeuvres into Alice Linwood's dry academic life he's aiming to get into her bed. Readily agreeing to help find the water shrine to a forgotten Celtic fertility goddess, he makes light of Alice's worry that people close to her die. But as her desire for him rises, he becomes less certain. Sleeping dreams seep into waking nightmares. Warnings screamed from a balcony, shapes in a steamy mirror.... Alice? Himself? A figure Nick terms... The Other? Did the shrine return to nature, or was it obliterated by fire, quenched in blood?
As time extends and reality splits, Nick knows they're out of their depth. But who will believe him? Not Alice, running from her past, and from Nick. He can't let her face the danger alone, but is she right? Has she unwittingly marked Nick to be The Sacrifice?
How many believers does it need to keep an ancient religion alive?
Just one. You throwing coins into a wishing well.
TORC OF MOONLIGHT (108,000 words) is the first in a trilogy of thrillers set in English university cities pressing a growing seat of power on the North York Moors against the sea. The Kindle version offers bonus material including research articles, author interview, and the opening of Book 2 THE BULL AT THE GATE set in York.
"...in starkly elegant prose, builds a powerful novel of possession and psychological breakdown in 'Torc of Moonlight'. She writes the male point of view very well indeed..." 5 stars - Keen Reader (Amazon UK review)
"...I could not put this book down and confidently recommend it to all who love well written novels with believable characters, intriguing stories and real settings..." 5 stars - Stuart Aken, author of 'Breaking Faith'
284 pages, Paperback
First published September 21, 2009
5 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
About the author
Linda Acaster
19 books43 followersWelcome to my Goodreads author page. My published work includes eleven titles, plus 70+ short stories in genres as diverse as women’s, horror, crime, literary, fantasy and SF, and even a Western.
My latest novel is 'The Forever House', a Women's Fiction / Psychological Suspense.
My latest novel is 'The Forever House', a Women's Fiction / Psychological Suspense.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
March 30, 2011
4.5 stars out of 5
Obsession, possession, or something else? These are the threads that author Linda Acaster so expertly weaves in Torc of Moonlight, the first book in the Celtic Goddess Trilogy. The story revolves about students, Nicholas Blaketon and Alice Linwood and art professor Leonard Harkin. Nick goes to Hull University to play rugby and get girls, that is, until he meets history major, Alice. Alice is a serious and very shy student and keeps herself apart from anything that might resemble a friendship. All she wants to do is find the ancient shrine of the Celtic water goddess, Yslan. As soon as Nick sees Alice in a lecture hall, he is smitten, but it turns into something more like total obsession in knowing and having Alice.
Leonard Harkin is a man haunted by dreams and is on the verge of descending into madness. He believes the nightmares all stem from paintings that he’s done of Alice, paintings that somehow represent so much more. Enter in our last character, that of an ancient Celtic leader, Ogrinius Licinius Vranaun, who is desperate to come back into the land of the living, and he’ll do it anyway he can even if means possessing a human like Nick. The problem is though every time Orginius inhabits Nick’s body, Nick has no memory of what has transpired and believes that everything relates to the wonderful and magical qualities he sees in Alice except for the memory of the tingles he feels when he’s with her.
The author draws you in with her descriptive and lyrical style of writing. You can see, hear and almost feel each scene as it unfolds. They come alive and transport you to the English countryside and the celtic landmarks. I have a minor complaint though—sometimes the descriptions seem to overtake the storylines. I found myself skipping some to get back to the action of the story and for that I have deducted half a star, but that did not take away from the overall enjoyment of the story.
The riveting climax of the story will keep you on the edge of your seat. Is it real or a nightmare? Can you drown in a hallucination? Both Nick and Alice are careening toward their fate, but who is actually in control?
Obsession, possession, or something else? These are the threads that author Linda Acaster so expertly weaves in Torc of Moonlight, the first book in the Celtic Goddess Trilogy. The story revolves about students, Nicholas Blaketon and Alice Linwood and art professor Leonard Harkin. Nick goes to Hull University to play rugby and get girls, that is, until he meets history major, Alice. Alice is a serious and very shy student and keeps herself apart from anything that might resemble a friendship. All she wants to do is find the ancient shrine of the Celtic water goddess, Yslan. As soon as Nick sees Alice in a lecture hall, he is smitten, but it turns into something more like total obsession in knowing and having Alice.
Leonard Harkin is a man haunted by dreams and is on the verge of descending into madness. He believes the nightmares all stem from paintings that he’s done of Alice, paintings that somehow represent so much more. Enter in our last character, that of an ancient Celtic leader, Ogrinius Licinius Vranaun, who is desperate to come back into the land of the living, and he’ll do it anyway he can even if means possessing a human like Nick. The problem is though every time Orginius inhabits Nick’s body, Nick has no memory of what has transpired and believes that everything relates to the wonderful and magical qualities he sees in Alice except for the memory of the tingles he feels when he’s with her.
The author draws you in with her descriptive and lyrical style of writing. You can see, hear and almost feel each scene as it unfolds. They come alive and transport you to the English countryside and the celtic landmarks. I have a minor complaint though—sometimes the descriptions seem to overtake the storylines. I found myself skipping some to get back to the action of the story and for that I have deducted half a star, but that did not take away from the overall enjoyment of the story.
The riveting climax of the story will keep you on the edge of your seat. Is it real or a nightmare? Can you drown in a hallucination? Both Nick and Alice are careening toward their fate, but who is actually in control?
August 22, 2010
This book is more than simply a damn good read. This well crafted paranormal romance leads the reader through mysteries that are only gradually revealed, frightening us along the route taken by the possessed lovers. She builds empathy for the central characters, putting us inside their minds to explain their motives, drives and fears, and shredding our hearts with their emotional experiences. That she handles the male point of view with as much skill and sympathy as that of the female says a great deal about this writer's observational powers.
The story concerns a rugby-playing male student and the mysterious, beautiful and surprisingly tough history student he falls for. Her preoccupation with Celtic history and, specifically, the female spirits of sacred springs in North Yorkshire, underlines her very real concern for those she loves.
On a deeper level, though not intrusively, the novel deals with many themes. One that caught my imagination was the parallel of modern contact sports with ancient warrior ways. She portrays, with an understanding suggestive of her unlikely physical participation, the potential brutality of rugby. Her analogy shows how rule-breaking in sport renders the game less worthy and destroys team spirit. In the same way, her anti-hero, Ognirius, in his selfish pursuit of personal glory at the expense of his fellow countrymen, destroys trust and undermines the civilisation of his own time and that of the present day.
Linda handles sex scenes and love scenes with equal veracity, lending emotional honesty to the loving relationship of the main characters and contrasting this with the usage and guile displayed by those who indulge in sex merely for their own gain.
Detailed pictures of the city of Hull, its university, and the moorlands of North Yorkshire bring life to the setting of the novel without ever slowing the story. The plot moves, twists and turns to surprise, confuse and astound as it takes us through emotional, physical and spiritual conflicts to the inevitable denouement.
I could not put this book down and confidently recommend it to all who love well written novels with believable characters, intriguing stories and real settings.
The story concerns a rugby-playing male student and the mysterious, beautiful and surprisingly tough history student he falls for. Her preoccupation with Celtic history and, specifically, the female spirits of sacred springs in North Yorkshire, underlines her very real concern for those she loves.
On a deeper level, though not intrusively, the novel deals with many themes. One that caught my imagination was the parallel of modern contact sports with ancient warrior ways. She portrays, with an understanding suggestive of her unlikely physical participation, the potential brutality of rugby. Her analogy shows how rule-breaking in sport renders the game less worthy and destroys team spirit. In the same way, her anti-hero, Ognirius, in his selfish pursuit of personal glory at the expense of his fellow countrymen, destroys trust and undermines the civilisation of his own time and that of the present day.
Linda handles sex scenes and love scenes with equal veracity, lending emotional honesty to the loving relationship of the main characters and contrasting this with the usage and guile displayed by those who indulge in sex merely for their own gain.
Detailed pictures of the city of Hull, its university, and the moorlands of North Yorkshire bring life to the setting of the novel without ever slowing the story. The plot moves, twists and turns to surprise, confuse and astound as it takes us through emotional, physical and spiritual conflicts to the inevitable denouement.
I could not put this book down and confidently recommend it to all who love well written novels with believable characters, intriguing stories and real settings.
May 22, 2013
Torc of Moonlight is the story of student Nicholas Blaketon and his obsession with pale and introverted Alice Linwood.
Nick returns to Hull University after the summer break and things are pretty downbeat. His girlfriend has left him. His housemates have nothing in common with him and if his grades don't improve he'll be out of university on his ear. A rugby injury leaves him angry and aggressive and he alienates his few remaining friends. Add to this his increasingly erratic behaviour and it's clear Nick has a problem.
When he spots Alice in a lecture he is immediately drawn to her. Strange other worldly events soon begin to unfold.
Torc of Moonlight is no light snack it's a gourmet meal. Acaster weaves rich descriptive language into the plot. She seasons with diverse and interesting historical detail.
Spice is added with an arrogant and ancient spirit hell bent on revenge.
I've always been fascinated with sacred places and the author compelled me to want to explore these in more depth. It's clear that she knows her subject. She weaves in several plot strands and the characters are interesting and well developed. However, this is no light read. The plot nuances are subtle and you have to give this book your full attention. If all you want is action, violence and explosions then this one is probably not for you.
An intelligent, interesting and well researched novel that was a pleasure to read.
Nick returns to Hull University after the summer break and things are pretty downbeat. His girlfriend has left him. His housemates have nothing in common with him and if his grades don't improve he'll be out of university on his ear. A rugby injury leaves him angry and aggressive and he alienates his few remaining friends. Add to this his increasingly erratic behaviour and it's clear Nick has a problem.
When he spots Alice in a lecture he is immediately drawn to her. Strange other worldly events soon begin to unfold.
Torc of Moonlight is no light snack it's a gourmet meal. Acaster weaves rich descriptive language into the plot. She seasons with diverse and interesting historical detail.
Spice is added with an arrogant and ancient spirit hell bent on revenge.
I've always been fascinated with sacred places and the author compelled me to want to explore these in more depth. It's clear that she knows her subject. She weaves in several plot strands and the characters are interesting and well developed. However, this is no light read. The plot nuances are subtle and you have to give this book your full attention. If all you want is action, violence and explosions then this one is probably not for you.
An intelligent, interesting and well researched novel that was a pleasure to read.
January 16, 2011
The contemporary story is of students Nick Blaketon and Alice Linwood who meet as undergraduates at Hull University. Very different but drawn together. It’s what is behind the reason they’re drawn together that gives this book its amazing twist. The predatory lecturer and his past have a role to play and also a story from a whole lot further back. Linda Acaster gets inside the head of her characters in a way that not many authors manage, so that as a reader you revel in their triumphs, and are crushed by their despair. A compelling tale where the interwoven stories pick you up at the start and rush you along to the end.
February 13, 2011
Great story, very atmospheric. Some of the images stay with you after you've read it. I've been on the Pickering Steam Railway mentioned in the book so it was good to read about places I know.
I'm looking forward to reading the next book 'The Bull at The Gate'.
I'm looking forward to reading the next book 'The Bull at The Gate'.
July 4, 2012
Review to come..
March 14, 2023
This may be not to everyone's taste, and it involves three or more storylines, told simultaneously, but sometimes not in the same timeline. Yeah, weird and difficult to comprehend, but that's what the author has presented us with.
Yes, the tale unravels, answering most questions that an active reader would have.
Yes, the tale unravels, answering most questions that an active reader would have.
July 15, 2019
I found this difficult to read as the language and tone is quite complex and poetic and I was looking for an easy fun read. The characters seemed real enough but I found the storyline jumped around erratically and left me confused a lot.
April 12, 2011
As a lover of trilogy novels no matter what their form may take, I was excited to be given this book to review as my first for Darkissreads. As a lover of old religions and ancient Celtic myths, the book’s title and description intrigued me. The book’s genre is classed by the author as a time slip, two times coming together in a fruition of sorts. However in this book it only touches the
surface of the two time periods and the reason behind the slips.
The book follows the story of Nick Blaketon who is driven by rage on and off the rugby field along with black outs, who for some unknown reason is obsessed with Alice Linwood. We see the two become lovers, but never really know what drives them together and how their relationship ties to the other time period. We get glimpses of background stories that would really fuel my interest, if the author had given more insight to them.
Often, I had to reread chapters to makes sure I knew who the author was referring too. You get hints of the Arthurian legend and Excalibur, but that is never fully explored. However I give kudos to the author for her excellent descriptions of Hull and the surrounding areas. I think what drew me in more than the story line, was her portrayal of the locations within the novel, which created vivid images in my mind. Making me wish I was Alice in search of the missing well.
Linda Acaster's writing style reflects her attention to detail and staying true to geographical locations, however I did find the layout of the story very hard to follow and found myself wishing she had more character development. I felt so unemotional towards the characters and wanted to be engaged with them and sadly I wasn’t. There were three distinct storylines within this book which were not woven together.
I feel the story line has huge potential and given the proper attention to character development vs. location description. I found a number of editing issues in this novel. This book disappointed me in many aspects but has potential to vastly improve with the input of a good editing team. I understand that this is a self-published book but there are professional editors who could edit your book before publication.
2 stars
www.darkissreads.com
surface of the two time periods and the reason behind the slips.
The book follows the story of Nick Blaketon who is driven by rage on and off the rugby field along with black outs, who for some unknown reason is obsessed with Alice Linwood. We see the two become lovers, but never really know what drives them together and how their relationship ties to the other time period. We get glimpses of background stories that would really fuel my interest, if the author had given more insight to them.
Often, I had to reread chapters to makes sure I knew who the author was referring too. You get hints of the Arthurian legend and Excalibur, but that is never fully explored. However I give kudos to the author for her excellent descriptions of Hull and the surrounding areas. I think what drew me in more than the story line, was her portrayal of the locations within the novel, which created vivid images in my mind. Making me wish I was Alice in search of the missing well.
Linda Acaster's writing style reflects her attention to detail and staying true to geographical locations, however I did find the layout of the story very hard to follow and found myself wishing she had more character development. I felt so unemotional towards the characters and wanted to be engaged with them and sadly I wasn’t. There were three distinct storylines within this book which were not woven together.
I feel the story line has huge potential and given the proper attention to character development vs. location description. I found a number of editing issues in this novel. This book disappointed me in many aspects but has potential to vastly improve with the input of a good editing team. I understand that this is a self-published book but there are professional editors who could edit your book before publication.
2 stars
www.darkissreads.com
October 10, 2011
This is the best novel Linda Acaster has written so far! Coached in lyrical, almost poetically descriptive language, it leaps from one character to another with a speed that’s dazzling and almost frenetic in its haste to convey their points of view. Though the classifications and terms of the British university system were a bit confusing, this was a minor obstacle to the story and the vivid descriptions made the countryside and the various Celtic sites come alive. Sad, haunting, even poignant, the characters of Nick, his beloved Alice, and Leonard are finely drawn to make us care about them. It’s an enchanting story which leaves it up to the reader to decide if it’s simply a story of obsession and psychological breakdown or if there are forces outside our present niche in Time which are trying to break through. It would make an eerie, unforgettable film. This is the first in a series of three novels concerning the adventures of student Nicholas Blaketon, and I personally can’t wait for the others.
December 7, 2012
I'm a bit torn with this one. On one hand it is a good paranormal story with undercurrents of myth and legend that many across the UK will recognise with intriguing hints at something bubbling just below the surface. On the other hand however I found the character develop a little lax and the relationship between Nick and Alice rather strange, even taking into account the paranormal undercurrents of the story. Alice's change from virginal student to practical nymphomaniac in particular didn't sit right in the context of the story or what the reader knew about her at all. Despite these oddities though the story itself is pretty good and goes at a fast pace with plenty to keep you engrossed from start to finish. I particularly liked how the final chapters were divided into smaller sections as I found this sped up my reading and the tension of the book's finale. Overall not a bad read but not quite what I was expecting either.
dnf
June 11, 2012So I was lucky enough to receive a copy of this book as part of a "First Reads" giveaway quite a while ago and I feel bad for not having finished reading it, or at the very least explaining why that is.
The truth is, it had a promising if not slow start, which made me want to keep on reading but at the same time was slightly off-putting. In the end, it just wasn't engrossing enough for me, and I ended up moving on to other books. However, I plan to pick it up again soon, as I really want to give it a fair chance - it's not like I completely disliked it! With that said, I think an earlier reviewer's comment about some of the descriptions being hard to follow is spot on, as I recall encountering these too, and they definitely didn't encourage me to stick with the book.
The truth is, it had a promising if not slow start, which made me want to keep on reading but at the same time was slightly off-putting. In the end, it just wasn't engrossing enough for me, and I ended up moving on to other books. However, I plan to pick it up again soon, as I really want to give it a fair chance - it's not like I completely disliked it! With that said, I think an earlier reviewer's comment about some of the descriptions being hard to follow is spot on, as I recall encountering these too, and they definitely didn't encourage me to stick with the book.
May 16, 2011
While I loved the premise and even started to really root for the characters, the descriptions were so hard to follow at times, that I had to reread sections several times just to figure out what was happening. Disappointing.
Read
January 21, 2013This is an updated version - ie new blurb/cover and excerpt from Book Two 'The Bull At The Gate' follows the novel.
"...suffused with a rich pagan sexuality; superbly gripping..." It has garnered 17 4&5star reviews on Amazon.uk.
"...suffused with a rich pagan sexuality; superbly gripping..." It has garnered 17 4&5star reviews on Amazon.uk.
Want to read
August 29, 2011I would love to read this book but unfortunately the author has book 2 & book 3 on hold and I will not read a series until I have all the books.
October 12, 2013
couldn't get past first few pages
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews