An Interview with SIMON BECKETT

Simon Beckett’s Stone Bruises is one of my most-anticipated thriller novels of 2014. I was very happy, therefore, to get the chance to interview the author. Read on, fair reader, for Beckett’s thoughts on writing, his latest novel, and more.

Upcoming: “Innocence” & “Wilderness” by Dean Koontz (Harper Collins/Bantam)

Dean Koontz is an author who I have been familiar with for years (it’s hard to miss his novels in the SFF and Crime sections of any bookstore in – at least – the English-speaking world). And yet, I have never read anything by him. I think this novel, though, could change that. It sounds great. And, I’ll admit, the UK cover caught my eye – well played, Harper Collins Design Team. Well played. Then I saw the US cover (on the right), and I was even more smitten. Here’s the synopsis:

Addison Goodheart is not like other people…

Addison Goodheart lives in solitude beneath the city, an exile from a society which will destroy him if he is ever seen.

Books are his refuge and his escape: he embraces the riches they have to offer. By night he leaves his hidden chambers and, through a network of storm drains and service tunnels, makes his way into the central library.

And that is where he meets Gwyneth, who, like Addison, also hides her true appearance and struggles to trust anyone.

But the bond between them runs deeper than the tragedies that have scarred their lives. Something more than chance − and nothing less than destiny − has brought them together in a world whose hour of reckoning is fast approaching.

Innocence is due to be published in the UK December 10th 2013 (eBook), and on January 2nd 2014 (Hardcover) – according to Amazon UK. The novel is due to be published in the US by Bantam, also on December 10th 2013.

In the meantime – and, if like me, you’ve never read anything by Koontz – the author has written a prequel novella! It’s called The Wilderness, and is published on October 29th 2013 in both the UK and US. Here’s the synopsis for the novella:

Addison Goodheart is a mystery even to himself. He was born in an isolated home surrounded by a deep forest, never known to his father, kept secret from everyone but his mother, who barely accepts him. She is haunted by private demons and keeps many secrets—none of which she dreads more than the young son who adores her.

Only in the woods, among the wildlife, is Addison truly welcome. Only there can he be at peace. Until the day he first knows terror, the day when his life changes radically and forever...

Upcoming: “The City” by Stella Gemmell (Transworld)

Stella Gemmell is the wife of the late, great fantasist David Gemmell. Sad to say, I’ve never read any of Gemmell’s work, but based on the description of this upcoming novel, this will change in 2013. (I also have a general desire to read more of the classics of the genre.)

The City is ancient and vast, built up over the millennia, layer upon layer. Once a thriving metropolis, it has sprawled beyond its walls, inciting and waging constant wars with neighbouring tribes and kingdoms – creating a barren wasteland of what was once green and productive.

At the heart of the City lives the emperor. Few have ever seen him, but those who have recall a man in his prime, though he should be very old. Some speculate that he is no longer human, others wonder if indeed he truly ever was. And a small number have come to the desperate conclusion that the only way to stop the City’s incessant war and the constant bloodshed is to end the emperor’s unnaturally long life.

From the maze-like sewers and catacombs below the City, where the poor struggle to stay alive in the dark, to the blood-soaked fields of battle where few heroes manage to survive the never-ending siege, these rebels pin their hopes on one man: Shuskara. Once the emperor’s foremost general, he was betrayed long ago and is believed to be dead. But, under different aliases, he has survived, forsaking his City and hiding from the man to whom he once vowed his allegiance. Now, the time has come for Shuskara to emerge from the shadows and lead a final bid to free the City from those who have brought it and its people to their knees for so long...

The City will be published in April 2013, by Transworld. James Barclay, author of the Chronicles- and Legends of the Raven series (another series I will try in 2013), had this to say about Stella’s upcoming novel:

“This is an astonishing book and all the more amazing given that it is Stella Gemmell’s debut. It combines extraordinary scope with first class characterization, devastating and visceral battles, a multi-layered plot and a tightly-focused narrative that keeps you reading, eager for the next page. The City is easily the best fantasy novel I’ve read in the last decade.”

Recent Acquisitions (November/December)

A pre-Christmas selection of books that I’ve received or purchased over the last few weeks. A very nice selection, all told – only one book probably won’t be reviewed, and that’s because it’s the fifth book in a series I’ve never read. [See below – I’m offering it to a US/Canadian in return for a guest review.]

“The Litigators” by John Grisham (Hodder)

The latest legal thriller from the master of the genre

David Zinc has it all: big firm, big salary, life is in the fast lane.

Until the day he snaps and throws it all away.

Leaving the world of corporate law far behind, he talks himself into a new job at Finley & Figg. A self-styled ‘boutique’  firm with only two partners, Oscar Finley and Wally Figg are ambulance-chasing street lawyers who hustle nickel-and-dime cases, dreaming of landing the big win.

For all his Harvard Law Degree and five years with Chicago’s top firm, Zinc has never entered a courtroom, never helped a client who really needed a lawyer, never handled a gun.

All that is about to change.

Ever since I read Grisham’s The Brethren over a decade ago, I’ve been a big fan of the author’s work. I’ve tried to read as many of his new releases as possible (one day I’ll probably try his YA thrillers), as well as catch up with his back catalogue (to date, I’ve managed to read 15 of them). There have been very few disappointments, and each new novel I’ve found addictive and engaging. In fact, there’s only been one Grisham novel that I’ve not been able to finish (The Street Lawyer), despite trying to read it twice. I have no idea why I can’t get into that one. Anyway, with The Litigators, Grisham is on good form and, despite a second-half wobble, I was not disappointed; it was a very enjoyable read.

An Interview with DAN ABRAHAM

Dan Abraham is one of my favourite authors. Ever since I read the first book of his Long Price Quartet series, I’ve been eagerly awaiting every new book of his fiction. Abraham is also one of the busiest authors I’m aware of, writing novels in the fantasy, science fiction and urban fantasy genres, as well as writing graphic novel adaptations of Game of Thrones and a handful of other projects. With so many excellent projects on the go, it’s really a wonder he ever manages to sleep… I decided to ask him about this, and many other things besides…

“Gridlock” by Sean Black (Bantam)

A stalker escalating to murder and the seedy side of LA’s entertainment industry

Adult movie actress, Raven Lane, is one of the most lusted after women in California, with millions of fans to prove it. But none seem to be more dedicated in their pursuit of her than the murderous stalker who is carving a demonic swathe across the streets of Los Angeles in an apparent bid to get her attention.

Fearing for her life, and with the LAPD seemingly unable to protect her, Raven turns to elite bodyguard, Ryan Lock for help. But with suspicion settling on Raven herself, Lock finds himself drawn into a deadly web of deceit and seduction.

This is the third novel featuring Ryan Lock – former Royal Marines investigator turned personal protection expert. As with Black’s previous two novels (Lockdown and Deadlock), Gridlock is a fast-paced thriller with a sympathetic protagonist and intriguing case to unravel. It lived up to my expectations, and Black continues to show growth and improvement in all aspects of his writing.

“Lock Down”, by Sean Black (Bantam)

Introducing Ryan Lock: Bodyguard, problem-solver, all-round hard man

It may be Christmas in New York, but for ex-military bodyguard Ryan Lock it’s business as usual.

His mission: to protect the CEO of America’s largest pharmaceutical company. But, when an apparently botched assassination attempt goes wrong, leaving bodies littering the streets of midtown Manhattan, Lock is drawn into a complex web of intrigue.

Lock’s search for the truth takes him from the rooftops of a New York skyscraper to a heavily fortified warehouse on the Hudson where he uncovers an explosive secret.

As the clock ticks towards midnight on New Year’s Eve, all routes into and out of Manhattan are sealed, and Lock realizes that not only is his own life in terrible danger but so are the lives of millions of others...

Introducing a new action hero to a genre growing exponentially in popularity and number, Lock Down is a solid debut. Ryan Lock, the hero in question, is working for Meditech, a stereotypical medical corporation. The company is hounded by animal rights protestors and activists – from public demonstrations in front of their Manhattan offices, to more violent activities, the activists have been a considerable thorn in Meditech’s side for some time.

Two seemingly unconnected crimes – the apparently botched assassination attempt mentioned in the synopsis, and also the kidnap of a former employee’s son – Ryan Lock’s life is tipped upside down as he takes it upon himself to investigate the boy’s disappearance. As he delves deeper into the case, he realises that there was more to the kidnapping than a ransom grab, and he soon finds himself fighting for his life. He is aided in his mission by Ty Johnson, a former marine who recruited Lock out of the British military and into private security; and Carrie, a beautiful journalist and former love-interest of Lock’s.

In reality, Lock Down is almost two novels – the kidnap and rescue, which is dealt with in the first half of the novel; followed by the conspiracy-gone-wrong behind the kidnapping and the deadly repercussions of Lock’s investigation. It works well, but around halfway, the plot’s momentum faltered a little. It’s clear that a lot of this is aimed at introducing us fully to Lock, and in this the novel succeeds very well – he’s a likeable character, tough and focussed, but not above normal human emotion and weakness (as a simple example, his scenes with Angel, a rescued dog, are great and should make you chuckle – as well as want a dog…). In this respect, we get a little more than some other fictional action heroes, who sometimes seem to be written purely to create a “I’m considerably tougher than thou” superman. Lock is human, fallible, and an interesting protagonist.

Black writes in very pacey prose - you’ll whizz through the pages of Lock Down (in my first sitting, around lunch, I burned through 74 pages). The main character is likeable, and definitely in the mould of Lee Child’s Jack Reacher, Vince Flynn’s Mitch Rapp, and Kyle Mills’s Mark Beamon. As entertainment, this works as a thoroughly enjoyable novel.

I would hesitate to say this novel is cliché, but it was somewhat predictable – no doubt fans of the genre will recognise some of the above description from innumerable other action-adventure series and thrillers. From the internal struggles and company politics at Meditech, to Lock’s idealised-action-man nature, Black is not reinventing the wheel here, but his take on the genre is very confident and assured for a debut author.

The novel didn’t quite meet the level of Flynn’s or Mills’s earlier novels (which just seem to delve deeper and with more confidence, and just feel meatier in terms of plot and character), though many similar themes are shared and equally well done. I would say this is certainly better than James Patterson’s recent output, but not yet on the same level as Flynn’s novels. I found it easier to get into Lock Down than Andrew Grant’s debut, Even.

On the strength of this novel, I would say Black was akin to an apprentice thriller writer: his work is of great quality, near-indistinguishable from the ‘masters’ in content and themes, but under the surface it’s just not quite of the same quality. For example, the antagonists of the novel are a little predictable and too-familiar from other thrillers (novels and movies), this meant they lacked the menace of some antagonists we’ve come to read about – such as Kyle Craig, Alex Cross’s nemesis from the earlier James Patterson novels. It’s clear that the bulk of Black’s energies went into making Ryan Lock as three-dimensional and realistic as possible, at the unintended expense of fully rounding out the bad-guys and peripheral characters.

We’ll see if the author managed to raise his game with Dead Lock, but I’m confident that he has (the premise is very cool). Lock Down is a solid debut novel, and one that reads better than some established authors.

Definitely an author to watch, I will certainly be reading all of the future Ryan Lock novels – may there be many more to come.

Also try: Vince Flynn, Kyle Mills, Lee Child, Andrew Grant, Brett Battles, Alex Berenson, Chris Ryan, James Patterson, Joseph Finder, Jeff Abbott