Showing posts with label Summary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Summary. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 14, 2025

The Alban Saga Trilogy Is Published!

The Alban Saga Trilogy



  
                                                                                                          

The Alban Saga is a current-day fantasy trilogy made up of BEATRICE, BLACK GROTTO, and the latest edition entitled VORTEX. All three books take place at real locations in Scotland, with actual Scottish history woven into their plot lines. 

Below, I've included a summary of each of the books. You can purchase all of them in paperback or Kindle eBook editions on Amazon. The easiest way to locate them, and all of my books, is to search Amazon by using my author name in the “books” section on Amazon.


BEATRICE

 

The book, Beatrice, takes place in Scotland. It is unique in that it references events in Scottish history, Druid legends and important ancient sites in Scotland while telling the modern day story of a family’s pursuit of their lost memories. It has a realistic feel from the setting and characters, but evolves into a fantasy-mystery-thriller as suspense and magic begin to bubble to the surface during the Bauman family’s determined search to discover what happened to them.


The title, Beatrice, comes from the person who was the Bauman’s housekeeper. Beatrice Darrow assumed that position after their original housekeeper, Mary McClellan, was killed in an auto accident on Christmas night in 1981. Mary had been a very important part of the Bauman family and had been deeply loved. Beatrice was nothing like Mary. She did her job but never allowed herself to become close to the family as Mary had, and as the Baumans’ looked to re-discover their past, Beatrice’s name started popping up throughout their investigations. 


The time frame for the story ranges from the 1980s up to 2008, and the plot centers around Elizabeth, Ewan and Fiona Bauman and their historic estate outside Edinburgh. Ewan, who at the beginning of the book is thirty-six, becomes determined to unearth the memories that had vanished for he and his mother and sister almost twenty years earlier on the night of his eighteenth birthday. He convinces Elizabeth and Fiona to join him, as the emptiness of losing that part of their lives had consumed them for far too long.


Sifting through the past brings them closer together as a family and begins to unravel the mystery, but it also uncovers a side of their life that they never knew existed. They travel back to their estate, learn about their unknown connections to Scottish history and Druid legend and lore, and they discover the significance of the ancient oak grove that sits on their estate near their mansion. However, they also become part of a dark and evil prophesy that could not only end their lives but could change the balance of good and evil on the earth forever. It’s a collision course that accelerates towards the unforeseen conclusion of Beatrice.




BLACK GROTTO


Black Grotto takes place in Scotland and begins in the year AD 500 when a great Druid prophet named Erin travels with his scribe to a primordial and sacred cave high up in the Three Sisters. At the age of eighty, he is guided there by his dreams in order to finally reach the zenith of his prophecies.


The story then moves forward in time to AD 2022 where a young Druid named Bea Bauman is coming of age. It is a very special day and one where her mother and father finally share with her the true story of her birth.


What she learns that day completely changes her life, and she sets out alone on a long journey across the width and breadth of Scotland. Her wanderings are filled with danger, magic, and overpowering discoveries. They take her to ancient Druid places of power, places of raw and natural beauty, of history and lore, and she is introduced to Anu Grenn and Willam Brodie - her unexpected mentors.


But as all of this is happening, a Druid priestess named Brenna is secretly observing Bea. She is biding her time and preparing to connect with the earth’s darkest magic at just the right moment in order to bring the world to its knees. She pursues Bea and her own destiny without mercy as these two “black-haired beauties” edge the world ever closer to the precipice of a very dark and treacherous abyss - a place where the forces of light and darkness hang in the balance.




VORTEX


Vortex begins just as Black Grotto ends. Bea Bauman, a young Druid Priestess, is taken away by an ancient prophet named Erin. She cannot resist his call; he reaches for her from the center of the Vortex inside the Black Grotto, and she takes his hand, leaving her family and friends behind as she travels with him through time and space.

 

Just as Bea enters the Vortex, Aran Brodie, who has become a close and dear companion, cannot let Bea go alone into the void. He jumps in after her. For a time, they travel together inside the violent maelstrom, but they cannot maintain their grip, become separated, and lose consciousness. When Bea finally awakens, she finds herself at the Stones of Calanais, staring into the eyes of Erin the Prophet, on the same day and time she left the Black Grotto. In the meantime, Aran Brodie is expelled from the Vortex to the same location as Bea, but his exit casts him over 4,500 years into the past, where he ends up surrounded by primordial Druids in search of a human sacrifice.

 

As all of this is going on, another character from the previous books also finds herself at the Stones of Calanais, but she is there three years in the future. Her name is Obsidian. For years now, she has been an acolyte in the grove of an extraordinarily powerful Druid Priestess named Brenna. Brenna brought Obsidian with her to this time and place to help her join with her nemesis in order to become the Great Hermaphrodite. However, Brenna is overcome and vanishes. Saddened and distraught, Obsidian is left alone without any way to return to her own time. She wanders aimlessly for days, but then remembers something that Brenna once shared with her. Another powerful Druid lived near the Stones of Calanais, and she was called the Keeper. Obsidian sets out to find her in the hope that she can bring Brenna back and restore her to her former greatness.

 

Vortex carries forth the story of the Alban Saga, weaving the plotlines into a surprising and volatile romp through time, space, and Scottish history. This dangerous journey will either end with the past being completely reshaped, leading to a malevolent and dire future, or the current timeline will remain intact and safe for the development of humankind. Bea Bauman, along with family, close friends, Aran Brodie, her former teacher Anu Grenn, and the Great Prophet Erin, will be at the center of this struggle. She will attempt to unravel and countermand whomever or whatever is trying to alter history while also dealing with her feelings for Aran, her fear for his survival, and having to navigate the treacherous intricacies of transporting oneself in a Vortex.



If you’d like more information about any of my books, just click the Bob’s Books link at the top of my blog page!


Tuesday, April 1, 2025

More Evidence Of King Arthur's Existence!

 



As most of you who've read my Author's Blog know, my best selling book to date is MERLIN & ARTHUR: THE AWAKENING. Since I was very young, I've always been captivated by the story of King Arthur and Merlin.

Below is an image with a description that I recently received from a family member. It provides another piece of evidence of King Arthur's possible real-life existence!

The print in it is small, so to see it more clearly just click on the image and then zoom your browser window in if you need to. When you're done, you can come back to my blog by just clicking once on the black background surrounding the picture. 

This is very exciting and interesting news for anyone who loves the tale in King Arthur!





And...if you haven't read MERLIN & ARTHUR: THE AWAKENING and would like to learn more about it, you can read the synopsis below or click on the Bob's Books link at the top of this blog page to read it there, as well as an excerpt from the beginning of the book.


Book Synopsis

 

    In the future, Arthur Pendragon and Merlin Ambrosius are brought back to life, but neither of them has any recollection of who they are or where they came from. Once they finally discover each other and their memories return, the reason for their awakening becomes clear.

    An international event has occurred in the Koryak Mountains in Siberia, and that event has reignited earth’s old magic, revived the two legendary heroes, and set off a chain of events that not only threatens Britain but the very future of all life on earth.

    It will take all of Merlin and Arthur’s skill and cunning, along with those of a large cast of characters within the mighty Western Alliance, to have any chance of stopping what has been set loose upon the world.

    Follow the twists and turns of this epic tale, and it will take you to places, scenes, and events beyond imagining.



All of my books are sold on Amazon sites around the world in paperback and Kindle eBook format.


Thursday, March 27, 2025

With All That’s Happening Around The World, This Series Is More Relevant Than Ever!

 

 


The Rooms' Series


If you haven’t read this science fiction duology yet, please check it out. With all that’s happening around the world today, this unique dystopian series is more relevant today than ever.

 


The two books in this series are ROOMS and THE CHOSEN. They were originally published in 2014, but an updated version of each of them was republished in 2019. People who have read them have often commented on how extremely relevant they remain, even today, in an almost prescient way.

 

This is because within the plot of the two books there exists a deep and abiding concern over the growth of right-wing, autocratic/oligarchic governments across the globe that come to power often times by  promising their citizens that only they can improve their lives. However, in the end, these types of governments are influenced much more by the interests of large corporations and wealthy oligarchs than by anything else. When that is the case, terrible consequences inevitably arise for the poor, the middle class, for worker’s rights, the environment, for freedom, and for democracy in general. Sadly, this is even now beginning to happen in the United States.

 

I mention all this because I wrote the Rooms’ Series, in part, to cause people to ponder the possibility of just such a dystopian future. But you must also know that the series contains considerable “hope as well!”


So, please, take a look at ROOMS and THE CHOSEN, with the understanding that they contain a very creative, scene-driven story, told from the view of a large and diverse cast of characters.



Below is a brief summary of each of these books.


ROOMS

Summary

 

There was a time in Earth’s past when the entire planet was sick and dying and could no longer sustain life. A group of wealthy humans, who called themselves "The Chosen,” decided to abandon the Earth. And just as a person might skip across a shallow pond, moving from stone to stone, the human race multiplied and over hundreds of years gradually stretched across the Milky Way in the hope of finding another jewel, another Earth-like planet.

 

In this time of exploration and colonization, the humans on each of these desolate outposts lived in protected settlements called lifeglobes. Their daily life had a surreal consistency that affected and numbed them. They longed to see beyond the horizon, to feel something new. Because of this, their freedays and evenings were often spent in Rooms. These were extremely sophisticated, holographic, multi-sensory game rooms, which could adapt to each player. Each session in a Room was unique and helped to fill the void created by constantly having to live inside an enclosure, always separated from the outside, never being able to walk open and free.

 

One of those humans was Rad. He had just moved to the lifeglobe on planet R-131 and was a member of the governing council. However, he was also an elite Rooms’ player. His main reason for coming to R-131 was that he had heard rumors about one particular Room, which was steered by a woman called the “old one.”  It was supposedly unparalleled for its graphic realism and complexity. All the best players were moving there, and for some, like Rad, to be chosen to play it had become an obsession. However, this particular Room had not been designed for entertainment or pleasure. This Room had been created to change the course of human history.



THE CHOSEN

Summary

 

In the future, the Earth is dying and is abandoned by The Chosen, an elite and powerful, corporate upper-class. Most of their descendants have settled in lifeglobes on various rocks throughout the galaxy. Their original society and culture has been lost and forgotten everywhere except on M-78. On that rock-strewn, resource-laden planet, The Chosen’s way of life has remained in tact for over five centuries, and Harlequin has been their leader ever since leaving Earth.

 

But now, Harlequin is determined to locate another Earth-like planet to inhabit and exploit. She succeeds in finding one; its name is Loon. And not only does she learn how magnificent Loon is, but at the same time discovers that Earth has reset itself. The Chosen may even be able to reinhabit their ancestral home once again.

 

This sets up a struggle between two extremely divergent cultures: one where reason, science, and social awareness have created a society in tune with their world; the other, that of The Chosen, whose main philosophy is centered upon the acquisition of profit at any cost. 

 

In The Chosen, these two societies and the unique individuals who inhabit them, tell a story of two worlds on a collision course, with the result being a galactic conflict whose outcome will impact the human race for eons to come. 



If you're interested in purchasing the Rooms' Series, or any of my other books, you can buy them on Amazon around the world. They will be available in two formats: a paperback edition and a Kindle ebook edition. The easiest way to locate them on the Amazon website available in your part of the world is to either search by using my name, or my name plus the title of the specific book.

In advance, I'm sorry that at this time my books are only available in English.

Saturday, November 30, 2024

Check Out the ROOMS' SERIES: Books I and II


 


The Rooms' Series


If you haven’t read this science fiction duology yet, please check it out. It's as relevant today as when it was first written.

 


The two books in this series are ROOMS and THE CHOSEN. They were originally published in 2014, and people who have read them often comment on how extremely relevant they remain, even today, in an almost prescient way.

 

This is because within the plot of the two books there exists a deep and abiding concern over the growth of right-wing, autocratic governments across the globe that come to power often times by  promising their citizens that only they can improve their lives. However, in the end, these types of governments are influenced much more by the interests of large corporations and wealthy oligarchs than by anything else. When that is the case, terrible consequences inevitably arise for the poor, the middle class, for worker’s rights, the environment, for freedom, and for democracy in general. This could even be beginning to happen in the United States right now.


Look at the election that we just had and the first couple months of this administration. Soon, people in the U. S. may no longer have a government “of, by, and for the people”, but one that is autocratic and oligarchic in nature that will do everything in its power to support the ultra-wealthy and big corporations, with little respect or consideration for the largest segment of our country, the middle-class and the poor. The “almighty dollar” could become its guiding principle, not the health and happiness of its people overall.

 

And now, some 65% or more of the citizens of voting age view this administration unfavorably! It is my belief - an hope - that these people are thoughtful and responsible voters who keep themselves up to date on important events, read books and periodicals, travel, understand the difference between truth and lies, and are very tolerant and caring people. I also believe that they have empathy and concern for others, for their country, for the world, and for the environment. They must be the ones to stand up for freedom and democracy no matter the cost.

 

However, that will not be an easy task because of the 35% of the total voting population that voted against our democracy and are responsible for this mess. That group, I believe, is made up of three kinds of people: those who chose not to vote at all, the wealthy who selfishly wanted more than they already have, or the wantonly ignorant who cast their votes without properly performing their due diligence. The people that I do not hold responsible, even though they did not vote, are the poor, the overworked, the homeless, or anyone who has been denied their basic rights, despite being a citizen of the U. S.

 

I mention all this because I wrote the Rooms’ Series, in part, to cause people to ponder the possibility of just such a dystopian future. But you must also know that the series contains considerable "hope!" With hard work, a facts-based, scientific approach to life, thoughtful governance, and some luck on our side, the human race still has the potential to overcome whatever lies ahead.

 

So, please, take a look at the series, with the understanding that it is a very creative and scene-driven story, told from the view of a diverse cast of characters. It takes place in the distant future after most of the human race had already left the Earth because it had become uninhabitable. They are now living inside large, protective lifeglobes on planets, moons, or asteroids that contain enough raw materials to sustain life. None of those heavenly bodies, however, were anything like the Earth of old - a dazzlingly beautiful and diverse celestial orb where all life had once been able to evolve and flourish on its surface with no barriers between them and the "outside."




Below is a brief summary of each of these books.


ROOMS

Summary

 

There was a time in Earth’s past when the entire planet was sick and dying and could no longer sustain life. A group of wealthy humans, who called themselves "The Chosen,” decided to abandon the Earth. And just as a person might skip across a shallow pond, moving from stone to stone, the human race multiplied and over hundreds of years gradually stretched across the Milky Way in the hope of finding another jewel, another Earth-like planet.

 

In this time of exploration and colonization, the humans on each of these desolate outposts lived in protected settlements called lifeglobes. Their daily life had a surreal consistency that affected and numbed them. They longed to see beyond the horizon, to feel something new. Because of this, their freedays and evenings were often spent in Rooms. These were extremely sophisticated, holographic, multi-sensory game rooms, which could adapt to each player. Each session in a Room was unique and helped to fill the void created by constantly having to live inside an enclosure, always separated from the outside, never being able to walk open and free.

 

One of those humans was Rad. He had just moved to the lifeglobe on planet R-131 and was a member of the governing council. However, he was also an elite Rooms’ player. His main reason for coming to R-131 was that he had heard rumors about one particular Room, which was steered by a woman called the “old one.”  It was supposedly unparalleled for its graphic realism and complexity. All the best players were moving there, and for some, like Rad, to be chosen to play it had become an obsession. However, this particular Room had not been designed for entertainment or pleasure. This Room had been created to change the course of human history.



THE CHOSEN

Summary

 

In the future, the Earth is dying and is abandoned by The Chosen, an elite and powerful, corporate upper-class. Most of their descendants have settled in lifeglobes on various rocks throughout the galaxy. Their original society and culture has been lost and forgotten everywhere except on M-78. On that rock-strewn, resource-laden planet, The Chosen’s way of life has remained in tact for over five centuries, and Harlequin has been their leader ever since leaving Earth.

 

But now, Harlequin is determined to locate another Earth-like planet to inhabit and exploit. She succeeds in finding one; its name is Loon. And not only does she learn how magnificent Loon is, but at the same time discovers that Earth has reset itself. The Chosen may even be able to reinhabit their ancestral home once again.

 

This sets up a struggle between two extremely divergent cultures: one where reason, science, and social awareness have created a society in tune with their world; the other, that of The Chosen, whose main philosophy is centered upon the acquisition of profit at any cost. 

 

In The Chosen, these two societies and the unique individuals who inhabit them, tell a story of two worlds on a collision course, with the result being a galactic conflict whose outcome will impact the human race for eons to come. 



If you're interested in purchasing the Rooms' Series, or any of my other books, you can buy them on Amazon around the world. They will be available in two formats: paperback and Kindle ebook edition. The easiest way to locate them on the website would be to either search by using my name, or my name plus the title of the specific book.

In advance, I'm sorry that at this time my books are only available in English.


Monday, October 14, 2024

THE VORTEX - UPDATE


"Vortex bw" by ahisgett is licensed under CC by 2.0


The third and final book of the Alban Saga trilogy is The Vortex. I will finish Chapter 30 this week, including editing.

The chapter was much longer and more complicated than I thought it would be, so I've added an additional chapter to the book, bringing the total to 32. I'm heavy into the climax! It's a LOT of fun to write! 

Below, I've included an overall summary of the book. 



BOOK SUMMARY

 

The Alban Saga is a fantasy trilogy made up of Beatrice, Black Grotto and the new book that I’m writing entitled The Vortex. All three books take place at real locations in Scotland, with actual Scottish history woven into their plot lines. The Vortex begins just as Black Grotto ends. Bea Bauman, a young Druid Priestess, is brought into the future by an ancient prophet named Erin. She cannot resist his call. He reaches for her from the center of the Vortex inside the Black Grotto, and she takes his hand, leaving her family and friends behind as she travels with him through time and space.

 

Just as Bea enters the Vortex, Aran Brodie, who has become a close and dear companion, cannot let Bea go alone into the void. He jumps in after her. For a time, they travel together inside the violent maelstrom, but they cannot maintain their grip on one another and become separated and lose consciousness. When Bea finally awakens, she finds herself at the Stones of Calanais in the year 2026 - three years in the future - staring into the eyes of Erin the prophet. In the meantime, Aran Brodie is expelled from the Vortex at the same location as Bea, but his exit casts him over 4500 years into the past where he finds himself surrounded by primordial Druids in search of a human sacrifice.

 

As all of this is going on, another character from the previous books also finds herself at the Stones of Calanais in the year 2026. Her name is Obsidian. For years now, she has been an acolyte in the grove of an extraordinarily powerful Druid Priestess named Brenna. Brenna brought Obsidian with her to this time and place to help her battle her nemesis, but Brenna is overcome and vanishes. Saddened and distraught, Obsidian is left alone without a way to return to her own time. She wanders aimlessly for days, but then remembers something that Brenna once shared with her. A Druid, even more powerful than Brenna, lives somewhere near the Stones of Calanais. She is called The Keeper. Obsidian sets out to find her in the hope that she can bring Brenna back and restore her to her former greatness and power.

 

The Vortex carries forth the story of the Alban Saga, weaving the plot lines of the three books into a surprising and volatile romp through time, space, and Scottish history. This dangerous and risky journey will either end in the past being completely reshaped, leading to a malevolent and dire future, or… the current timeline will remain untouched and safe for the development of humankind. Bea Bauman will be at the center of this struggle. She will attempt to unravel and countermand whomever or whatever is trying to alter history, while also dealing with her feelings for Aran, her fear for his survival, and having to navigate the treacherous intricacies of traveling through time and space via The Vortex.


Sunday, September 29, 2024

THE VORTEX - 2 CHAPTERS LEFT TO WRITE!

 

"Vortex bw" by ahisgett is licensed under CC by 2.0



I am currently working on the third and final book of the Alban Saga trilogy, entitled The Vortex, and I only have two chapter left to write.

I just completed Chapter 29. It's title is "Uprepared," and I started Chapter 30, "Ascension." 

Below, I've included an overall summary of the book. 



BOOK SUMMARY

 

The Alban Saga is a fantasy trilogy made up of Beatrice, Black Grotto and the new book that I’m writing entitled The Vortex. All three books take place at real locations in Scotland, with actual Scottish history woven into their plot lines. The Vortex begins just as Black Grotto ends. Bea Bauman, a young Druid Priestess, is brought into the future by an ancient prophet named Erin. She cannot resist his call. He reaches for her from the center of the Vortex inside the Black Grotto, and she takes his hand, leaving her family and friends behind as she travels with him through time and space.

 

Just as Bea enters the Vortex, Aran Brodie, who has become a close and dear companion, cannot let Bea go alone into the void. He jumps in after her. For a time, they travel together inside the violent maelstrom, but they cannot maintain their grip on one another and become separated and lose consciousness. When Bea finally awakens, she finds herself at the Stones of Calanais in the year 2026 - three years in the future - staring into the eyes of Erin the prophet. In the meantime, Aran Brodie is expelled from the Vortex at the same location as Bea, but his exit casts him over 4500 years into the past where he finds himself surrounded by primordial Druids in search of a human sacrifice.

 

As all of this is going on, another character from the previous books also finds herself at the Stones of Calanais in the year 2026. Her name is Obsidian. For years now, she has been an acolyte in the grove of an extraordinarily powerful Druid Priestess named Brenna. Brenna brought Obsidian with her to this time and place to help her battle her nemesis, but Brenna is overcome and vanishes. Saddened and distraught, Obsidian is left alone without a way to return to her own time. She wanders aimlessly for days, but then remembers something that Brenna once shared with her. A Druid, even more powerful than Brenna, lives somewhere near the Stones of Calanais. She is called The Keeper. Obsidian sets out to find her in the hope that she can bring Brenna back and restore her to her former greatness and power.

 

The Vortex carries forth the story of the Alban Saga, weaving the plot lines of the three books into a surprising and volatile romp through time, space, and Scottish history. This dangerous and risky journey will either end in the past being completely reshaped, leading to a malevolent and dire future, or… the current timeline will remain untouched and safe for the development of humankind. Bea Bauman will be at the center of this struggle. She will attempt to unravel and countermand whomever or whatever is trying to alter history, while also dealing with her feelings for Aran, her fear for his survival, and having to navigate the treacherous intricacies of traveling through time and space via The Vortex.



Friday, July 28, 2023

Book Summary: Merlin & Arthur: The Awakening





Merlin & Arthur: The Awakening

A Science Fiction/Fantasy Adventure that combines real-world events with the legend of Merlin & Arthur.

In the future, Arthur Pendragon and Merlin Ambrosius are brought back to life, but neither of them have any recollection of who they are or where they came from. Once they finally discover each other and their memories return, the reason for their awakening becomes clear.

 

An international event has occurred in the Koryak Mountains in Siberia, and that event has reignited earth’s old magic, revived the two legendary heroes, and set off a chain of events that not only threatens Britain but the very future of all life on earth.

 

It will take all of Merlin and Arthur’s skill and cunning, along with those of a large cast of characters within the mighty Western Alliance, to have any chance of stopping what has been set loose upon the world.

 

Follow the twists and turns of this epic tale, and it will take you to places, scenes, and events beyond imagining.



Wednesday, July 5, 2023

Book I & Book II of the ROOMS Series


 

Book I and II of the Rooms' Series

The Rooms' Series is a science fiction duology. The first book is ROOMS and the second is THE CHOSEN. Below, I've included a summary of each of the books. You can purchase both of them on Amazon. There is a paperback and kindle e-book edition. The easiest way to locate them, and all of my books, is to search by using my name on Amazon.

ROOMS

Description

 

There was a time in Earth’s past when the entire planet was sick and dying and could no longer sustain life. A group of wealthy humans, who called themselves "The Chosen,” decided to abandon the Earth. And just as a person might skip across a shallow pond, moving from stone to stone, the human race multiplied and over hundreds of years gradually stretched across the Milky Way in the hope of finding another jewel, another Earth-like planet.

 

In this time of exploration and colonization, the humans on each of these desolate outposts lived in protected settlements called lifeglobes. Their daily life had a surreal consistency that affected and numbed them. They longed to see beyond the horizon, to feel something new. Because of this, their freedays and evenings were often spent in Rooms. These were extremely sophisticated, holographic, multi-sensory game rooms, which could adapt to each player. Each session in a Room was unique and helped to fill the void created by constantly having to live inside an enclosure, always separated from the outside, never being able to walk open and free.

 

One of those humans was Rad. He had just moved to the lifeglobe on planet R-131 and was a member of the governing council. However, he was also an elite Rooms’ player. His main reason for coming to R-131 was that he had heard rumors about one particular Room, which was steered by a woman called the “old one.”  It was supposedly unparalleled for its graphic realism and complexity. All the best players were moving there, and for some, like Rad, to be chosen to play it had become an obsession. However, this particular Room had not been designed for entertainment or pleasure. This Room had been created to change the course of human history.



THE CHOSEN

Description

 

In the future, the Earth is dying and is abandoned by The Chosen, an elite and powerful, corporate upper-class. Most of their descendants have settled in lifeglobes on various rocks throughout the galaxy. Their original society and culture has been lost and forgotten everywhere except on M-78. On that rock-strewn, resource-laden planet, The Chosen’s way of life has remained in tact for over five centuries, and Harlequin has been their leader ever since leaving Earth.

 

But now, Harlequin is determined to locate another Earth-like planet to inhabit and exploit. She succeeds in finding one; its name is Loon. And not only does she learn how magnificent Loon is, but at the same time discovers that Earth has reset itself. The Chosen may even be able to reinhabit their ancestral home once again.

 

This sets up a struggle between two extremely divergent cultures: one where reason, science, and social awareness have created a society in tune with their world; the other that of The Chosen, whose main philosophy is centered upon the acquisition of profit at any cost. 

 

In The Chosen, these two societies and the unique individuals who inhabit them, tell a story of two worlds on a collision course, with the result being a galactic conflict whose outcome will impact the human race for eons to come.  



Tuesday, March 9, 2021

THE VORTEX: Book III of the Alban Saga - A Summary!


"Vortex bw" by ahisgett is licensed under CC by 2.0



The Vortex: Book III of the Alban Saga

Summary

 

The Alban Saga is a fantasy trilogy made up of Beatrice, Black Grotto, and Vortex. All three books take place in real locations in Scotland, with real Scottish history woven into their plotlines. Vortex begins just as Black Grotto ends. Bea Bauman, a young Druid Priestess, is taken away by an ancient prophet named Erin. She cannot resist his call; he reaches for her from the center of the Vortex inside the Black Grotto, and she takes his hand, leaving her family and friends behind as she travels with him through time and space.

 

Just as Bea enters the Vortex, Aran Brodie, who has become a close and dear companion, cannot let Bea go alone into the void. He jumps in after her. For a time, they travel together inside the violent maelstrom, but they cannot maintain their grip, become separated, and lose consciousness. When Bea finally awakens, she finds herself at the Stones of Calanais, staring into the eyes of Erin the Prophet, on the same day and time she left the Black Grotto. In the meantime, Aran Brodie is expelled from the Vortex to the same location as Bea, but his exit casts him over 4,500 years into the past, where he ends up surrounded by primordial Druids in search of a human sacrifice.

 

As all of this is going on, another character from the previous books also finds herself at the Stones of Calanais, but she is there three years in the future. Her name is Obsidian. For years now, she has been an acolyte in the grove of an extraordinarily powerful Druid Priestess named Brenna. Brenna brought Obsidian with her to this time and place to help her join with her nemesis in order to become the Great Hermaphrodite. However, Brenna is overcome and vanishes. Saddened and distraught, Obsidian is left alone without any way to return to her own time. She wanders aimlessly for days, but then remembers something that Brenna once shared with her. Another powerful Druid lived near the Stones of Calanais, and she was called the Keeper. Obsidian sets out to find her in the hope that she can bring Brenna back and restore her to her former greatness.

 

Vortex carries forth the story of the Alban Saga, weaving the plotlines into a surprising and volatile romp through time, space, and Scottish history. This dangerous journey will either end with the past being completely reshaped, leading to a malevolent and dire future, or the current timeline will remain intact and safe for the development of humankind. Bea Bauman, along with family, close friends, Aran Brodie, her former teacher Anu Grenn, and the Great Prophet Erin, will be at the center of this struggle. She will attempt to unravel and countermand whomever or whatever is trying to alter history while also dealing with her feelings for Aran, her fear for his survival, and having to navigate the treacherous intricacies of transporting oneself in a Vortex.