Thanks so much to Christoph Fischer, a great writer and blogger, and a book reviewer extraordinaire, for reviewing my latest book on his blog. Please, visit his post and leave a comment if you like!
“Escaping Psychiatry 2. The Case of the Swapped Bodies” by Olga Núñez Miret was a real treat and almost a surprise. I like Olga’s sharp and psychologically charged writing the bes…
Hi all:
As you know Fridays is time to share new books and/or authors. Today, both of the authors who are visiting with new books have graced my blog before, and I’m pleased to say I’ve read some of their books (next Tuesday I’ll be sharing a review for one of Sarah Mallery’s novels) and they more than deserve to be featured here. They are fairly different, but I wanted to give you a chance to catch up with both before the holiday season.
First:’The Dolan Girls by S. R. Mallery
Set in Nebraska during the 1800s, whorehouse madams, ladies of the night, a schoolmarm, a Pinkerton detective, a Shakespeare-quoting old coot, brutal outlaws, and a horse-wrangler fill out the cast of characters. Add to the mix are colorful descriptions of an 1856 land rush, Buffalo Bill and his Wild West Show, Annie Oakley, bank/train robberies, small town local politics, and of course, romance. Two, in fact!
Links
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B018Y063XA/
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B018Y063XA/
And a couple of reviews (both 5 stars):
S.R. Mallery has done it again and in her usual style, she has done it well. I love historical fiction (and the books of S.R. Mallery) because I learn from them and they echo truth. The Dolan Girls is a story about three strong, resilient and very different women and their difficult and ardulous journey through life in the old West. Set in Nebraska after the California Gold Rush, the Dolan Girls is brimming with realism, history, vivid description and amazing characters designed and developed so well I wanted to know more about them.. If you’re a fan of the old west, strong women and enjoy a great read, this book is for you. Recommend highly!
Though I am not normally a reader of historical fiction, I do enjoy movies about the Old West. Films like ‘The Outlaw Josey Wales,’ ‘Unforgiven’ and ‘True Grit’ (the Coen Brothers’ version, not the original). There’s something very appealing about these desperate, iconic characters struggling to survive in a desolate setting, with the promise of Progress—usually in the form of a new railroad—looming somewhere on the horizon. When I read THE DOLAN GIRLS, I found many of the things I love—strong women, villains cut from the cloth of a harsh adherence to tradition, and some other pretty colorful characters, both real and fictional.
THE DOLAN GIRLS is western fiction as you’ve never read it. S.R. Mallery’s words thunder off the page like a cattle stampede. And her sharply written characters demonstrate that truly it was WOMEN who tamed the American West.
Don’t forget to check the author page in Amazon and follow her for news about her books.
http://www.amazon.com/S.-R.-Mallery/e/B00CIUW3W8/
And now, Christoph Fischer, who has visited my blog a few times, has a new book out (just out on the 14th of December). The book goes back to history, one of his favourite subjects, and the story behind the writing of the book is fascinating too.
Ludwika: A Polish Woman’s Struggle To Survive In Nazi Germany by Christoph Fischer
It’s World War II and Ludwika Gierz, a young Polish woman, is forced to leave her family and go to Nazi Germany to work for an SS officer. There, she must walk a tightrope, learning to live as a second-class citizen in a world where one wrong word could spell disaster and every day could be her last. Based on real events, this is a story of hope amid despair, of love amid loss . . . ultimately, it’s one woman’s story of survival.
Editorial Review:
“This is the best kind of fiction—it’s based on the real life. Ludwika’s story highlights the magnitude of human suffering caused by WWII, transcending multiple generations and many nations.
WWII left no one unscarred, and Ludwika’s life illustrates this tragic fact. But she also reminds us how bright the human spirit can shine when darkness falls in that unrelenting way it does during wartime.
This book was a rollercoaster ride of action and emotion, skilfully told by Mr. Fischer, who brought something fresh and new to a topic about which thousands of stories have already been told.”
Links:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B018UTHX7A/
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B018UTHX7A/
Paper:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1519539118/
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1519539118/
Don’t forget to check his author page in Amazon, and follow for news of his books:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Christoph-Fischer/e/B00CLO9VMQ/
I share a couple of the posts Christoph has written about the book in his own blog, that include excerpts. There are others, so don’t be shy and wander around a bit.
And a couple of five star reviews:
Ludwika: A Polish Woman’s Struggle To Survive In Nazi Germany by Christoph Fischer starts with an introduction to the story’s protagonist, Ludwika Gierz, a 4 foot-ten inches, 22 year-old, beautiful Polish woman with piercing blue eyes. Children like her because of her friendly disposition. She has a 5 year-old daughter Irena from a non-marital relationship she had years ago, after which the father of the child left town. The well-written prose starts with undertones interjected on the horizon and we know there will be danger: the German invasion and fleeing of the townspeople, including Ludwika’s father, who disappeared with the retreat of troops; and the fact that Ludwika’s looks, her beauty, was once an asset but now is a liability as it attracts brutish German soldiers. It is a time of war with Hitler’s regime moving in and taking over, which establishes the story’s tension and conflict. In her town in Poland, Ludwika works her farm with her younger sister and mother. Siblings are mentioned, including her brother Franz who drowned in a river 2 years earlier, the memory still raw and painful. The story is off to a good start as we care about the protagonist and sense the danger that’s been alluded to. The story progresses and Ludwika encounters a Nazi soldier on the road who becomes attracted to her and protective of her, granting her rights others do not have. As Jews are being hauled off and the elderly assassinated, Ludwika is learning German from the translator that her “Nazi friend” has enlisted to help him. There’s now enough conflict in the story to propel it forward in this horrific time in history where madness prevailed. Without retelling this page turner suffice it to say that it goes deep and does not hold back as the plot moves through Ludwika’s drive to survive, and all the emotional turmoil, good and bad, that goes along with it. I’ve read several other books by this author and have to say that next to The Luck of the Weissensteiner’s this is my favorite.
And a brief one but it says it all:
Great to see Christoph Fischer, author of The Three Nations trilogy, back with another classic world war 2 story. This is probably his tightest, best work yet. It’s intense and cinematic. Fans of world war two dramas will eat this one up. Well done!
Thanks so much to S. R. Mallery and Christoph Fischer for their books, thanks to you for reading, and you know what to do, like, share, comment and CLICK!
Hi all:
I’m now back in the UK and trying to get back into the swing of things after being away from the internet for a while (it’s like riding a bicycle, you don’t forget it but you get aches and pains), and while I prepare a few more posts about my experiences these holidays, I thought I’d share some of the reviews I wrote about the books I read while away. I have plenty to choose from, but I chose to talk about Conditions today, not only because I’ve enjoyed Christoph Fischer’s writing in the past, and he is always hard at work promoting other writers, but because I saw that his new book, Conditioned, the continuation of the adventures of those characters will be published next month and is already available in pre-order. So, what better?
Conditions by Christoph Fischer
When Charles and Tony’s mother dies the estranged brothers must struggle to pick up the pieces, particularly so given that one of them is mentally challenged and the other bitter about his place within the family.
The conflict is drawn out over materialistic issues, but there are other underlying problems which go to the heart of what it means to be part of a family which, in one way or another. has cast one aside.
Prejudice, misconceptions and the human condition in all forms feature in this contemporary drama revolving around a group of people who attend the subsequent funeral at the British South Coast.
Meet flamboyant gardener Charles, loner Simon, selfless psychic Elaine, narcissistic body-builder Edgar, Martha and her version of unconditional love and many others as they try to deal with the event and its aftermath.
Link:
http://www.amazon.com/Conditions-Series-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00NZ1VTBU/
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Conditions-Series-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00NZ1VTBU/
Here is my review:
I’m a psychiatrist, and what is normal and how we define normality are questions that the more one works in the field, the more one wonders about. Absence of a diagnosable mental illness is not the same as what society might think as “normal behaviour”. And each individual’s opinion on the matter is even more varied. Culture shock, for instance, results from differences in what is accepted behaviour in countries far apart (although not necessarily as far as we might think). Being transplanted into a culture or a situation brand new for us might make us question if our version of normal is the correct one. Even what might be normal for our neighbours we might consider utterly bizarre.
The author of this novel explores the reactions to a character, Charles, who has a psychiatric condition (a mental disorder unspecified in the book), by a number of people, including relatives (his brother and sister-in-law), close friends and acquaintances, complete strangers and previous employers. Charles’s diagnosis is left intentionally vague (we can speculate, based on the description of his behaviours, but that is not the point of the story. Charles’s behaviour is peculiar and bizarre at times, but he does not appear to be a danger to others and most of the time remains capable of making his own decisions and explaining himself, although not always) probably to avoid the temptation of turning the book into an apologia or a treatise to defend the sufferers of a particular illness or disorder. It is not about one set of symptoms or even one character, but it reflects back to us some of the standard reactions to people who might be affected by such a disorder. Are they really unable to do a day’s work, or is it all an excuse? Are they telling the truth or are they making up stories to get attention? Why should they be treated differently and given special privileges when they aren’t pulling their weight? Are they just exploiting the system? Should they just be locked up?
The novel is written in the third person, at times by an omniscient narrator that shares the internal thoughts of some of the many characters, at times the third person narrator simply shares what is happening, without taking any specific point of view, but rather that of an objective observer. That contrast allows us to get a better understanding of the psychological make-up and reasons behind some of the characters’ reactions, and we can compare those reactions to the facts.
Although we never get to see things from Charles’s perspective, we hear the stories of his friends (some closer than other) who are gathered, at the beginning of the book, to help him and accompany him on the occasion of his mother’s funeral. There are a number of works of fiction where a funeral brings people together to discuss the deceased, and in the process discover the true selves of those in attendance, although here, there is less discussion of Rose, the mother, and more of Charles. And also of the rest of the guests. We get to learn about them, their relationships (or lack of them), their sexuality, their weaknesses, their beliefs and interests, mostly through their conversations. All the characters have interesting backgrounds, lives and stories, and we become as curious about them as they are about each other. And we want to learn more. There is plenty of dialogue and not much description or narration. It struck me that this book would make a great play with many juicy parts for talented actors and actresses.
When we get to know both his friends and those who aren’t that close to Charles, we come to understand that all of them (and by extension, also us) have their own conditions, and we shouldn’t be so quick to judge. Even the most enlightened of us can have prejudices and misjudge others if we are not open and refuse to take them on their own terms.
Conditions has a fascinating array of characters and is a book that will make all readers think. I believe there is or will be a second part that will follow some of the characters’ stories. I’m looking forward to it. This is the second book I’ve read by this writer and I’m happy that he has so many books available and of varied styles and genres. I’ll keep reading him, enjoying his stories and watching his career.
And now, here is a link to the cover reveal of Conditioned where you can get more information from the horse’s mouth:
https://writerchristophfischer.wordpress.com/2015/09/16/cover-reveal-conditioned/
CONDITIONED dives back into the world of gardener Charles, his friends and the state of his mental health – one year on. We meet loner Simon and his battle with the outside world, co-dependent Martha and her abusive husband Clive, neurotic poet Catherine on the verge of getting married, Tony, who finds his strange brother Charles a challenge, psychic Elaine looking for a new direction in life and quirky widow Sarah Roseberg who has a go at sorting out all of their problems.
CONDITIONS aimed to sensitise readers and make them think about tolerance and acceptance. CONDITIONED wants readers to look beyond their attitude towards Conditions and examine what we all do and what we can do to overcome our challenges. The sequel is another snapshot of this circle of friends. Some will have improved their lives, others will not.
I can’t wait!
Thanks to Christoph for your book, thanks to you all for reading, and if you’ve enjoyed it, you know what to do, like, share, comment and CLICK! And I’ll keep you updated!
Hi all:
Today I bring you an author who has visited us many times because he’s not only prolific but he never fails to bring us something new and interesting.
Christoph Fischer (here his Amazon page ) this time brings us a story of innocence, glamour, gambling, love and friendship. The question is, when money changes our life completely, how do we know what’s true?
The Gamblers
Ben is an insecure accountant obsessed with statistics, gambling and beating the odds. When he wins sixty-four million in the lottery he finds himself challenged by the possibilities that his new wealth brings.
He soon falls under the influence of charismatic Russian gambler Mirco, whom he meets on a holiday in New York. He also falls in love with a stewardess, Wendy, but now that Ben’s rich he finds it hard to trust anyone. As both relationships become more dubious, Ben needs to make some difficult decisions and figure out who’s really his friend and who’s just in it for the money.
http://www.amazon.com/Gamblers-Christoph-Fischer-ebook/dp/B00XOQRGAO/
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gamblers-Christoph-Fischer-ebook/dp/B00XOQRGAO/
All the reviews are fabulous so I didn’t want to single out, just go and check them yourselves.
And, Christoph is taking part in an anthology in aid of MacMillan Cancer Care, that is in pre-order and will be published tomorrow, so I couldn’t help but share it with you. It’s an incredible opportunity to sample the work of some fabulous writers and to contribute to a worthy cause.
An international group of indie authors, inspired by the personal grief of one, decided to collaborate in the spring of 2015 in a project to create this multi-genre smorgasbord of original short stories, all with the same potent theme – relationships. Some are heartfelt, some funny, some poignant, and some are just a little bit scary – much like relationships themselves. All are by authors fired by the shared enthusiasm to give something back in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support. Cancer touches us all. It has in some way affected those who have contributed their time and talent here. This is our way of showing that we care.
Indie authors carry forward a revolutionary shift in publishing, which allows the author to be creative director in their own work. There are many exceptional, experienced and acclaimed writers who have decided to take this bold step in publishing. In producing this anthology we have also had the inestimable assistance on board of artists, graphic designers, and bloggers – all of whom have a place in our acknowledgments. You, the discerning reader, are the other vital part of this equation. By buying this book you are supporting the work of indie authors, as well as discovering their worth. You are also supporting the charity to which we have chosen to dedicate our work.
100% of the royalties earned or accrued in the purchase of this book, in all formats, will go to the Pamela Winton tribute fund, which is in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.
Contributors:
Lesley Hayes – A Year Afterwards
BL Pride – Closure (Somewhere Over France)
Anthony Randall – Colin And Sandy
Ian D. Moore – One Of Those Days
Mike Billington – Dolphins Dance
D. Avraham – A Special Evening
Sallyann Phillips – At The Hands Of The Healer
Kayla Howarth – Dad
Christoph Fischer – Forever Yours
Phyllis Edgerly Ring – Fruits
Felipe Adan Lerma – The Yoga Bowl
Sylva Fae – Lilies For The Mantel
Andy Updegrove – Gabriel And The Minister Bird
Penny Luker – Inside Out
Katerina Sestakova Novotna – Witch’s Mark
Lisa Shambrook – Love’s Silent Ache
Tom Benson – Goals
Katharine E. Hamilton – If The Shoe Fits
Lucinda E. Clarke – The Birth
Barbara Doran – Lotta Blum
Angela Lockwood – Never Too Old
Rebecca Bryn – Ooh Air Margrit
Max Power – Babes
Paul Ruddock – Last Goodbyes…
S.K. Holmesley – A Stitch In Time
Eric Lahti – Day Late, Dollar Short
S.E. Meyer – Love In An Elevator
Nico Laser – No Longer Broken
Links:
Amazon for per-order via these links:
http://smarturl.it/YoureNotAloneAnth
You’ll find the Facebook page here:
https://www.facebook.com/yourenotalone2015
And here is the fund, in loving memory of Pamela Mary Winton
https://macmillan.tributefunds.com/pamela-mary-winto
Christoph has been publishing a number of interviews with authors in the anthology, so go and visit!
https://writerchristophfischer.wordpress.com/
Thanks to Christoph, for his book, and for the anthology, thanks to you all for reading, and if you’ve enjoyed it, like, share, comment and CLICK!
Hi all:
As you know, on Fridays I bring you new books and authors. Today I bring you a writer who’s visited us quite a few times and who’s a great blogger and reviewer. Christoph Fischer. I’ll let you check his author page. And don’t miss the big piece of news at the end!
I’m very intrigued by his newest book as I’ve really loved Sebastian but so far my reading list hasn’t caught up yet. But I hope you might be able to get to it before me, because the subject matter is fascinating.
The Healer
When advertising executive Erica Whittaker is diagnosed with terminal cancer, western medicine fails her. The only hope left for her to survive is controversial healer Arpan. She locates the man whose touch could heal her but finds he has retired from the limelight and refuses to treat her. Erica, consumed by stage four pancreatic cancer, is desperate and desperate people are no longer logical nor are they willing to take no for an answer. Arpan has retired for good reasons. casting more than the shadow of a doubt over his abilities. So begins a journey that will challenge them both as the past threatens to catch up with him as much as with her. Can he really heal her? Can she trust him with her life? And will they both achieve what they set out to do before running out of time?
http://www.amazon.com/Healer-Christoph-Fischer-ebook/dp/B00QIJ4DJ6/
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Healer-Christoph-Fischer-ebook/dp/B00QIJ4DJ6/
It has fantastic comments and I thought about sharing a few with you, but I’ll let you read them yourself, because one of Christoph’s books is included in a box-set with novels by many other authors that I’d be happy to feature here at some point too, so I thought I’d take the chance and bring it to you as an incredible opportunity to discover these talents that might be new to you.
At Odds with Destiny
Uvi Poznansky (Author), Aaron Paul Lazar (Author), Christoph Fischer (Author), Brandt Legg (Author), Amalie Jahn(Author), Suzanne Jenkins (Author), S.W. Vaughn (Author), Janet Morris (Author), P.C. Zick (Author), J.J. DiBenedetto(Author)
Each one of the novels in this boxed set is outside the box. Together, they have nearly 1000 five star reviews! Open this box at your own risk!
Bestselling, critically acclaimed, and notoriously creative authors from across the book continuum join forces to bring you At Odds with Destiny, everything you’ve wanted in a boxed set but thought you’d never find: full-length novels brimming with myth, fantasy, mystery, history, romance, drama, originality, heroism, and suspense. Finding themselves at odds with destiny, the characters in these stories fight to shape their future and define who they are. Come follow them in their amazing journeys.
Rise to Power by Uvi Poznansky
Notorious for his contradictions, David is seen by others as a gifted court entertainer or a traitor leading a gang of felons. How does he see himself? Can he control his destiny and strike a balance between ambition and longing for purity?
Double Forté by Aaron Paul Lazar
In the deep cold of winter, threats erupt from the dark woods, spinning events out of hand—and Gus, tormented by the unexplained death of his wife, braces for the fight of his life.
The Luck of the Weissensteiners by Christoph Fischer
In WW2 Eastern Europe, two families—one Jewish, one Catholic—fight for survival amidst deception, fear, distrust and betrayal. In the entangled web of political, religious and familial loyalties, can love endure?
Outview by Brandt Legg
Nate embarks on a breathless quest to save his brother and unravel the mystery of their father’s death. His desperate flight takes a stunning turn when mystics reveal an extraordinary destiny to him.
Among the Shrouded by Amalie Jahn
An ancient prophesy foretells the birth of seven psychics destine to change the world… Among the Shrouded follows Mia, Thomas and Kate, three unsuspecting strangers whose lives intertwine to reveal the significance of their gifts and the greater purpose of their collective lives.
Pam of Babylon by Suzanne Jenkins
After Jack dies, his wife Pam discovers secrets and lies. Is she destined to succumb to vengefulness against his two lovers, or will she find a different way forward?
Broken Angel by S.W. Vaughn
To rescue his kidnapped sister, Gabriel is forced to join a crime syndicate, where he discovers a dark underside to the city that few have ever seen. Yet the game can’t be won by their rules. He’ll have to make his own.
Tempus by Janet Morris
Woe betide the soul who dares too much! Ride with Tempus and his Sacred Band of Stepsons cavalry into myth, legend, and adventure like no other.
Native Lands by P.C. Zick
When their environment is torn apart by a battle for power and control of the last of the Florida frontier, a tribe of native Floridians thought to be extinct rise up to halt the destruction of the natural world they treasure.
Dream Student by James DiBenedetto
Everything was going according to plan, until the night when college junior Sara Barnes started seeing other people’s dreams. Is she the only one witnessing the secrets of a serial killer?
Let in the dog and let out the cat, for this box holds dangers of the most rarefied kind!
http://www.amazon.com/At-Odds-Destiny-Uvi-Poznansky-ebook/dp/B00SHYGG7C/
http://www.amazon.co.uk/At-Odds-Destiny-Uvi-Poznansky-ebook/dp/B00SHYGG7C/
I prepare my posts a few days in advance when I can, and on the same week when the post was due to come out I read one by Christoph about his new book.
In Search of the Revolution is currently available in preorder here.
In 1918 young Zacharias Nielsen boards a ship in Copenhagen to join the Red Guards in the Finnish Civil War.Encouraged by an idolised teacher with communist leanings, he follows the call for help from his Nordic Comrades, despite his privileged background.
His best friend, Ansgar, has opposing political ideals to Zacharias but, for his own personal reasons, finds himself soon stuck in the Scandinavian North with Zacharias and Raisa, a Finnish nurse who helps them in their new life.
Through the years that follow the brotherly war the trio see the political landscape in Finland and Europe change as Communists and Fascists try to make their mark and attempt to change the world order.
Our heroes must find their own personal and ideological place in these turbulent times as friendship, honour, idealism and love triangles bring out some personal truths.
The book spans almost thirty years of history and the various Finnish conflicts: Civil War, Winter War, Continuation War and the Lapland War. Watch the political and personal self discovery of characters in search of their own revolution.
Just in case you want more information on the book, including an excerpt, I leave you the link to Christoph’s post. And if you don’t know his blog, I recommend it. You’ll have great insights into his writing, his work, and also the many books he reviews. He’s always hard at work not only with his own books but promoting those of others.
Thanks to Christoph and the fellow authors in ‘At Odds with Destiny’ for their books, thanks to all of you for reading, and you know, if you’ve enjoyed it, like, comment, share, and CLICK!
Hi all:
As you know I’m a bit busy writing but I promised you I would try and keep bringing you new books.
Today I bring you the newest work by an author who has visited us before (and I’ve had the pleasure of reading one of his novels and have more of his on my list), Christoph Fischer.
His new book, Conditions is receiving plenty of attention, and you’ll soon realise why:
When Charles and Tony’s mother dies the estranged brothers must struggle to pick up the pieces, particularly so given that one of them is mentally challenged and the other bitter about his place within the family.
The conflict is drawn out over materialistic issues, but there are other underlying problems which go to the heart of what it means to be part of a family which, in one way or another. has cast one aside.
Prejudice, misconceptions and the human condition in all forms feature in this contemporary drama revolving around a group of people who attend the subsequent funeral at the British South Coast.
Meet flamboyant gardener Charles, loner Simon, selfless psychic Elaine, narcissistic body-builder Edgar, Martha and her version of unconditional love and many others as they try to deal with the event and its aftermath.
Links:
http://www.amazon.com/Conditions-Christoph-Fischer-ebook/dp/B00NZ1VTBU/
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Conditions-Christoph-Fischer-ebook/dp/B00NZ1VTBU/
I wanted to share some of the reviews (all 5 stars) of the book, but they were all so detailed and so heartfelt that I didn’t manage to choose and I thought the fairest thing would be for you to go and see.
I’m sharing a couple of Christoph’s blogs also, as he shares the work of other writers and he’s an avid reader (so you’ll get plenty of reviews). And pay attention to the second blog, as Christoph is talking about the characters of his book, so you’ll get much more information…
General information:
http://www.christophfischerbooks.com/
Interviews, reviews, and a series about the characters in his book:
http://writerchristophfischer.wordpress.com/
And here is my review for Sebastian in case you missed it:
Thanks so much to Christoph Fischer for his visit, thanks to you all for reading, and you know the drill, like, share, comment and of course, don’t forget to CLICK!
Oh, Ronovan of Ronovan Writes fame has kindly agreed to having me as one more of his team working towards encouraging indie writers and helping promote their work at Literary World Interviews.
As I’m writing, writing, writing, I haven’t had much chance to create a lot of original content (other than the said writing), but as I keep reading I’ve managed to post a couple of reviews there and I leave you the links here (I debated reblogging but reblogs get me quite confused and I’d rather you visit the site directly, as there’s a lot of great content there).
Here:
Thanks my friends!
Hi all:
I’ve been trying to catch up on some reading, and although some of the review I’m writing are going to be published directly in BTS-e Magazine (I’ll share links to future numbers) I realised there were some books I’d reviewed recently I hadn’t had a chance to share with you yet. Today I bring you Sebastian.
Sebastian is a long novel that chronicles a complex period of Austrian history by following the life of a Jewish family living and working in Vienna. The difficulties of the family (poor Sebastian loses a leg at the very beginning of the book and this will change his whole life, his mother, grandmother and grandfather have health problems, his father disappears in the Great War…) reflect the turbulent historical period that Europe lives in the early XX Century. Although the book is part of a trilogy I understand from the description that each book can be read independently and Sebastian is a stand-alone novel.
One of the beauties of the book is how it manages to paint a very vivid portrait of the Viennese society of the period, cosmopolitan, complex and with its great variety of nationalities, religions and unwritten rules. The novel shows us the wider historical events and how these affect a particular family. Thanks to the characters who come into contact with the family we can gain a wider perspective, as we get to see how people from Galicia felt, the difficult situation of Orthodox Jews from that area, how somebody who is known as a patriot today, might end up in the wrong side tomorrow through circumstances not always of their making. The shop at the centre of the book offers a great opportunity to understand the ins and outs of the public relations between the diverse groups, both from the point of view of the clients and also the staff.
Sebastian is the centre of that world, and he grows from a weak and cowardly young boy to a mature, well-adjusted and highly moral individual. We follow his education, his taking responsibility for the family business and the whole family, his romantic education, his fatherhood…The Viennese society of peace and war times are vividly depicted from a very personal point of view, filtered through the conscience of the characters, some of whom we might feel closer to than others, but who are all multi-dimensional and credible. We have proud mothers, psychoanalysis buffs, paranoid anti-Jewish women, mediums, spies…
I congratulate the author for his ability and talent in interweaving the many complex threads to create a wonderful patchwork of characters, lives and historical events that kept me engaged at both an intellectual and an emotional level. I’m sure this won’t be the last one of his books I read.
Sebastian. (The Three Nations Trilogy. Book 2)
http://www.amazon.com/Sebastian-Three-Nations-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B00CLL1UY6/
And here the author’s page in Amazon, just in case you want to check the rest of his books:
http://www.amazon.com/Christoph-Fischer/e/B00CLO9VMQ/
Thanks for reading, and if you’ve enjoyed it, like, share, comment, and of course, CLICK and READ! Oh, and next week, I’ll bring you a sample of my WIP! Be scared! (No, not horror… unless you’re scared of romance and cakes)
Just Olga 