Category: writing

TV Review: Stan Lee’s Lucky Man

I don’t usually review tv shows based on one episode. I think it’s a little unfair to jump straight in without giving them time to ‘bed in’. I went straight ahead with Lucky Man though; after episode 1, I think Sky TV might be on to a winner. It’s from the same genius who brought you comic characters such as the Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four (though that doesn’t mean we should blame him for the FF’s last outing, which was a train wreck), so it has a good solid ideas man behind it. Surprisingly, it’s not your run-of-the-mill superhero thing… well, I don’t think it is anyway.

lucky_man

 

Our hero (and I use the term loosely) is a Harry Clayton, a sub-par London police detective with a failed marriage behind him and a gambling habit still way out in front. While investigating the murder of the man to whom he owes most of his gambling debt, Harry chances upon an ancient bracelet that endows its wearer with the luck of the gods. For a roulette addict things can’t get much better, except for the fact that one of the bracelet’s previous owners threw himself off a high roof… Doesn’t sound all that lucky to me.

Episode 1 was a blinder. The script was fresh, the acting superb (stellar performances from James Nesbitt and Eve Best (who I last saw in the final episode of Nurse Jackie), and most importantly, it didn’t take itself too seriously. I think the problem with a lot of the super hero stuff running on Sky (Green Arrow, The Flash) is that they’re really not much fun. I don’t this is going to be the case with Lucky Man.

For the first episode, a very creditable eight out of ten.

 

The Quisling Orchid released!

My third book, entitled The Quisling Orchid, has finally made it to Amazon and iBooks! If I could describe the book in a single word, then I would say ‘epic’. It spans the years between World War II and the 1970s and is the story of a love affair between a young woman and a blind Jewish girl during the Nazi invasion of Norway. Though the affair remains a secret, the repercussions are felt by one family some thirty years later…

TQO

I first had the idea about six years ago while taking a short work break in Norway. I spent some time at the Resistance Museum in Oslo and I think it was there that I fell in love with the country and the people. Norway was abandoned by the allies during World War II, which meant that the country had to defend itself against a full-blown Nazi invasion. They fought against overwhelming odds with courage, ingenuity and a sort of ‘quiet resistance’ that the Germans had no defence against. It was very much the little country that could.

Anyway, I was inspired; so after a few years of research, and two other books in between, I finally sat down to write it. That was about eighteen months ago. I’ve had a lot of help and support from friends and family, so as well as the people of Norway, I’d like to dedicate this book to them.

The book is quite graphic in its depiction of sex and violence, so it definitely falls outside the YA genre; stear clear if you’re not eighteen plus. Aside from that, it should appeal to anyone who likes a good wodge of historical fiction.

For the first few weeks I’m pricing at the £1.49 mark, so grab it while it’s cheap.

Amazon

iBooks