Why should history be boring? Throw away the text books which boil our past down to a dreary series of names, dates and places. Immerse yourself in a world of passion and intrigue, where a ragtag band of individuals battles the might of Empires and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
Book Info:
Title: The Stone Bridge: Book III of the Devil’s Bible Series
Author: Michael Bolan
Official Launch Date: December 1st, 2016
Publication Date: December 1st, 2016
Price: $2.99
Pages: TBD
Blurb:
The Rapture continues to wreak havoc across Europe in its quest to acquire the elemental Seals, the only thing preventing the Devil’s Bible from purging the world in fire. Brought to Prague by the Fianna, the Seals’ only protection lies in the secrecy that shrouds them.
Reinald, leader of the Rapture, enlists the world’s greatest minds to free the Devil’s Bible from the depths of Prague Castle, where it has languished under lock and key for centuries. Meanwhile, the plans of the Four Horsemen unfold, wreaking havoc and misery across the entire continent.
Not content with forcing his siblings from their ancestral home, Reinald sends a vast army to harry and persecute them, forcing them to flee ever eastwards. Taking shelter with their friends, Willem, Leo and Isabella commit to one last act of bravery, making a final stand to defend the city of Prague.
As each nation commits its final resources into the conflict, all roads lead to the Stone Bridge that divides Prague, where the Sons of Brabant and their Fianna allies will face the ultimate test of their strength.
Praise for the Devil’s Bible Series
“Meticulously researched and intelligently written, The Sons of Brabant spins itself out gradually, culminating in an especially action-packed climax.”
“There is plague, war, intrigue, back-stabbing, love, and obsession – something for the whole family!”
“A fantastic mix of myth, religious references, fact and fiction layered on to the Thirty Years War.”
“Joyce, Beckett and Behan... meet Bolan. This is a classic sit-by-the-Aga and have a cup of tea page-turner.”
“The Sons of Brabant is a wonderfully crafted novel. This is the best start to a series I've read in quite a while.”
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Author Bio:
Michael Bolan: nomadic Irish storyteller
It took Michael Bolan over two decades of running in the corporate rat race to realise that all he actually did was tell stories.
There was no Damascene revelation for Bolan which caused him to pen his first work of fiction, "The Sons of Brabant". An avid reader, he simply felt that he could do as good a job as many of the authors he read and decided to put his money where his mouth was.
Living and working in many countries left him with smatterings of a dozen languages and their stories, and his love for history focused his ideas on the Thirty Years War, the most destructive conflict that the continent has ever seen.
Now living in Prague (again), Michael brings alive the twisted alleys of the 17th century and recreates the brooding darkness of a fractured Europe, where no-one was entirely sure who was fighting whom.
Michael writes while liberally soused in gin, a testament to Franz
de le Boë, who was mixing oil of juniper with neat spirit while the thirty Years War raged around him.
His website (http://www.michaelbolan.org) is a place where he can post his thoughts and feelings – along with reviews of books he finds lying around the internet.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/michaelbolan225
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michaelbolan225
LinkedIn: cz.linkedin.com/in/bolanov
Author Central: https://www.amazon.com/author/michaelbolan
My Top 10 Books:
- Foucault’s Pendulum – Umberto Eco
- Magician – Raymond Feist
- A History of the World in 10½ Chapters – Julian Barnes
- Mort – Terry Pratchett
- Animal Farm – George Orwell
- The Sett – Ranulph Fiennes
- Catch 22 – Joseph Heller
- Lord of the Rings – JRR Tolkien
- On the Beach – Nevil Shute
- Gods and Fighting Men – Lady Augusta Gregory
10 Things You Need to Know About Me:
- I read fast, but forget details after a while.
- I love music and listen to it constantly, but can neither sing nor play an instrument.
- I’m a cat person.
- Gin
- I was born in Northern Ireland, but have lived in ten countries since leaving.
- I can hold a conversation in seven languages yet struggle to find the right words when I write.
- I’m actually an introvert, but most people would never realise.
- Rugby
- Coffee should be drunk black, without sugar or milk. Or syrup. Or marshmallows. Just coffee.
- I think of conversation topics and rehearse before social interactions.
More from Michael
Sometimes I wonder how I became a writer. The answer is, like so many things, by accident. My story began five years ago, when I found myself scratching my head, wondering what to do with two teenage boys who were coming to visit their uncle, bringing with them that unique mix of childlike curiosity and teenage insouciance?
You see, I come from Ireland, but I live in Prague. The Bohemian capital where I live is an amazing city, which is why we are continuously inundated with requests to come and stay with us. I used to think it was our charm and hospitality, but it has since dawned on me that a large apartment within walking distance of Wenceslas Square, the scene of the 1989 Velvet Revolution, might be part of the draw.
When my brother suggested he bring his family to visit, I graciously accepted. When he suggested I come up with an entertainment program for his teenage boys, I was daunted.
But Prague is an amazing city which caters for over a million tourists a year, so we managed to put together an interesting itinerary, complete with dinosaurs, torture implements and battlegrounds. Dinner came in the form of large chunks of roasted meat in a medieval restaurant, washed down with my nephews’ first beer as performers breathed fire and played bagpipes.
And then it all went pear-shaped. The elder nephew turned to me, his brow creased in thought. “Why is this restaurant called The King of Brabant?” he asked. “Isn’t Brabant in Belgium?” I must confess, he caught me off guard, as my attention was divided between the frothing tankard being set in front of me and the buxom wench serving it. “Aha!” I responded with faux confidence, “Don’t you know the tale of the Sons of Brabant?” But instead of being satisfied with my throwaway comment, he persisted. “No. I don’t. Tell us…”
And so the Devil’s Bible Series was born. For three days, we wandered the streets of Prague together as I regaled them with a heady mix of history, story and utter fantasy. Every so often, there would be a reference to the Swedish invasion of Prague, or the Battle of White Mountain, or the infamous Defenestration – enough for my nephews to wonder if I was telling the truth or making up a good story.
A few things, like a full-time job, newborn son and plain procrastination got in the way of me putting pen to paper, until a few years later, when I was staying with my parents-in-law, and had a small disagreement with my wife. Bored of my artistic frustration, she barked at me to “go away and write a book”, and I did just that. I sat down at the dining table, opened my laptop and churned out eleven thousand words. To this day, that is my most productive single session.
When I had been writing for some weeks, a thought struck me. How long is a book? When I found out that a first novel tends to run between seventy and ninety thousand words, I thought I might check my wordcount. At well over a hundred thousand and rising, I knew I had a problem. With the help of my friends, the broader writing community, NaNoWriMo and some fierce editing, I created a story that spanned a dozen countries and almost as many genres. So my book became three, and the last one is released on December 1st, bringing to an end a three-year journey.
My advice to anyone looking to write their first book? Look for inspiration in the least expected places. When the lightbulb moment comes, and you find a story that leaps out onto the page, when you find yourself casting about dementedly for a pencil to jot down your ideas before they slip from your mind – then you will know. It may be a novel or short story, a poem or a blogpost. Dive in, meet your inner child and most of all, enjoy. Know that it is hard work, and requires steely will power and just a sprinkling of crazed ambition. And don’t let that day-job get in the way – remember, John Grisham used to wake at 4am to spend three hours every day writing his first novel, before commuting to the office where he worked as a lawyer.
Writing is easy. Having someone read what you have written is hard. Having a professional challenge what you have created is one of the most intimate experiences you will ever have. But it will all be worth it when you sell your first book.
First two books in the series!
