Damn you degree, damn you!

Well, it’s been a month since I did my last blog post, let alone anything else to do with my blog. Genuine shock I kid you not. Unsurprisingly, university work has taken over my life for the second time since Christmas, although a month since my last blog post is a bit crazy really. What is crazy though is how much work I’m having to put in to get pretty good marks in my degree. It is literally eating up my life, yes, my life. I have had no free time in the past 4 weeks, no time to do my blog, no time to write, no time for Twitter, no time to respond to comments, and for that I apologise.

However, I now have time to spare; more of it than I had anticipated in fact. So I thought I’d do a little post about what you can expect this blog to be and do from this time onwards.

This blog is a blog about writing and will remain a blog about writing, with short stories, chapters, and my views and opinions on writing. I will also continue to review films and books, trying to do one per week in my own and, I’d like to say, unique format.

I’m trying to get a schedule sorted out so that I can organise my blog post and blog more regularly. Not sure exactly what it’s going to be like, but it will include reviews, opinions, short stories and a little bit of fan fiction hopefully as well.

So yes, damn the bloody degree with its stupid amount of research, but that’s over (for now). My focus shall be more on the blog, which I shall be doing regularly, and with a small schedule in place, I should be able to continue blogging when the workload gets heavy again.

Sorry if this has been a bit of a boring read, I just thought I should let you know what’s been happening and what’s going on. Oh, also, I’ve been having a cheeky read of my new Sherlock Holmes book, which is the entire collection, so expect some reviews of those stories in the near future.

Happy blogging!

Nominated for a Liebster Award

Courtesy of shopmyclosetproject.com

Well, I haven’t been blogging too much recently but I returned to see a lovely message from richardjford over at The Dull, Unadventurous Life of Mine. nominating me for a Liebster Award. If you’re a Lord of the Rings fan, I would definitely check out his blog. It contains some really fascinating insights into Middle Earth and might provide you with a few facts you didn’t know. I’ve certainly learnt something since I’ve been reading his blog!

From what I gather, this illusive Liebster Award is a great helping hand to new/unknown bloggers, helping them connect with other new/unknown bloggers and giving them a little bit of promotion (crafty, I know).

The Rules

1. Each nominee must link back the person who nominated them.

2. Answer the ten questions which are given to you by the nominator.

3. Nominate 10 other bloggers for this award who have less than 200 followers (only five I’m afraid!)

4. Create 10 questions for your nominees to answer.

5. Let the nominees know they have been nominated by going to their blog and notifying them.

Right onto the questions from richardjford…

1. What is your favourite film/movie?

Haha I didn’t have to think too much about this one, although I’m not sure it counts! It has to be the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, but only the Extended Editions. That’s the only way you can watch The Lord of the Rings. Preferably as a marathon….No, definitely as a marathon…..I really have too much spare time, way too much spare time…

2. What influenced you to start blogging?

Quite a few things really. Sort of around the middle of last year, I discovered that I really wanted to do writing….well I say discovered, I already knew obviously, I’d just been thinking about it a lot….anyway, I started looking around the web and realised I wasn’t the only aspiring writer (don’t like using the term, but I don’t know what else to use), and I thought blogging would be the best way to connect with those type of people. Oh, and I started reading Chuck Wendig’s blog, which is amazing, funny and full of great advice!

3. What is your aim in life? (thought I’d give you a very broad question)

Short-term, I want to get a First in my degree and then become a teacher. Tough job but the holidays will be amazing, hopefully… Long-term, I definitely want to publish a book or become a professional writer. Or a Formula 1 Driver, but I’m probably too fat and big for that. And I like food way toooooo much….

4. Who is your favourite actor/actress?

I suppose some would call it a man-crush (my girlfriend definitely does) but Leonardo DiCaprio is by far my favourite actor. He’s in the majority of my favourite movies (Inception, The Departed, Shutter Island to name but a few….) and I’ve recently seen him in the Wolf of Wall Street, and I have to say, he did not disappoint, although the film did a tad….

5. Where do you want to live and why?

Either Australia or the South of France. Australia because it’s an amazing place, with beautiful beaches, beautiful weather and it seems to be miles away from snow, rain, all sorts of horrible weather (I know I’m probably wrong but don’t spoil the dream). The South of France. Same sorts of reasons as Australia but its a lot closer to Britain. I hate British weather but I just love Britain too much to go too far away!

6. Can’t believe I’m doing this… My friend wants to know: Who is your favourite teletubby?

Ummm, this is kind of embarrassing but I actually had Tinky Winky as a toy when I was younger, so probably him, or it, I’m not sure which to use! From my very vague memory of it, Dipsy was a bit of a stubborn arsehole, LaaLaa was tad bit of a slut, and Po was quite annoying, so Tinky Winky seems like the only logical choice….

7. If you could time travel, what time/date would you travel to and why?

Soooo…many…choices…brain…is….exploding…..don’t worry it didn’t explode….but I’ve made my choice. I’d probably go back to the Medieval Age, but only if I could be a knight, because knights are fucking cool and they get swords and shit. Or I’d go back to the Ancient Roman times, but only if I could be Julius Caesar, because he’s insane and gets to lead armies. Preferably before he got stabbed….being stabbed really doesn’t sit well with me…or anyone really…

8. What is one feature you like about yourself?

Probably my ability to make people laugh, either with me or at me, I’m not really bothered! I’m not sure whether it comes through in my writing but I can usually make people laugh in real life without trying to hard….it always makes me cringe when people try too hard so I don’t…it either comes naturally or it doesn’t….luckily for me it comes fairly naturally. I hope this didn’t sound too vain or arrogant, it’s quite hard to say what you like about yourself without sounding just a tiny bit arrogant….

9. Favourite season and why?

I have a problem with all of the seasons. I don’t like Spring because it’s too wet, I don’t like Summer because it’s too hot, I don’t like Autumn because everything dies, and I don’t like Winter because it’s too cold….but if I had to choose one, it would probably be Spring, probably because everything starts warming up in Spring after the cold of Winter. You can actually go out without feeling like you are going to get frostbite!

10. Who has been the most influential person in your life?

Probably my girlfriend. I’ve been with her for almost three years now and I live with her, so she is a pretty huge impact on my life (in a good way, obviously). Although she doesn’t really have any of the same interests as me (literally none at all), she’s really good for all the big, important decisions, which I definitely could not make on my own! I’m currently far too immature for all of the shit life throws at you so it’s great having someone so level-headed fighting the shit with me.

Whew, that took a mammoth effort…who knew 10 questions could take so bloody long to answer! Anyone, now onto the bloggers I shall nominate. I’m afraid to say I was only able to choose five, not because I don’t like most of the blogs I read (that would be ridiculous obviously) but many of the blogs I follow have over 200 followers. So here’s my five:

Alex the Writer – Not only is this blogger a friend from university, he is also a great poet and author of short stories. Definitely worth checking out…

Dark Link/Light Link – I’m not sure how I discovered this blogger, but I’m glad I did. Her art and comic strips are really awesome and unique, so doubly awesome. My personal favourite: The Lord of the Wild West…

The Dull, Unadventurous Life of Mine – Yes I realise he nominated me, however, I couldn’t not nominate him, when I read his posts, enjoy his posts, and comment on them, could I? I’m a rebel people, I break all the rules (well only a few…okay, just one). For nomination reasons, see above…

Irisnightingale – For someone who doesn’t really read romantic/sex/erotica/relationship kind of writing (sorry if I’ve got that all wrong), I really like this blog, so an easy nomination really.

Sweating to Mordor – This is a completely unique idea for a blog, I haven’t seen anything like it. If you love the Lord of the Rings, seriously check this blog out, this guy is a fountain of sweet Middle Earth knowledge!

And finally, my 10 questions to my nominees:

1. What is your favourite film?

2. What is your favourite book?

3. What country would you most like to visit in the world?

4. What is your aim in life?

5. If you had a dinner party, what fictional characters would you invite, and why?

6. What is the most shocking thing you have ever witnessed?

7. If you had the chance to meet your favourite author/actor/actress/sports star/celebrity, who would it be, and why?

8. What is your favourite word? (A little nerdy, sorry)

9.  What is your favourite animal?

10. What is your aim for your blog? 

YES, VICTORY IS MINE LIEBSTER NOMINATION/AWARD THINGY…thanks again to richardjford over at The Dull, Unadventurous Life of Mine, even though this post have been one hell of a mission, I hope its worth it because I think my eyes have gone a little bit square…

Review – The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Here is my almost-short review of the film I have been waiting for sooooooooooooo long. Enjoy reading!!!

Courtesy of http://www.totalfilm.com

Plot

Bilbo and the Dwarves continue their journey to the Lonely Mountain, with man-eating spiders, crazy ninja elves,  and a scary-as-hell Necromancer. Oh, I almost forgot the fudging huge fire-breathing dragon. His name is Smaug. The Magnificent. Sometimes the Terrible. He is pretty terrible.

Main Characters

Bilbo

Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit from the shire, way out of his comfort zone but growing into a hero with every passing moment and every passing spider, orc, warg, and other foul creatures.

Thorin

Thorin Oakenshield, leader of the Company, is a rather grim but serious fellow, who has a love-hate relationship with poor Bilbo. He might not take kindly to you but you’d want him on your side in a fight!

Gandalf

With more problems on his hands than a criminal octopus, Gandalf takes the fight to the Necromancer, entering Dol Guldur with naught but Glamdring, his staff and his rather fetching hat. As Admiral Ackbar would say, “It’s a trap!”

Positives (May contain Spoilers)

The portrayal of the One Ring is, in my own humble opinion, very, very good. In the book, the One Ring seems like Bilbo’s plaything, a little tool for Bilbo to use at his own disposal. Perhaps that is because it is a children’s book, but it never really added up when in the Lord of the Rings, it’s a massively evil, needs-to-be-destroyed-type thing. Anyway, in the film, whenever Bilbo puts on the Ring, you can hear the Black Speech and all the other shizzle that happens. Top notch, Mr. Jackson.

Smaug. I think that’s all I have to say. The design, the voice, the action, just everything. It’s epic.

The time spent in Mirkwood is another huge positive. I was curious with how they would portray Bilbo and the Dwarves coping with the stifling humidity of Mirkwood, and I’m pleased to say I wasn’t let down. Bilbo and the Dwarves go just a little bit crazy. When a say a little, I mean a lot.

The combat, especially Legolas and Tauriel, is truly spectacular to behold. Now, I know what the naysayers and the cynics will say; CGI, CGI, CGI. I admit, a lot of the action is CGI, well most of it is, but it looks so freaking awesome, seriously, who cares? I mean I certainly don’t, especially if Legolas keeps producing those slick orc-killing moves. Someone produce a montage now please?

Negatives (May contain spoilers)

I think the worst thing about this film is the little time dedicated to Beorn. This isn’t just because I really liked his part in the book. He’s meant to be a huge part of the Battle of the Five Armies (***SPOILER ALERT***), so not giving him a longer introduction feels a little wrong to me.

Best Part (May contain spoilers)

It has to be Gandalf’s insane fight with the Necromancer/Sauron. I was actually in awe when I saw it in the cinema, mouth open and everything. I seriously cannot wait for the confrontation with the Necromancer in the final film.

Worst Part (May contain spoilers)

I was quite disappointed with Beorn’s appearance. Like before, it’s probably because I’ve read the book and had an image of him envisioned in my mind, however, I didn’t think he’d have hair on his face or be rather tall and gangly. In his bear form, he looks awesome. I just expected him to be muscular, sort of bear-like in appearance.

What is unique about The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug? (May contain spoilers)

Well I suppose there are loads of easy things to pick out, such as a talking dragon, skin-changers, etc. However, the really unique thing about The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is how personal the film remains in such an epic setting. Bilbo travels across practically the entirety of Middle Earth, fighting all manner of creatures, meeting all manner of people, Gandalf is dealing with the evil Necromancer, and the Mirkwood Elves are preparing for some serious shit to go down. That’s all pretty epic. And yet, when you watch it, it still feels like you’re watching Bilbo’s journey, watching his character grow whilst all this chaos goes on around him, which I think is pretty unique.

Would I recommend The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug? (May contain spoilers)

Probably a silly question but yes, definitely yes. It is easily the best film I have seen in 2013, even better than Catching Fire, which is a big thing to say, as Catching Fire was excellent. It’s dark, very dark, much darker than An Unexpected Journey, which it should be, because a journey through Mirkwood and up to the Lonely Mountain should be anything but a jolly. As for the acting, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, and Sir Ian McKellen all play their parts brilliantly as Bilbo, Thorin, and Gandalf respectively. As for the content, it doesn’t feel drawn out or boring. And all of the material included from The Silmarillion and The Appendices does not feel out-of-place at all. In fact, it feels needed, its feels as though without the new material, the film would have been weak, thin and rubbish. So yes, this film I would definitely recommend.

My rating (out of 10)

9/10 (it would have been a 9.5 if the Beorn section had been longer)

New Years Resolutions: Dreams or Reality?

Before I begin my first little blog post of 2014, I would just like to wish anyone who is reading a belated but thoroughly happy and prosperous New Year. I have been taking a little break from the blog over the Christmas holidays. I mean in between all of the sleeping, eating and watching films, I did find it rather difficult to fit some writing in. I swear the original Star Wars trilogy (the best one….obviously) was on at least twice last week. C’mon people, how the hell am I meant to get any work done with that calibre of seriously epic films on T.V.

Anyway, I write for you today on a problem I face every single New Year…well the last few years at least;

Should I set myself realistic New Year’s resolutions or ones to aspire to?

I’m guessing, well, hoping there are others whose minds are plagued by this. I seem to switch between the two every year, ending up disappointed by both. You see, setting practically unachievable resolutions, ones to aspire to, should make you do more and work harder to achieve them. Alas, no matter how close I get to achieving them, I’m always left feeling a little deflated because haven’t achieved my resolutions by the end of the year.

On the other hand, setting dreams that are realistic, whilst achieving them and feeling great about it, may make you do less because you know you will ultimately achieve them. Achieving your resolutions is great, but achieving after a few weeks or a month means they probably weren’t tough enough.

I guess what I’m trying to say is, like all things in life, you need a balance. New Year’s resolutions should be a challenge; they shouldn’t be a walk in the park, but they also shouldn’t be impossible. You should work hard to achieve your resolutions because you will ultimately learn more, about both life and yourself. Set yourself something you know you can achieve with some effort and dedication, and I guarantee 2014 will be a great year.

Here are a few of my New Year’s Resolutions:

• To write my first novel
• To quadruple the amount of followers on my blog (I like the word quadruple,  it sounds cool)
• To get a First in the Second-Year of my degree

I know these New Year’s Resolutions are definitely achievable, but I also know I’m going have to show some commitment to achieve them!!

Tell me if you agree or not, and some of your New Year’s Resolutions in the comments sections below, I always reply!!

The Shadow Cometh – Part VII

Start from Part I.

Link to all parts of The Shadow Cometh.

Silence swept like a plague through the group. The wide-eyed, open-mouthed expression on the guard’s faces had not changed since Thom had shouted, the guards still shocked at what had happened.

“Right, c’mon lads. Enough’s enough,” said Ned, a little surprised himself. Turning to Thom and Makya, he said “We need to get you two up to the house. Breakfast will be on the table soon and you haven’t even said hello yet!”

Thom couldn’t help feeling anything but guilt. He rode up alongside Ned. “I’m terribly sorry, Ned. I didn’t mean to shout. I haven’t slept for a couple of days so I’m feeling a little frazzled.”

“I understand, Thom, I do. You don’t have to worry about a thing. It’s them that’s in the wrong, not you,” replied Ned sympathetically. “I remember when I was younger. We use to be fightin’ all the time. You didn’t get no sleep back then, no sir. If you weren’t fightin’ the enemy, you was fightin’ each other. Everyone was fightin’ each other back then, you see, frazzlin’ was just part of life.”

“I’m sorry, you said you were in a war. Which war?” queried Thom.

“Which war? Which war he says. The rebellion was what I fought in. My God boy, don’t they teach nothin’ at school these days. Which war he says,” said Ned, chuckling away.

Thom had only been a young boy when the rebellion happened but he was sent away to the Grezian Empire before any of the fighting began. He knew his mother and father had died because of the rebellion and he knew he had been exiled because of the rebellion, but he did not know why.

“What did I say before we entered Farmarket, Thom,” said Makya from behind, startling Thom, almost making him fall off of his horse. “What was the one thing I said?”

“You know how annoyed I get when people laugh at me!”

“Couldn’t you have just kept it bottled up? You may have ruined our chances of making Brandon Chase our ally!”

“You’re acting as if your eavesdropping hasn’t had a part to play in this. Makya, do not act all high and mighty with me. Remember, those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones, and you know I could smash your glass house to pieces.”

Makya dropped back to talk to the other guards, looking incredibly frustrated. Thom looked up, Chase Mansion and its unknown prospects looming ever closer.

*******

Comments, criticism, advice, ratings, recommendations would all be appreciated. Thanks for reading.

The Shadow Cometh – Part VI

Start from Part I.

Link to all parts of The Shadow Cometh.

“Don’t you just love market places in the mornings?” shouted Thom, unaware of how loud he was talking. “My ears feel like they’re bleeding. Was it really that loud?”

Makya shouted back “I can’t hear you! What did you say?!”

Thom and Makya repeated this exact conversation at least five times, both having gone temporarily death. Their shouting must have been heard in Chase Mansion at the top of the hill because by the time they could hear again, a small group of Brandon Chase’s personal guard were sat on horses right in front of them, roaring with laughter.

The head of the group, a big, burly man with curly brown hair and biceps the size of tree trunks, wiped the tears away from his eyes. “Oh my! I haven’t had a laugh like that in years! You guys were sittin’ right next to each other, shoutin’ at the top of your voices!” The group descended into roaring laughter again.

“Are you quite finished? We are here to see Brandon Chase. I sent my friend, Makya, along earlier to enquire as to whether I would be able to seek an audience with him” said Thom, his face becoming as red as a tomato.

“We know why you’re here. You don’t have to use all your fancy words with me, I heard enough of them from the house!” chuckled the big guard, the rest of the group cackling with laughter. Even Makya was laughing along, much to Thom’s annoyance. “The name’s Edward, but most people call me Ned for short. You seem like a serious guy so you can call me Edward”

“I think Ned will be fine,” replied Thom bluntly, his anger reaching boiling point as the other guards continued to laugh at him. “WILL YOU JUST STOP BLOODY LAUGHING? IT’S NOT EVEN FUNNY ANYMORE!!”

*******

Comments, criticism, advice, ratings, recommendations would all be appreciated. Thanks for reading.

The Shadow Cometh – Part V

Start from Part I.

Link to all parts of The Shadow Cometh.

The sun had finally risen from its cloudy bed, appearing as a golden comet lethargically floating through the ocean blue sky, eradicating the cold morning breeze from the Summer air, the remnants of the wind only visible in the gently swaying fields of golden brown wheat. Thom, atop his beautiful chestnut brown stallion, Ryker, had finally reached Farmarket, the paved stone of the town’s roads providing a welcome break from the uneven dirt roads of the Endless Plains.

Thom and Makya both made their way up to Chase Mansion, passing through Market Square, tumultuously busy in the morning rush hour. There were people pushing, shoving, arguing, haggling, and, most surprisingly to Thom, fighting. Fights were popping up all over the place. It would start off with an argument about change or the quality of the food. Then, all of a sudden, a punch was thrown, then another, and another. The fights were pretty obvious to all but the blind and deaf considering a massive circle was created by onlookers and the shouts of “Fight! Fight! Fight!” gradually rose in volume until that was all you could hear. Thom and Makya soon lost their group of ten or so guards to the chaos of Market Square.

“Come, Makya! Let us move quickly to Chase Mansion! This racket is giving me an awful headache!” shouted Thom, trying but failing to combat the noise.

“I agree!” shouted Makya, his voice sounding like a mere whisper. “I can barely hear myself talk, let alone think!”

Thom reared his horse, Ryker neighing unappreciatively and kicking his front legs out. A cry of fear rose up from those closest to the horse and they moved back to let the two travellers through. Thom looked around to see if any guards shouted at them, but he soon realised this was pointless as the fights in the square had almost doubled by the time they had left Market Square.

*******

Comments, criticism, advice, ratings, recommendations would all be appreciated. Thanks for reading.

The Shadow Cometh – Part IV

Start from Part I.

Link to all parts of The Shadow Cometh.

Thom was surprised at how far he had ridden whilst being chased by the D’voisai soldiers. They had only been riding, at a slow pace, for about ten minutes and Farmarket had already come into view. Situated on what Thom thought must have been the only hill in the Endless Plains, Farmarket was a small town, albeit a busy one, surrounded by many, many farms, much more than Thom could care to count, with the two main roads of the Republic running through it; the Sea Road, running from East to West, and the Gold Road, running North to South. As they got closer, Thom could make out Chase Mansion, a huge house that, at times, eclipsed the Sun and was the gross symbol of Farmarket’s vast wealth. Riding beside Thom was Makya, constantly looking around for any signs of D’voisai soldiers.

“Can we not ride a little faster, Thom? I feel so uneasy. There is no cover, we’re like sitting ducks out here,” said Makya, the panic clear in her voice.

“We’ll be fine. Like I said before, the guards barely caught a glimpse of my face. Anyway, it’s not the D’voisai soldiers I’m worried about,” replied Thom.

“What do you mean?”

“It doesn’t matter. Just forget I said it,” said Thom sharply.

Makya looked a little surprised, but that expression quickly left her face. Thom looked around at the Farmarket guards. He and Makya had unknowingly picked up their pace as they were now a good ten metres behind.

“Makya, we must slow down, we can’t leave the guards behind, otherwise we’ll have no protection,” said Thom.

“No, keep as we are, I have something important to tell you.” Makya’s voiced dropped to a whisper. “Thom, you should not expect a warm welcome at Chase Mansion.”

“What? Why not?” said Thom, a little louder than Makya wanted him to.

“Ssshhh!!!!” replied Makya. “For some reason unknown to me, Brandon Chase is pretty angry with you.”

“Why? Didn’t you find out?” said Thom, looking at Makya a little confused.

“Well, I’ve tried. I’ve been eavesdropping as much as possible. I almost heard why once, but I was caught and banished from the house for the day!”

“Well that’s probably why, you imbecile. I’m not sure if you’ve heard, but people do not like it when someone listens in to private conversations,” said Thom, patronising Makya with every word he said.

“Just please don’t do or say anything stupid, Thom. We need all the friends we can get.”

“Do I ever?” mocked Thom.

*******

Comments, criticism, advice, ratings, recommendations would all be appreciated. Thanks for reading.

The Shadow Cometh – Part III

Start from Part I.

Link to all parts of The Shadow Cometh.

Thom brought himself to an immediate halt, wrapping his arms around Ryker’s neck to stop him from falling. He squinted, trying to see who was approaching, although this was made more difficult by the sun refusing to wake from its slumber. Eventually, he breathed a sigh of relief. The men carried the banner of Farmarket, a watermelon sliced in half by a man wielding a Greatsword. At the head of the group was Makya, a native of the Western continent, wearing a thick deerskin cloak over her midnight blue shirt, the imprint of her chainmail just visible to the naked eye. Makya had been Thom’s companion since Thom had given her her freedom fifteen years ago.

“Well this is a lovely welcome after the leaving party I’ve just been to,” called Thom to Makya, beads of sweat meandering like rivers from his brow.

“So your journey along the Sea Road did not go as you expected?” replied Makya, sounding very patronising. Thom knew the reason why, although he would not admit it to Makya; yet again, Thom had run into trouble because he had not taken Makya’s advice.

“Rather the opposite, as you can probably tell by my torn clothes and unusually gruesome appearance. Terribly sorry by the way chaps,” said Thom, turning to the Farmarket guards, “I usually turn up to welcome parties better dressed than this. That is the real problem with those blasted D’voisai chaps, Makya, they just do not know how to have a good time. I kill one guard and suddenly I’m a wanted criminal! It’s a damn shame I had to return to these god forsaken lands, the Grezian Empire treated me like a king!”

“Sorry, did you just say you killed a guard?” said Makya, her jaw dropping in disbelief. “What happened to staying low and drawing as little attention to ourselves as possible? You’re supposed to be in exile, remember?”

“Don’t patronise me, of course I remember. I’m not a moron, I didn’t tell them who I was.”

“You didn’t need to tell them who you were, you are a Drento! The most famous family in the Levantic Republic! You became a wanted criminal just by returning to Levantis! Now, every man and his dog will be looking for you, not just Walter’s House Guard!” replied Makya angrily, frustration building up inside of her.

Thom could see he’d angered Makya. Perhaps, this was one step too far, even for Makya, who had an unbelievably high level of tolerance for Thom’s idiocy.

“The guard I killed was the one who saw my face for the longest. The others only saw it for a few seconds, and they looked like idiots anyway so I’m sure they won’t remember my face,” said Thom, a small grin making a brief appearance in an attempt to calm Makya down. “We should be able to lie low in Farmarket for a little while.”

It had worked. Makya’s frustrations had simmered down. “There’s not a lot we can do about it now. Let us pray they thought you were a madman and decided pursuing you would be fruitless. Come, Brandon Chase has breakfast waiting for you.”

*******

This is this the first part of a novel I am writing. Comments, criticism, advice, ratings, recommendations would all be appreciated. Thanks for reading.

The Shadow Cometh – Part II

Start from Part I.

“Oi,” shouted the biggest one, “Come back ‘ere, you’re under arrest!! You can’t get away with murder, y’know!!!”

“Sorry chaps, must dash. It was lovely meeting all of you. We should do this again some time!” replied Thom, a cheeky grin stretching out from ear to ear. Then, he jumped, aiming for the pile of hay. He soared through the cool, night air, gathering more and more speed. This is going to hurt! Thankfully it didn’t. Well, not too much. His bottom took most of the impact and it did feel a little tender afterwards. Shaking off his pain, he ran to the paddock and jumped on a muscular, chestnut brown stallion.

Horns echoed through the early morning sky, a fusion of fuchsia, vermillion and lavender. The wind was rushing through Thom Drento’s long, black hair as he galloped away from the last checkpoint along the Sea Road, his long, loosely-fastened sword, hung over his weather worn leather armour, dripping the blood of his victim over the muscular flanks of his horse.

The horns sounded again. Thom looked back and saw at least ten armed guards pursuing him with all their might. For many men, this would have let fear enter their hearts and they would have ended up surrendering. Not Thom though. Thom showed no fear towards the D’voisai soldiers. Rather, excitement was drawn across his face. There is one clear reason for this. No, it is not because he was bigger than most men, or stronger than most men, or a better warrior than most men. He was of similar size and build to most men and was not a very experienced fighter. The reason for Thom’s supreme air of confidence was down to the horse he had stolen, Ryker. Ryker was a beautiful, chestnut brown stallion with a magnificent mane of hair, moving to and fro like the glistening blue waves of the Merchant’s Sea. However, underneath this beauty was the fastest horse in the Levantic Republic, capable of outrunning even the Shadowsteeds of the Shadowlands in the Far East.

Thom looked back again, the guards becoming ever decreasing marks on the horizon. He patted Ryker on the neck, the horse neighing back appreciatively. Horns sounded again, this time in front of him.

*******

This is this the first part of a novel I am writing. Comments, criticism, advice, ratings, recommendations would all be appreciated. Thanks for reading.