NEW: The Gifting by Anne Brooke

“I always look forward to a new book by Anne Brooke as I know I will not only enjoy the story but I will have a truly entertaining read ... Here we venture into the world of science fiction and meet the residents of Gathandria who have been besieged, many are gone and their beautiful land is almost destroyed ... As on any quest, there is much to be learned and there are attacks along the way and Anne Brooke tells a wonderful story with fascinating characters.” – Amos Lassen Reviews

The mind-dwellers of Gathandria are under deadly siege. For two year-cycles they have suffered: their people decimated, their beautiful city in ruins. Their once peaceful life has descended into chaos and misery. Legends tell of the Lost One who will return at such a time to save them from their mortal enemy – the mind-executioner. This enemy knows their ways well, for he was once an elder of the city. Time is running out.

Johan and Isabella take up the quest, journeying to the Lammas Lands searching for their distant cousin and lowly scribe, Simon Hartstongue. The elders dare to hope that he is who they seek. Not everyone shares this hope; there is one amongst them who is bound to the enemy, shielding their secret thoughts from mind links while seeking to betray Simon.

Powerful lessons are learned as they travel through the mystical kingdoms of the Mountains, the Air, the Desert and the Waters. Deadly attacks threaten total annihilation and devastating sorrow strikes. Story-telling weaves a tenuous net of protection around them, but the enemy has absolute power with the stolen mind-cane in his possession. To his surprise Simon hears its song. Desperately he tries to understand and embrace his gifting, as he struggles to comprehend his inheritance.

A strong and pure mind is needed in the battle to defeat the enemy. If you are branded a coward, a murderer and an outcast, how can you be a saviour? Doubt creeps into the Gathandrians' minds. Is Simon truly the One?

This novel is the first in the Gathandrian Trilogy fantasy novels and is published by Bluewood Publishing.

AVAILABLE IN PAPERBACK AND EBOOK

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
I write gritty novels, energetic short stories and often quite dark poetry. I am also a regular reviewer for the Vulpes Libris review site.

I grew up on an apple farm in the heart of rural Essex. After gaining 3 A levels and 1 S Level, in which my specialist subjects were Oscar Wilde and Lord Byron, I read English at Durham University. There I focused on Medieval and Old English, and must be one of the few people who has read the Anglo-Saxon poem, "Beowulf", in the original language. However, I remember almost nothing about it now.

After University, I spent six months doing voluntary work before taking a series of administrative jobs in insurance, education and legal conferencing. When I could stand it no more, I went back to Durham University to take my MA in Medieval English and Latin.

I married my husband in 1993 and moved to Surrey, where I have lived for the last seventeen years. Interests include playing bad golf, theatre-going, birdwatching, reading books with at least one dead body in them, and of course writing, which - sometimes - keeps me sane.

My website can be found at: annebrooke.com and I also blog regularly at annebrooke.blogspot.com