SHARKPUNK: an anthology of killer shark stories. Sharks – the ultimate predators, masters of their watery domain, a world that is entirely alien and inhospitable to man. So many aspects of the shark are associated with humankind’s most primal fears. The tell-tale dorsal fin slicing through the water, the dead eyed-stare, the gaping jaws full to unforgiving teeth, the remorseless drive to kill and feed…Inspired by such classic pulp movies as Jaws and Deep Blue Sea – as well as such ludicrous delights as Sharknado and Mega Shark vs Giant Octopus – the stories contained within are rip-roaring page-turners and slow-build chillers that celebrate all things savage, pulp and selachian. Covering the whole range of speculative fiction genres, from horror and Steampunk, through to SF and WTF, these are stories with bite! Come on in. The water’s fine… Dur duh… dur duh…dur duh, dur duh, dur duh, dur duh, duh duh dah!  I’m so sorry, I couldn’t resist, I just had to get that out of my system before I could even begin to start discussing this new anthology from Snowbooks. Sharks have always fascinated me. Ever since I first saw a certain movie as a child, I have been…

Paris. City of lights. City of lovers. City of dreams. Yet if one man gets his way, its inhabitants will soon be forced to endure a nightmare such as they have never known. But Hero of the British Empire Ulysses Quicksilver is determined to get in his way… although he has problems of his own to deal with first, before he can try to rescue the French capital from its earth-shattering fate. Arriving at a murder scene, Ulysses is forced to go on the run, so that he might track down the real killer. His intention: to clear his good name, and get back to England in one piece and as quickly as possible; for the love of his life is about to take a most ill-advised trip to the Moon. But the terrorist known only as ‘Le Papillon’ is preparing to bring chaos to the capital. Let’s start with a little history lesson, seems only appropriate when this novel features time travel as a major component. Time’s Arrow was original published slightly differently than the previous Pax Britannia novels. It first saw the light of day as a three part episodic e-novel where the readers got to make a…

Ulysses Quicksilver: agent of the throne, dandy and hero. Heart-broken, battered, mutilated and shot, he’s been driven backwards and forwards in time, and his latest adventure is taking him across Steampunk Paris… Time’s Arrow: Black Swan continues to offer readers a unique opportunity – to decide the course of this latest Pax Britannia adventure will take in the next part! In the tradition of Charles Dickens himself, Abaddon Books will be publishing Time’s Arrow in three ebook instalments. At the end of parts one and two readers will be able to vote on how the adventure progresses via the Abaddon Books website at www.abaddonbooks.com. The entire text will then be published in a paperback edition. This is book two, Time’s Arrow: Black Swan, in which our hero – wanted by the French Police for murder – battles his way across Paris, from the Louvre to Notre Dame, in order to prove his innocence. But does Ulysses try to contact Department Q for help or does he go in search of the mysterious M. Lumière? And who else will come to his aid in his hour of need? It will come as little surprise to regular visitors of the site, that…

2011 has been another great year for books. First off a few stats – I have managed to read eighty-two novels which works out at over six and a half books a month. After a swift and very rough calculation that works out at approximately 6,150000 words. Some were bad, some were good and some were even great. I thought it would be nice to round off this festive season with a little bit of review. Firstly, my books of the month January – December 2011. There is a mixture of new releases and others that have been around for a while. Each and every one was a genuine pleasure to read, and I recommend them all heartily. Jan  – Point by Thomas Blackthorne Feb – Vegas Knights by Matt Forbeck Mar – The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie Apr – Vampire Warlords by Andy Remic & Serial Killers Inc by Andy Remic – I dont feel too bad about a tie here as both books are by the same author (prolific sod that he is) May – Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs Jun – The Watchers by Jon Steele Jul – Tourniquet by Kim Lakin-Smith Aug – Outpost by…

Man cannot exist on werewolf related literature alone so as a little break from Werewolf Appreciation Month this next review is a return to the steampunk lunacy of Pax Britannia. Ulysses Quicksilver: agent of the throne, dandy and hero. Heart-broken, battered, mutilated and shot, he’s been driven backwards and forwards in time… but appearing in the middle of a crime scene is never the best way to start your visit to Paris…  I make no secret about the fact that the on-going Pax Britannia series published by Abaddon Books is a personal favourite here at The Eloquent Page. I revelled in the first novel, Evolution Expects, and since then have avidly followed the steampunk flavoured exploits of the series titular hero, Ulysses Quicksilver. Recently the decision was made that the latest book in the series, Time’s Arrow, would allow for the literary equivalent of audience participation. Check out the official announcement from Jonathan Green’s blog below. In the tradition of Charles Dickens himself, Abaddon Books will be publishing Time’s Arrow in three ebook instalments. At the end of parts one (‘Red-Handed’) and two (‘Black Swan’) readers will be able to vote on how the adventure progresses via the Abaddon Books website at www.abaddonbooks.com. The entire text will…

Ulysses Quicksilver, agent of the crown, jumps into a time vortex pursuing Daniel Dashwood, a madman bent on sharing modern technology with Hitler’s forces and changing history to suit his evil ends. Rewind several decades, to the time of the Second Great War, to Darmstadt. The Nazis are battling the steampunk empire of Magna Britannia, cooking up necrotic super solider in the gothic towers of Castle Frankenstein. In the forests outside the castle, other forces are gathering. Ulysses’ father is there, proving that dashing good looks and a talent for swashbuckling adventures run in the family, and wondering why his British masters have partnered him with the weakling scientist Dr. Jekyll. The ladies of the Monstrous Regiment as also there to help, but there may be other gothic monsters in the hills… Those of you that have been following The Eloquent Page for a while are no doubt already aware that there is much love in this corner of the Internet for the Pax Britannia novels written by Jonathan Green. Each new installment is highly anticipated and has always delivered the very best in steampunk flavoured adventure. I was keen to pick up from the cliffhanger that occurred at the end…

“Start a new life on the Moon!” I have been a huge fan of the Pax Britannia novels since I discovered the first novel Unnatural History back in 2007. I was quickly in thrall to the universe of gentleman adventurer and dandy, Ulysees Quicksilver and his ever loyal man servant, Nimrod. Set in an alternate Britain where the Victorian era never ended, the British Empire, now known as Magna Britannia, is still going strong. The industrial revolution continues unchecked and with the help of steam technology Victoria has retained her throne for over one hundred and sixty years. The following video serves as an excellent introduction into what you should expect from a Pax Britannia novel. In Dark Side, the sixth Pax Britiannia novel that Green has written, the author takes Ulysees Quicksilver from the now familiar streets of London Maximus, off world to the British colonial moon base Luna Prime. Our erstwhile hero’s brother, Barty, always the black sheep of the family, has left London unexpectedly and Ulysees is determined to track him down. Upon his arrival in the moon Quicksilver begins to uncover a massive conspiracy that will affect not only him and his family but the whole of…