At the Sharp End of Lightning by N.R. Bates-my review and guest post

At The Sharp End of Lightning by NR Bates:

My Review of “At the Sharp End of Lightning” by N.R. Bates.

I received a copy of At the Sharp End of Lightning for my honest review. After reading it, I gave it five stars. This book takes the reader into three different worlds you readily feel a part of in your mind. The catch is, these worlds occupy the same planet, Earth. Only they are parallel worlds. The characters are believable and draw you into the story where the wall between the parallel worlds is thinning, allowing creatures from different worlds to enter each other’s worlds. The Sprites are flying intelligent creatures. The Daiman occupies another world and are they are shape shifters. Then there are the Humana whom occupy the third dimension. The story is set in Wales for the Humana with a young man named  Einion Morgan Alban. He suffers from hemophilia. Unbeknownst to him he is recruited by one of the Sprites, Helia to go through the Interface as it is called to stop the thinning of the parallel worlds. A Kaembian, Fimafeng, wants to kill the Humana to take the crystals from Einon, to go through the portal, (Interface) back to his home world after being held captive on the Human earth. For thousands of years the kaembian ( Kaembian. A mix of Sprite and Daiman, often taking human form) awaits his chance to return to his home world, through the Interface that Einon opened.

I found myself drawn into the story even though it kept shifting back forth between the three parallel worlds and slowly came together. N.R.Bates writes believable descriptions of each world and how the characters lived and survived, especially the Sprite world.

I highly recommend this book to all readers of fantasy books by A.G. Moye.

Listed below is all the info and other data for you to purchase the book and about the author.  

Publisher:  NR Bates (January 30, 2015) Category: Epic Fantasy, Magic Realism, Literary Fiction, Celtic Mythology,  History Tour Date: May/June, 2015 Available in: Print & ebook, 239 Pages AT THE SHARP END OF LIGHTNING is the  tale of family, of loss and sacrifice, of unexpected gifts and coping with disability and new abilities set against the backdrop of climate change occurring across parallel worlds. The intertwined worlds of Oceanlight and Earth are no longer hidden from view of each other. In one realm, Yalara Narika, a winged Sea Sprite, searches for her family and she encounters a deadly blue haze at sea. Escaping the poison makes her realize that her world, Oceanlight, is experiencing sudden and catastrophic environmental change. Meanwhile, in the safe suburban normality of North Wales, Einion Morgan Alban, a restless youth with haemophilia, is nearly murdered by a man in a white suit who intentionally shoves him off a cliff. If Yalara and Einion don’t uncover the connections between their worlds and near-deaths, it will have dire consequences for the worlds they live in. Book one of the OCEANLIGHT series.

Praise for 'At The Sharp End of Lightning' by NR Bates:

"What a fantastic book, the author takes you into another realm. I couldn't put the book down, a real page turner. Seeing as this is book 1 I can't wait for the next one to be written."-Scotialassie, Amazon.UK Reviewer "British author NR Bates makes his novel writing debut with AT THE SHARP END OF LIGHTNING, Book 1 of the OCEANLIGHT series. He has indeed written extensively which explains why his command of the medium is so secure: he has published more than one hundred and twenty scientific papers on ocean chemistry, climate change and ocean acidification as a Senior Scientist at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences and Professor of Ocean Biogeochemistry at the University of Southampton, UK. Bates' passion for the ocean and environmental sciences has proven a successful driving force in both his scientific mind and his fantasy creative mind. The result, as we read it here, is `true' Science Fiction fantasy! Bates opens his book with a map/diagram called The Interfaces - the meaning of which will be explained throughout the novel, but whose information offers hints and suggestions of codes to be solved. And at the end of his book he discusses Welsh history that informed this story as well as the biology and biogeochemistry of the Sargasso Sea, further influences. The author provides an outline of the story that assists the reader immensely: `The interwoven fantastical tale of family, of loss and sacrifice, of unexpected gifts and coping with disability and new abilities set against the backdrop of climate change occurring across parallel worlds. Bates' writing style can only be called `elegant' - he is unafraid to challenge the reader with a rich vocabulary that somehow enhances the characters we encounter. This is obvious form the opening paragraph: `As the streamer of lightning harmlessly discharged through her body into the palm of her hand, Yalara Narika noticed many things at once. There was fright and surprise as adrenaline raced through her body. The words "I'm alive" came to mind, accompanied by an overwhelming relief when the forked sharpness passed out of her. Then came the reflex response-- her call to Calymene, Mother Earth-- that she had despite her doubt. A hurried glance brought the reassuring thought "I'm still in the sky." Simultaneously, she returned to her search-- for the "lost"-- which was set against the immensity of the seas. And interwoven amongst these reactions were thoughts of that moment in the distant future, at the end of her life, when she'd fly up into the tumult, clad in a cuprous woven fabric, and upon the flash of electrica, her constituent parts would disassemble in an instantaneous coruscation of energy.' This is our first encounter with being struck by lightning. As with most fantasy/sci-fi books it takes a while to adjust to the strange names and the references to places of origin, but Bates' language makes that journey of discovery a rewarding one. He does offer a helpful Sprite Glossary and Human Glossary at books end. This is a strong debut, well worth the investment of mental energy."- Grady Harp, Amazon Hall of Fame & top 100 reviewer. Ambitious and enchanting, At The Sharp End Of Lightning by author N R Bates proves a rich and original foray into the realms of fantasy fiction. Compelled by a commanding narrative that readily enthrals the imagination, the magical intrigue simmers throughout as Bates renders his fantasy world in rich hues. A world parallel to our own yet retaining a time worn familiarity that makes it feel immediately authentic. It’s an intricate, intrigue-laden telling, which plays to the best in this popular genre and it’s clear from the start that Bates is in his element. "There’s certainly much to enjoy here. From cleverly contrived and vibrant scenes to a captivating blend of magical mysticism, he ably manages to avoid prescriptive tropes whilst a certain descriptive economy and a tight word count brings a penetrating levity to his dialogue. Both timely and well observed, he notably avoids the trite mutterings of mediocre characterisation to create genuine depth and emotive resonance, which in turn ensures the reader becomes fully invested in the trials and tribulations of his characters. Beautifully written and undoubtedly the start of an exciting new series, At The Sharp End Of Lightning proves a fine example of fantasy fiction. Definitely deserving of a place on your bookshelf, it is recommended without reservation!"-Book Viral

About NR Bates:

NR Bates was born in London, grew up in Wales, and lived in Canada and Bermuda. He shares his life with his wife,seven cats, one dog and the tropical wildlife of lizards, wolf spiders and ant colonies that seek out a better life indoors. He is an oceanographer and scientist, and has published more than one hundred and twenty scientific papers on ocean chemistry, climate change and ocean acidification. He is a Senior Scientist at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences and Professor of Ocean Biogeochemistry at the University of Southampton, UK. His novels focus on epic fantasy and magic realism, and inspired by his deep love of the ocean and environmental sciences. Website: nrbates.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/NR-Bates/1536689869946441 Twitter: https://twitter.com/NRBatesAuthor

Buy At the Sharp End of Lightning by NR Bates:

Amazon Barnes and Noble

Follow the At the Sharp End of Lightning by NR Bates Tour:

Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus May 1 Excerpt & Giveaway Ordinary Girlz Book Reviews May 4 Review What Jenna Thought May 5 Review What Jenna Thought May 6 Interview & Giveaway Books, Books & More Books May 8 Review Rockin' Book Reviews May 11 Review Cassandra M's Place May 12 Review & Giveaway Confessions of a Reader May 15 Interview Mary's Cup of Tea May 20 Review Lightning Chronicles May 21 Review &  Guest Post 100 Pages a Day May 22 Review Indie Review Behind the Scenes May 23 Live Interview  11 am cst Romance That's 'Out Of this World' May 27 Guest Post Room With Books May 28 Excerpt What U Talking Bout Willis? May 29 Guest Post Rockin' Book Reviews Jun 1 Interview & Giveaway The Cosy Dragon Jun 2 Review Deal Sharing Aunt Jun 9 Review & Giveaway Joy's Book Blog June 24 Review & Interview Bound 4 Escape June 25 Review Create With Joy June 26 Review