Monday 19 June 2017

Book Review - Connor Candlish - A Man of Freedom

Recently I was asked to review a novel penned by a fellow author and good friend and I thought, why not?

The author in question is Dan Tobias Lewis-Dayle, an actor and writer based in Stoke-on-Trent.  Dan has been writing for some time now, originally beginning with a four book fantasy/sci-fi series collectively known as the "Auriala Chronicles" .

Now he has ventured down a new literary path, namely erotic fiction.  Currently set to release his third novel in the latest series I have returned to the beginning with book one.

So here it is:



There are a few points I need to make at the outset.  To begin with, this is not a genre I would normally read, it is an erotic novel and the sexual content is very graphic.  While I am no prude, this is not generally the material I would choose to read.  The second issue I have with this novel is the editing.  I really feel that the whole thing could have really benefited from a more robust editing process.

Now, having said all of that, let’s look at the book itself.  Connor Candlish is a man with a libido that most men (and probably a few women) would kill for and he is definitely not afraid to use it.  Following the death of his family he decided to follow his dream of becoming a holiday rep, but the experience presents him with challenges and dangers he never expected to face.

The book is written in the first person from Connors’ perspective.  Again this is not a style I usually like to read but, despite that I did find myself getting wrapped up in the intricacies of Connors’ world.  The pace of the book is excellent and this is largely due to the snappy writing style.  The story is engaging and involving and the main protagonist is a character that you know you should hate, but somehow you don’t want to.  There is a sense of tragedy in the story that was unexpected and added a depth that, for me, made the whole thing stand out.

Although this is an erotic novel and there is a lot of sex contained within those steamy pages, I was very gratified to find that there was a genuinely well-conceived and intriguing story.
As I read this novel I found that quite often it put me in mind of the series of sex comedies from the mid 1970’s.  The “Confessions….” Series of films (of which there were four) were based on a series of books of the same titles written by Christopher Wood.  Although I have never read those novels I can easily imagine that they would read something like this.


For lovers of this genre I would recommend picking this book up so long as you are prepared to experience more than mere titillation.

So there you have it.  If you want to take a look at what Dan is doing then go and check out his blog page HERE 

Friday 9 June 2017

Latest Review

I always find it interesting reading the reviews that people leave after reading my novel "The Unwilling Recruit".  I am, however, in the fortunate position of not having received a bad review so far.  This is not a situation I expect to last.  There is no possible way that I can expect my work to resonate with everyone who reads it.  I will, however have as much respect for poor reviews as I do for the good ones.  Ultimately I have to accept that and appreciate that those who write a poor review have taken just as much time and effort to share their thoughts with me as those who write good ones, and I have just as much to learn from them.

So, on to the reason for this post.  As you might have guessed by now, I received a new review today, and I thought I'd share it with you.


"A book that is full of weird and wonderful surprises.  A gripping
story from cover to cover, a very dark and mysterious, action-packed
read.If you are interested in all things dark and unexpected and even
if not, this book is definitely well worth the read.  Definitely not what
I was expecting which made it all the more enjoyable!  Thank you
and well done John!  Can't wait for the next instalment."

Aimee Shenton.


Thank you Aimee.  I am so glad you enjoyed it and incredibly thankful that you took the time to share your experiences.



AVAILABLE NOW FOR PRE-ORDER

Thursday 1 June 2017

The Unwilling Recruit - Excerpt Reading

As the time rapidly approaches for the release day of "The Unwilling Recruit" it seemed right that I provide you with a little more than just images and words.

With that thought in mind my publisher, TopShelf Publishing thought it best that I read an excerpt from the novel in question.  This is a great idea in general, although it does have one disadvantage, you guys have to put up with seeing my ugly mug for a while.  I guess it's a cross you'll all just have to bear.

I would really like to thank my good friend Jacqui Dunn for taking time out of her busy schedule to help me with the filming for this piece, and also Keith Katsikas for some truly stellar editing work.  You guys are both stars.

So here it is, I hope you enjoy it.




"The Unwilling Recruit"
Available for pre-order now.