Monthly Archives: July 2014

Red City Review Announces 5-Star Review!

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Come Hell or High Water: Part One: Wellspring by Stephen Morris

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In 1356, an entire town turned against one woman. Driven by religious fervor, they proclaimed her a witch and put her to death without a proper trial or formal sentence. But, as Fen’ka inhaled the smoke surrounding her on the stake to which she was affixed, she issued her own verdict – and with it came a punishment that would endure for centuries… until justice, however harsh, was once and for all served. ‘Come Hell or High Water: Part One: Wellspring’ by Stephen Morris carries readers back in time to witness this age-old injustice and follow the consequences, and culmination, of Fen’ka’s curse on the city of Prague. The chapters alternate between this fourteenth century storyline and another, set in 2002, centered on a young girl named Magdalena, whose fascination with the occult and determination to do more with her life have inexorably drawn her into Fen’ka’s post-mortem quest for justice. As Magdalena comes to terms with her otherworldly assignment in one chapter, the ways Fen’ka’s final words came back to haunt the villagers of Prague is explored in the next – and, so on and so forth it goes, masterfully, until the end of this, the first installment in the Come Hell or High Water trilogy.

‘Wellspring’ is an entirely enthralling, incredibly intense novel that seamlessly weaves together elements of history, folklore, popular culture, and religious, spiritual, and occult practices and beliefs – among other things. Author Stephen Morris’ passion for, and commitment to, his cast of characters is evident in his prose, which is fluid, dynamic, and absolutely haunting at times. As eloquently told as it is informative and thought-provoking, ‘Wellspring’ is a title worthy of standing on the shelf alongside acclaimed works such as those in The Vampire Chronicles and Mayfair Witches series penned by the mother of all things occult, Anne Rice. It’s definitely a page-turner and will hold your interest from start to end, though its end isn’t really and ending, but, rather, an invitation to the next book.

RED CITY REVIEWS also hosts an annual book award contest, that includes cash prizes in five different book categories, including Science Fiction/Fantasy. The Red City Review Book Awards offers a grand prize of $500, that also includes other great prizes that will help promote the winning book so that it receives the attention it deserves. Finalists will be announced October 10, 2014.

Narcissus

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Echo and Narcissus (1903), a Pre-Raphaelite interpretation by John William Waterhouse

Echo and Narcissus (1903), a Pre-Raphaelite interpretation by John William Waterhouse

Despite there being no clear evidence that the flower’s name derives directly from the Greek myth of Narcissus, who drowned while gazing at his own reflection in the water, the two are firmly linked in popular culture and the flower taken as a symbol of vanity. Another Greek myth finds Persephone, daughter of the goddess Demeter, lured to her doom in the Underworld by the god Hades while picking a narcissus flower.

In ancient China, a legend about a poor but good man holds he was brought many cups of gold and wealth by this flower. Since the flower blooms in early spring, it has also become a symbol of Chinese New Year. Narcissus bulb carving and cultivation is even an art akin to Japanese bonsai. If the narcissus blooms on Chinese New Year, it is said to bring extra wealth and good fortune throughout the year. Its sweet fragrances are highly revered in Chinese culture.

In classical Persian literature, the narcissus is a symbol of beautiful eyes, together with other flowers that equal a beautiful face with a spring garden, such as roses for cheeks and violets for shining dark hair.

The narcissus, otherwise known as daffodil, is the national flower of Wales, where it is traditional to wear a daffodil or a leek on Saint David’s Day (March 1). In Welsh the daffodil is known as “Peter’s Leek”, cenhinen Bedr or cenin Pedr). You can read more about daffodil and spring here.

The Patriot Witch for July 4!

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Patriot WitchThe Traitor to the Crown series by C.C. Finlay opens in 1775. Proctor Brown is an ordinary young man working the family farm in New England, determined to defend the rights of the colonies as a member of the local militia. But magic is in his blood and a chance encounter with an arrogant British officer bearing magic of his own catapults Proctor into the adventure of a lifetime. The three books in the series (Patriot Witch, Spell for the Revolution, and Demon Redcoat) trace Proctor’s involvement with another young patriot Deborah Walcott with the gift of magic, George Washington, and a secret society of evil witches (the Covenant) that has been pulling the strings of European history for centuries. The battles of the American Revolution are the stage-dressing of a much more fundamental war between the witches of the Covenant and the witches of the colonies who are determined to wrest control from the hands of the Covenant and grant real freedom to the peoples of North America and Europe.

Real events in American and European history are incorporated into the series, making the novels a fascinating exploration of how those events might have influenced, or been influenced by, magic and witchcraft. (Proctor’s style of doing magic, drawing on verses of the Bible, is an intriguing exploration of the relationship between magic and religion.) I urge you to add these books to your “wish list!”