BLOG TOUR: The Transcendent Tide (The Enceladons Trilogy) - Doug Johnstone

It’s been eighteen months since the Enceladons escaped the clutches of an American military determined to exterminate the peaceful alien creatures.

Lennox and Vonnie have been lying low in the Scottish Highlands, Ava has been caring for her young daughter Chloe, and Heather is adjusting to her new life with Sandy and the other Enceladons in the Arctic Ocean, off the coast of Greenland. But fate is about to bring them together again for one last battle.

When Lennox and Vonnie are visited by Karl Jensen, a Norwegian billionaire intent on making contact with the Encedalons again, they are wary of subjecting the aliens to further dangers. But when word arrives that Ava’s daughter has suffered an attack and might die without urgent help, they reluctantly make the trip to Greenland, where they enlist the vital help of local woman Niviaq.

It's not long before they’re drawn into a complex web of lies, deceit and death. What is Karl’s company really up to? Why are sea creatures attacking boats? Why is Sandy acting so strangely, and why are polar bears getting involved?

Profound, ambitious and moving, The Transcendent Tide is the epic conclusion to the Encedalons Trilogy, and a final showdown between the best and worst of humanity, the animal kingdom and the Encedalons. The future of life on earth will be changed forever, but not everyone will survive to see it...

 

What did I think?

Oh my goodness, I really didn't want this fantastic book to end so I was torn between gobbling up every word as if I hadn't read for months and savouring every single word so I could make it last longer.  The Transcendent Tide is the perfect ending to an epic and unforgettable trilogy.

You do need to read the books in order to get the most out of the incredibly powerful storyline and to fully understand the characters, which is why I felt so many different emotions whilst reading.  I was shocked, angered and upset as I lived and breathed every moment of this magnificent journey with Sandy, the Enceladons and their friends.

The writing is flawless and the plotting sublime as Doug Johnstone takes the reader on a memorable journey through the Arctic.  I felt like I needed my thermals on as I kept getting goosebumps as the vivid scenes were described.

Haunting, poignant and powerful, The Transcendent Tide is a highly original book and an outstanding finale to an epic trilogy.  It has a tentacle in so many genres that it will appeal to all readers and leave a lasting impression.  I can award nothing less than five stars for this amazing novel.

I received a digital ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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Orenda Books

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

About the author:

Doug Johnstone is the author of 18 previous novels, most recently Living Is a Problem (2024) and The Collapsing Wave (2024). The Big Chill (2020) was longlisted for Theakston Crime Novel of the Year, and Black Hearts was shortlisted for the same award. Three of his books, A Dark Matter (2020), Breakers (2019) and The Jump (2015), have been shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Novel of the Year.  

He’s taught creative writing and been writer in residence at various institutions over the last decade, and has been an arts journalist for over twenty years. Doug is a songwriter and musician with six albums and three EPs released, and he plays drums for the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers. He’s also co-founder of the Scotland Writers Football Club, and has a PhD in nuclear physics. He lives in Edinburgh. 

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BLOG TOUR: Burns - David Polfeldt

In a universe where silence reigns and loneliness is the default setting, Burns, a search droid with a penchant for existential musings, embarks on a cosmic odyssey to find life among the stars.

 

What did I think?

Burns is a book that definitely takes a huge leap out of my comfort zone as I don't usually read sci-fi but I really enjoyed it.  It's a short novella at 52 pages long and it's a quick and worthwhile read.

It is set in space with a search droid called Burns that is searching for life.  The story opens when Burns' dog dies and this is an event that Burns relives every 246.7 years when its system reboots.

The loneliness of a search droid is heart wrenching at times and even though Burns isn't human, a solitary existence is difficult to cope with so I could completely understand the creation of a canine companion.

I loved the intelligence of Burns and how it tried to beat the system.  It's very thought-provoking and made me question "Who am I to say that a machine doesn't have feelings?"

Wonderfully written to appeal to both sci-fi fans and readers new to the genre, Burns is an imaginative and heartwarming tale that surprised and delighted me.  A highly recommended read for anyone looking for something a little bit different.

I received a gifted hardback to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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Amazon UK

Amazon US

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BLOG TOUR: The Collapsing Wave (The Enceladons Trilogy, Book 2) - Doug Johnstone

Six months since the earth-shattering events of The Space Between Us, the revelatory hope of the aliens’ visit has turned to dust and the creatures have disappeared into the water off Scotland’s west coast.

 

Teenager Lennox and grieving mother Heather are being held in New Broom, a makeshift US military base, the subject of experiments, alongside the Enceladons who have been captured by the authorities.

 

Ava, who has given birth, is awaiting the jury verdict at her trial for the murder of her husband. And MI7 agent Oscar Fellowes, who has been sidelined by the US military, is beginning to think he might be on the wrong side of history.

 

When alien Sandy makes contact, Lennox and Heather make a plan to escape with Ava. All three of them are heading for a profound confrontation between the worst of humanity and a possible brighter future, as the stakes get higher for the alien Enceladons and the entire human race…

 

Sequel to the bestselling The Space Between Us, The Collapsing Wave is an exquisite, epic first-contact novel, laced with peril and populated by unforgettable characters, and the awe-inspiring book we all need right now…

What did I think?

Sandy is back!!!!  The Collapsing Wave is one of my most eagerly anticipated sequels and not only does it not disappoint, it totally blew me away.  I thought book one, The Space Between Us, was exceptional but The Collapsing Wave is exquisite.  It's made me even more excited to see how Doug Johnstone follows this one with the final book in the trilogy.

It's so good to be back with Lennox, Heather and Ava again although they are all in a right pickle: Lennox and Heather are being held on an American military base in Scotland and Ava is on trial for the murder of her husband.  The Americans are capturing and experimenting on the aliens and it's both cruel and shocking.  If only Sandy, my favourite alien, could be contacted...

Oh my goodness, this book is simply breathtaking.  It's filled with so much action and suspense that I was on the edge of my seat and racing through the pages as fast as I possibly could.  The writing is vivid and expressive, creating multicoloured scenes in my mind as the story played out on the page.

For anyone who says they don't read science fiction, you haven't read Doug Johnstone's form of sci-fi.  It's written like a thriller with characters (both human and alien) that you completely root for and you almost forget that the Enceladons are from outer space.  I am really looking forward to reading the final book but, at the same time, I simply don't want this wonderful series to finish.

The Collapsing Wave is an absolute must read and I really can't recommend it highly enough.

I received a digital ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

About the author:

Doug Johnstone is the author of 16 previous novels, most recently The Opposite of Lonely (2023) and The Space Between Us (2023). The Big Chill (2020) was longlisted for Theakston Crime Novel of the Year, and Black Hearts was shortlisted for the same award. Three of his books, A Dark Matter (2020), Breakers (2019) and The Jump (2015), have been shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Novel of the Year. He’s taught creative writing and been writer in residence at various institutions over the last decade, and has been an arts journalist for over twenty years. Doug is a songwriter and musician with six albums and three EPs released, and he plays drums for the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers. He’s also co-founder of the Scotland Writers Football Club, and has a PhD in nuclear physics.

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BLOG TOUR: The Space Between Us - Doug Johnstone

Lennox is a troubled teenager with no family. Ava is eight months pregnant and fleeing her abusive husband. Heather is a grieving mother and cancer sufferer. They don’t know each other, but when a meteor streaks over Edinburgh, all three suffer instant, catastrophic strokes...

…only to wake up the following day in hospital, miraculously recovered.

When news reaches them of an octopus-like creature washed up on the shore near where the meteor came to earth, Lennox senses that some extra-terrestrial force is at play. With the help of Ava, Heather and a journalist, Ewan, he rescues the creature they call 'Sandy' and goes on the run.

But they aren’t the only ones with an interest in the alien … close behind are Ava’s husband, the police and a government unit who wants to capture the creature, at all costs. And Sandy’s arrival may have implications beyond anything anyone could imagine…

 

What did I think?

I already know that Doug Johnstone is a talented author but his new novel, The Space Between Us, is absolutely outstanding.  I am completely speechless and I'm afraid that any review I write will not do it justice but I'll give it a go.

Three very different people are brought together when they all inexplicably recover from a severe stroke.  The universe isn't yet done with Lennox, Ava and Heather so when they hear reports of a cephalopod on a local beach, they feel compelled to rescue it.  Lennox names the mysterious creature Sandy and the bond between them is beautiful to behold.

The vivid imagery created by Doug Johnstone's words is stunning, it did actually take my breath away on several occasions.  The bursts of colour that exploded in my mind, simply by reading words on a page, felt so intense and magical that I will never forget it.  I absolutely loved Sandy; their innocence and intelligence reminded me a little of E.T. and their attempts to understand our crazy world were entertaining and amusing.

My thoughts have been well and truly provoked after reading this exceptional novel; it really makes you consider your place in the universe and realise how very insignificant we are.  I wouldn't normally read something that sounds so much like science fiction but I'm very glad that I did.  A highly recommended read and a well-deserved 5 stars.

I received a digital ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

About the author:

Doug Johnstone is the author of fourteen previous novels, most recently Black Hearts (2022). The Big Chill (2020) was longlisted for the Theakston Crime Novel of the Year and three of his books, A Dark Matter (2020), Breakers (2019) and The Jump (2015), have been shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Novel of the Year. He’s taught creative writing and been writer in residence at various institutions over the last decade, and has been an arts journalist for over twenty years. Doug is a songwriter and musician with six albums and three EPs released, and he plays drums for the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers, a band of writers. He’s also co-founder of the Scotland Writers Football Club, and has a PhD in nuclear physics.

Follow Doug on Twitter @doug_johnstone

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Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Universe: And Our Place Within It - Andrew Newsam

What happens inside black holes? Is dark matter real? Could we do anything to prevent being wiped out by an approaching asteroid? Will our explorations of our neighbouring planets reveal life or a new place to settle? What can observations of stars reveal about our origins – and our future?

Professor Andrew Newsam draws on his vast expertise to show us what’s going on beyond the limits of our planet, from our solar system to distant galaxies – and what this tells us about our own place in this vast expanse called ‘the Universe’.

From glowing nebulae to the sweeping majesty of the Milky Way, Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Universe will spark your curiosity and help you make sense of the amazing discoveries and fascinating mysteries of the cosmos.

 

What did I think?

I don't think I've ever read non-fiction as quickly as I read this brilliant book.  I know very little about astronomy although I've always been interested in our solar system, however, many astronomy books just go straight over my head.  This is most definitely not the case with Andrew Newsam's Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Universe: And Our Place Within It that is written in such an informative and engaging way that I found easy to understand and incredibly entertaining.

I not only learnt things, I found that I retained the information and it made me eager to find out more.  The writing is captivating and entertaining without being patronising to any readers who may already know some basics about astronomy.  It's clearly written for the layperson who has no prior knowledge of astronomy and incredibly easy to read.  I'm amazed at how much knowledge about the universe I gained and retained.  It's true what Frank Carson said: it's the way you tell 'em!

There are six chapters: Looking out from Earth, The Sun as a star, The Solar System, Stars, Galaxies, and The Big Bang.  Ranging from 16 to 52 pages long, each chapter covers a lot of ground but it never gets boring and I found myself eager to read just one more chapter, which is almost unheard of for me when reading non-fiction.  There are also some stunning colour images in the middle plate section to enhance and support the text.

So, if you've always wanted to know more about the universe then this is the book for you.  I didn't even hesitate before awarding the full five stars and it deserves every single one of them.  I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for more books by Andrew Newsam and I highly recommend this book.

Many thanks to Alison Menzies for sending me an ARC to read and review; all opinions are my own.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

BLOG TOUR: Rose Gold (Gaia Trilogy Book 2) - David Barker

Rose Gold is the thrilling sequel to the bestselling Blue Gold.

In the aftermath of a world war for water, geopolitical tensions remain high and terrorism is a daily fact of life in the 2030s. But a mining base on the moon offers a rare example of international co-operation and a possible solution to the world's energy problems. Yet not everyone on Earth is keen for this endeavour to succeed...

Sim Atkins and his wife are desperate to start a family. But a shocking message from the moon base tells Sim that he is already a father and that his son's life is in danger. The mining station is full of suspects and, worse, the woman who fathered his child. Can Sim rescue his son and save his marriage?

Gopal and Rabten - the Gurkha and monk who helped Sim on his last assignment - are on the trail of terrorists and a giant airship. What the agents discover in the cargo hold makes Sim's mission even more vital. When they get trapped, Freda Brightwell - Sim's old partner in Overseas Division - is called out of retirement for one more mission.

Once again, corporate greed threatens the lives of millions. Overseas Division s finest are back at the sharp end. And this time, the stakes are far more personal.

What did I think?

I'm not a fan of science fiction but David Barker's novels intrigue me as he has one foot in the sci-fi genre and one foot in the thriller genre, making Rose Gold a completely believable futuristic thriller.  Where Blue Gold was a story about a world war for water, Rose Gold is a thriller set on the moon where minerals are mined.

As with many books in a series, you could read Rose Gold as a standalone but it would be much better to read Blue Gold first to understand the dynamic of the characters.  In Rose Gold, it's the year 2034 and Sim is married to Rosie but there's a strain on their marriage when they struggle to have children.  To make matters worse, Sim is called up to investigate a murder on the moon and finds out he has a son on the moon base.  Sim doesn't think twice about accepting this mission to go to the moon, not only to save the earth but to protect the son he didn't know he had.

The danger levels are really ramped up when a thriller is set on the moon; not only are you looking for a killer but one false move and your oxygen supply can be cut off.  Breathing is something we take for granted; it's our invisible necessity that we have in abundant supply.  Thanks to the thrilling writing of David Barker, I can imagine the panic when you're in an environment that isn't oxygen-rich and you rely on other sources of oxygen.  One little nick in your space suit and you're dead.  Yikes!

I have to give a special mention to the printed pages in the book.  Each of the three parts of the book are separated by pure black pages with a stage of the moon printed on it and every single page is printed with a watermark of the moon.  I love little touches like this; it makes a book special and unique.  Full marks to independent publisher, Urbane Publications, for this extra-special touch.

It's really something when I enjoy a book that isn't in my preferred genre and I'm delighted to say that Rose Gold is another great (not too distant) futuristic thriller from David Barker.  It's completely believable set not too far in the future with strong lead characters (although I would have liked a bit more Freda, but I suspect she'll have a bigger part to play in White Gold, the final part of the trilogy).  For me, Sim Atkins is a cross between Jack Bauer and Flash Gordon with only 48 hours to save the earth in this high octane thriller.  If you're looking for something different to read, you might just have found it in Rose Gold.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

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The Things We Learn When We're Dead - Charlie Laidlaw

The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy meets The Lovely Bones in this surrealist, sci-fi comedy. When Lorna is run over, she wakes in a hospital in which her nurse looks like a young Sean Connery, she is served wine for supper, and everyone avoids her questions. It soon transpires that she is in Heaven, or on HVN. Because HVN is a lost, dysfunctional spaceship, and God the aging hippy captain. She seems to be there by accident ...Or does God have a higher purpose after all?

What did I think?

As someone who never reads sci-fi, I thought that The Things We Learn When We're Dead would push me out of my comfort zone, so I was surprised that I found it so easy to read and relate to.  I was told before I started it, that it was a modern reworking of The Wizard of Oz.  This wasn't really one of my favourite books or films as a child, but I knew it well enough to be intrigued to see what Charlie Laidlaw had done with this classic.

Set in Scotland, Lorna Love (what a great name) wakes up in hospital after stepping out in front of a car, but this is no ordinary hospital. There are hamsters in the ceiling (just look at that cute little ginger face peering out of the spaceship on the cover) and everybody looks like a famous celebrity.  Lorna then finds out that she is in HVN, a spaceship where only a selected few are chosen to come along for the ride.  So why has Lorna been chosen?  Does she want to go on a celestial journey or is there really no place like home?

This is definitely a book to read with an open mind but it's such an enjoyable book that I devoured every page.  It was helped enormously by the numerous references to Star Wars which, in my opinion, is the greatest film of all time.  Lorna was a huge Star Wars fan as a child, so I loved her stories of watching it with her brother, Tom.  As Lorna's life flashes before her eyes, we read about her life with her brother, Tom, and her friendship with the hilarious character of Suzie.

I'm really glad I read this book; I found it fun yet thought-provoking.  Who really knows what happens when we die?  I don't imagine the afterlife would result in me flying through hyperspace in a spaceship, but perhaps my idea of heaven would be spending eternity aboard the Millennium Falcon with Han Solo... Michelle says, 'Han, I'd really love that!',  to which Han replies, 'I know!'

As I had my Star Wars visor on, I didn't always see the links to The Wizard of Oz but, if you're looking to try something new, you'll not go far wrong with The Things We Learn When We're Dead.  It's different, refreshing, poignant, funny and as thought-provoking as you'd like it to be.  My advice would be: don't take it too seriously, just enjoy your ride aboard HVN.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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