Posts Tagged ‘Goodreads’

Respected book review site Great Historicals has given a big thumbs up to our historical novels World Odyssey and Fiji: A Novel, books one and two in The World Duology.

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“I loved reading it as much as I loved Fiji,” the reviewer says of World Odyssey.

Here’s Great Historicals’ review (unabridged) as it appears on Amazon:

World Odyssey is an epic, a story that follows the tumultuous lives of three different people – Nathan, Jack, and Susanna. In this first novel, their lives are separate from each other, and by the end of the novel, they arrive in Fiji, though their paths have yet to cross.

Lance and James Morcan have a wonderfully easy style of writing, simple but descriptive, fast paced yet detailed. It is a comfortable book that one can fully relax into because of its steady flow and lovely prose. It is a prequel to their first book, Fiji, but each book stands alone and you don’t have to read them in the order they were written in.

For the three main characters, there is change and danger at every turn. From travel on land and then on the high seas, I was intrigued and completely pulled into the story from the start to the end of this book. I loved reading it as much as I loved Fiji. I highly recommend that you get both of these fabulous epics!

 

WORLD ODYSSEY (The World Duology, #1) is available via Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/World-Odyssey-Duology-1-ebook/dp/B00HHVOMO0/

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Happy reading! –Lance & James

 

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Amazon’s announcement that customers who subscribe to its new Kindle Unlimited initiative can borrow as many ebooks as they want to from a library of over 600,000 titles is exciting readers and authors alike.

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While not quite a revolutionary idea – previously subscribers enrolled in the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library (KOLL) could borrow one ebook per month – the new system means there’s no limit to the number of ebooks subscribers can borrow – provided they pay the $10 monthly fee.

For those avid bookworms who regularly read one book, or more, per week, Kindle Unlimited represents excellent value. It also means they can ‘try out’ books by new or unknown authors by borrowing the books in stead of having to shell out valuable dollars and hope they (the books) justify their investment.

For authors, like us, who still receive a payment – albeit a reduced payment – from Amazon for every book borrowed, the scheme provides additional access to readers who may not readily buy our books; it’s also likely to create excellent word-of-mouth, leading to more sales.

It’s a win-win for readers and authors.

All books currently enrolled in KDP Select with U.S. rights will be automatically included in Kindle Unlimited. KDP Select books will also continue to be enrolled in (KOLL) available to Amazon Prime customers in the U.S., U.K., Germany, France, and Japan where authors will continue to earn a share of the KDP Select global fund when their book is borrowed.

For those Amazon customers enrolled with Kindle Unlimited, you may come across our books available in the unlimited downloads scheme…

 

The above books can be found on our Amazon author pages at:

http://www.amazon.com/Lance-Morcan/e/B005ET3ZUO/

http://www.amazon.com/James-Morcan/e/B005EPOU48/

 

Happy reading! –Lance & James

 

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We are pleased to announce the new cover launch for our thriller THE ORPHAN UPRISING (The Orphan Trilogy, #3).

The Orphan Uprising ebook cover

THE ORPHAN UPRISING is the sequel to THE NINTH ORPHAN, book one in this international thriller series.

The storyline:

In this explosive conclusion to The Orphan Trilogy, the ninth-born orphan’s dramatic story resumes five years after book one, The Ninth Orphan, ends.

Having eluded his former masters at the Omega Agency and escaped his past life as an operative, Nine has married his soul mate, Isabelle. They’ve carved out a new life for themselves, off the grid, in the remote islands of French Polynesia.

The contented couple have a five-year-old son, Francis, who is a chip off the old block and who has inherited his father’s unique DNA. Francis will soon have a sister as Isabelle is about to give birth to a baby girl.

Their idyllic lifestyle is shattered when Francis is abducted by operatives in the employ of the Omega Agency, the shadowy organization that brought Nine into the world and once controlled every aspect of his life. The terrified boy with the unique DNA is dispatched to one of Omega’s underground medical laboratories for scientific testing and experimentation.

Nine is desperate to find Francis before Omega can harm him. He soon finds he’s up against his fellow orphans – all elite operatives as he once was – who are under orders to kill him on sight. To overcome them, he must call on all his former training and skills. His search takes him around the world – from Tahiti to America, Germany, Greenland and the Congo.

To add to Nine’s worries, he has a serious heart condition that requires immediate surgery. The clock is ticking and he knows he’s on borrowed time. It’s a race against the clock to find his son before Omega can harm the boy – and before his heart gives out.

 

THE ORPHAN UPRISING is available via Amazon at: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BFC66DM/

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Happy reading! –Lance & James

 

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Here’s an eye-catching tweet – featuring our historical adventure novel strategically placed on a beach somewhere in Fiji and posted by a Twitter follower – that caught our eye. “I’d rather be in Fiji,” according to @TripFiction.
As TripFiction says at TripFiction.com, “See a destination through an author’s eyes, novels/books set in over 1000 locations.”
This unsolicited endorsement of Fiji: A Novel (The World Duology, #2) follows the novel’s recent nomination by TravelersToday.com as one of the ‘Top 10 Books to Read While Traveling’. The book came in just ahead of The Da Vinci Code and hot on the heels of Anonymity.
Fiji: A Novel (The World Duology, #2) is available via Amazon as a trade paperback or Kindle ebook: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0057YCZM0/
World Odyssey (The World Duology, #1) is available as a Kindle ebook:http://www.amazon.com/World-Odyssey-Duology-1-ebook/dp/B00HHVOMO0/

…and The World Duology (World Odyssey / Fiji: A Novel) is also available as a Kindle ebook: http://www.amazon.com/World-Duology-Odyssey-Fiji-Novel-ebook/dp/B00HMQRMFG/

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Happy reading! –Lance & James
And feel free to follow us on Twitter at: @SterlingGate
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We are pleased to announce the new cover launch for our coming-of-age spy thriller THE ORPHAN FACTORY (The Orphan Trilogy, #2).

TheOrphanFactory ebook cover

THE ORPHAN FACTORY is the prequel to THE NINTH ORPHAN, book one in this top-rating international thriller series.

The storyline:

An epic, atmospheric story that begins with twenty-three genetically superior orphans being groomed to become elite spies in Chicago’s Pedemont Orphanage and concludes with a political assassination deep in the Amazon jungle.

Go on another frenetic journey with the ninth-born orphan as he busts out of the clandestine orphanage he knew as home and goes on the run across America.

In the late 1970’s, in Chicago, Illinois, the secretive Omega Agency initiates the Pedemont Project – a radical experiment utilizing genetic engineering technologies – to create twenty three orphan babies with the plan to turn them into the world’s most effective assassins.

One of the prodigies will rebel: meet Number Nine, an orphan with a mind of his own.

In 1998, when Nine reaches adulthood and graduates with honors from the Pedemont Orphanage, he is already an adept of the deadly espionage arts. Ordered by his Omega masters to assassinate a survivor of the Jonestown tragedy in Guyana’s Amazon rainforest, Nine is forced to draw upon all of his advanced training just to stay alive.

As The Kindle Book Review says in its 5-star review: “(This book) answers a lot of questions while also opening other doors for the final book in the trilogy.”

Here’s what other reviewers have to say:

“Buckle up. Dangerous road lined with those questions of Nine’s. Black ice and black ops perhaps have a lot in common. You don’t see’em coming until you spin out.” –WelcomeHomeSoldier Reviews

“The escapades of Nine as a new teenager, away from the structure of the orphanage, are interesting and completely believable.” –C9C Reviews

“Buckle up for another wild ride in the Orphan Trilogy” –My Scribe World

“Never a dull moment in this conspiracy suspense.” –Review of Books For You

“I especially enjoyed the quantum physics I encountered” –Greg Kuhn (author & quantum physicist)

THE ORPHAN FACTORY is available via Amazon at: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008M9WWKW/

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Happy reading!Lance & James

 

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Our historical adventure FIJI: A NOVEL (The World Duology, #2) has passed another milestone, receiving its 30th Five-star review on Amazon.

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One reviewer said, “It was well researched, well written, and the imagery and description was beautiful and incredible.” According to Amazon, 16 reviewers made a similar statement.

Other reviewers have this to say about Fiji: A Novel –

“A bit of everything – sex, violence, humor, historic detail & plenty of twists.” –Great Historicals

“Reads like an epic movie.” –Author Susan M.Heim

“A real page turner.” –Ted Pawlikowski

“A flowing 19th Century tale of life, lust and love.” –Kate Campbell

“There is much to praise here.” –Gregory S.Kuhn

“Great read. Descriptions…were outstanding.” –James Glenny

Here’s the storyline (in brief):
By the mid-1800’s, Fiji has become a melting pot of cannibals, warring native tribes, sailors, traders, prostitutes, escaped convicts and all manner of foreign undesirables. It’s in this hostile environment an innocent young Englishwoman and a worldly American adventurer find themselves.

Susannah Drake, a missionary, questions her calling to spread God’s Word as she’s torn between her spiritual and sexual selves. As her forbidden desires intensify, she turns to the scriptures and prayer to quash the sinful thoughts – without success.

Nathan Johnson arrives to trade muskets to the Fijians and immediately finds himself at odds with Susannah. She despises him for introducing the white man’s weapons to the very people she is trying to convert and he pities her for her naivety. Despite their differences, there’s an undeniable chemistry between them.

When their lives are suddenly endangered by marauding cannibals, Susannah and Nathan are forced to rely on each other for their very survival.

Fiji: A Novel is available via Amazon as a trade paperback or Kindle ebook:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0057YCZM0/ 
Happy reading! –Lance & James
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Reader popularity lists on Goodreads.com, the world’s largest site for readers and book recommendations, provide a quick reference for good books for any bookworms running low on reading material.

We are delighted that Goodreads’ latest lists feature all eight of our book titles – including our international thriller series THE ORPHAN TRILOGY and our historical adventure series THE WORLD DUOLOGY.

Here’s a snapshot of popular books in various categories ranging from Great Romance Novels to Best Violent Action Novels to Best Action-Adventure Novels and many more…

 

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. RowlingThe Name of the Wind by Patrick RothfussThe Wise Man's Fear by Patrick RothfussClockwork Princess by Cassandra ClareA Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin                                                   Books With a Goodreads Average Rating of Over 4.5

 

The Kite Runner by Khaled HosseiniA Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled HosseiniFiji by Lance MorcanOne Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcí­a MárquezThe Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan                                Favorite World Fiction & Literature

 

Fiji by Lance MorcanThe Book Thief by Markus ZusakThe Book of Occult by Simon W. ClarkMemoirs of a Geisha by Arthur GoldenCorpalism by Arun D. Ellis                                                       Around the World through Fiction

 

The World Duology by Lance MorcanFiji by Lance MorcanWorld Odyssey by Lance MorcanThe Mirror of Her Dreams by Stephen R. DonaldsonIn Blood There is No Honor by Judith-Victoria Douglas                                Duologies

 

Fiji by Lance MorcanTales of the South Pacific by James A. MichenerThe Sex Lives of Cannibals by J. Maarten TroostThe World Duology by Lance MorcanMister Pip by Lloyd Jones                                                    Best Books About the South Pacific

 

The Ninth Orphan by James MorcanThe Orphan Conspiracies by James MorcanThe World Duology by Lance MorcanThe Orphan Trilogy by James MorcanWorld Odyssey by Lance Morcan                                                   Books by James Morcan & Lance Morcan

 

Behind the Hood by Marita A. HansenPhenomena by Susan TarrThe Bone People by Keri HulmeThe Whale Rider by Witi IhimaeraMister Pip by Lloyd Jones                                                    Books By New Zealand Authors

 

The Ninth Orphan by James MorcanFiji by Lance MorcanThe Orphan Factory by James MorcanThe Orphan Uprising by James MorcanThe Orphan Conspiracies by James Morcan                                                        Books by Authors Who Work in Multiple Genres

 

Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules VerneWorld Odyssey by Lance MorcanThe World Duology by Lance MorcanThe Ninth Orphan by James MorcanThe Orphan Uprising by James Morcan                                                         Multi Country Setting

 

Wild Hearted by Lea BronsenAgency Rules - Never an Easy Day at the Office by Khalid MuhammadThe Infidel Soldiers by Jams N. RosesThe Orphan Uprising by James MorcanThe Meat Market by James Chalk                                                  Best violent action novels

 

Pride and Prejudice by Jane AustenAfter Forever Ends by Melodie RamoneOutlander by Diana GabaldonSultry with a Twist by Macy BeckettBinding Arbitration by Elizabeth Marx                                                    Great Romance Novels

 

Fiji by Lance MorcanThe Duke of Shadows by Meredith DuranOutlander by Diana GabaldonNot Quite a Husband by Sherry ThomasAs You Desire by Connie Brockway                                Historical Romance From Around The World

 

Fiji by Lance MorcanAshen Winter by Mike MullinRed Dragon by Thomas HarrisThe Silence of the Lambs by Thomas HarrisAlive by Piers Paul Read                                                               Cannibal Books

 

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. SalingerTo Kill a Mockingbird by Harper LeeSecrets of the Realm by Bev StoutThe Orphan Factory by James MorcanThe Clay Lion by Amalie Jahn                                                         Great Coming-Of-Age Books

 

My First Travel Angelic Airline Adventures by Anna OthitisEat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth GilbertKilingiri by Janna GraySleeping People Lie by Jae De WyldeRiptide by Amber Lea Easton                                                               Best Location-Based and History-Based Books

 

Unthinkable Consequences by Bob RectorThe Meat Market by James ChalkThe Orphan Uprising by James MorcanPatriot Games by Tom ClancyThe Saladin Strategy by Norm Clark                                                             Best Action-Adventure Novels

 

Fiji by Lance MorcanAngel Evolution by David EstesDark Passage by M.L. WoolleyA Demon Made Me Do It by Penelope KingSpare Change by Bette Lee Crosby                                                     Books at Making Connections Group

 

The Kite Runner by Khaled HosseiniMemoirs of a Geisha by Arthur GoldenA Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled HosseiniThe Book Thief by Markus ZusakLife of Pi by Yann Martel                                                         Foreign Lands

 

The Wayward Gifted by Donna K. ChildreeStill Life With Crows by Douglas PrestonThe Orphan Trilogy by James MorcanThe Orphan Conspiracies by James MorcanBeautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia                                                     Author Collaborations (Dynamic Duos)

 

The Orphan Conspiracies by James Morcan1984 by George OrwellThe Catcher in the Rye by J.D. SalingerCorpalism by Arun D. EllisThe Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald                                                                 Great Book Covers

 

To visit Goodreads’ reader popularity lists go to: https://www.goodreads.com/list/book/20300866

 

Happy reading! –Lance & James

 

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BOOK REVIEW

Depression Carpenter – by Java Davis

The publisher describes this book as “A Road Trip through the Gulf States during The Great Depression.”

The storyline:

A young man, Jackson “Jake” Ferry, born into a privileged New York family, loses them in a car accident. Young and wealthy, he needs to justify his existence during The Great Depression. He is skilled in carpentry and drives around the Gulf of Mexico, working on building projects with his peculiar friend and partner from Florida, Chin, who has cheerfully abandoned his family in favor of an adventure. Together, they travel an amazing road trip, helping poor folks along the way, repairing their homes and their lives.Eventually, Jake lands in Galveston, where he stays to help rebuild the island after their first Great Flood, building an inter-racial school for the island’s orphans.The road trip comes to an end in with Jake back in New York City, an older and wiser man with an internal compass to guide his path.

 

My review:

This is a must-read!

Of DEPRESSION CARPENTER, the author says, “It’s a journey I wish I could have taken, and I’m pleased to share it with others.” Having read this journey of self discovery, this reviewer can totally relate to those sentiments.

Nostalgic, beautifully written and totally believable, this is (recent) historical fiction at its best. It’s high concept, too…a road trip like none other: a veritable ride through the Great Depression.

For those who enjoy adventure and a darned good tale, this is a must-read! A worthy five stars. –Lance

 

To purchase Depression Carpenter via Amazon go to:

http://www.amazon.com/Depression-Carpenter-Java-Davis-ebook/dp/B004Y5NGAI/

 

Happy reading!

 

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Our historical adventure Fiji: A Novel (The World Duology, #2) has made one of TravelersToday.com’s lists of ‘Top 10 Books to Read While Traveling,’ keeping company with novels by the likes of Dan Brown and Stieg Larsson.

The list concerned is ‘Location and history-based books for travelers.’

Writing for Travelers Today, columnist Althea Serad says:

Books to read while traveling is not considered most searched or much of a concern for many when it comes to trips. After all, it is the destination travelers are after during a journey. However, the type of books to read while traveling can determine the amount of enjoyment a traveler’s experiences during a long haul ride.

“A trip to a foreign location can also be enhanced by reading a book set on that destination. Fiction or non-fiction, set in the past or present day, books to read while traveling will instill in a traveler that extra information which will ultimately create a great travel experience.”

As at today, May 14, Fiji: A Novel comes in at No. 9 on the list – one place ahead of Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code.

Commenting on Fiji, Ms Serad says:

This book is spellbinding novel of adventure, cultural misunderstandings, religious conflict and sexual tension set in one of the most exotic and isolated places on earth, according to Goodreads.

It’s in this hostile environment that an innocent young Englishwoman and a worldly American adventurer find themselves.

This book was written by father-and-son writing team Lance & James Morcan (authors of The Ninth Orphan), Fiji is an historical adventure-romance published by Sterling Gate Books. A feature film adaptation of Fiji is currently being developed…

Topping TravelersToday.com’s list is Kilingiri, a family saga by Janna Gray.

The Top 10 books, in order, are:

1.   Kilingiri – by Janna Gray

2.   Sleeping People Lie – by Jae De Wylde

3.   Eat, Pray, Love – by Elizabeth Gilbert

4.   The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – by Stieg Larsson

5.   Blue Coyote Motel by Dianne Harman

6.   The Girl Who Played with Fire – by Stieg Larsson

7.   Shantaram – by Gregory David Roberts

8.   Anonymity – by Amber Lea Easton

9.   Fiji: A Novel – by Lance & James Morcan

10. The Da Vinci Code – by Dan Brown

 

To view all books on the list go to: http://www.travelerstoday.com/articles/9566/20140421/books-read-traveling-top-10-location-history-based-travelers.htm

The article ends with a final comment from Ms Serad:

Books to read while travelling may not be as picturesque as the travel destination itself, but seeing the place where a much-loved character from a book is set makes a travel experience that much more enticing.

We couldn’t agree more. Happy reading! –Lance & James

 

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The early reviews are in for our new release non-fiction book The Orphan Conspiracies – and here’s what Amazon reviewer ‘Cloud’ has to say:

Conspiracy Lovers Dream 5stars2

I’m not sure how to put this, but this book is one that might scare the pants off of you. You’re immediately hit with the depth of research, facts that on their own might not have amounted to much, but before long any skepticism you have starts to fade away and you’re left with the sinking feeling that there are secret forces operating with extensive control throughout the world.

If you’re anything like me, you’ll find the theories covered here perfect for social chatter and you’ll be recommending the book all over. Just one point of caution. Don’t spill everything you’ve learned. If they think you know too much, that’s when the vans will come for you.  

 

‘Cloud’ appears to have gotten what we set out to achieve when we penned this book, which, incidentally, is our first non-fiction book. As we say in the book’s Introduction:

Our mission in writing this book is twofold: to expose the global agenda designed to keep the power in the hands of a select few (the top 1%) and to empower the masses with essential knowledge that’s been withheld from them until now.  

From what we’ve observed, nearly all other conspiracy theory books have either been by established conspiracy theory authors and written almost exclusively for like-minded people, or they’ve been penned by academic-types with a high-brow intellectualism that only other academics can decipher. 

This book, on the other hand, is written for the lower classes and the homeless, the outcasts and the marginalized, the abused and the victimized, the unpaid and the underpaid, the overworked and the out-of-work, the refugees and the poor, the uneducated and the undereducated, the forgotten and the lonely, the misunderstood and all the other underdogs of society who together, collectively, form the majority – or the 99%, if you will.  

 

The Orphan Conspiracies: 29 Conspiracy Theories from The Orphan Trilogy is available via Amazon at:   http://www.amazon.com/The-Orphan-Conspiracies-Conspiracy-Theories-ebook/dp/B00J4MPFT6/

The Orphan Conspiracies: 29 Conspiracy Theories from The Orphan Trilogy

Happy Reading! –Lance & James 

 

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