Posts Tagged ‘international thriller’

Friday, November 2, 2012 PST

Book Review: The Ninth Orphan, by James and Lance Morcan

A few months ago, I had the opportunity to review a very enjoyable book by the father/son writing team, James and Lance Morcan, called Fiji: A Novel. So, I was very excited when I had the opportunity to review another novel by this duo: The Ninth Orphan. This psychological thriller really kept me on the edge of my seat!
The Ninth Orphan is the story of Sebastian, more commonly called Nine because he is the ninth of twenty-three children who were raised and trained apart from natural parents to become elite members of a super-secret spy agency. Nine is exceptionally gifted at the spy game and plays it well, but when he reaches the age of 31, he decides he wants to lead a “normal” life, away from the intrigue and secrecy of the world of espionage. Unfortunately, his employer, the Omega Agency, doesn’t support his decision, and it becomes a cat-and-mouse game when Nine implements his plan to break away from the agency.
Along the way, we learn that Nine is a master of disguise as he adeptly uses makeup and various costumes to transform himself into people that the other agents are unlikely to recognize. Nine also picks up a reluctant hostage along the way — a beautiful Frenchwoman named Isabelle — who becomes more and more bonded to Nine as their perilous journey unfolds. Will Nine and Isabelle ever be able to elude their pursuers and create a new life on the peaceful island that Nine has acquired?
I couldn’t stop reading this book filled with plenty of action and mystery, so I was happy to learn that The Ninth Orphan is part of a trilogy, which includes a prequel — The Orphan Factory — and a sequel (to come) — The Orphan Uprising. The Ninth Orphan is available now as a paperback and eBook. I hope you’ll pick up a copy today!
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes. All opinions are 100% my own. This post contains affiliate links.

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1330hrs, 1 Nov., 2012 PST:

The Telegraph’s Peter Foster says “It should go without saying…No-one should play politics with a storm as awesome and once-in-a-century-sized as Hurricane Sandy. But it also goes without saying that in the election campaign headquarters…the strategists are thinking of absolutely nothing else, even as they order their candidates to look straight ahead and appear as ‘presidential’ as possible.”

Foster continues:

The truth is that with just one week to go until election day, and with Mr Obama and Mr Romney tied in the polls, you can construct a narrative to suit your political inclinations out of Hurricane Sandy. Look hard enough into those lowering, spiralling clouds, and there is a silver lining for everyone.

…For what it’s worth, I peer into the vortex that is Hurricane Sandy and foresee
Mr Obama getting a marginal bump for looking presidential as long as nothing
disastrous happens to undermine him – while Mr Romney, recently surging in the
polls, has the frustration of trying to close the deal at a time when, all of a
sudden, the voices of politicians are being drowned out by the roar of a mighty,
mighty storm.

However, the question remains: Does the election result really matter? Has a US election result mattered since the Kennedy era?

We attempt to answer these questions in our international thriller novels, The Ninth Orphan (The Orphan Trilogy, #1), and The Orphan Factory (The Orphan Trilogy, #2) and shed some light on who wields the real power in today’s world…

The Ninth Orphan (The Orphan Trilogy, #1)The Orphan Factory (The Orphan Trilogy, #2)

The Amazon kindle link for The Ninth Orphan is: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0056I4FKC

For more about US politics and who really wields the power, go to: http://www.youtube.com/user/SterlingGateBooks

 

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October 31, 2012 — Updated 1603 GMT:

CNN asks – Can elections be blown off course by natural disasters?

Quoting John T. Gasper, of the Carnegie Mellon University, CNN reports:

Gasper says Superstorm Sandy’s proximity to election day makes its impact more unpredictable – and that the fortunes of Romney and Obama are likely to be swayed more by how they are seen to respond to the crisis than by the realities of the situation.

“It’s a great PR event to show your constituents that you are there to help them,” he told CNN.

Though neither candidate wants to be seen playing politics with this storm, if there’s any advice for Obama and Romney in their final week, it’s surely: roll your sleeves up and smile for the camera.

However, the question remains: Does the election result really matter? Has a US election result mattered since the Kennedy era?

We attempt to answer these questions in our international thriller novels, The Ninth Orphan (The Orphan Trilogy, #1), and The Orphan Factory (The Orphan Trilogy, #2) and shed some light on who wields the real power in today’s world…

The Ninth Orphan (The Orphan Trilogy, #1)The Orphan Factory (The Orphan Trilogy, #2)

The Amazon kindle link for The Ninth Orphan is: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0056I4FKC

For more about US politics and who really wields the power, go to: http://www.youtube.com/user/SterlingGateBooks

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News Release: 1500hrs, 31 Oct., 2012 PST:

New Zealand-born author and former Waterstones bookseller James Morcan has had the pleasure of seeing his international thriller novel, The Ninth Orphan, rise overnight into Amazon’s Top 20 Bestseller List for Technothrillers.

James says he drew on his invaluable UK experience.

James, who is based in Sydney, Australia, co-authored the novel with his father Lance, who is based in New Zealand. Together, the prolific father-and-son writing team have co-authored three novels, all published by Down Under publishing company Sterling Gate Books.

The Ninth Orphan has been described by one reviewer as “a high-octane thriller with an edge”. Merging fact with fiction, it fits the current trend toward stories about shadow organizations rumoured to exist in the real world.

While the novel takes readers on a trip around the globe, most of the action takes place on either side of the English Channel. London locations include Heathrow International Airport, Hyde Park, Kensington and South Kensington, the East End and the MI5 headquarters. Other UK settings include the historical St. Michael’s Mount, in Cornwall.

James says he was able to draw on his UK work experience – gained while with Waterstones’ Old Brompton Road branch, in South Kensington.

“That experience was invaluable in scoping the novel,” he says. “British readers in particular seem to resonate with the London and UK scenes.”

James says Britain’s connection with Japanese-plundered World War Two treasure – commonly referred to as Yamashita’s Gold – is highlighted in the novel, and that has also intrigued readers.

“That was a little-known event involving trillions of pounds worth of stolen gold. Fearing Germany was going to invade, Britain shipped the bulk of its gold reserves, including the Royal Family’s massive stockpile, to Singapore. When Singapore suddenly fell to the Japanese in 1942, Britain lost nearly all of its gold supplies overnight. This makes for an interesting sub-plot in our novel.”

The Morcans, who are also film producers, have put The Ninth Orphan into development as a feature film with their production company, Morcan Motion Pictures.

The novel is the first book in The Orphan Trilogy. Book two, The Orphan Factory, was published recently; meanwhile, book three is scheduled for release in 2013.

The Ninth Orphan (The Orphan Trilogy, #1)

Available as a kindle ebook and trade paperback.

The Amazon.com kindle link for The Ninth Orphan is: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0056I4FKC

Here’s the Amazon UK kindle link: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0056I4FKC

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Amazon reviewer Cheri Swan reviews Book #1 in The Orphan Trilogy
 
October 30, 2012 PST
 
 ★★★★ A movie for your mind!  By C. Swan “cswan” (California) – See all my reviews
 
This review is from: The Ninth Orphan (The Orphan Trilogy, #1) (Kindle Edition)

I judge a book by its ability to paint a picture in my mind with the words the author chooses and The Ninth Orphan is a 3D blockbuster. It slowly draws you in and keeps you hooked until you realize you’re at the end of the book. I started the book this morning and just couldn’t put it down…good thing it was the perfect rainy day to get wrapped up in a good book. Can’t wait to ready the next book in the Trilogy! The Orphan Factory

The Ninth Orphan (The Orphan Trilogy, #1)

Available as a kindle ebook and trade paperback.

This international thriller novel is currently on Amazon UK’s technothriller bestseller list.

Here’s the Amazon.com kindle link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0056I4FKC

And here’s the Amazon.UK kindle link: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0056I4FKC

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Romney and Obama do battle…but does the election outcome really matter?  

12.45PM EDT 30 Oct., 2012: Nobody knows how the 2012 US presidential election will play out, according to US Today’s David Jackson. As he notes, “A historic storm has further clouded an already impossible-to-predict presidential election.”

Jackson continues:

As aides to President Obama and Mitt Romney assess how Hurricane Sandy might affect their campaigns, pollsters are starting to note the historically close nature of the race…The many and various polls have been all over the place, at both the national and swing state levels.

Now comes a totally unique factor: a massive hurricane that could directly affect as many as 60 million Americans.

Will the storm response enhance President Obama’s reputation with the voters? Will it reduce turnout by hundreds of thousands, or even millions? Will Mitt Romney be able to make his case in the face of wall-to-wall hurricane coverage?

…It’s a historic twist to an already historically close election. And the bottom line: Nobody knows how it will play out. Batten down the hatches. One week to go.

However, the question remains: Does the election result really matter? Has a US election result mattered since the Kennedy era?

We attempt to answer these questions in our international thriller novels, The Ninth Orphan (The Orphan Trilogy, #1), and The Orphan Factory (The Orphan Trilogy, #2) and shed some light on who wields the real power in today’s world…

The Ninth Orphan (The Orphan Trilogy, #1)The Orphan Factory (The Orphan Trilogy, #2)

The Amazon kindle link for The Ninth Orphan is: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0056I4FKC

For more about US politics and who really wields the power, go to: http://www.youtube.com/user/SterlingGateBooks

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Our international thriller novel The Ninth Orphan (The Orphan Trilogy, #1) is currently #18 and rising on Amazon UK’s technothriller bestseller list.

The Ninth Orphan (The Orphan Trilogy, #1)

Available as a kindle ebook and trade paperback.

Here’s the Amazon UK kindle link: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0056I4FKC

            Romney and Obama do battle…but does the election outcome really matter?  

October 29, 2012 PST: Voice of America’s Ken Bredemeier reports that “Polls in recent days show Romney edging ahead of the incumbent in national voter sentiment, in part because of overwhelming support for him in some southern and western states.” He says, “Those are the most conservative parts of the country that in recent elections have voted solidly for Republican presidential candidates.”

But wait, there’s more:

But the surveys – at least for the moment – show a different story in the battleground states.

In these eight states, the polling of would-be voters shows Obama maintaining slight leads in five of them – the midwestern states of Ohio, Wisconsin and Iowa, as well as the northeastern state of New Hampshire and the western state of Nevada. If Obama wins these five states with 44 electoral votes, and holds the ones he is expected to carry, he would have 281 electoral votes, enough to win a second term in the White House.

Polling shows that Romney appears to have gained a narrow lead in the southern state of Florida, with 29 electoral votes, and is in close contests with the president in the mid-Atlantic state of Virginia and the western state of Colorado with another 22.

Numerous analysts say the bellwether state of Ohio, with its 18 electoral votes, is the key battleground. No Republican has won the White House without winning that state. It is a large state with three major cities – Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati – and numerous smaller towns. There are vast farmlands in Ohio, as well as major manufacturing plants.   

The president and Romney have staged numerous campaign rallies in Ohio. Surveys have shown the president with an average two-percentage point lead. But if Romney were to overcome that lead and collect the state’s electoral votes, he could win the election.

However, the question remains: Does the election result really matter? Has a US election result mattered since the Kennedy era?

We attempt to answer these questions in our international thriller novels, The Ninth Orphan (The Orphan Trilogy, #1), and The Orphan Factory (The Orphan Trilogy, #2) and shed some light on who wields the real power in today’s world…

The Ninth Orphan (The Orphan Trilogy, #1)

   The Orphan Factory (The Orphan Trilogy, #2)

The Amazon ebook link for The Ninth Orphan is: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0056I4FKC

For more about US politics and who really wields the power, go to: http://www.youtube.com/user/SterlingGateBooks

Romney and Obama do battle…but does the election outcome really matter? 

6.15am, 27th Oct., 2012 PST: Financial markets guru and Editor of ‘The Market Oracle, Nadeem Walayat, predicts President Obama will be re-elected on November 6th with the probability favouring more than 300 electoral votes. And this despite what he calls misleading highly erroneous opinion polls that give the illusion of a close race, and despite which way Ohio goes.

Walayat states:

…There has been no net change since the release of September jobs report as the trend continues to build towards Obama increasing the real events based gap between himself and Mitt Romney by election day, enough to push through the 300 barrier, with or without Ohio and even a bad October Jobs report of a rate above 8% (I expect 7.9%), will not have enough time behind it to create enough momentum to make much impact at such a late stage.

The bottom line is that Romney failed to re-ignite the momentum that built up following he first debate that was halted by the 6th October Unemployment report, instead his performance during subsequent debates has been weaker than Obama’s and therefore the election really was lost by Mitt Romney during mid September following the 47% video, which crippled his chance of ever taking the lead…

Source: The Market Oracle

However, the question remains: Does the election result really matter? Has a US election result mattered since the Kennedy era?

We attempt to answer these questions in our international thriller novel, The Ninth Orphan (The Orphan Trilogy, #1), and shed some light on who wields the real power in today’s world…

The Ninth Orphan (The Orphan Trilogy, #1)

The Amazon ebook link for our novel is: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0056I4FKC

For more about US politics and who really wields the power, go to: http://www.youtube.com/user/SterlingGateBooks

 

Our coming-of-age spy thriller The Orphan Factory (The Orphan Trilogy, #2) continues its rise on Amazon’s Top Rated list for Technothrillers.

The Orphan Factory (The Orphan Trilogy, #2)

The Orphan Factory is currently #27 on the list as per this link – http://www.amazon.com/gp/top-rated/digital-text/157324011/ref=zg_tr_nav_kstore_6_157319011#2 as at 15 October 2012 PST. Ratings are based on readers’ reviews; our novel has a review rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars.

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.