Blog tour: Gemenica
Summary
Revolution, romance and technological wonders are all in a day's work for the decorated hero of Alavonia, Sir Arthur Pageon.
An acclaimed explorer and inventor, Sir Arthur Pageon takes his unofficial role as defender of the realm of Avalonia very seriously. A fantastical world, Avalonia is home to the Discoucian Monarchy, as well as monstrous creatures and secretive academies for the highly gifted.
Upon returning from his most recent exploits aboard on his personal flying galleon The Nostradamus, Pageon is treated to a hero’s welcome and celebratory procession through the streets of Avalonia’s capital, Evermore. Little does Pageon know he’s being followed by a mysterious group known as the Purple Guard, whose devious leader is his estranged sister, Queen Lily Pageon of Harrha Island. Fiercely intelligent, Lily specialises in dastardly technological inventions with the aim of bringing down the Discoucian Monarchy so that she may reign as its dictator. However, the heir to the throne is one Princes Josephine Oladine, whose youth and royal position masks her role in the Discoucian Secret Service.
Joining forces, Princess Josephine and Sir Arthur’s adventures will take them across the whole of Avalonia — from the fog-bound shores of Karga, to the secret underground shanty town beneath the frozen prison of Icester, south to the verdant city of Proceur and from there to the affluent Starfall Academy — in their quest to foil Lily’s revolutionary plans.
Information about the Book
Title: Discoucia (Discoucia #1)
Author: Nicholas Lovelock
Release Date: 29th June 2017
Genre: YA Steampunk
Page Count: 345
Publisher: Clink Street Publishing
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35502297-discoucia
Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Discoucia-Victorianish-Fairytale-Nicholas-Lovelock/dp/1911525824
Gemenicia by Nicholas LovelockSummary:
The second part of Arthur and Jo’s strange adventures throughout the land of Discoucia, and a time
when Archie the Water Goddess has made the ultimate sacrifice to rid the world of her nemesis, Cordelia Paradise, the Fire Goddess.
However, things rarely go to plan and Arthur finds himself at war with Archie’s hidden agenda rather than the insane task that he has to help Archie complete.
Hidden around Discoucia in its sixteen major cities are sixteen gems that Archie must collect before a year is up. If she wins then Cordelia will disappear to another dimension and not return until she agrees to stop causing forest fires, volcanic eruptions and droughts.
Team Archie has Arthur and Jo, who both have the understanding that by collecting these gems a natural order can be brought back and maybe Jo’s father will get well again. Team Cordelia has Alicia May, who has a talent for becoming anyone and a deep malicious streak; and Iren, who has a fanatical hatred for Archie, which Archie herself doesn’t like to talk about.
Along the way they meet old friends and old enemies, as well as Archie having to perform miracles without the use of divine power. From the murky ruins of Tanalos to the haunted corridors of Ashin Dance Academy, the frozen caverns of Icester and the verdant streets of Proceur, the adventure will take them around Discoucia and beyond, unless Cordelia and Alicia May can stop them first...
Information about the Book
Title: Gemenicia (Discoucia #2)
Author: Nicholas Lovelock
Release Date: 30th May 2019
Genre: YA Steampunk
Page Count: 410
Publisher: Clink Street Publishing
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45838201-gemenicia
Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gemenicia-Farewell-Epics-Nicholas-Lovelock-ebook/dp/B07QN1VY8J
Nicholas Lovelock lives in a small village in Oxfordshire and has already published Discoucia, the first part of the Alavonia Series which spans multiple novels set to be released in the future. He enjoys riding around the countryside as well as illustrating his own works, as can be seen in his second novel Gemenicia. These Illustrations in stark black and white provide a glimpse into the world of Alavonia and how he sees it, as well as showcasing the different locations and characters that make up the Alavonia series universe.
He is a keen musician capable of playing the electric guitar as well as the acoustic and the piano, often trying to play like his musical heroes David Gilmour, Jimmy Page and Jeff Lynne. His coin collection has transformed from a hobby to a passion and obsession as he attempts to collect one of every issued coin in Great Britain. He is over halfway in that respect collecting such treasures as a 1675 Charles the Second Crown and an extremely rare Edward the Seventh Half Crown of 1905, and has begun metal detecting in an effort to tick some boxes in the Hammered Coinage section.
His love of Steampunk literature and cinema has been with him from a young age when he first saw the film ‘Wild Wild West’, sought out the original series and discovered a world of fantasy that he has painstakingly tried to pay homage to in his novels, to bring the wild west to an English setting and to create something that has never been done before.
History has always been a major passion of his as he makes many references in his literature, from characters whose personalities resemble those of eccentric historical characters or monarchs. The ability to change history through literature was one of the things that attracted him to become an author in the first place, to create similar timelines and put a unique spin on the mundane.
Extract from Gemenica
Archie listened intently to the ticking, and suddenly the ticking stopped. “Oh no…” she said. From out of the box burst a flurry of confetti, and the whole room was filled with red, yellow and pink streamers that seemed to be coming from everywhere. Arthur and Jo just stared in confusion at what they thought was going to be a bomb, but instead was something that was actually quite different. “What on earth is going on? By the way I never asked if we were actually still on Earth or are we somewhere else?” asked Arthur.
“You’re still on Earth but on a different dimensional plain which is tad hard to explain right now, but as to this stuff no idea, I think this is her idea of a joke,” replied Archie.
“So it’s from Professor Paradise?” asked Jo.
“Of course, this is just like her. Theatrical, bright, colourful and ironically funny,” said Archie.
“What do you mean by ironically funny?” asked Jo.
“She means for you three to probably die a horribly pink death and for me to really mess things up before being banished from my lovely home. I mean I would just start somewhere else so basically I’m saying that I’m sorry,” said Archie.
“We face death every day, not Lucy though, and she’s been quite lucky in that respect,” said Arthur.
“I had a psychotic husband which I might add is still out there,” said Lucy, appearing out of nowhere.
“Where were you?” asked Jo.
“I got lost, silly of me,” she replied.
“Edward will probably side with the Cordelia, as she likes to have allies who hate my allies. Then again he might not and I’m doing that human thing of worrying for nothing,” said Archie.
“You’re not human yet Archie, I bet you can’t wait for anxiety and aging,” said Arthur.
“Please don’t make this any worse than it already is,” said Archie.
“So we might have two enemies now?” asked Jo.
“Well not exactly, you see there’s an army of people out there who want to see you go down. With the help of Cordelia they will have a leader who will show them the way to get what they want… your head on a platter,” said Archie.
After this depressing conversation Archie took them to the dining room, which had three huge glass chandeliers and a massive oak table. Candles lit up the white marble floors which were so shiny they looked like mirrors. The walls were made from white plaster and had ornate gold engraving around the paintings of landscapes.
However none of them looked familiar to the three Discoucians.
“What are these paintings of?” asked Jo.
“All of the paintings in this room are of my favourite place in the world, I give you ‘Merrie Old England’,” said Archie.
“Is England like Discoucia?” asked Lucy.
“Yes and no, it doesn’t have flying ships or fairy-tale-like geography, but we have a lush countryside that really cannot be beat in the way of beauty,” explained Archie.
“So how is it like here?” asked Arthur.
“Simply put, Discoucia is a version of England plus a heck of a lot of imagination,” she replied.
“So what is for dinner?” asked Arthur.
“One track mind Artie,” said Jo.
“Priorities Josephine,” he replied.
“I believe that my favourite cook will be bringing it out now,” said Archie. From a door came a woman whose hands were empty, she simply stood and closed her eyes. Arthur looked at Jo, Jo looked at Lucy and Lucy looked at Archie, who in turn looked at the lady, who then outstretched both arms, and suddenly the table was filled with a feast of different kinds of food. “How did she do that?” asked Arthur.
“She thought about it and it all came together in her mind and on the table. Thank you Marie, once again you have shown that you have the culinary skills of a deity,” said Archie. Marie smiled, bowed and walked out of the room without saying a word.
“So you do have servants,” said Jo.
“Of course, though I am as benevolent as they come so I give them bank holiday weekends off,” she said.
“Bank holiday what?” asked Lucy rhetorically.
“Yes we know you’re the image of perfection,” said Jo.
“Oh no I am far from perfect, I’m a rogue deity with a heart of glass all tangled up in blue,” replied Archie.
“Humble as well,” said Lucy.
“I am just trying to soften the blow, when I become powerless for a year you are going to notice a big change,” said Archie.
“What won’t you be able to do?” asked Jo.
“I will be the same as you, but that isn’t such a bad thing since you are all amazing people,” said Archie.
“Is there any chance we can talk about something else, something a little less emotional?” said Arthur.
“What would you like to talk about?” asked Archie.
“Tell us about the gems,” said Jo.
“Well, back in the rocking 50s we created 15 gems, do you want me to name them all?” asked Archie.
“Please do, I didn’t know there were that many of them,” said Jo.
“We shall begin with Evermore and the Central Gem. It was there several miles beneath the ground that the three of us spent years creating the Infinity Vault. Down below is an incredibly huge network of rooms that will never be found by the mining of Elowe and Yande. The only way to open the door is if two of the four of us are present and that rarely happens,” she explained.
“The four being who exactly?” asked Lucy, who wasn’t really listening.
“Myself, Cordelia, Jonathan who is also called Hyperion but he doesn’t use that name much anymore, and Phoebe. Water, Fire, Air and Earth respectively,” she replied.
“I have never heard of this and I have every history book on Evermore,” said Jo.
“You wouldn’t as we kept it out of public knowledge because you would probably mess it up, not you specifically but one of your ancestors or descendants,” said Archie.
“If you’re a god does that mean that you’re immortal and therefore immune to pain?” asked Lucy.
Archie took a steak knife and slit her arm. Out of the wound poured blue blood and in a split second the wound disappeared, and all trace of blood was gone. “What was that supposed to signify?” asked Jo.
“I am immortal and immune to pain, I do not feel anything I don’t wish to feel and on top of that I don’t worry about anything concerning my general wellbeing, though that is going to change soon,” she said.
Tour Schedule
Monday 27th May
The Northern Witch Book Blog
Tuesday 28th May
Rambling Mads
Wednesday 29th May
Jazzy Book Reviews
Thursday 30th May
The Caffeinated Reader
Friday 31st May
Lauren’s Bookshelf
Saturday 1st June
Big Book Little Book
Sunday 2nd June
Donna’s Book Blog
Monday 3rd June
An Ocean Glimmer
Tuesday 4th June
Books are my Cwtches
Wednesday 5th June
Book Junkiez
Thursday 6th June
Luna’s Little Library
Friday 7th June
Jera’s Jamboree
The Reading Cafe
Saturday 8th June
A Daydreamer’s Thoughts
Sunday 9th June
Abooktasia
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