Review Tour + #Giveaway: Phantoms by Michael Leon @GoddessFish

Phantoms

by Michael Leon

GENRE: Fantasy/ Romance

BLURB:

The legend lives on in Phantoms… as modern day Phantom of the Opera, Eric Destler, plots to take over and rule the Palais Garnier with La Divina, the world-famous soprano, Carlotta Caccini, as his queen. But at every turn he is thwarted by his nemesis, the original Phantom of the Opera, now the Opera Ghost. Phantoms is set in the dark underground of the famous Paris Opera House and the stage above, where Guiseppi Verdi’s famous opera, Macbeth is being rehearsed. It is about parallel worlds, where opera imitates life with potentially catastrophic results. This is a tale about many phantoms – the real, imagined and ethereal – that haunt us all. And about the phantoms who live in the darkest recesses of the mind, often lurking behind beautiful facades. A world where some masks can’t be seen.

Excerpt:

Erik expertly opened the champagne, then with a flourish, poured a little into each of the exquisitely hand-carved gold goblets, allowing the champagne to rise up then back, before topping them up. He handed Carlotta a goblet, picked up his own, then raised it to make a toast, but Carlotta spoke first.

“To us, to the King and Queen of the Garnier,” she toasted.

“And to the Phantom of the Opera, replied Erik, “I shall sit in his place.” Suddenly the air was rent with the discordant sounds of an organ before the ghostly apparition of a masked phantom appeared. His loud, disembodied voice echoing off the walls, “To thine own self be true.”

Erik leapt to his feet, alarmed, gesticulating wildly and startling Carlotta.

“There… there… can’t you see it?” The phantom vanished.

“You are mad!” said Carlotta, softly.

“I saw him with my own eyes.”

“Sit down, Erik. Let’s enjoy ourselves.

Erik went to sit in Banquo’s chair again, but the ghostly apparition of a masked phantom reappeared there again. A shocked Erik stood still.

“Leave me,” shouted Erik, loudly, now in the mind and body of Macbeth, “leave me, awesome ghost!” The phantom disappeared.

“Shame, my lord!” Carlotta sang back at him, wondering what was happening, but ready to play this musical game.

Erik paced to and fro, now singing Macbeth’s part, pointing to where the phantom had been, acting as if he were truly mad. “That shadow demands blood from me, and it will have it, I swear it will have it!”

“What is wrong with you?” a now troubled Carlotta asked, clearly disturbed by seeing Erik unravel before her. Was this a performance, a scene from the opera, for her benefit?

“The Phantom of the Opera was here,” a tormented Erik cried. Carlotta stood up and breathed deeply. If it was a performance, he would have it. Reincarnated as Lady Macbeth, she faced him.

“Cowardly spirit! Your fright has created idle phantoms,” she sang, her powerful tones ridiculing him. Now wishing to end the disturbing performance, Carlotta picked up her goblet, and toasted Erik.

“René Bourdin has a rival. You never cease to amaze me, Erik.” Unsure of what had happened, he stood there, in the flickering candlelight, stunned into silence, grappling with the phantoms in his mind.

My Review:

Phantoms takes place in a famous underground Opera House in Paris where the actors and actresses are rehearsing Macbeth. One of the actors, Eric wants to be the best. He wants to take over and rule over the whole Opera House and everyone there. But something sinister keeps getting in his way and knocking him back a step or two. Some of the actresses are disappearing without a trace.

The question now is who took the actress? What was their motive? Did Eric have something to do with their disappearances? Or was it Carlotta? Or was it something more sinister/paranormal?

Phantoms is told from the points of view of Eric, Carlotta, and Christine. Phantoms will keep you on the edge of your seat as you race to the end to see how it all plays out.

I was drawn in from the very beginning with all the mystery and suspense of the missing person case with twists after twists as each page was turned. I couldn’t turn these pages fast enough wondering and trying my best to figure out how each character’s story came together or connected in the end and whodunit.

I would recommend Phantoms to anyone who enjoyed the original Phantom of the Opera. One-click your copy of Phantoms today!

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Michael Leon is an explorer, writer and author of the new novel, Sentient. Professionally trained in international trade, Michael has spent the last decade reading and writing SFF novels about new worlds to be explored in the future. His latest work, Sentient, imagines Earth in the year 2120. Michael has travelled extensively around Europe, walking the paths of his characters, from the famous European opera houses in Phantoms to the mountain tops of Switzerland in Emissary. For more information, go to his website

Buy link:

Amazon 

Giveaway:

$20 Amazon/BN GC

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