The Abdication
by Justin Newland
GENRE: Supernatural Thriller
BLURB:
The town of Unity sits perched on the edge of a yawning ravine where, long ago, a charisma of angels provided spiritual succour to a fledgeling human race. Then mankind was granted the gift of free will and had to find its own way, albeit with the guidance of the angels. The people’s first conscious act was to make an exodus from Unity – they built a rope bridge across the ravine and founded the town of Topeth. For a time, the union between the people of Topeth and the angels of Unity was one of mutual benefit. After that early spring advance, there had been a torrid decline in which mankind’s development resembled a crumpled, fading autumnal leaf.
Following the promptings of an inner voice, Tula, a young woman from the city, trudges into Topeth. Her quest is to abide with the angels and thereby discover the right and proper exercise of free will. To do that, she has to cross the bridge – and overcome her vertigo.
Topeth is in upheaval; the townsfolk blame the death of a child on dust from the nearby copper mines. The priests have convinced them that a horde of devils have thrown the angels out of Unity and now occupy the bridge, possessing anyone who trespasses on it. Then there’s the heinous Temple of Moloch!
The Abdication is the story of Tula’s endeavour to step upon the path of a destiny far greater than she could ever have imagined.
Buy link:
Excerpt:
2. The Devils’ Bridge
A narrow path snaking down the steep slope linked the town to the bridge. Fearing the guards’ return, she hurried along the winding, uneven path. It was fine for mountain goats, but with her bad ankle and her walking stick, she was nowhere near as fleet of foot as they.
The bridge had a quietening effect, like a warm homecoming after a long absence. Ever since she had heard about the abandoned town of Unity, she had wanted to visit the place for herself. Within touching distance, she felt a keen sense of belonging, even though she had never been near it – until now.
A solitary wicker lantern sat in a cradle, shedding a pale light over a crescent-shaped area covered in flagstones that had been carved out of the side of the mountain. In the middle of it were the bridge pillars and a small wooden shack.
The bridge itself was a slender rope structure slung across the open chasm. Narrow matting formed the bridge deck wide enough for one person to cross. At least there were hand ropes. At the Topeth end, it was attached to two thick, green-coloured pillars. Fingers of mist rose out of the ravine, obscuring the Unity end of the bridge. The structure reminded her of a long, thin hammock tied between two pairs of massive tree trunks.
By the bridge entrance was a large sign:
‘THE DEVILS’ BRIDGE.
DO NOT CROSS.
IGNORE THIS WARNING AT YOUR PERIL.’
It was true. She had heard rumours about the bridge, about how predatory devils prowled the dip in the centre of the rope bridge. It was forbidden to cross it.
Interview with Justin Newland
How did you become involved with the subject or theme of your book?
One of the reasons I write is to explore the human condition, that is, questions such as how did we end up like we have today? I became involved in this a long time ago, starting when I was a young man,
There are two main themes in The Abdication. One is set out in the preface:
“When a man loses his way, he feels desperate.
When a nation abandons its purpose, it slides into anarchy.
When Homo sapiens shuns its nature as the wise, the kind and the humane, it can only be called… The Abdication.”
We have a nature, a human nature, and we are given the gift of free will to decide if we want to be true to that nature.
The second theme in the novel is about how Homo sapiens sapiens – that’s man the twice-wise – has employed the gift of free will.
What were your goals and intentions in this book, and how well do you feel you achieved them?
In The Abdication, a young woman, Tula, goes on a journey of discovery into these fundamental questions. To achieve this, I worked to find the right setting, the right back story, and place the right obstacles in front of her.
The answer to the second part of the question is for the reader to decide.
What was the hardest part of writing this book?
The balances in the ending are sometimes difficult to get right. Endings are often complicated, and for good reason. Here’s why…
Imagine the structure of a novel as an upward-pointing triangle. The base represents the beginning, the triangle gets thinner in the middle, and reaches the apex at the top - that’s the ending.
Like the base of the triangle, the beginning of the novel is a broad base and light on tension. The characters and settings are introduced. As the novel proceeds, the tension thickens as the characters interact and their arcs develop, and the threads are grown.
As the story culminates, there are many plot threads to resolve. There are the main character arcs to fulfil. But just as the tension at the beginning is broad, the tension at the end, where the triangle reaches the apex, is thick. The plot threads are pulled taut. Any wrong move dissipates the tension, lowers expectancy. So, at the end of the novel, at the narrow apex, every word, every gesture, every dialogue counts.
That’s why endings are difficult. The ending of The Abdication is no different.
What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
My previous novels had multiple points of view. This was the first novel I tried with a single point of view. It posed new challenges, particularly with keeping the plot going and introducing back story.
But the thing I enjoyed the most was discovering Tula’s character. What a feisty young lady she turned out to be.
What alternate endings did you consider?
Given my earlier discussion, you can imagine that I tried several different endings until I felt that I got the balances right. I can’t divulge what they might have been because they might be spoilers for those who have yet to enjoy the novel.
Can you share some stories about people you met while researching this book?
The people I met were mostly online, since a lot of this book was written during the Coronavirus lockdown in England.
But it did give me the excuse to renew some old friendships. For example, The Abdication is loosely set in the Middle East, somewhere near Jerusalem, Israel. I have a friend who lives there, and I took the opportunity to ask her to do some research for me about the local fauna and flora. I also wanted to know some information about Ancient Hebrew gods, and she helped me with that too.
What genre of books do you enjoy reading?
I read all kinds of books, but it depends. If I am writing a historical novel, I tend to concentrate on reading histories, and reading novels, plays or poems written by people alive during that period. I’ll also watch films about that time of history.
If I’m between novels, I’ll indulge myself in a magic realism, or fantasy, novel.
Justin Newland
13th February, 2022
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Justin Newland is an author of historical fantasy and secret history thrillers - that’s history with a supernatural twist. His stories feature known events and real people from history which are re-told and examined through the lens of the supernatural. He gives author talks and is a regular contributor to BBC Radio Bristol’s Thought for the Day. He lives with his partner in plain sight of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England.
His Books
The Genes of Isis is a tale of love, destruction and ephemeral power set under the skies of Ancient Egypt. A re-telling of the Biblical story of the flood, it reveals the mystery of the genes of Isis – or genesis – of mankind. ISBN 9781789014860.
“The novel is creative, sophisticated, and downright brilliant! I couldn’t ask more of an Egyptian-esque book!” – Lauren, Books Beyond the Story.
The Old Dragon’s Head is a historical fantasy and supernatural thriller set during the Ming Dynasty and played out in the shadows the Great Wall of China. It explores the secret history of the influences that shaped the beginnings of modern times. ISBN 9781789015829.
‘The author is an excellent storyteller.” – British Fantasy Society.
Set during the Great Enlightenment, The Coronation reveals the secret history of the Industrial Revolution. ISBN 9781838591885.
“The novel explores the themes of belonging, outsiders… religion and war… filtered through the lens of the other-worldly.” – A. Deane, Page Farer Book Blog.
His latest, The Abdication (July, 2021), is a suspense thriller, a journey of destiny, wisdom and self-discovery. ISBN 9781800463950.
“In Topeth, Tula confronts the truth, her faith in herself, faith in a higher purpose, and ultimately, what it means to abdicate that faith.”
V. Triola, Coast to Coast.
Website ~ Facebook ~ Instagram
2 comments:
Hey Avid Reader, thanks for hosting this stop on my blog tour!
Sounds like an interesting book
Post a Comment