Indie Book Review: The Sons of Brabant by Michael Bolan

The Sons of Brabant (Book I of the Devil’s Bible Series) by Michael Bolan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Sons of Brabant is the first novel in the Devil’s Bible Series by Michael Bolan (it’s also FREE on Amazon at the time of writing). After the Duke of Brabant dies, his family falls apart. The eldest son, Reinald, inherits the Duchy after manipulating the Duke on his death bed. The younger sons, Willem and Leo, and their sister, Isabella, leave the Duchy in a rage. They establish a mercenary band and vow to one day return to Brabant and liberate the people from Reinald’s tyrannical rule. Meanwhile, Duke Reinald has teamed up with some of the most powerful people in Europe in an attempt to bring about the biblical End of Days and Second Coming of Christ.

The Sons of Brabant takes place in 17th-century Europe, during the Thirty Years War. I should preface this review by saying that, while I enjoy history, I’m not well-versed in this particular time period. The novel seemed well-researched and historically accurate but, to be honest, I wouldn’t know if it wasn’t. However, from the little nods throughout the text, I get the feeling that there are a lot of historical “cameos” and references that history buffs will appreciate.

Where The Sons of Brabant deviates from history is in the fantasy elements — and as a fantasy author, these were my favorite parts of the book. I loved the mythology behind Conor’s Irish homeland, and I hope to see more it in the later novels. Also, it’s no secret that I adore apocalypses, and I found myself enraptured (pun intended) with the plot to bring about the Rapture. The “Four Horsemen” have woven an intricate plan, and the political, economic, scientific, and militaristic scheming were fascinating.

From a writing standpoint, The Sons of Brabant is solid. The characters are developed and have clear motivations, and while this novel didn’t provide enough time for them to grow too much, I can see how they might evolve over the course of the series. The narrative style fits with the formality of the time period, and the plot, though complex, is clearly explained. In fact, it may have been too explained. At times, the action would stall when the exposition or the characters (in dialog) would repeat a detail already given or summarize action that had already been shown. For the most part, though, the story moves along at a steady pace.

The Sons of Brabant strikes a nice balance between history and fantasy, battle and political intrigue. It serves as an intriguing introduction to the characters and the larger plot to bring about the Rapture, while also providing hints at the action to come. Recommended for those who like historical military fiction, mythology, and religious thrillers.

 View all my reviews

You can find out more about Michael Bolan on his website. He also discusses the theme of fear and his favorite literary villains (including Duke Reinald) in this guest post.

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If you are interested in reading The Sons of Brabant and would like to help sponsor my writing and research, you can purchase it at my Amazon Associates Store. By doing this, you will not pay a cent extra, nor will the author receive a cent less, but I will receive a small commission on the sale. Simply click the book’s title or the book’s image.

Desertera Book Club: The World of Desertera

In this “chapter” of the Desertera Book Club, I recap the theology of Desertera’s creation and provide as much of an answer as I can to a question many readers have raised (and which my friend and fellow author, Jonas Lee, asked after watching the previous Desertera Book Club video)…

For those of you who want an “easy” answer: to the knowledge of the Deserterans, there are no other people left in the world.

For those of you want the full answer, here’s the video.

So there you have it! If you have any other questions about the world of Desertera, anything related to The Cogsmith’s Daughter, or future books in the series, leave them here or on YouTube, and I’ll answer in a future video.

Thanks for watching!

My Five Favorite Apocalypses

I love apocalypses. Whether it’s a man-made nuclear wasteland or angels and demons raging their supernatural war on Earth, apocalypses speak to a deep part of me. They bring out that frequently unexercised survival instinct that the comforts of modern living allow to lie dormant. They raise the stakes, heighten emotion, and destroy all the rules.

Despite the grandiose and mayhem of the world itself, in apocalyptic tales, the characters get to shine. Everyday people fight to make it another day, another hour, another minute. They ban together or fall apart. They showcase the truth of human nature — from its bitter greed to its unwavering compassion. They reveal what each of us could become, if the playing field were leveled by destruction.

Choosing a favorite apocalypse would be like choosing a favorite food — a question I’ve always found ridiculous. How can you choose just one when each satisfies a wholly unique craving? So here are a handful of apocalypses that I simply adore…

1. Mad Max

This apocalypse itself feels real. The old world got too greedy — draining the earth dry of oil, fighting for control of precious resources, playing with its nuclear machines (sound familiar?). The original trilogy shows the progression of economic collapse to total anarchy in the background of Max’s story, something that many apocalypse stories skip over. And let’s face it, the survivors of this apocalypse are fabulous. From the hockey mask-wearing Lord Humungus to Tina Turner’s chainmail one-piece to the Milk Boys’ gleaming chrome smiles, the Mad Max world does chaos in style. And don’t even get me started on the vehicles.

2. The Book of Eli

On the whole, this is a pretty cookie-cutter apocalypse. Nuclear war leads to an American wasteland. Vagabonds haunt the roads and hurt innocent people. Small civilizations pop up and try to rebuild something that only the older citizens remember and the younger ones can never understand. What I like about this story is Eli’s journey. He’s one man, trudging on with a purpose, a greater goal that he believes will help society find itself again. And on the way, he learns that it is just as important to stop and help others. Whether you believe in the book he carries or not, the message he carries is faith and being good to one another — something people in the apocalypse always need to relearn.

3. The Silo Trilogy

Major spoilers ahead. Hugh Howey’s apocalypse is masterful, because the characters don’t even realize they are in an apocalypse at first. Humans destroyed the world, literally hitting the reset button on society, with the hope that the civilizations that emerge in the silos will learn to be better. The trilogy touches on themes of political power, climate change, isolation/containment, and the very essence of human nature. And the lesson? At about 150 pages from the end, I’m fairly certain that the whole project was useless, that humanity will adapt no matter what it is given, but in the end, the same traits that destroyed the world will be the ones that defy the well-intentioned plans.

4. Supernatural

This is where fans of the show roll their eyes and ask which one. For me, the almost apocalypse I most enjoy is the Biblical one, where archangels Lucifer and Michael are meant to battle it out on Earth. Here, humanity doesn’t really matter. The apocalypse is not our fault, and it’s not even about us anymore. We’re caught in between the longest standing family feud in the mythical world, and yet, everything these supernatural beings feel is inextricably human. Betrayal, jealousy, anger, sadness. There’s nothing humanity can do to stop its destruction…and yet, the Winchesters find a way. Because, as weak and feeble as it may be in the eyes of angels, humanity is still a force to be reckoned with.

5. Interstellar

I felt every labored breath through this entire movie, because it felt too real. Seeing that dusty wasteland on Earth, hearing how it would be the last harvest for okra, it’s freaking terrifying. That is the apocalypse of climate change, and as someone who works in a tangentially agricultural field (wine), it’s a serious concern that I read about on a weekly basis. Again, Interstellar is another triumphant tale, whereby insignificant humans rally together to save their species. As a sucker for underdogs (and a total daddy’s girl), you can bet I teared up several times. I just hope the underlying lesson is not forgotten: as of right now, we as humans have no where to run.

As I said before, this is by no means a definitive list, but I think each apocalypse speaks to the themes I like: a probable cause, dusty isolation, and the undefeatable human spirit. Because I know someone will ask, yes, I love me a good zombie apocalypse, too. But, as I’m sure many science fiction fans will agree, those warrant a whole other discussion…

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What are your favorite apocalypse stories? How do you feel about the apocalypse genre? Share your thoughts below!

What Writers Can Learn from Mad Max: Fury Road

This weekend, Daniel, my parents, and I went to see Mad Max: Fury Road. In the spirit of full disclosure, I should tell you that we are pretty big Mad Max fans. Okay, let me clarify that: my mom enjoys them, Daniel and I really enjoy them, and my dad ranks Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior as the best movie ever (Joe Dirt and Mad Max are #2 and #3, in case you were wondering).

Anyway, the purpose of this article is not to gush about the films. Likewise, I do not intend to review Mad Max: Fury Road (5/5 popcorn bags!), nor will I bestow upon you any major spoilers. Instead, I want to discuss what I appreciated about the film on a storytelling level and share some takeaways for writers like myself.

1. Create the fictional world the “real” world needs

I’m not a psychologist, so I’m not going to hurt my brain trying to describe exactly why society loves the apocalypse so much — especially in the 2010s. Maybe it’s that some of us are feeling the effects of The Great Recession. Maybe it’s the pressures that go along with rising credentialism and changing gender structures. Maybe it’s how overstimulated, over-connected, over-shared social media has made us. Whatever the reason, and whatever the apocalypse — zombie, nuclear, economic, or pandemic — we eat it up.

We need the escape the apocalypse offers. We needed it in the late 1970s and early 1980s. I know I love the romanticism of it — the freedom from modern worries, the lack of rules, the return-to-basics survivalism. Mad Max: Fury Road gives us the batshit insane apocalypse we need to release some of that tension and feel just a little bit better about what’s going on in the real world.

2. Include relevant themes

My favorite aspect of Fury Road is that it stayed true to the original trilogy, especially thematically. Several themes from the originals carried over into Fury Road; including, the divide between the “haves” and “have-nots,” putting the good of the community before your own needs, and perseverance for the sake of perseverance (and maybe the hope of something better).

However, Fury Road also introduced a few new themes that are particularly relevant to 2015. First, as many critics have espoused, the film contains a strong, feminist message. On an obvious level, it condemns sexual violence against women and the treatment of women as objects. On a more subtle level, the film showcases women as men’s (mainly Max’s) equals, capable of saving themselves with Max in more of a supporting role than “hero” role. The film’s feminist message is particularly relevant today — throw a virtual rock on Buzzfeed and you’ll hit an article on gender. By tapping into this theme, Fury Road is conveying a necessary, relevant message in its totally wacked-out world and opening itself up to a whole new demographic.

Second, in Fury Road, Max has visions of people he could not save, which ring of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. In a time when a war on terror continues and society is growing more aware of and educated about psychological conditions, I think Max’s PTSD is well-placed. Not only does it function as character development, but it incorporates a relevant theme from the real world and helps its audience explore it in a new way.

3. Push boundaries within the world

This tip is short and sweet. Like any other fictional world, the Mad Max apocalypse has rules. It’s in the Australia desert, resources like water, food, and fuel (aka “juice”) are scarce, creativity (in outfit and car design) is crucial, and pretty much everyone is crazy. Just when you think you’ve seen it all with this world, it gives you an electric guitar player strapped to a war machine in the middle of battle. If you have yet to see the movie, trust me, it looks ridiculous — AND YET, it works. And you know what? Fans of the series love it.

The point is: create a world that the “real” world needs, make it relevant, and then push the boundaries to the point that it becomes insane, but epic.

4. Give the audience what it wants

Along these same lines, as a writer, you need to know who your audience is and give it what it wants. Fury Road is full of car chases and crashes, nail-biting fight scenes, and punchy one-liners. There’s more action than speaking, and you barely get a minute to breathe. But that is exactly what the audience wants. Whether you write apocalyptic fiction or romance, the best thing you can do is give your readers what they want (and a little bit of what they need from points 1, 2 and 3).

Honestly, I don’t care whether or not you like any of the Mad Max movies. Regardless of your opinion, there is storytelling wisdom to glean from them. The original trilogy became cult classics, and even three decades later, the world and themes within them are still engrossing viewers. The Mad Max series has created a vibrant world and episodic stories that hook its target audience and keep it coming back for more. If you can do the same in your own writing — delivering your audience, whoever they may be, what they need and what they want — you just may have a hit on your hands.

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What themes emerge in your own writing? Why do you think the apocalypse appeals to so many viewers and readers? Share your thoughts below!

Why We Have Chickens: My Family Will Survive the Apocalypse While Your Family Starves

I was raised to be apocalyptic. I never knew this, of course. Does the guppy know water? I didn’t realize that I was groomed to face society’s doom until I was eighteen. By that time, it was too late for me.

You see, while other little girls played with Barbies, I sat on the floor next to my dad, an unplugged PlayStation controller in hand, and pretended to blow the heads off zombies. While other girls spent weekends at the mall, I spent them with my dad, shooting Christmas Coca Cola cans until we could hit the polar bears from 30 yards away. When other girls refused to associate with their fathers, my dad and I were getting matching pentagram tattoos to guard against demonic possession – just in case.

Don’t worry. I’m not a romantic. I know that when the apocalypse comes, there will be no monsters: no undead, bloodthirsty scapegoats. There will be no sounding of angelic trumpets. No devils crawling from black smoke. It will be humanity that unravels civilization. The global economy will collapse and people will do whatever is necessary to survive.

When this happens, my family will be prepared. You see, in the end, the rifles mounted on the wall won’t be enough to sustain us. The concrete, one-way-in/one-way-out panic room won’t save us from the rumbling in our stomachs. Civilization or not, we’ll still need to eat.

This is where the chickens come in.

Chickens are self-sustaining protein factories. They eat the scraps from our meals, everything from rotten grapes to corn cobs to watermelon rinds. If left to their own devices, they slurp down worms and dig meat out of buggy exoskeletons. They, themselves, consist of meat: delectable meat that all other meats strive to imitate. After all, everything tastes like chicken. Of course, I will never (circumstances permitting) eat our chickens. The very idea repulses the pseudo-lacto-ovo vegetarian in me. I am content to devour their eggs, the most plentiful product the protein factories manufacture.

Originally, my parents bought six chickens. They were supposed to be Bantam hens, because they are small and easily domesticated. The more likely reason is that my parents think the feathers around their legs – or “the boots with the fur,” as my mom calls them – are adorable. However, we made the unfortunate mistake of buying chicks at Easter. By the time we reached Family Center, dozens of grubby-handed children had snatched up the chicks and moved them from one aluminum tank to the next, scrambling the breeds into indiscernible chaos. Therefore, instead of six Bantams, we have three Bantams, one Wyandotte, one Rhode Island Red, and one bird resembling a pheasant. Oh, and two of them are roosters, which incidentally, do not lay eggs.

Due to these unexpected complications, my dad took it upon himself to acquire six laying hens from the local Farmers’ Co-Op. While the other chickens all have distinct colorings, making them worthy of individual names (Zeus, Hera, Apollo, Aphrodite, Hestia, Persephone), the six, identical laying hens are known collectively as “The Dinosaurs.” These hens are a testament to evolution. They have gangly, scaled legs, long necks, and wide, black eyes. If I stripped them of their feathers, they would look like Velociraptors. The only excuse for their ugliness is the large, white eggs they lay: the eggs that will keep us alive.

I’m not crazy. I know that the odds of an apocalypse – be it pandemic, demonic, or economic – are slim to none. I know that, if an apocalypse arose, I would not have the guts to shoot a zombie, let alone a human. I know that, even if I became a ruthless sniper, my family’s tiny flock of chickens would not be enough to feed us forever. But you know what they say…

Better safe than sorry.

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This creative nonfiction essay is from my Multi-Genre workshop from Baker University. If you cannot tell, it was written in 2012, when the Mayan apocalypse and doomsday prepping were insanely popular topics. It was featured in the 2013 edition of Watershed Literary Magazine.