Praetor's Blood: Shattered Peace

by Jeffrey MacSporran

Overview

During the Age of Heroes, Gods would use mortal souls as pieces for their games, games which would decide the fate of the world. But as their latest game neared its conclusion, it was interrupted by the sinking of the island of Atlantis, an event which forcibly separated the ancient world in two, those of mortals and those of myths.

Now, millennia later, Princess Selesia, the Crown Princess of the mythical Kingdom of Artlars and Field Marshall Archean, a war weary survivor of the Third World War, are chosen as the pieces for the Gods latest game.

Separated by unfathomable distance and time, but bound by ancient prophecy, their separate but interlinked journeys could decide the survival or destruction of their worlds.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798985389210
Publisher:	Global Publishing Solutions, LLC
Publication date:	03/22/2022
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	583
File size:	519 KB
Age Range:	13 - 18 Years

About the Author

Jeffrey MacSporran as his name suggests lives in the wet and picturesque countryside of Scotland. Before he started writing, Jeffrey graduated with a degree in Scot's Law from the University of Dundee. Due to having spent much of his early life travelling due to his father's military career, Jeffrey developed an interest in ancient history. When not working, Jeffrey will often be found behind a desk, painting miniature armies to recreate battlefields of the past and future. A longlist finalist entry in the 2021 Page Turner Award, Praetor's Blood: Shattered Peace is Jeffrey's first novel.

Editorial Reviews

2022-04-09
In this debut cross-genre novel, fate connects a princess and a military officer who are worlds and eras apart.

Somewhere in “the mythical Kingdom of Artlars,” a couple millennia “after God created Man,” Crown Princess Selesia and the Royal Guard travel north in search of the Oracle. She hopes to restore peace to the war-torn land that her uncle rules, as he’s seized the throne from her father. But when the usurper’s army storms a fortress city, Selesia must decide whether to flee or stay for the inevitable battle. Meanwhile, in the late 22nd century, Earth slowly recovers from the catastrophic World War III. The Britannic Confederation has relished 10 years of peace, which Insurrectionists all but destroy with a political assassination attempt. Field Marshall James Archean and his soldiers scramble to protect officials and track down the assailants. But the Insurrectionists, it seems, aim their ire at Praetors—people like Archean with “enhanced senses,” whom some don’t consider human. As order slips into chaos, Archean scours for enemies who have infiltrated the Confederation’s ranks and uncovers an alarming secret involving Praetors. In this fantasy/SF series opener, MacSporran masterfully builds tension in a number of scenes, from the thumping drums of Selesia’s uncle’s approaching army to a celebratory ceremony going awry in 2177. He likewise shrouds the epic novel in mystery. There’s no discernible connection between the dual narratives until the end, and delightful surprises crop up throughout (for example, the Praetors’ origin). Unfortunately, a series of dangling modifiers mars the story (“Hidden by shadows, a man’s voice comes from the corner of the room, followed by the creak of wood”). It’s a slight but noticeable blemish on an otherwise well-written narrative. The author, for example, deftly describes a world that blends new and reemerging tech: “His helmet, which would normally resemble a respirator, was instead a hard shell with a hinged polycarbonate visor, granting a less restrictive view and allowing easier communication.” The denouement takes a drastic but not entirely unexpected turn, with myriad unanswered questions left for the sequel.

A worthy, engaging fusion of fantasy and dystopian SF.

Kirkus Reviews