Book Blurb:
Bruce Cargo, a scientist at the British Geological Survey, is stunned when he discovers a journal purportedly written by Charles Darwin. But is the fantastical story it contains real, or is the journal just a hoax?
Bruce and his girlfriend Luna set out to determine the journal's authenticity, but as soon as they begin, someone-or some thing-kills the Darwin expert they have just consulted and ransacks Luna's apartment. A witness claims a "flying monster" was responsible, but the police are incredulous.
Meanwhile, Lily (Barnum's Angel) in flashbacks to 1882, searches for a series of journals penned by Darwin that she hopes will help her find her brother-and deal with him when she does.
Now, more than a century later, Lily is well aware that the monster is her brother, Jamie. So as Bruce and the police pursue him, unknown to them, so does she.
Book Buy Link: https://geni.us/waiuZPn
Author Bio:
Len Boswell is the author of eighteen books, most notably his Simon Grave Mysteries, an award-winning series featuring the comic exploits of "almost handsome" Detective Simon Grave and his "nearly invisible" partner, Sergeant Barry Blunt. His writing has been compared to the writings of Janet Evanovich, Rich Leder, Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams, and Kurt Vonnegut, but he'd like to think his cozy comedic mysteries are something new, blending mystery, humor, and satire in the mythical seaside town of Crab Cove in the not-too-distant 2050s. Yes, there are robots, and fun!
He is also the author of two fantasy series: The Chronicles of Randall (YA fantasy) and The Pale Chronicles (historical fantasy)
He lives in the mountains of West Virginia with his wife, Ruth, and their two dogs: Cinder and Daisy, one a speedy rat terrier, the other a paper-shredding Beagle.
WINNER: 2018 PenCraft Award for Literary Excellence (A Grave Misunderstanding)
WINNER: 2019 PenCraft Award for Literary Excellence (Simon Grave and the Curious Incident of the Cat in the Daytime)
FINALIST: 2018 American Fiction Awards (A Grave Misunderstanding)
FINALIST: 2019 American Fiction Awards (Simon Grave and the Curious Incident of the Cat in the Daytime
FINALIST: 2020 American Fiction Awards (Simon Grave and the Drone of the Basque Orvilles)
FINALIST 2022 American Fiction Awards (LIQ: The Quality of Mercy)
FINALIST 2022 American Fiction Awards (The Cave of the Six Arrows)
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/len.boswell.3
TWITTER: @simonsilverback
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/simonsilverback/
Editorial Review:
British Geological Survey, Nottingham, October 14, Present Day.
Bruce Cargo had had just about enough, his hands shaking with anger as his boss, Dr. Shepherd, not so affectionately known as “Old Nozzle,” turned and walked away.
Clean up the gloomy corner, he had said. Today.
Bruce’s first thought was to quietly pack his things and leave a brief note of resignation for the bastard. Fuck that, I’m a scientist, not an intern.
But then he had had second thoughts, the most compelling being the desire to keep his job. If he botched this opportunity, he’d probably have to go back to the States, and he didn’t want that. And there was Luna to consider. She would not think kindly if he blew this, perhaps his last chance to grab a foothold on any semblance of a career, at least in England.
So he had calmed himself and set about the task, yanking off his tie, rolling up his sleeves, and arming himself with a flashlight, a makeshift dust cloth, and a bottle of water from the machine.
We are quickly drawn in by the opening sentence of The Barnacle's Son, which establishes the mystery that will soon be revealed. The stakes are high from the first minute Bruce Cargo finds the Darwin journal, and the reader is captivated by the story's suspense. Although the first paragraph foreshadows the fanciful aspects that will soon be revealed, it is realistic enough to cause the reader to wonder if the journal's contents are indeed factual.
The second book in The Pale Chronicles, The Barnacle's Son by Len Boswell, is an engrossing continuation of a series that masterfully combines suspense, fantasy, and history. Building on the framework established in Barnum's Angel, Boswell skillfully creates a complex story that captivates readers from start to finish. The Barnacle's Son is a thrilling and provocative examination of science, myth, and the thin line separating them, with a complex plot based on a strange notebook allegedly authored by none other than Charles Darwin.
The plot of the book is a masterful combination of contemporary research and flashbacks to the past. A journal purportedly authored by Charles Darwin is discovered by Bruce Cargo, a scientist with the British Geological Survey. The plot moves forward with a sense of urgency and excitement as soon as this journal is introduced. Is the journal authentic or fake? What secrets are concealed between its pages? These inquiries lead Bruce and Luna, his lover, on a perilous mission to find the truth.
When Luna's apartment is looted and a Darwin expert they visit is brutally murdered, the narrative takes a darker turn. The witness's assertion that a "flying monster" was to blame blurs the boundaries between fact and fiction and gives the drama a fantastical touch. The novel is both captivating and incredibly engrossing because of Boswell's skill at fusing mystery and fantasy into a single, cohesive narrative. The story is as exciting as it is fascinating, drawing readers into a world where mythological animals and modern advancements coexist.
“First off, then, no one, and I mean no one, is to mention this artist’s sketch or make it available to anyone. Second, consistent with the evidence reported by Divers and the in-depth interviews of Fearnow, Cargo, and Murphy, who all told consistent stories, we’ve eliminated them as possible suspects. DI Morton will be briefing you on your assignments momentarily, but the lines of inquiry we’ll be following, at least until we have DNA results, will be three. First, we need to gather any other images we can find of the murderer—and we’ll call him that for now, not beast or monster or dragon-man. That means mobile phone videos and anything on social media. DI Morton will be assigning a team for that. A second team will follow up on what we will call the second albino. Who could he be? Why was he in both locations? Is he the murderer? Finally, a third team, led by DI Morton himself, will be looking into the authenticity of the documents in question with an eye for determining whether we are indeed dealing with a hoax. You should note here that in the interviews of Fearnow and Cargo, both mentioned that Professor Wilson, an expert on Darwin, thought the documents were genuine. They also said that Wilson involved a Professor Smythe at Queen Mary to get a second opinion. The interesting thing here is that there is no record of a Professor Smythe at Queen Mary. Why?”
He scanned the room. “Okay, then, Mr. Morton, they’re all yours.” With that, Falvey walked from the room. The whole room seemed to heave a sigh of relief at his parting.
One of The Barnacle's Son's best features is its character development. Because of their extensive detail, each character has a sense of complexity and realism, and feels unique from the others. The main character, Bruce Cargo, is a multifaceted individual whose scientific curiosity and tenacity propel a large portion of the story. The plot gains emotional depth from his friendship with Luna.
One notable model is Luna Fearnow, who has albinism. Her battle with low vision and the difficulties she encounters in a society that frequently perceives her as "different" are portrayed delicately and nuancedly. Her interactions with her humorous, ex-boxer driver, Pontius Pibb, add lightheartedness to the otherwise tense story.
Reintroduced from Barnum's Angel, Lily gives the narrative still another level of complexity. Her search for Darwin's diaries in 1882 connects to the larger story and forges an intriguing and moving bridge between the past and present. A tragic aspect is added to the story by her brother Jamie's transformation into a monster, and emotional complexity is added by her internal conflict as she confronts his transformation.
The Barnacle's Son builds on the mythology and characters of the first novel while carrying on the main plot for readers who have already read it. It keeps the tone and writing style that made Barnum's Angel so popular, combining historical fiction and fantasy in the same way.
Despite the time changes, Boswell's smooth transitions between the past and present guarantee that the story feels coherent. The plot develops in a way that feels both natural and captivating because to the masterful blending of Bruce and Luna's contemporary research with the flashbacks to 1882, when Lily looks for Darwin's diaries.
The Barnacle's Son has flawless formatting and editing, free of mistakes that pull you out of the story or interfere with comprehension. It is a pleasant and approachable read because of the clear and flowing style. Boswell writes at a good clip, using just enough detail to conjure up strong images without overpowering the story. The use of comedy, especially in the exchanges between Luna and Pontius, is a welcome counterpoint to the story's darker aspects, and the conversation feels genuine. The novel has a logical flow between scenes and distinct chapter breaks, making it structurally sound.
Each subplot contributes depth and complexity to the broader narrative, resulting in a well-developed story arc. With quiet intervals interspersed with violent and action-packed outbursts, the tension steadily increases. Because of the excellent pacing, readers are never bored but are also not overtaken by the nonstop action.
The use of mythological animals, especially dragons, gives the narrative a magical touch that takes it above the level of a conventional mystery. This was one of my favorite parts. Boswell takes great effort to make these fanciful aspects seem plausible within the framework of the narrative. The rules of this world are coherent, and the world-building is subtle yet effective, enabling readers to suspend disbelief and lose themselves completely in the story.
Old Nozzle continued frowning. “So you expect me to believe that the esteemed Charles Darwin was involved with dragons, that he wrote a secret journal and put it in a barrel with an egg, that he shipped it to someone who never received it, that it somehow magically appeared in our gloomy corner nearly two hundred years later, and that all this nonsense about the dragon-man is real and not some hoax you cooked up to discredit this institution?”
“Yes.”
Old Nozzle shouted at him. “The press is laughing at us, Cargo. Laughing! Did you know that? Do you know how much you’ve damaged the Survey with this little stunt of yours?”
The distinctive fusion of historical fiction, fantasy, and suspense in The Barnacle's Son distinguishes it from other fantasy books. Charles Darwin's notebooks are cleverly used as a plot technique to anchor the story's invented components in actual historical events. A fascinating and thought-provoking intellectual element is added to the story by the contrast of myth and scientific discovery.
The conclusion of The Barnacle's Son is both rewarding and intriguing. Although some questions are addressed, others remain unanswered, allowing for the possibility of the series' next part. Intense and action-packed, the ending gives readers a feeling of finality while also leaving them wanting more.
The Barnacle's Son, in summary, is an excellent continuation of The Pale Chronicles that succeeds in every way. The gripping plot, well-developed characters, and flawless fusion of historical fiction and fantasy make this book a must-read.
*****
“The Barnacle's Son” by Len Boswell receives five stars and the “Highly Recommended” award of excellence from The Historical Fiction Company
Award:
To enter the HFC Book of the Year contest and request an editorial review, please visit www.thehistoricalfictioncompany.com/book-awards/award-submission
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