I’m pleased to post a review of The Lords of Oblivion, my literary fantasy novel, from The Small Press Bookwatch (February, 2018). This is one of the Midwest Book Review’s monthly on-line journals critiquing self-published, small press, or print-on-demand titles. Founded in 1976 and edited by James A Cox, Midwest Book Review is a well-established source of quality comment on books and the writing profession.
Here is the Bookwatch review:
Synopsis: Bradan is fifteen centuries old, but looks 30 years of age, and lives in San Francisco. He’s an environmentalist, drives a haunted Tesla and keeps a wolf. Life’s good and he’s almost forgotten his youth in war-torn, ancient Britain where he acquired the secret of near immortality, but also betrayed his civilization.
Then Bradan is confronted with his past when the two Celtic priests who orchestrated his treason are resurrected. The priests come to revere San Francisco’s natural beauty and try to erase humanity by provoking a catastrophic earthquake that will return the city to a pre-urban state.
In this collision of modernity and nature, Bradan must work desperately to use his limited magical skills, current technology, and his wits to challenge the priests. If he doesn’t win this battle, he’ll be annihilated along with millions of other souls.
Critique: Deftly written by Peter W. Blaisdell, “The Lords of Oblivion” is a simply riveting literary fantasy/magical realism novel about a lethal conflict that starts in the Dark Ages and ends in modern San Francisco, all in the space of one conjuror’s lifetime. Impressively original and consistently entertaining from beginning to end, “The Lords of Oblivion” is especially and unreservedly recommended, especially for community library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated fantasy fans that “The Lords of Oblivion” is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.95).
I write modern fantasy novels that are hopefully both exciting and literate. These novels include an on-going series about a near-immortal magician who grew up in Camelot and grew famous in San Francisco's 'Summer of Love'. He's still having adventures to this day described in The Lords of the Summer Season, The Lords of Powder, and The Lords of Oblivion. The books can be read in any order.
As author S Alessandro Martinez has stated about the series:
"Lords of Oblivion
A 1500-year-old wizard. A pair of savage druids raised from the dead. Modern day San Francisco. A wolf that takes no gruff. Blaisdell creates a fascinating world in this magical realism novel with smart writing, complex characters, and clever use of history and mythology. I was sucked in from the very beginning. I look forward to more of Bradan and Tintagel's mystical adventures.
Lords of Powder
Merlin's former apprentice, Bradan, is back! The 1500-year-old wizard, who is sometimes too smart for his own good, returns for another exciting adventure, this time in 70s Miami as he takes on the criminal world of drug trafficking. Blaisdell's smart, fast-paced writing and use of fascinating history and mythology keeps you on the edge of your seat as Bradan uses his wits, charm, and illusions to navigate the modern era and get himself into plenty of trouble.
Lords of the Summer Season
Being Merlin's former apprentice and living for 1500 years is bound to make you a few enemies. Travel back to the 60s with Bradan the wizard and his otherworldly wolf Tintagel. As Bradan juggles careers as a professor and musician, he must defend himself from his greatest threat yet: a literal god. Blaisdell continues with his clever, skillful, and imaginative writing that will keep readers eagerly turning the next page. My favorite of the Bradan books, Blaisdell dives deeper into the Arthur mythology, and brings the reader even more elements of magic and folklore, all the while weaving an entertaining tale of gods, wizards, ghosts, and 60s acid rock. Thoroughly enjoyable!"
Besides the literary side of my life, my background includes membership on a scientific advisory board for a non-profit professional organization promoting the biomedical and digital health business community in the greater Los Angeles area.
I’ve authored both basic research publications and business management articles focusing on the bio/pharma industry. My Ph.D. is in Biochemistry from the University of Minnesota where I also conducted post-doctoral research in microbiology. And my BS is from the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) with a double major in chemistry and cell biology.
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Blaisdell Literary Enterprises 