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On The Table Read, “The Best Book Reader Magazine in the UK“, William Long’s third Timecrack adventure, Varakite, finds Archie now in command of a Time Escort Group (TEG). That journeys through spacetime zones to other worlds to return Timecrack travellers to their Points of Origin. One such journey takes them to Ireland during the Great Famine in 1849 where they encounter the Varakite, Lord Castleforde.
Varakite, William Long’s third Timecrack Adventure in the series, lives up to all the expectations of his fans, who are keen to learn what happens next to Archie, Richard and Kristin.
Consistently compelling, character-driven and fast-paced, Varakite uses one of Ireland’s greatest historical tragedies (the 1846 – 1851 potato famine in which over 1 million died) to great dramatic effect and to introduce the novel’s evil protagonist, Lord Castleforde.
Like the first two adventures, Varakite will appeal to all young adult and older readers. With its adventures carrying its young heroes through the parallel dimensions of the multiverse this exciting series is a noteworthy addition to the bookshelves of all sci-fi/fantasy fans.
Archie is now in command of a Timecrack Escort Group based at Mount Tengi on New Earth in the second parallel. He explores and takes time travellers to their Points of Origin, whilst Richard, with his telepathic ability, is now recognised as a Lord of the Clouds.
It’s on one such journey to Ireland during the time of the Great Famine in 1849, they return the Irishman, Finbar the Guide, to his home in Donegal. Shortly after they arrive, Archie and his girlfriend, Kristin, the mission artist, encounter Lord Castleforde, a ruthless landlord responsible for the evictions of starving tenants on land he has inherited from his late wife, Lady Jane.
Castleforde suffers the curse of being a Varakite, a creature who can only survive by taking energy from other humans, which render him temporarily invisible. When he sees Kristin, he believes her to be the reincarnation of Lady Jane. He abducts her and takes her to the Red House estate, where she learns the terrible truth of what he intends to do with her.
Archie’s brother, Richard, who has the power to communicate telepathically with people in other worlds, arrives unexpectedly in Donegal from the third parallel universe. He joins Archie and the rebel Ribbonmen in their fight against Castleforde, and their attempt to rescue Kristin.
Theta, known as the Widow Cassidy, was taken from Xantara also in the third parallel, by a strange blue cloud into the vortex of a timecrack, and landed in Donegal. She has settled into a farm and uses her skills as a herbalist and healer to help the people survive the cruel persecutions inflicted by Castleforde.
Theta helps Archie and Richard, along with the Ribbonmen, to rescue Kristin during the destruction of the Red House. But Castleforde escapes to flee through a timecrack back to Amasia, Kristin’s world in the second parallel.
The adventure sees Castleforde continue his killings in Amasia. As a Varakite in his efforts to seek energy, he steals valuables from his victims in order to pay for his living expenses. Through his activities he meets the wealthy art collector who buys his spoils, Amelda Beck the Dragon Lady, and learns from her about the art works she buys from Kristin, now a famous artist with her own studio. They strike a bargain for Castleforde to obtain the priceless Immortal Wand she desires, in exchange for Beck to arrange a meeting with Kristin.
It has come to the attention of Archie and Richard that the killings are taking place in the city of Sitanga, where Kristin is working on a mural at Beck’s home. They suspect Lord Castleforde of being responsible for the murders and go to Sitanga to hunt him down and find Kristin.
They are too late. A timecrack has swept Castleforde and Kristin into its swirling vortex and returned them to Donegal.
William Long is a retired businessman based in N. Ireland. With a long and varied career in sales and marketing, running a business designing and promoting branded goods for high profile companies such as Coca Cola. One of his creations is the internationally famous Five Nations Rugby Championship tie, now regarded as a collector’s item.
In the 1960s he worked for Union Carbide, Toronto, which he left to explore the rest of Canada. He contracted to deliver a Volkswagen Beetle to a client in Vancouver, driving alone 3,500 miles to British Columbia. After working there for several months, he teamed up with two others to see more of the country and the USA.
Another drive, involved 2,500 miles from Los Angeles to Miami Port, Florida, to deliver a Toyota Landcruiser for movie producer, George Englund, who was shooting ‘Dark of the Sun’ in Jamaica. After enjoying a spell in Nassau, Bahamas, it was back to Toronto, before returning to N. Ireland.
It was a two-year adventure he sees as a future writing project,
He continued his travels with an interest in ancient cultures, exploring Mexico, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Spain among others, including nearer home, Newgrange in Ireland. Combined with his interests in aviation and space, along with the possibility of other dimensions and new worlds, he created the idea of a series known as ‘The Timecrack Adventures’.
He continues to write stories through his blogs which can be seen on his website.
Published by BookBaby on 8th April 2022, Varakite is available to pre-order in paperback (£20.00) and Kindle format (£3.74) on Amazon at https://amzn.to/360iuwc and https://amzn.to/3hK53mI
It is also available from Barnes & Noble and publishers BookBaby
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/williamlongbooks
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/william_long_books/
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