I am a big fan of Richard Lewis. This has an interesting story behind it. As long time readers of this site might recall, I first heard of Richard Lewis when he emailed me about his upcoming book The Flame Tree way back in 2004. He politely asked if I might take a look and I agreed to do so.
I loved that book and have been reading him ever since. I have done interviews and podcasts with him and try to keep in touch with him via email (he lives on the other side of the world).
I bring all this up to let you know I am not exactly unbiased when it comes to his writing. But the good news is the risk reward on this particular deal leans heavily toward the reader (or should I say e-reader).
Lewis has a new book available via Amazon Digital Services called The Last Witch of Manhattan. And for a mere $2.99 it is a steal. That’s right, it is self-published. But please don’t let that dissuade you from reading this one.
Here is the blurb from Lewis:
Eldie’s mother, the last of the Balinese witches, has been abducted out of her Manhattan townhouse. Eldie’s explorer father has vanished while searching for his wife. Now somebody wants to kidnap Eldie’s invisible friend, Sam. With Sam’s help, Eldie must develop her powers in order to rescue her parents and prevent a cosmic rift. But as she discovers, her powers are dark and troubled.
Allow me to steal from a review on Amazon to sum it up:
Part supernatural, part sci-fi, part thriller, it is a complex, and might I add fresh, blend of science, Balinese and Judeo-Christian mythology centered around the proverbial clash between good and evil.
More on my take below.As the Amazon review above hints at, it is not easy to categorize this book. It is a complex mix of fantasy, magic, science, and faith. It has action and suspense but it isn’t really dominated by either. It is young adult fantasy I suppose but really speculative fiction.
As usual Lewis avoids easy answers and refuses to let the reader off easy. And his unique background in Bali ads a great exotic flare.
It was fascinating, entertaining, enthralling and mystifying all at the same time.
If you enjoy YA books not afraid to tackle complex and potentially controversial subjects Lewis is an author to check out.
This is one self-published e-book that I think should have made it into at least trade paperback. But that is your gain – three bucks for a great read.
