Announcement: Tales of Cinnamon City

Author Profile

Peter James West is a British author who was born and raised in the seaside town of Scarborough, England. Writing since 2003, he has rediscovered the world of fiction and worked on a number of manuscripts across the genres of science fiction, horror and psychological thrillers.

Peter is currently working on Augmented, book 5 in the series Tales of Cinnamon City.

Tales of Cinnamon City

Tales of Cinnamon City is a Science fiction and fantasy series set in the rich, deep world of Megarothia. 

Information Cloud (#1 Tales of Cinnamon City)

Information Cloud is the first novel in the series, mixing elements of military science fiction, adventure and hi-tech action with an epic tale that travels through a vast land. 

After the Iridium Wars, a cataclysmic event that killed the vast majority of Megarothia's human and animal populations, the planet has been left to ruin. Only Lord Hades, the Techno Prophet, foresaw this event and was able to save a few thousand survivors beneath a powerful structure that became known as the Dome Shield. 

Major Rachel Henson is a soldier in the Security Forces, a military organisation that now governs the fragmented land. She's combat trained, and highly effective, but it's becoming increasingly obvious that there's something very wrong with her. She isn't like other people, and she's developing a reputation for being more capable than anyone can explain. 

Lord Hades has been absent for many years, driven to desperation by his tormented visions of the Second Black Day. He fears that technology will be the end of man, but whatever he tries, he is powerless to stop the factions of the Orange Zone from destroying each other. The race is on to create ever more disturbing machines to win yet another war. 

Reviews

5 STARS - Michael Hinton
Great characters and technology support a good plot. Well written and convincing this is a great start to what is undoubtedly a brilliant series 

5 STARS - Zinger
West paints a thoroughly believable picture of a world interconnected through information. As security is breached, technology by-passed or stolen, the superficial tranquility of Cinnamon City is torn by momentous upheaval, massive robots, thundering machines of destruction, threats of annihilation and lots of regular old bloodshed.

Cinematic in its scope, West crafts a world that allows a reader's visual imagination run riot, amongst massive explosions, thundering machinery, thousands of foot soldiers whilst introducing very human characters that are humorous, venal, avaricious and, above all, believable.



5 STARS - Carol, South Africa
What's great book! I do not normally enjoy post apocalyptic stories, but I really could not class this as one. It was more of a futuristic view of the future. Technology, food, security for The people and otherwise pretty normal lives for most citizens, except those of the security forces. The book started with a run, then slowed briefly to introduce important new characters and then blitzed away again. The characters were well developed and either like-able or extremely hateful, which made for an exciting read, rooting for your favourites. The book was well written and flowed seamlessly from one chapter to the next, making it impossible to put down at any point. The technology created in the book for the battles was mind boggling and frightening. The human is capable of terrible cruelties towards what they consider lesser beings. I am really looking forward to the next book. Really hope I don't have to wait too long. I really need to know what happens next!!! 

Available now from the following retailers:

Amazon  Barnes and Noble  Apple  Kobo  Google Books Smashwords 

Cinnamon City (#2 Tales of Cinnamon City)

Cinnamon City is the second novel in the series, mixing elements of military science fiction, adventure and hi-tech action with an epic tale that travels through a vast land. 

After a short coma, Rachel wakes up under mysterious circumstances. She works hard to recover her fitness, but when she finally returns to Central Command, she finds that many things have changed in her absence. 

Gail Thompson has been exiled, and Lord Hades has appointed a new leader of the Security Forces. Rachel must prove herself like never before. 
She hunts down new Kamari bases, and enlists the help of the Implants, but strange things keep happening to her, and she still doesn't understand why. 

Only Lord Hades knows what's really going on, but the price of listening to him may be too great to bear. Time is running out. Rachel must find the traitors amongst them and help make Central Command stronger than it has ever been before. 

Meanwhile, the guilds demand to see the Council of Lords. When their prayers are finally answered, they discover just how little they know about their absent masters.

Available now from the following retailers:

Amazon  Barnes and Noble  Apple  Kobo  Google Books  Smashwords 

Ascension (#3 Tales of Cinnamon City)

Ascension is the third novel in the series, mixing elements of military science fiction, adventure and hi-tech action with an epic tale that travels through a vast land. 

General Markov mounts a daring attack against the Kamari. He needs to draw them out of their hiding places and pull them into a full-scale war. His plan is bold but it has repercussions for everyone. 

Meanwhile, Jacob is acting strangely. He talks to his dead brother and argues with his father about the future of the Kamari. Their disagreements are becoming more and more bitter. Even the Kamari captains are forced to take sides. 

Rachel can't avoid the truth anymore. She has dreamt of a man who carries a black spear. She knows he is coming for her and she's powerless to prevent it. It's time for her to face her darkest fears. 

General Markov mounts a daring attack against the Kamari. He wants to draw them out of their hiding places and pull them into a full-scale war. His actions have unexpected repercussions for everyone. 

Jacob is acting strangely. He talks to his dead brother and argues with his father about their plans for the war. A sickness plagues his mind and he cannot understand what is happening to him. 

Rachel knows that she can't avoid the truth anymore. She has dreamt of a man who carries a black spear. He walks like an old man but an aura of power surrounds him. She knows he is coming for her. It's time to face her darkest fears. Time is now running out for all of them. 

Available now from the following retailers:

Amazon  Barnes and Noble  Apple  Kobo  Google Books Smashwords 

Lord Hades (#4 Tales of Cinnamon City)

Lord Hades is the fourth novel in the series, mixing elements of military science fiction, adventure and hi-tech action with an epic tale that travels through a vast land.

Rachel prepares for the Second Black Day, but she still doesn't know what form it will take. The future is full of uncertainty and she knows she can't face this challenge alone.

Lord Hades must abandon her to pursue Lord Malkor into the Blasted Lands, but he offers her help in his own way.

Meanwhile, Jacob has become leader of the Kamari. Without his father's interference, he is free to pursue his own twisted goals.

The clerics are leaving. The guilds are in turmoil. Central Command must prepare for the Second Black Day.

Available now from the following retailers:

Amazon  Barnes and Noble  Apple  Kobo  Google Books Smashwords

Augmented (#5 Tales of Cinnamon City)

(Coming 2016...)

[Posted by: Peter James West, author of the science fiction series: Tales of Cinnamon City.]

If you're new to the my books, you'll find that they're a mixture of military science fiction, action, and fantasy. 

Tales of Cinnamon City is a science fiction series set in the richly detailed world of Megarothia.

For a limited time, you can get a FREE copy of Information Cloud – the first novel in the series – direct from this site. Just click the button below to get started.

Find out More >

Review: Leviathan Wakes, James S. A. Corey

I gave Leviathan Wakes 5 out of 5 stars:

Leviathan Wakes is the first book in the New York Times bestselling series 'The Expanse'. This sci-fi novel is set in space, and details the acrimonious relations between Earth, Mars, and the Belters  (humans who have been born and brought up on the asteroid belts). This rich backdrop provides an excellent setting for a story that is both complex and intriguing.

Detective Miller is a cop on an asteroid base called Ceres. His personal life has taken a downturn and his career is following close behind. He has to deal with cases that other people don't want, and he later discovers just how little his employers appreciate his talents. As his life unravels, he becomes obsessed by one particular case, and this eventually leads him in a new and dangerous direction.

Meanwhile, an Earther called Jim Holden and his crew find themselves trying to rescue a ship that has sent out a distress signal. When they try to help, they find that the situation is far from normal with the stricken vessel. The paths of Miller and Holden eventually collide and they form the backbone of Leviathan Wakes, but they are accompanied by a motley selection of interesting characters on their chosen path. The story is quite deep, and the characters are all well-formed, moody and above all, believable. This gripping story is more than you might expect from a  typical space opera.

I enjoyed Leviathan Wakes a great deal. It was a good story, with deep characters, and it was set in a detailed and interesting universe. As the first in the series, this book is a promising start, and I look forward to reading the sequels to find out what happens next.

You may be wondering why James S.A. Corey has two heads in the picture above. This is because James S.A. Corey is actually the pen name used by a couple of collaborators (Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck). The two authors worked together to write Leviathan Wakes and the subsequent volumes of the series. They have also worked together on various Star Wars novels.

Some readers may also be interested to know that the Expanse series is also being turned into a television series which starts broadcasting on the Syfy network in March 2015.

I gave Leviathan Wakes 5 out of 5 stars.

I would recommend this book to science fiction fans who like space operas with good characters and a complex plot.

[Posted by: Peter James West, author of the science fiction series: Tales of Cinnamon City.]

If you're new to the my books, you'll find that they're a mixture of military science fiction, action, and fantasy. 

Tales of Cinnamon City is a science fiction series set in the richly detailed world of Megarothia.

For a limited time, you can get a FREE copy of Information Cloud – the first novel in the series – direct from this site. Just click the button below to get started.

Find out More >

Review: Mitosis, Brandon Sanderson

I gave Mitosis 4 out of 5 stars:

Mitosis is a short story by Brandon Sanderson. It's based on the novel called Steelheart. It offers an insight into the world that the novel expands upon, and is a self contained mini-episode in the life of the the lead character, David. The story is based in a time after David and the Reckoners have removed the Epics from power in Newcago. Now that the Reckoners hold power themselves, they begin to realise what a precarious position they have taken over.

The Epics are still very much at large, and the checkpoints that the Reckoners have set up around the city do not prove to be as effective as David had hoped. He trails a man with tattoos who has already been allowed into the city, and realises that he could well be an Epic in disguise. The man has an unusual power that gives him an unexpected advantage. Soon David is no longer the hunter. He has to turn and run from an army that is made up of only one man.

The story has a quick and maybe too convenient conclusion, but as a taster of what can be expected in the Steelheart novel, it certainly wets the appetite.

The sequel to Steelheart is called Firefight. I suspect I'll be reading them both.

I gave Mitosis 4 out of 5 stars.

I would recommend this short story to science fiction fans who like military sci-fi with socio-political themes.

[Posted by: Peter James West, author of the science fiction series: Tales of Cinnamon City.]

If you're new to the my books, you'll find that they're a mixture of military science fiction, action, and fantasy. 

Tales of Cinnamon City is a science fiction series set in the richly detailed world of Megarothia.

For a limited time, you can get a FREE copy of Information Cloud – the first novel in the series – direct from this site. Just click the button below to get started.

Find out More >

Review: Interworld, Neil Gaiman and Michael Reaves

I gave Interworld 4 out of 5 stars:

Joey Harker is a normal kid who pines after his dream girl and has absolutely no sense of direction - or so he thinks. After a school excursion that goes very wrong indeed, Joey finds himself in places that he doesn't understand. He runs home only to find that his mother no longer recognises him, and he now has a sister that he never had before. This is only the beginning of how strange Joey's day is going to become.

He travels across dimensions, quite by accident and meets some weird and wonderful people who tell him that he actually does have a sense of direction, it's just that it's a multidirectional sense of direction. Joey can't find his way to the local newsagent in his own world, but he can navigate trans-dimensional space. It's an unusual skill and not one that he had ideally planned for.

Joey's new skill takes him to dangerous places. He soon finds out that his abilities have real consequences, not just for himself but for those around him too.

Neil Gaiman

Michael Reaves

I found Interworld to be an interesting read. I enjoyed the multidimensional aspects of the book and found the MDLFs to be a novel and intriguing part of the book. This book was a collaboration between Neil Gaiman and Michael Reaves. It's a little bit different from the usual Neil Gaiman books, but there is still a clear influence visible in the magical characters and locations.

I haven't read anything by Michael Reaves before, but judging by this story, he may be worth checking out. He seems to be a screen writer amongst other roles, and his Goodreads profile says that he has been involved in Star Trek, Bat Man and Star Wars in one way or another.

I gave Interworld 4 out of 5 stars.

I would recommend this book to science fiction fans who like themes around multidimensional space, exploration, and magic.

[Posted by: Peter James West, author of the science fiction series: Tales of Cinnamon City.]

If you're new to the my books, you'll find that they're a mixture of military science fiction, action, and fantasy. 

Tales of Cinnamon City is a science fiction series set in the richly detailed world of Megarothia.

For a limited time, you can get a FREE copy of Information Cloud – the first novel in the series – direct from this site. Just click the button below to get started.

Find out More >

Review: Old Man's War, John Scalzi

I gave Old Man's War 5 out of 5 stars:

Old Man's War is an interesting story with a great start. It takes an unusual approach to military recruiting. The main character is a seventy five year old man who visits his wife's grave and then joins the military. It's a strange start to a military sci-fi book, and it puts the reader on the back foot from the first paragraph. From there on, it's a case of trying to keep up. We find ourselves wondering how he can be any use on combat operations when he can barely walk a hundred paces without sitting down for a biscuit and a cup of tea. John Scalzi does a great job of surprising us with an implausible situation and then providing an even stranger but very believable explanation.

Soon we find ourselves liking the main character, along with the group of 'Old Farts' that become his friends. They all joined the military on their 75th birthdays. They share an unusual journey that takes them far away from everything that they have ever known.

The story is full of interesting and imaginative technology. The characters are likeable and the plot takes us on a series of twists and turns that are quite literally out of this universe. The science is handled well. The alien races that we meet are well described and not too outrageous. Their societies have depth that takes them beyond the typical stereotypes.

From the start, it is clear that the author is skilled in the art of crafting a good story. The book has a good, well-rounded style and it always feels like you are in safe hands. I enjoyed this book a great deal. John Scalzi obviously has a long writing career ahead of him.

I gave Old Man's War 5 out of 5 stars.

I would recommend this book to science fiction fans who like military action, technology, science and space exploration.

[Posted by: Peter James West, author of the science fiction series: Tales of Cinnamon City.]

If you're new to the my books, you'll find that they're a mixture of military science fiction, action, and fantasy. 

Tales of Cinnamon City is a science fiction series set in the richly detailed world of Megarothia.

For a limited time, you can get a FREE copy of Information Cloud – the first novel in the series – direct from this site. Just click the button below to get started.

Find out More >

Review: The Stone Man, Luke Smitherd

I gave the Stone Man 4 out of 5 stars:

The Stone Man is an unusual story. It immediately reminded me of the classic sic fi story, 'The Day the Earth stood still,' where a robot came from space and terrorised the earth. That story was made into a film way back in 1951, but the similarity is passing, and a lot has happened in the last sixty years, so let's move on.

When I first started reading the Stone Man, I had a hard time with it. The main character was frequently flippant and wasn't very likeable. The narrative had a style that was grating and hard to get used to. The first 10% of the book took me about a month to read. Every time I picked it up and read a few pages, I became disparaged and read a different book instead. I almost gave up on it, but I thought I would give the story one last try.

At the point where the main character has to travel up north on a moped (an inspired plot line), something very odd happened. The story became interesting. Tension rose from nowhere. What had been a boring, annoying story suddenly took on new depths. Interesting events unfurled. The book took on a thrilling new style and purpose. I wondered if I was reading the same book. From the moment the main character gets on a friend's moped, the story and writing style improves dramatically. I don't know what happened to the author at that point in the story. I can only imagine that he drank a can of Redbull and became inspired by a box set of Alfred Hitchcock movies.

From the moped moment onwards, the story propels the main character through a series of strange and surprising events, forcing him to deal with new characters that have also been caught up in the mystery of the Stone Man. Together they try to understand what is happening, and they work together to deal with the imminent threat of the Stone Man's arrival. The story covers quite a time period, and the characters are interesting and believable after the first few chapters. Although the story did take a while to get going, the last ninety percent of the book was thrilling and entertaining. I found myself returning to the book whenever possible to see what happened next. In the end, it was an exciting and tense read.

I gave The Stone Man 4 out of 5 stars.

I would recommend this book to science fiction fans who like a tense, thrilling story line.

[Posted by: Peter James West, author of the science fiction series: Tales of Cinnamon City.]

If you're new to the my books, you'll find that they're a mixture of military science fiction, action, and fantasy. 

Tales of Cinnamon City is a science fiction series set in the richly detailed world of Megarothia.

For a limited time, you can get a FREE copy of Information Cloud – the first novel in the series – direct from this site. Just click the button below to get started.

Find out More >

Review: The Martian, Andy Weir

I gave the The Martian 4 out of 5 stars:

The Martian is a science fiction novel about a man who takes part in a mission to Mars and through no fault of his own ends up getting left behind. Mark Watney is the main character. The story describes his struggle for survival and his ever more desperate attempts to avoid death long enough to allow Earth to think of a way to bring him home.

Much of the story is told in the form of log entries as Watney keeps a record of his time on Mars. The log acts a narrative, allowing us to to stay close to his thoughts, feelings and actions. The descriptions are very detailed in their science. The book goes on quite a bit about how Watney controls his environment, grows his own food, and recycles his air. It also goes into fine detail about how he manages to solve the countless life-threatening obstacles that are thrown into his path. His life is constantly in danger, and his pragmatic sense of humour does add something to the style of the story, even if his repeated flippant remarks do occasionally destroy the tension that author has worked so hard to build up.

In general, I enjoyed this book, but the fine detail of Mark Watney's problem solving can grate after a while. Sometimes you want to shout at the guy, 'Just fix it and stop talking!'

Some of the possible impact of the book is lost because of Watney's casual attitude to the value of his own life. That is part of his uniqueness, and at times makes him interesting, but it does seem unrealistic for him to be so optimistic and unfazed during months of solitary isolation on a remote planet, as he struggles from day to day with only a small chance of survival.

On the whole, this was an interesting book, and I can see why it was appreciated by so many people. It is something different, and that in itself is commendable. It's always nice to find something fresh. As a standalone book, the deep dive into physics and chemistry kind of works. A sequel might be too much of the same unless it offers something new.

The Martian is already being made into a film. It also won a Goodreads Choice Award in 2014, voted for by thousands of readers, which isn't bad. It looks like Andy Weir is on a great journey of his own.

I gave The Martian 4 out of 5 stars.

I would recommend this book to science fiction fans who like their stories heavy on science and detail. It should also appeal to people who enjoy a good struggle as part of the story line.

[Posted by: Peter James West, author of the science fiction series: Tales of Cinnamon City.]

If you're new to the my books, you'll find that they're a mixture of military science fiction, action, and fantasy. 

Tales of Cinnamon City is a science fiction series set in the richly detailed world of Megarothia.

For a limited time, you can get a FREE copy of Information Cloud – the first novel in the series – direct from this site. Just click the button below to get started.

Find out More >

Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth

I gave Divergent 3 stars out of 5:

Divergent was written by Veronica Roth and has been a very successful series. The first book in the series, 'Divergent' became a major motion picture in 2014.

The story is basically a romantic adventure based in a fantasy world. Society has been split into factions based on the major personality type of its members.

• Abnegation (selfless)
• Amity (kind)
• Candor (honest)
• Erudite (seekers of knowledge)
• Dauntless (brave).

Each faction contributes to society in its own way, based upon its key strengths, but this is hardly described in the book. The factions seem a little artificial, their categorisation too simplistic. Although the Dauntless faction has some basic depth to it, many of the others appear to be hollow shells that offer little in the way of a society or a way of living. Candor, for instance is a faction where everyone tells the truth. What else they do all day long is left a mystery. There is no real explanation of how the world operates outside of the limited confines of the book's scenes.

The main character is a sixteen-year-old girl called Tris. She is born into Abnegation. Her faction has strict rules about being selfless at all times. Like many teenagers, Tris doesn't feel like she belongs. When she reaches the age of sixteen, she is given the choice to continue in her own faction or to switch to another. Out of all the available factions, she chooses Dauntless, the most dangerous of all.

Much of the story is based around a young woman's doubts and fears, and what drives her to understand herself and others. We are drawn into her feelings and hopes and are placed squarely in the middle of her teenage love. This is perhaps the strength of this book, and also what determines the range of its appeal. Teenagers will no doubt empathise with Tris and be drawn deeper into the story. Older science fiction readers may be frustrated with the touchy, feely nature of many of the scenes and be inclined to flip a few pages to get on with the story.

There is no doubt that is an imaginative story with a fast pace and plenty of disturbing elements to add to the sense of danger, but it treads a well-worn path. It is well written and flows along with plenty of action, and yet it feels a little too smooth and gentle at times, even when the events are at their most cruel.

The book can be exciting when the action is in full flow, and the characters are well formed. The truth is that the author is probably aiming more at younger readers than myself. This is categorised as YA on Amazon, though there will be some older readers as well. Perhaps if I was in my late teens, running around and idolising adventure and excitement then this book would resonate more with me, but in my ripe old age I found it too emotional and lacking in depth. The ending also seemed rushed as though added on as an afterthought rather than being part of the original plot.

I give Divergent 3 out of 5 stars.

I would recommend this story to science fiction and fantasy fans who are interested in romantic story lines or YA adventures. You may like it more if you are still young and dating rather than an old crust like me.

The series has done extremely well so it must strike a note with many readers.

[Posted by: Peter James West, author of the science fiction series: Tales of Cinnamon City.]

If you're new to the my books, you'll find that they're a mixture of military science fiction, action, and fantasy. 

Tales of Cinnamon City is a science fiction series set in the richly detailed world of Megarothia.

For a limited time, you can get a FREE copy of Information Cloud – the first novel in the series – direct from this site. Just click the button below to get started.

Find out More >

Review: The Wayward Pines by Blake Crouch

I gave the Wayward Pines 5 stars out of 5:

I picked up The Wayward Pines on a whim. It had mostly good reviews and it looked interesting. It looked like a thriller though some reviews were complaining that it was more Sci-Fi. I like both genres so if it fell between the two I had nothing to lose.

The book started with some odd sentence structures. I had a feeling that I might have made a mistake to buy it, but within a handful of pages it straightened itself out and became much more readable.

It did suffer from annoying sentence fragments at times. The paragraphing style was at times disruptive to the flow of the story, but for the most part, the story was strong enough to override this.

With the above reservations, you may wonder why I gave the Wayward Pines five stars out of five. The reason is simple. While reading this book my mind was constantly full of questions. Why did that happen? Why did this person act so strangely? What is happening? These were good question, not born of frustration but placed carefully in my head by the skilled hands of the author. He created a story that was very much like a thriller or mystery. The events were always interesting, puzzling and leading the reader to want to know more about Ethan Burke and the strange town he had found himself in. At times we doubt the sanity of the main character but we still root for him to overcome the unjust circumstances that surround him.

Some reviewers have complained about the ending of the book but I liked it. It's possible that the author has strengthened the ending since early reviews, making it clearer and more rounded. This book is an interesting mix of thriller, mystery and science fiction. I think it works well. Readers who only read thrillers may not be delighted with the science fiction elements, but those who are more open to a range of genres should enjoy this well-written book.

It was quite thrilling. It filled my mind with questions. I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys thrillers AND science fiction. 

[Posted by: Peter James West, author of the science fiction series: Tales of Cinnamon City.]

If you're new to the my books, you'll find that they're a mixture of military science fiction, action, and fantasy. 

Tales of Cinnamon City is a science fiction series set in the richly detailed world of Megarothia.

For a limited time, you can get a FREE copy of Information Cloud – the first novel in the series – direct from this site. Just click the button below to get started.

Find out More >

Announcement: Short story available - Wish Granted

A new short story by Peter James West

(A Dark Fantasy Short story)

Step out of your comfort zone and experience something quite different - but be careful what you wish for. It might just come true.

Available now on Amazon Wish Granted

[Posted by: Peter James West, author of the science fiction series: Tales of Cinnamon City.]

If you're new to the my books, you'll find that they're a mixture of military science fiction, action, and fantasy. 

Tales of Cinnamon City is a science fiction series set in the richly detailed world of Megarothia.

For a limited time, you can get a FREE copy of Information Cloud – the first novel in the series – direct from this site. Just click the button below to get started.

Find out More >