26 Jan Justin Newland The Coronation Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour #HistoricalFantasy #Supernatural #Thriller #BlogTour #CoffeePotBookClub @matadorbooks @maryanneyarde

FEATURED AUTHOR: JUSTIN NEWLAND

Welcome to the Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour for author Justin Newland that is being held between January 24th  –  February 4th, 2022. Justin Newland is the author of the Historical Fantasy / Supernatural Thriller, The Coronation, which was released by Matador Publishing on 28th September 2019 (216 pages).

It was a pleasure to read and review Justin Newland’s historical fantasy, The Coronation, which is set in18th-century Prussia at the dawn of enlightenment and reason. The novel weaves in supernatural elements into the historical drama which I thought heightened the suspense and intrigue in the tale. It is a multi-layered story with themes of forbidden love, faith, and transformation.   

Below are highlights of The Coronation, Justin Newland’s author bio, and my review of his book.

To follow the entire blog tour, CLICK Tour Schedule Page

HIGHLIGHTS: THE CONONATION

The Coronation

By Justin Newland

(Blurb)

It is 1761. Prussia is at war with  Russia and Austria. As the Russian army occupies East Prussia, King Frederick the Great and his men fight hard to win back their homeland.

In Ludwigshain, a Junker estate in East Prussia, Countess Marion von Adler celebrates an exceptional harvest. But it is requisitioned by Russian troops. When Marion tries to stop them, a Russian captain strikes her. His lieutenant, Ian Fermor, defends Marion’s honour and is stabbed for his insubordination. Abandoned by the Russians, Fermor becomes a divisive figure on the estate.

Close to death, Fermor dreams of the Adler, a numinous eagle entity, whose territory extends across the lands of Northern Europe and which is mysteriously connected to the Enlightenment. What happens next will change the course of human history…

Buy Links:

Amazon UK  ♦  Amazon US  ♦   Amazon CA   ♦   Amazon AU   ♦   Barnes and Noble  ♦   Waterstones  ♦   Kobo

Website (buyers can enter a dedication to be signed by the author)  ♦   Publisher’s Website  ♦   Wordery (UK)

Bookswagon (India)  ♦   Booktopia (Au)  ♦   Saxo (Dk)  ♦  Exclusive Books (SA)

AUTHOR BIO: JUSTIN NEWLAND

Justin Newland is an author of historical fantasy and secret history thrillers – that’s history with a supernatural twist. His stories feature known events and real people from history which are re-told and examined through the lens of the supernatural. He gives author talks and is a regular contributor to BBC Radio Bristol’s Thought for the Day. He lives with his partner in plain sight of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England.

His Books

The Genes of Isis is a tale of love, destruction and ephemeral power set under the skies of Ancient Egypt. A re-telling of the Biblical story of the flood, it reveals the mystery of the genes of Isis – or genesis – of mankind. ISBN 9781789014860.

“The novel is creative, sophisticated, and downright brilliant! I couldn’t ask more of an Egyptian-esque book!” – Lauren, Books Beyond the Story.

The Old Dragon’s Head is a historical fantasy and supernatural thriller set during the Ming Dynasty and played out in the shadows of the Great Wall of China. It explores the secret history of the influences that shaped the beginnings of modern times.  ISBN 9781789015829.

‘The author is an excellent storyteller.” – British Fantasy Society.

Set during the Great Enlightenment, The Coronation reveals the secret history of the Industrial Revolution. ISBN 9781838591885.

“The novel explores the themes of belonging, outsiders… religion and war…  filtered through the lens of the other-worldly.” – A. Deane, Page Farer Book Blog.

His latest, The Abdication (July, 2021), is a suspense thriller, a journey of destiny, wisdom and self-discovery. ISBN 9781800463950. 

“In Topeth, Tula confronts the truth, her faith in herself, faith in a higher purpose, and ultimately, what it means to abdicate that faith.”V. Triola, Coast to Coast.

Social Media Links:

Website  ♦  Facebook  ♦  LinkedIn  ♦  Instagram  ♦  Amazon Author Page  ♦  Goodreads

BOOK REVIEW: THE CORONATION

The Coronation by Justin Newland
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Coronation by Justin Newland is a historical fantasy steeped with paranormal elements of visions, religious ceremonies, and miracles during the Third Silesian War between Prussia and Austria (with Russian alliance) in the 18th Century. The novel begins in 1761 when neither side has sufficient men or supplies to mount a major offensive. The story primarily centers around Prussian Countess Marion Graffin von Adler and Russian Lieutenant Ian Fermor. Countess Marion—left alone to administer the castle while her husband fights in the war—tries to stop a Russian commander from taking the estate’s fall harvest. When he strikes her for her defiance, Fermor intervenes to defend Marion’s honor. The captain subsequently stabs Fermor with a saber and leaves him for dead. Despite her people’s protests, Marion cares for Fermor as he fights for his life. At his last rites, he has a vision of an eagle (referred to as the Adler) and is pulled from death. The near-death experience so profoundly impacts Fermor, he pledges to find the reason the Lord kept him alive and thus stays on the Adler estate. However, with the loss of the fall harvest, Marion faces the prospect that her people could starve to death during the winter. Various storylines of political intrigue, forbidden love, treachery, faith, and superstition culminate in a strangely moving ending with hope of enlightenment.

Author Justin Newland has crafted a unique historical drama that weaves paranormal elements in the narrative, moving the story in various directions. At times, the sub-plots feel disjointed but eventually tie together for a thought-provoking ending. The primary characters, Marion and Fermor, are engaging as we delve into their inner thoughts. The story is most intriguing and surreal when we are placed in Fermor’s mind as he experiences a near-death vision of the eagle. Faced with the desperate situation of feeding her people, Marion embraces Fermor’s belief that she must follow the “Adler” for a divine purpose. Despite her people’s accusation that Fermor is the “Devil incarnate,” she allows him to stay in their community. Superstitions of demons possessing a person with an incurable disease or life-debilitating condition are explored in the story which I found fascinating and true to the religious beliefs during this time period.

The Coronation is a complex story with various layers of subplots and themes of forbidden love, faith, and transformation. This was a strangely compelling tale as the various storylines tie together and the meaning of various symbols and themes are illuminated. It was at first a difficult novel for me to get into because of the sundry of characters, some awkward wording, and instances of mixed metaphors such as, “in a voice as soft as rose petals.” However, once I was in the flow of the story’s structure and the author’s writing style, I found the novel to be a surreal, thought-providing read.

Overall, The Coronation is a unique historical drama enhanced by supernatural elements that capture the essence of 18th Century Europe at the dawn of its transformation to the age of enlightenment, globalization, and industrialization.

View all my reviews

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